NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-16-2025 4PM EST

Episode Date: February 16, 2025

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NPR covers the stories that shape our world. Whether you're here for news or culture or good conversation, we're proud to be here for you. Federal funding helps keep the public radio network strong and available to all for about a dollar and sixty cents per person each year. Visit ProtectMyPublicMedia.org to learn more about safeguarding public media's future. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. Leading European leaders are holding an emergency meeting in Paris tomorrow on the war in Ukraine.

It's Europe's first common organized reaction to President Trump's decision to negotiate an end to the war with Russian President Vladimir Putin and without Europe. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports. 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 Pierre News, Paris. At least eight people have died due to severe weather in Kentucky. The state experienced heavy rain and then snow showers this weekend. As Stan Engold of Member Station WEKU reports, officials are currently in the rescue phase of their response.

Over a thousand high water rescues have been conducted in Kentucky as crews respond to rising water levels. Additional help is now available since President Trump granted Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear's request for a federal disaster declaration. Beshear says federal funds will be essential in recovering from this weather event. Think about the damages that we're going to have to our roads, which we're already seeing, the mudslides, our water and wastewater systems, those will all be in the millions. The governor thanked FEMA officials for their help. Some of the hard-hit areas are the same ones still

recovering from the deadly floods of 2022. For NPR News, I'm Stan Engold in Richmond, Kentucky. 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. With the markets closed on Monday, NPR's Rafael Nam has a preview of a shortened trading week. 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. Rafal Nam, NPR News.

This is NPR News in Washington. Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have now reached the center of the eastern city of Bukavu. It appears they were met with little resistance. Many of the government forces had left the city yesterday along with civilians. The apparent fall of Bukavu comes weeks after the rebels capture the key city of Goma. The Rocky Mountains are drier than normal for this time of year. That's raising concern about water levels in the reservoirs that supply farms and cities across the West.

Alex Hager of Member Station KUNC reports. The vast majority of the Colorado River starts as mountain snow. Two-thirds of that falls in Colorado, where totals have been lagging behind average for this time of year. Colorado Climate Center Director Russ Schumacher says recent storms have helped only slightly. The odds are tilted towards the not great outcomes in terms of water supply and drought as we look out into the spring. There's still plenty of winter left. Snowpack typically doesn't peak until April. States that use Colorado River water are caught in a standoff about how to share it,

and dry conditions are likely to make their talks even harder. For NPR News, I'm Alex Hager. April. States that use Colorado river water are caught in a standoff about how to share it, and dry conditions are likely to make their talks even harder. For NPR News, I'm Alex Hager in Fort Collins, Colorado. Kirsten Khire, NPR News 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 last night. There were three fights in the first nine seconds of the game. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington. There's been a lot of attention on loneliness lately. NPR News in Washington.