NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-16-2025 2PM EST

Episode Date: February 16, 2025

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Noor Ram. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Ram. The nation's governors are gathering in Washington this week as the Trump administration and billionaire Elon Musk work to reduce the federal workforce. Fourteen states have filed a lawsuit saying Musk has unchecked power. The White House says he is complying with federal laws. President Trump's order to freeze federal spending has stopped practically all U.S. government work supporting democracy, human rights, and press freedom around the world.

NPR's Frank Langford has more. Several weeks ago, as people would remember, President Trump, he issued that executive order suspending all foreign aid. It says, we've reported it affected USAID, but also these other organizations such as the National Endowment for Democracy. It's had to suspend grants that it makes in 100 countries. Another organization, National Democratic Institute, has had to put two-thirds of its Washington-based staff on leave.

And they're in the process of closing down more than half of their offices abroad. Danielle Pletka NPR's Frank Langford reporting. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear says at least eight people have died in flooding in his state. Many of the areas are still recovering from historic flooding three years ago. Forecasters are warning of more heavy rain and the potential for severe thunderstorms all along the East Coast today. Stan Engold with Member Station WEKU has more.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency prior to the rain hitting the Commonwealth. President Trump granted the governor's request for a federal disaster declaration. Beshear said that this would make federal funding available to the affected areas. He also said that he has been in contact with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and the acting director of FEMA. Some of the hard-hit areas in the flooding are still recovering from the deadly floods of 2022.

Rushing waters and mudslides are closing roads, and the rain is forecasted to transition to snow throughout the day. For NPR News, I'm Stan Engold in Richmond, Kentucky. Vigils are being held in cities across the former Soviet Union, Europe and North America to honor the legacy of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. He died a year ago today at the age of 47 in a remote Arctic prison colony in Russia. NPR's Charles Maynes has more. Even from jail Navalny worked for a more democratic and peaceful Russia. For that his family and allies say he was murdered on orders of President

Vladimir Putin, a charge the Kremlin has vehemently denied. What is not in dispute, Russian authorities have continued to persecute Navalny's supporters, jailing dozens on supposed extremism charges and forcing many more into exile or silence. In Moscow, long lines formed outside the cemetery where Navalny's grave lies, but police prevented mourners from attending makeshift memorials elsewhere across Russia. In the year after Navalny's death, Russia's opposition has struggled to remain relevant, yet continued government pressure also suggests Navalny's ideas live on. Charles Maynes, NPR News.

This is NPR News in Washington. The French Foreign Minister says France will host a summit of European leaders tomorrow to discuss Russia's war in Ukraine. It's in response to President Trump's decision to negotiate an end to the war with Russian President Vladimir Putin and to leave out European nations. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has said that he won't be part of any settlement that leaves out Ukraine. A small group of South Africa's Afrikaners rallied outside the U.S. embassy in Pretoria this weekend after President Trump offered them refugee status. Kate Bartlett reports. Singing the old apartheid national anthem and kneeling in prayer, several hundred Afrikaners turned out to thank Trump.

Make South Africa great again. Recognize the white nation. And we are the rightful owners, signs of the event read. Another noted the influence South African-born advisor Elon Musk has had on the US president's South Africa policy, reading, Elon, send the ANC to Mars. The ANC, or African National Congress, is the political party that liberated South Africa from apartheid.

Trump has caused discord in South Africa after falsely claiming the white minority is being persecuted. This week, South Africa holds the G20 Foreign Minister's meeting, which the U.S. is not attending. For NPR News, I'm Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg. Jacob Kaplimo of Uganda set a new world record today in the men's half marathon. He finished in 56 minutes 41 seconds at a road race in Barcelona, 49 seconds faster than the previous mark. World Athletics said it was the greatest single

improvement on the men's world half marathon record. This is NPR News.