NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-16-2025 1PM EST

Episode Date: February 16, 2025

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Noor Aram, NPR News. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Aram. Leading European leaders are holding an emergency meeting in Paris tomorrow on the war in Ukraine. This comes after President Trump's decision to negotiate an end to the war with Russian President Vladimir Putin and without Europe. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News. European leaders are reeling after the Munich Security Summit exposed a transatlantic rupture

on several issues. They took offense at Vice President JD Vance's address, which was perceived as a lecture on free speech and democracy. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz bristled, saying the commitment to never again means hate speech cannot be tolerated. He said Germany would not allow outsiders interfering in its political process. Also speaking in Munich, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded for Europe to adapt to America's withdrawal from the continent's security.

Zelensky called on Europe to join with Ukraine to build its own military force. Europe says it must be part of negotiations on the future of Ukraine. Eleanor Beardsley in NPR News, Paris. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is on a trip to the Middle East where he met today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. They talked about what post-war Gaza would look like. President Trump is proposing the relocation of the two million Palestinian residents and suggested the U.S. take over the territory. NPR's Hadil El-Shelchi has more.

That plan really shocked the Arab world. They rejected it. But then Rubio is saying, look, this is the proposal Trump is making right now, and he's telling Arab countries, if you have better ideas, we'll hear them. So Rubio's next stops on this trip are to Saudi Arabia and then onto the United Arab Emirates. That's where Arab leaders are supposed to hash out any other options to Trump's plan. By the way, it's also kind of important to note that it wasn't immediately clear if Rubio was going to meet with any Palestinian officials

at all on this visit. NPR's Hadil El-Shelchi. Investors in Wall Street will have new housing data to digest this week, along with the minutes from the latest meeting of the Federal Reserve. NPR's Rafael Nam has a preview. Last year, the U.S. experienced the slowest sales of existing homes since 1995. With mortgage rates still pretty high, analysts are not expecting a major recovery anytime soon. We'll get the latest data on home sales on Friday.

It covers January, a traditionally weak period for home sales because of the winter. Also this week, the Fed will publish minutes from its meeting last month. Policymakers left interest rates on hold given that inflation remains pretty stubborn. And Walmart earnings this week will also provide a check on consumer demand. Rafael Nam, NPR News. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear says President Trump has approved his request for an emergency declaration because of major flooding. He says at least eight people have died.

You're listening to NPR News in Washington. The death toll is rising in India after a stampede at a train station last night. Officials now say at least 18 people died. They say many of them were pilgrims traveling to a Hindu festival. Amid a nationwide increase in homelessness, many communities lack the services and shelters to help homeless people. As Connecticut Public Radio's Abigail Brone reports, this is taking a toll on those who help them. Nicole Baracliff answers the emergency 211 helpline in central Connecticut.

Baracliff connects unhoused residents with resources to find them a temporary or permanent home. She says that lately, her job has become more difficult, and that she often has to tell people there's no immediate shelter option, leaving her feeling defeated and burned out. Small success stories. They do help and they mean a lot. They make your heart happy. But there's just so many day to day, I feel like you just feel like you're never doing enough. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, providers are taking on some

of the trauma their unhoused clients share with them. And there are no standardized trainings that target secondary trauma or burnout. For NPR News, I'm Abigail Brown in Hartford. In international hockey, the U.S. beat Canada 3-1 last night to gain a spot in the Four Nations Faceoff Tournament Championship. Some of the fans at the game in Montreal booed during the U.S. national anthem. This has happened at sporting events since President Trump threatened tariffs and called for Canada to become the 51st state.

Tensions were high on the ice as well last night. There were three fights in the first nine seconds of the game. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.