NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-13-2025 6AM EST

Episode Date: February 13, 2025

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Hey, it's Rachel Martin from Wildcard. This Valentine's Day, NPR wants to show our love for listeners like you by giving away a free year of NPR Plus and $100 worth of NPR merch to one lucky winner. Enter for a chance to win at npr.org slash valentine. No purchase necessary. Entry page and a link to the official rules can be found at npr.org slash valentine. Live from NPR News in Washington. I'm Korova Coleman.

President Trump says he's sending Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Munich today. Rubio will attend meetings with allies. Trump says Rubio will set up a meeting to discuss the war in Ukraine that comes after Trump held a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday about the war and peers. Joanna kiss us reports from Kiev Ukraine's president says he also spoke with

Trump. In his evening video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was grateful to Trump for his interest in what Ukraine and the U.S. can do together. He said Ukraine was ready to work with the U.S. on technological capabilities, including drones and resource cooperation. And he said Trump also spoke about his conversation with Putin. Zelensky said,

We believe that America's strength is enough to push Russia and Putin to peace, together with us, together with all our partners. A short time earlier, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Ukraine should not expect NATO membership or the return of Russian-occupied territories. Joanna Kakissis, NPR News, Kyiv. Trump also says he'll meet Putin, likely in Saudi Arabia. Trump didn't say when. A federal judge has declined to block the Trump administration's deferred resignation

offers to federal employees. And Pierce Andrea Shue explains the Trump effort can proceed. The Trump administration had given workers a choice. They could offer their resignations now in exchange for pay and benefits through the end of September. The expectation was they'd be on leave most of that time. Or they could remain in their positions and risk being laid off as Trump downsizes the federal workforce.

Labor unions representing civil servants asked the court to block the offer, calling it unlawful. US District Judge George O'Toole declined that request, finding that the unions didn't have standing to bring the case because they are not directly affected. He did not rule on the legality of the deferred resignation program. The unions call the ruling a setback, but not the end of the fight. Andrea Hsu, NPR News.

The Senate is scheduled to hold a confirmation vote today for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be Health and Human Services Secretary. He passed a procedural vote this week despite Democratic opposition over Kennedy's work opposing vaccines. Former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has been sworn in as the newest director of national intelligence. She discussed one of her goals. To refocus our intelligence community by empowering the great patriots who have chosen to serve our country in this way and focus on ensuring the safety, security, and freedom of the American

people. Gabbard was confirmed mostly on party lines. Senator Mitch McConnell was the only Republican to vote no, along with all the Democrats. McConnell says Gabbard isn't prepared for the job and has shown, quote, a history of alarming lapses in judgment. You're listening to NPR News. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas appears to be back on track after a few days of uncertainty. Hamas said earlier this week it would delay the scheduled release of three Israeli hostages that was set for Saturday. Hamas had accused Israel of violating the

ceasefire. Israel had warned hostilities could resume in Gaza if the terms of the ceasefire were not kept. Very cold weather is settling over the plains. Wind chill readings are below zero as far south as Oklahoma City. The National Weather Service warns a line of heavy storms now stretches from the Florida Panhandle to southern Virginia. There are flood watches and warnings up from Arkansas to Ohio. The popular language learning app Duolingo says There are flood watches and warnings up from Arkansas to Ohio. The popular language learning app Duolingo says the company's cartoon owl mascot is no

more and Piers Chloe Veltman explains. Piers Chloe Veltman, Duolingo's Social Media Channel Duo has not looked well on Duolingo's social media channels over the past couple of days. There are crosses over the owl's eyes and his tongue is hanging out. It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved mascot Duo the owl, the company posted. It then followed up with a video showing the bird being hit by a Tesla cyber truck and floating upwards past the gates of hell. In a statement to NPR, Duolingo said Duo's demise is under investigation and that more will be revealed in the days to come. It added this is part of a larger marketing

campaign not a rebrand. The company also admitted that killing off the owl which has represented Duolingo since it got started in 2011 has been a hoot. Chloe Valtman, NPR News. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News from Washington. At the Super Bowl halftime show Kendrick Lamar indeed performed his smash diss track I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News from Washington.