NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-14-2025 10AM EST

Episode Date: February 14, 2025

NPR News: 02-14-2025 10AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Public media counts on your support to ensure that the reporting and programs you depend on thrive. Make a recurring donation today to get special access to more than 20 NPR podcasts, perks like sponsor-free listening, bonus episodes, early access, and more. So start supporting what you love today at plus.npr.org. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kourva Coleman. Vice President Vance has spoken at the Munich Security Conference today. There's been a lot of attention on the U.S. since President Trump talked with Russian President Putin this week

about Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Vice President Vance is supposed to meet Zelensky today. But during his remarks, Vance chose to criticize Europeans over what he says are their efforts to squelch free speech. Now to many of us on the other side of the Atlantic, it looks more and more like old entrenched interests hiding behind ugly Soviet era words

like misinformation and disinformation who simply don't like the idea that somebody with an alternative viewpoint might express a different opinion or God forbid vote a different way or even worse win an election. Vance also urged Europe to stem illegal migration and he demanded that NATO members spend more money on defense. Thousands of federal workers are being fired from agencies across the federal government. NPR's Jeff Brumfield reports on the employees let go at the Department of Energy. Two officials at the Energy Department confirmed the firings to NPR.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press. The firings are of so-called probationary employees who have worked for less than two years in the federal government. According to one of the sources, the employees are being fired without notice or severance. The Energy Department conducts a wide variety of activities, everything from funding renewables to carrying out fundamental science to maintaining the nation's nuclear weapons. A spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jeff Brumfield, NPR News, Washington.

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to lift its freeze on funding at the agency USAID. Administration officials say they shut down foreign aid because they're figuring out whether to wipe out programs entirely. Stocks opened mixed this morning as the Commerce Department reported a sharper than expected drop in retail sales last month. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped about two points in early trading. U.S. consumers kept a tight grip on their wallets last month after a busy holiday shopping

season. Retail spending fell by nearly a full percentage point in January, led by a 3% drop in auto sales. Cold winter weather may have kept some people from shopping, but internet sales were also down. Spending at grocery stores rose slightly in January, but not enough to keep pace with the sharp monthly rise in grocery prices. Spending at restaurants and gas stations was also up during the month. Retail gas prices are inching higher, as typically happens this time of year. AAA clocks the

average price of gas at just over $3.16 a gallon. That's about 8 cents higher than a month ago, but 9 cents lower than this time last year. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The Vatican says Pope Francis is hospitalized in Rome. He's been giving ongoing treatment for bronchitis. He'll also undergo some medical tests. His events have been put off through Monday at least. Pope Francis, who is 88, has previously had bronchitis.

Hamas has named the three hostages it will release tomorrow as originally called for in the ceasefire agreement with Israel. The hostages include an American and a Russian who are dual citizens with Israeli citizenship. Their release will resolve a dispute with Israel that had threatened to derail the ceasefire. Here's a tale of biblical proportions. A man kayaking off the southern coast of Chile was briefly taken into the mouth of a humpback whale and bears Amy Held reports on the viral video. The whale takes Adrián Simónquist, kayak and all,

into its mouth and dives back below the surface. Come, stay calm. His dad, Del, who is recording, calls to his son as he pops up after a few seconds. Unlike Jonah, who the Bible says stayed in the belly of a great fish for three days and three nights. I thought I was dead, Simoncus tells the Associated Press. I thought it had swallowed me. Happily humpback whales have an esophagus too tiny for a man and no teeth. Instead, their baleen, bristly fibers act as a sieve to filter krill from the water. Simankus and his dad kayaked safely back to shore with an incredible tale. Experts say such

encounters are rare but have happened. Simankus thinks the whale may have just been curious about him. Amy Held, NPR News. This is NPR.