NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-12-2025 11AM EST

Episode Date: February 12, 2025

NPR News: 02-12-2025 11AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

At the Super Bowl halftime show, Kendrick Lamar indeed performed his smash diss track Not Like Us and brought out Samuel L. Jackson, Serena Williams, and SZA. We're recapping the Super Bowl, including why we saw so many celebrities in commercials this year. Listen to the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News, I'm Korva Coleman. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is attending a NATO meeting in Brussels. The leaders are talking about Russia's war in Ukraine.

Hegseth says President Trump wants to end the war, but he also says that it is not possible to regain all the territory Ukraine lost to Russia when the Kremlin first invaded more than a decade ago. We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective. Hegseth says that there must be a, quote, realistic assessment of the battlefield. The Trump administration has fired another inspector general. This one is at the embattled US Agency for International Development or USAID. That inspector general's office had just put out a

scathing report on the administration's freeze on US foreign aid as NPR's Michelle Kelleman reports. USAID inspector general Paul Martin received a brief note from the White House giving no explanation as to why he was being fired. The move came a day after the Inspector General issued a report warning of the consequences of Trump's aid freeze and the administration's efforts to dismantle USAID. It says these moves are making it more difficult to track the humanitarian assistance that is supposed to continue to flow, to make sure there's no fraud and abuse, and to make sure it doesn't benefit terrorists in the Middle East.

The USAID Inspector General's Office has employees both in Washington and at embassies abroad with large USAID missions. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, Washington. Separately eight former inspectors general at federal agencies are suing the Trump administration. They were among many others fired suddenly late last month. The eight former IGs allege President Trump broke the federal law by failing to inform Congress ahead of time and for failing to give clear reasons for their dismissals. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to resume hostilities in Gaza unless Hamas releases hostages as scheduled this weekend. Hamas said earlier

that it would delay the hostages release and accused Israel of violating the ceasefire. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf reports. Netanyahu met with his security cabinet for many hours, a meeting that was moved up after Hamas announced the delay. In a speech afterward, Netanyahu demanded that Hamas return the hostages as planned, or the ceasefire will end and the Israeli military will resume intense combat, he said. Earlier, President Trump had demanded that all the hostages be released by Saturday, a proposal very different from the current agreement or quote all hell is going to break out. A senior official with knowledge of the matter not authorized to speak publicly later clarified to NPR that Israel expects three hostages released Saturday

as previously scheduled. Kat Lonsdorf, NPR News, Tel Aviv. It's NPR. The government says consumer prices rose by three% in January over what they were a year ago. The report is a little worse than what economists expected. The data show inflation is stubborn at may influence Federal Reserve policymakers to hold interest rates where they are rather than cut them. Forecasters say another winter storm is pelting the central plains this morning. The storm will drop several inches of snow. Areas from the southern plains to the Ohio Valley could also get dangerous ice.

This week's Billboard charts are out. NPR's Stephen Thompson reports what's called the Grammy bump is happening. The new number one album in the country is Hurry Up Tomorrow by The Weeknd. The Weeknd is one of many artists who rose on this week's Billboard charts following their performances at the Grammy Awards earlier this month. While The Weeknd's album is brand new, older albums by Chappell Rhone, Benson Boone, and Docey also rose dramatically on this week's charts. But maybe the biggest boost of all went to the Grammys' Album of the Year winner. ["This ain't Texas, ain't no hold'em."

Hey! They are cards." Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter had dropped all the way off the Billboard 200. This week it re-enters the chart at number 19. Steven Thompson, NPR News. There's a winner in the best-in show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. A giant schnauzer named Monty was crowned the champion. He bested six other finalists to win. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News. NPR covers the stories that shape

our world. Whether you're here for news or culture or good conversation, we're proud to be here for you. Federal funding helps keep the public radio network strong and available to all for about $1.60 per person each year. Visit ProtectMyPublicMedia.org to learn more about safeguarding public media's future.