This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

JIMMY LOVAAS, HOST:

Welcome to the Factal Forecast, a look at the week’s biggest stories and what they mean from the editors at Factal. I’m Jimmy Lovaas.

Today is March 20, 2025.

In this week’s forecast we’ve got the deadly tornadoes in the U.S., government workers striking in Greece, a criminal court hearing for South Korea’s impeached president, parliament resuming in Canada and Brazil’s Supreme Court weighing charges against a former president. 

You can also read about these stories and more in our weekly newsletter, which you’ll find a link to in the show notes.

Deadly tornadoes across U.S. South and Midwest

Information compiled by Theresa Seiger 

JIMMY: Up first, we’ll take a look at the recent tornadoes and violent weather that’s left dozens dead and injured in the United States. For more on that I’ve got fellow Factal editor Theresa Seiger.

JIMMY: Hello, Theresa.

THERESA: Hey there, Jimmy.

JIMMY: So great to finally have you on the podcast. You know, let’s just jump into things. Hoping you can get us caught up on the recent tornadoes. So, you know, what’s been going on?

THERESA: Well, we had a big storm system that swept across the U.S. last week and over the weekend. It started on the West Coast as an atmospheric river that drenched parts of California. As it moved east, it brought strong winds to the central part of the country. The winds fueled fires in Oklahoma and dust storms in Texas and Kansas. They also spawned dozens of tornadoes in the Midwest and in the South. If you look at reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center, you’ll see that more than 100 tornadoes were reported across 13 states from about Friday to Sunday, mostly in the Midwest and in the South. I should mention, not all of those tornadoes are confirmed. Some might be double reports about a single tornado, depending on how long its path went. But still, it’s a fairly significant number. Authorities say the severe weather killed at least 42 people in eight states, and dozens of other people were injured. In Missouri, where authorities reported 13 people killed – which is the most deaths from this storm system – they had something like a dozen tornadoes on Friday, with peak winds between about 90 and 165 mph. The governor there said that the scale of the devastation is “staggering,” with more than 300 homes destroyed and hundreds more damaged across 25 counties.

JIMMY: What about the latest? There been any new developments?

THERESA: Well, the National Weather Service is still sending out teams to do damage surveys to figure out where the tornadoes hit and how strong they were. State officials are also still surveying damage to figure out the scope of it all. In Missouri, Gov. Mike Kehoe has asked for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and signaled that he’ll eventually ask for a major disaster declaration from President Donald Trump, which will unlock federal resources for the state’s recovery. Debris clean up efforts and recovery are still going on in several communities and are likely to take weeks or longer. We’re also just at the start of the severe weather season for this region, too. That typically runs from about March until May or June. This area also typically sees a second wave of severe weather toward the end of the year. So, while the severe weather threat has passed for now, these states are likely to see more impacts later in the year. 

JIMMY: Well, what sort of reactions to this situation have you seen?

THERESA: There’s been a lot of rallying around the people who were impacted. Non-profits have mobilized and they’re out there in the communities, providing food, providing supplies, helping out. The governors of several states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi and Missouri – they’ve all declared states of emergency, and Trump on Sunday sent the National Guard to help state officials respond to the damage in Arkansas. There, the National Weather Service confirmed two EF-4 tornadoes touched down, with estimated winds of 170 and 190 mph – that's winds strong enough to level homes and throw cars, trees and debris a significant distance. The state hasn’t seen more than a single EF-4 tornado in a day since 1997. On Sunday, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders toured the damaged areas. She said on social media that the president has told her that his administration would help with whatever Arkansas needs. Meanwhile, officials have also been warning people about potential looting and possible contractor scams. So, there’s also that.

JIMMY: Well, you know, considering all that, what do you think folks ought be watching for next?

THERESA: As I mentioned before, we’re just at the start of the typical severe weather or tornado season – although tornadoes can occur any time. Each year, officials say about 1,200 tornadoes are reported nationwide, give or take a few hundred. Preliminary numbers show that, including last weekend’s storms, there have been about 280 tornadoes reported so far this year. So, we're definitely expected to see more outbreaks as the year gets on. Another thing we’re expected to see is further cuts to FEMA – which is an agency that Trump has talked about eliminating entirely – and further cuts to NOAA and the National Weather Service. The potential impacts of that are still unclear, although it’s sparked concerns over our ability as a nation to be prepared for future severe weather threats and our ability to recover. Reports indicate that, in the last several weeks, more than 600 NOAA and NWS probationary employees were fired, and about 200 probationary workers were let go at FEMA. Judges have since ordered the Trump administration to reinstate those workers. But some agencies have indicated that they’re putting reinstated probationary workers on administrative leave, so staffing isn’t necessarily expected to reach previous levels. On Tuesday, Trump also signed an executive order to put the responsibility of preparing for natural disasters more on state and local governments. It’s not clear how that might shape disaster readiness in the future.

JIMMY: Well, Theresa, we’ll pause there for today, but thanks so much for your time and for getting us up to speed. Appreciate it. 

THERESA: Thank you so much for having me.

Greek government worker strike

Information compiled by James Morgan

JIMMY: The union of municipal and regional government employees in Greece has called for a 24-hour nationwide strike for Friday. It’ll include a mass rally planned in Athens in front of government ministries.

Union workers have called for improved working conditions, including long-term contracts for employees who work in social services providing care for children and disabled individuals.

Now, the rally in central Athens is likely to cause disruption to traffic and public transportation during the day. 

Additionally, police are likely to increase their presence in Athens.

That, considering recent protest activity escalated into clashes during a demonstration to mark the second anniversary of Greece’s deadliest train crash.

Criminal case hearing against South Korea’s impeached President Yoon

Information compiled by Hua Hsieh

JIMMY: A second hearing will take place Monday for the criminal case against impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law declaration.

Yoon became the country’s first sitting president to be indicted for a criminal case after authorities arrested him over alleged insurrection on Jan. 15. That came after a week-long standoff with his security. 

Insurrection is one of the few charges for which a South Korean president does not have immunity, and Yoon could face life imprisonment or even the death penalty, though the country hasn’t executed anyone in decades. 

During the first hearing of the criminal trial, the court ruled to cancel Yoon’s arrest and released him from detention following a request from his legal team, citing the legality of Yoon’s indictment and arrest procedures. 

A constitutional court trial has been ongoing separately, reviewing his impeachment.

Now, concerns have been raised about the speed of Yoon’s criminal trial as many pointed out that when a defendant is tried while in custody, the trial will usually conclude within the maximum detention period of six months. 

However, with Yoon now free from detention, many worry that the process of his criminal case could drag on. 

There’s also growing uncertainty in what the criminal trial would actually be able to bring, with some analysts suggesting that the prosecutor’s case has now been badly damaged, with the court having accepted that Yoon’s detention was flawed.

Meanwhile others argue that procedure issues are unlikely to have significant impact on the insurrection charges itself.

Canadian Parliament resumes

Information compiled by David Wyllie

JIMMY: Canada’s Parliament will resume its session on Monday.

And newly-selected Liberal Party leader and Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to call an election in the days before the meeting.

Parliament was temporarily suspended in January, allowing the Liberal Party to choose its leader after Justin Trudeau announced his intention to resign. 

Prime Minister Carney faces many tests, including managing his relationship with a newly-hostile President Donald Trump, tariffs on goods and Canada’s response to them.

He’s also facing an election campaign that will pit him against a well-prepared opposition.

Now, with Carney expected to call an election in the coming days, Canadians could go to the polls in April or May. 

The Liberals, which have a minority government, are hoping to buck the global trend of incumbent parties being tossed from government. 

They’re seeking a fourth term amid a wave of anger and uncertainty stemming from Trump’s treatment of Canada. 

Still, polls show a distinct narrowing of the Conservative Party’s lead, giving Carney a fighting chance to win, with at least one showing the Liberals ahead.

Brazil Supreme Court considers Bolsonaro trial

Information compiled by Jeff Landset

JIMMY: Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro could become a defendant on Tuesday. He’s charged with attempting a coup.

Bolsonaro was elected Brazil’s 38th president in 2018 after a far-right campaign that mirrored Donald Trump’s in the United States two years earlier. 

He survived an assassination attempt during his campaign, which left him hospitalized for a month. 

His presidency was marked by his downplaying of the seriousness of coronavirus, a shady vaccine deal investigation, and a  “catastrophic” response to the pandemic. 

Bolsonaro lost his reelection bid in 2022 to former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva but refused to accept the result.

He then left the country before the inauguration on Jan. 1, 2023. 

A week later, a mob of Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed government buildings in the capital as a way to spur a military coup. 

A Supreme Court investigation revealed plans by Bolsonaro’s officials to keep him in power, including assassination plots against Lula, his vice president and justice Alexandre de Moraes. 

Last month, a federal prosecutor charged 37 people, including Bolsonaro, with attempting a coup.

Now, if the Supreme Court finds enough evidence for Bolsonaro to go to trial, he could face up to 40 years in prison. 

Meanwhile, Bolsonaro and his family have denounced the charges, drawing comparisons to Trump. 

The trial is likely to spark large crowds outside of the proceedings, and influence the public’s thinking in the months leading up to next year’s presidential election. 

And although Bolsonaro has been banned from running, there is speculation that his wife Michelle could run as a candidate.

JIMMY: As always, thank you for listening to the Factal Forecast. We publish our forward-looking podcast and newsletter each Thursday to help you get a jump-start on the week ahead. Please subscribe and review wherever you find your podcasts. We’d love it if you’d consider telling a friend about us.  

Today’s episode includes work from Factal editors James Morgan, Hua Hsieh, David Wyllie and Jeff Landset. Our interview featured editor Theresa Seiger and our podcast is produced and edited by me – Jimmy Lovaas. Our music comes courtesy of Andrew Gospe.

Until next time, if you have any feedback, suggestions or events we’ve missed, drop us a note by emailing hello@factal.com

This transcript may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability not guaranteed. 

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Music: 'Factal Theme' courtesy of Andrew Gospe