NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-19-2025 5PM EST

Episode Date: February 19, 2025

NPR News: 02-19-2025 5PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. President Trump is continuing to attack and threaten Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as the U.S. and Russia are leaving Ukraine out of talks aimed at ending a now three-year-old war. More from NPR's Mara Liason. Trump repeated Russian talking points today when he posted that Zelensky was a, quote, dictator without elections. Zelensky was in fact duly elected. Trump also warned Zelensky that he better quote move fast or he's not going to have a country left unquote.

Trump has increasingly taken Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's side in the effort to resolve the war sparked by Russia's invasion. As Trump engages in talks with Russia without Ukraine at the table, he seems to be more and more aligned with Russia's goals, allowing Russia to keep captured Ukrainian territory, barring Ukraine from ever joining NATO, and blaming Ukraine for the war. Mara Liason, NPR News. New York Governor Kathy Hochul is responding to an announcement by the Trump administration that it is doing away with congestion pricing

recently put in place in New York City. The plan, especially unpopular with commuters coming into the city, instituted tolls for vehicles entering New York below 60th Street. Hoke will defend the policy and accuse Trump of going after New York as part of, quote, his revenge tour. We are a nation of states. This is what we fought for. This is what people like Alexander Hamilton and others fought for, to set up a system

we are not subservient to a king or anyone else out of Washington. Trump in a statement on his social media platform said, quote, congestion pricing is dead. Manhattan and all of New York is saved. Long live the king. The pricing plan was designed to reduce traffic and generate millions for mass transit in New York City. The Trump administration says it is scrambling to reverse the quote accidental firing of federal employees who are working to contain the outbreak of bird flu in the U.S.

NPR's Windsor Johnston reports the firing has come as the administration continues to make massive cuts to the federal workforce. The Department of Agriculture says it's in the process of rehiring the employees who were sent termination letters over the weekend, adding that its response to bird flu continues to be a priority. A number of Democrats were quick to criticize the Trump administration, blaming tech billionaire Elon Musk and his cost-cutting unit Doge for the firings. The USDA is one of many federal agencies that

are facing major cutbacks. The bird flu virus has led to outbreaks in poultry flocks and dairy cows in the U.S. It's also sent the price of eggs even higher over the last several months. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed nearly 70 cases of bird flu in humans. Windsor-Johnston, NPR News, Washington. The stock's ended the session modestly higher for a second straight trading session today. The Dow was up 71 points, the NASDAQ 14 points, the S&P also climbed 14 points. This is NPR.

There are growing signs the Trump administration and Elon Musk could be preparing to cancel a NASA program to return astronauts to the moon for the first time in more than five decades. Here's NPR's Scott Newman. Scott Newman The Artemis moon program was launched by President Trump in 2017 as a step toward a mission to Mars. And even though SpaceX has a contract to build the Lunar Lander, many now think that Musk's government efficiency team has the program's moon rocket, known as the SLS, in its sights.

Todd Harrison, a space policy expert with the American Enterprise Institute, says if the SLS is canceled... It means the Artemis program, as envisioned by the first Trump administration, is effectively dead. Earlier this month, Boeing, the main contractor for the SLS, warned employees on the project to prepare for layoffs. Scott Newman, NPR News, Washington. Residents of the English village of Godstone won't be going home anytime soon, apparently.

That's after a large sinkhole that definitely was not a god send for the town swallowed up parts of the main street and left about 30 buildings there in danger of collapse. Officials worry it could lead to ruptured pipes and possible explosions. Engineers blame the large sinkhole on a burst water main. Structural engineers in Surrey say they are looking for possible solutions. Critical futures prices held near their current one-week highs today amid concerns about possible supply disruptions as the U.S. and Russia discuss a Ukrainian peace deal, whil up 40 cents a barrel to $72.25 a barrel in New York.

I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.