NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-12-2025 6AM EST

Episode Date: February 12, 2025

NPR News: 02-12-2025 6AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Valentine's Day is on the horizon and NPR's All Songs Considered has you covered with a mix of lesser-known love songs for that special someone in your life. You don't make your wife playlists? Well, not anymore. I sealed the deal. Robin. Robin, Robin, Robin. Mr. Robin. We're going to discuss this later. Hear new episodes of All Songs Considered every Tuesday, wherever you get podcasts. New episodes of All Songs considered every Tuesday, wherever you get podcasts. Live from NPR News, I'm Korva Coleman, an American teacher freed from a Russian prison after three years arrived in Washington yesterday to meet President Trump. Mark Fogel expressed his gratitude to Trump and thanked Russian President Putin for pardoning

him. Fogel was arrested in 2021 for bringing medical marijuana into Russia. The State Department says he was unjustly detained. Fogel expressed emotion and thanked others. Knowing I had the support of my fellow Pennsylvanians, my family, my friends, it was so overwhelming. Meanwhile, Trump told reporters another prisoner would be released today. Trump says the release of Fogel was fair, but he would not say what the U.S. gave Russia

in exchange. The Treasury Department says it mistakenly gave a member of Elon Musk's Doge team direct access to the federal payment system. As NPR's Bobby Allen reports, the Trump administration says it was an oversight that has since been fixed. The Treasury Department's payment systems managed the flow of five trillion dollars worth of government spending and a member of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency was able to not just view transactions but also had the ability to alter payments. The revelation, which came out in a recent court filing, contradicts previous

statements from the Trump administration that Doge members had read-only access alter payments. The revelation, which came out in a recent court filing, contradicts previous statements from the Trump administration that Doge members had read-only access to Treasury systems. The Musk associate who had the special access, Mark Alas, is a 25-year-old former SpaceX engineer. Alas resigned shortly after it was revealed that he had a history of racist posts on X. Musk and President Trump have called for Al less to return, but he hasn't done so. Bobby Allen, NPR News. Congressional Republicans are working on bills to implement President Trump's top agenda

items. NPR's Barbara Sprunt reports Republicans in the House and Senate have different ways to do that. The Senate Budget Committee is marking up a plan that would provide $175 billion to the southern border and $150 billion in new military spending. The Senate wants to use a budget process called reconciliation that requires only a simple majority to pass, so no chance of a Democratic filibuster. The Senate wants to deliver on this part

of President Trump's agenda and deal with extending tax cuts later this year. GOP senators think one big bill won't move through quickly enough. But House Republican leaders favor a one-bill approach. They argue delaying the tax component could jeopardize it altogether. Barbara Sprint and Peer News, The Capitol. The U.S. Senate is expected to hold a confirmation vote later today for President Trump's choice to be director of national intelligence. Tulsi Gabbard has one significant Republican support. She passed a procedural Senate vote earlier. Democrats say Gabbard does not have the experience to lead US intelligence work.

They have also criticized Gabbard's past statements that they say support American adversaries such as Russia. You're listening to NPR. President Trump has nominated Virginia's top public safety official as his choice to run the Drug Enforcement Administration. Terry Cole previously worked for the DEA for more than 20 years. The National Weather Service says a winter storm will continue to pound the central, southern, and eastern United States this morning. There are also winter storm warnings posted for the mountains of northern and eastern

California this morning. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has just announced the shortlist for its 20-25 class of inductees. The list features a Southern Rap Duo, a Mexican rock band, and a Brit pop supergroup. And Pierce Isabel Gomez Sarmiento has more. There are 14 artists on the list of nominees for the 2025 Rock Hall of Fame. More than half of those are on the list for the first time. That includes Atlanta Rap Duo Outkast,

the Mexican rock band, Mana, and English rocker Billy Idol. The list also features past contenders like Mariah Carey, Soundgarden, Cyndi Lauper, and Oasis. The final list will be announced in April with an induction ceremony to follow in the fall. Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, NPR News. Music icon Paul McCartney staged a surprise performance yesterday in New York City. He played old Beatles hits before a few hundred people in Manhattan.

McCartney also played hits from his own band, Wings. This is NPR News.