German election; Friedrich Merz; Greenpeace; Ukraine : NPR

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Today’s top stories

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet President Trump today in Washington, D.C., where he is expected to present the European plan for peace in Ukraine. European leaders were stunned last week by Trump’s abrupt reversal on alliances, falsely accusing Ukraine of starting the war with Russia.

• 🎧 Macron wants Trump to understand that Russia poses an existential threat to EuropeNPR’s Eleanor Beardsley tells Up First. France and Britain, Europe’s only nuclear powers, are said to be ready to provide a European military force, including boots on the ground and naval ships in the Black Sea, to secure a peace deal in Ukraine. Combining military, financial and humanitarian aid, Europe has given more than the U.S. for the war in Ukraine. Many European nations say they’re prepared to increase defense spending after the wake-up call that the U.S., an ally of 80 years, may not have their backs in the future.
• ➡️ As negotiations continue, here are key developments to keep an eye on regarding the war and efforts to end it.

Germany’s center-right Christian Democrat leader Friedrich Merz is poised to take over as the country’s new chancelloraccording to results from Sunday’s election. Merz taking the position would likely return the country to a more stable two-party government, which has run Germany for most of the past three decades.

• 🎧 Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government collapsed over a dispute about how to revive the economy and his three-party coalition government had a hard time rising to the challenge of chaotic times in Europe, NPR’s Rob Schmitz says. Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats will likely stay in government, but it’s the center-right Christian Democrats under Merz that will be leading now. Merz wants to move fast and form a government by mid-April. His number one priority is strengthening Europe as fast as possible to gain independence from the U.S.

Greenpeace USA is facing a $300 million lawsuit that could force the organization to shut down. The trial begins today. Energy Transfer, the company that built Dakota Access Pipeline, claims it suffered damages due to the 2016 and 2017 protests led by Native Americans against the pipeline.

• 🎧 Energy Transfer claims that Greenpeace and other activists conspired to raise money, incite protestshurt the company’s reputation and delay the pipeline’s construction. The 1,100-mile pipeline was delayed by an estimated 90 days, Energy Transfer’s now Executive Chairman Kelcy Warren said in 2017. Greenpeace calls this a SLAPP suit, which is a strategic lawsuit against public participation. Essentially, a wealthy company takes a less wealthy critic to court, forcing them to spend time and money defending themselves instead of protesting, NPR’s Jeff Brady says. Greenpeace hopes to win to dissuade other companies from filing similar cases.

Life advice

Post-workout recovery can help reduce a person’s risk of injury and soreness and improve athletic performance. However, many people don’t prioritize these activities after exercise. When people don’t make time for self-care, it can be a recipe for disaster. Here are essential activities to do after hitting the gym:

• 👟 Cooling down after a workout can help prevent dizziness and fatigue. Spend 10-15 minutes doing low-intensity movement after your exercise.
• 👟 If you feel that you can’t get out of bed the morning after your workout, you’re too sore. Foam rolling can make a big difference. It’s a type of gentle soft-tissue massage that can be done after a workout.
• 👟 Stretching is the key to preventing injuries. Stretches should feel like a light pull on your muscles. Aim to hold the moves for about 30 seconds.

Picture show

Chile is the world’s second-largest lithium producer. Once concentrated lithium carbonate salts are purified and exported, they are made into batteries that end up in cellphones and electric vehicles. However, in lithium-rich communities, there is little consensus among locals about what should be done with the proceeds of the lithium boom. Some communities around the salt flat have accepted compensation from the companies that set up there. Meanwhile, some members of the Indigenous Lickanantay community are adamant that the damage being done is irreparable and cannot be offset by payments. The groundwater extraction by the mining has led to the collapse of the Atacama salt flat. See photos from the community affected by lithium operations.

3 things to know before you go

1. The Netherlands plans to return over 100 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, nearly 130 years after these pieces, which include plaques, personal ornaments, figures, and more, were taken by the British and sold to the Dutch.
2. The Vatican announced yesterday morning that Pope Francis, 88, had a peaceful night but remains in critical condition for a complex respiratory infection. He entered the hospital a week and a half ago for treatment.
3. New York Yankees players and uniformed staff can now wear “well-groomed beards,” after the team lifted its nearly 50-year-old policy.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.