NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-15-2025 12PM EST

Episode Date: February 15, 2025

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Noor Ram, NPR News. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Ram. A sixth exchange between Hamas and Israel took place today under the ceasefire agreement reached last month. Hamas released three Israeli men who had been held captive for more than 15 months. Israel released 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Thirty-six of them are serving life sentences for attacks that killed Israelis. NPR's Hadil El-Shelchi has more.

Several other prisoners released today were convicted for suicide bombings during that time. Then the remaining 333 prisoners Israel freed today are Gazans who were arrested during the recent war. That's also the largest group of Palestinians to be returned to Gaza in the past 15 months of the war. NPR's Hadil El-Shelchi reporting. In Lebanon, protests erupted after an Iranian plane carrying Lebanese Shia pilgrims was denied landing rights, leading to clashes with the army and attacks on UN peacekeepers. NPR's Jawad Rizkallah reports. The unrest followed an Israeli claim that Beirut's airport was being used to smuggle money from Iran to Hezbollah.

Lebanon then imposed new security measures, delaying flights, including those from Iran, leaving Shi'a pilgrims stranded and sparking protests. Demonstrators blocked roads near the airport, and the military reported rioting and attacks on soldiers and UN peacekeepers. UNIFIL says its outgoing deputy force commander was injured and is demanding accountability. Lebanon's army chief has vowed to take action, while Hezbollah is calling for a sit-in condemning what it calls Israeli interference and violation of national sovereignty. Jawad Rasqallah, NPR News, Beirut.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today called for the creation of a European army. He told the annual Munich Security Conference the continent can no longer be sure of U.S. protection, that a European army, including Ukraine, is necessary. This is NPR News from Washington. Utah labor unions will soon be banned from collective bargaining. Martha Harris with member station KUER in Salt Lake City has more on the story. The ban affects unions serving teachers, police officers and public employees. Starting in July, unions can no longer negotiate on behalf of employees for better wages and working conditions.

The bill was strongly opposed by unions and narrowly passed the state legislature. After it did, thousands of union members and advocates rallied at the Utah State Capitol, urging Governor Cox to veto it. Cox wrote he was disappointed the bill didn't result in the compromise discussed with union leaders. He was disappointed the bill didn't result in the compromise discussed with union leaders The state's largest teachers union says the governor ignored the voices of thousands and called this an attack on public employees For NPR news. I'm Martha Harris in Salt Lake City. You're listening to NPR news Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board say the crew of the Army helicopter that collided with an American Airlines passenger jet near Washington last month may have had

inaccurate altitude readings and may not have heard instructions from air traffic controllers. All 67 people on board the two aircraft were killed. President Trump this week became the latest U.S. president to say he wants to kill the penny. As NPR's Maria Aspin reports, both Republicans and Democrats have failed for decades to get rid of the one-cent coin. There are some 240 billion pennies in circulation, but most of them are just sitting around not being used. That means the US Mint keeps on making more of them and losing tens of millions. It costs almost four cents to make each new one cent coin.

President Trump says he's ordered his Treasury Secretary to stop making pennies. And unlike most of Trump's recent executive actions, this one is getting bipartisan support. Philip Deal is a Democrat who ran the Mint in the 90s. He's been calling for the end of the penny since then. All for it and long overdue. Some other countries have already stopped producing their pennies.

For example, Canada phased out its one-cent coin more than a decade ago. Maria Aspin, NPR News, New York. Hockey players from the U.S. and Canada are to compete tonight in the Four Nations Face-Off. The game takes place in Montreal. Canadian sports fans have been booing the U.S. national anthem since President Trump threatened tariffs and suggested that Canada become the 51st state. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.