NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-14-2025 7PM EST

Episode Date: February 15, 2025

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Donald Trump is back in the White House and making a lot of moves very quickly. Keep track of everything going on in Washington with the NPR Politics Podcast. Every day we break down the latest news and explain why it matters to you. The NPR Politics Podcast. Listen every day. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Vice President JD Vance had a stinging message for European leaders during his speech at the Munich Security Conference. Their biggest problem, he said, comes from within Europe and peers deeper shivramas more.

Vance didn't mince words in his speech at the annual Security Conference. He scolded Europe for what he said is censorship of right-wing views and shutting people out of the democratic process. He also downplayed interference from Russia in democratic elections. If your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising from a foreign country, then it wasn't very strong to begin with. Vance also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the conference. Deepa Sivoram, NPR News, The White House.

Russia is acknowledging some role for Ukraine as it pursues peace negotiations with the U.S. The negotiations are aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. It comes amid concerns the White House was sidelining Kievan negotiations with Russia over Ukraine's future. NPR's Charles Mains reports. Speaking on state television, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine would be participating in negotiations, quote, one way or another.

Peskov said Russia anticipated a two-track approach to talks, one directly with the U.S. and another, quote, connected to Ukraine's involvement. Kremlin propagandists have long painted Ukraine and Europe as subservient to the U.S. and insisted only the White House could deliver a lasting peace. Those same voices have also celebrated President Trump's announcement he would negotiate directly with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end the war, particularly after Trump appeared to concede the key Russian demands over NATO expansion and Ukraine forfeiting land. Charles Maynes, NPR News.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would lose about 10 percent of its workforce as the Trump administration moves ahead with plans to shrink the nation's federal workforce. Jess Maddow, a member of station WABE, has the story. The Atlanta-based CDC is losing nearly 1,300 people with jobs classified as probationary. That includes newer hires and longtime staffers who've recently moved to new positions internally at the CDC. Affected workers are slated to get four weeks of paid administrative leave,

according to an employee requesting anonymity because they're not authorized to speak for the agency. The layoffs are fueling fear across the public health community and among Democrats in Congress who say the cuts at CDC will leave the US more vulnerable to disease outbreaks. For NPR News, I'm Jess Maddor in Atlanta. Efforts by the Trump administration to seek to freeze federal loans and grants

are being found in some parts of the country where Trump had strong support. For example, poor rural areas of West Virginia, which count on federal dollars to help deal with issues ranging from economic development to foster care to school and mental health support. On Wall Street, the Dow closed down 165 points today. This is NPR. An outbreak of measles in West Texas has grown to nearly 50 cases across four counties. Brad Bird of Member Station KTTZ reports 13 people have been hospitalized, most of them children, all of them unvaccinated. The State Health Department confirmed the increase in four counties south of the Texas Panhandle.

The cases originated in Gaines County, which is on the border with New Mexico. According to the Non immunization partnership, Gaines County has one of the lowest childhood vaccination rates in Texas at just under 82% for the last school year. The CDC and local health officials have said at least 95% vaccination coverage is needed to prevent outbreaks. New Mexico health officials also confirmed

Amizal's case this week, but say it is unrelated to the Texas case. Local public health departments are continuing to monitor the outbreak. I'm Brad Burt in Lubbock. Sometimes the best response can be a humorous one. That appears to be the approach Denmark is taking in regards to President Donald Trump's continued pushing of a plan for the U.S. to acquire Greenland.

Denmark has repeatedly said Greenland is not for sale. Now officials there have launched a lighthearted petition calling for Denmark to buy California. Petition which has already racked up 200,000 signatures mentioning California's superior weather and endless supply of avocado toast. Organizers also propose renaming Disneyland after Danish fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen and replacing mouse ears with a Viking helmet.

Crude old futures prices closed lower today oiled down 55 cents a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from Wwise, the app for doing things in other currencies. Sending or spending money abroad, hidden fees may be taking a cut. With WISE, you can convert between up to 40 currencies at the mid-market exchange rate. Visit WISE.com. TNCs apply.