NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-20-2025 7PM EST

Episode Date: February 21, 2025

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My defining characteristic for him is love. I'm Jesse Thorne on Bullseye Kelsey Grammar on the thing that makes Frazier Frazier. That he loves so deeply that it almost harpoons him. Plus sideshow Bob, cheers, and so much more. On Bullseye for MaximumFun.org and NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. The Trump administration is now taking aim at the Pentagon as it continues to look at reining in government spending.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says they're looking at cutting defense spending by as much as 8% in each of the next five years. NPR's Tom Bowman says that's whirling the military with fears tens of thousands of jobs could be eliminated. A statement put out last night by a senior Pentagon official said that Hegseth has directed a review to search for what they call, quote, low impact and low priority Biden legacy programs. So no details of what they're talking about.

So what we do know is that the Pentagon will find at least some of those cuts by firing, get this, tens of thousands of civilian employees. We're told notices to employees could start as early as today and one estimate is 55,000. The Defense Department is the nation's largest employer with a combined military and civilian workforce of about 2.8 million. President Trump celebrated Black History Month while his administration continues to eliminate diversity programs across the federal government. MPR's Franco Ordonez reports on the apparent contradictions. Standing alongside golf icon Tiger Woods,

President Trump announced a new quote, garden of American heroes to be created to honor great Americans, including black Americans such as Rosa Parks, Aretha Franklin, Frederick Douglass, and Jackie Robinson. We pay tribute to these heroes and to so many others, not simply because they're black heroes, but also because they are truly American heroes who inspire all of us, very much so. But the celebration comes amid his administration's war on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and policies calling them discriminatory and contrary to the ideals they espouse.

Trump has signed multiple executive orders to that end. Franco, Ordonez, and PR News, the White House. Energy Secretary Chris Wright says the decision to fire more than 100 workers responsible for maintaining the nation's nuclear stockpile was a mistake. MPR's Jeff Brumfield has that story. In an interview with Scripps News, Wright said the decision to fire employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration was done in haste. I probably moved a little too quickly there.

And when we made mistakes on layoffs in NNSA, we reversed them immediately, less than 24 hours." The NNSA maintains the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile and combats nuclear terrorism among its other duties. The Department of Energy says that, quote, fewer than 50 workers were ultimately terminated at the agency. Jeff Brumfield, NPR News, Washington. A few more Americans were filing first-time jobless claims last week. That's according to the Labor Department, which says initial claims for unemployment benefits rose by 5,000

for the week ending February 15. Weekly applications for unemployment benefits are often looked at as a proxy for the broader jobs market. You're listening to NPR. The U.S. has imposed sanctions on a Rwandan government official and a senior member of an armed group for their alleged role in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The M23 rebel group has launched a major offensive in recent months in the Middle Reach East of DRC and is widely believed to be backed by Rwanda. NPR's Emmanuel Okedwodo reports.

The US has announced sanctions on James Khabaribie, a minister in Rwanda's government, and Lawrence Kingston, a spokesman for M23. The Treasury Department said Cabaribbe is responsible for orchestrating Rwandan support for M23 and managing the group's generation of revenue from DRC's minerals. Rwanda denies backing M23, which has gradually taken control of territory in eastern DRC and has accelerated its advance there over the last month, taking control of major cities. The DRC has accused Rwanda of arming M23 rebels to overthrow the government and dominate reserves of

minerals like gold and cobalt. Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR News, Lagos. After decades of family control, one of the most lucrative franchises in the film business is undergoing a shake-up. MGM Amazon announcing today it is taking the creative reins of the 007 franchise from long-time James Bond custodians Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. The two say they'll be stepping back. Bond has been a family business since Albert Cubby Broccoli. The two say they'll be stepping back. Bond has been a family business since Albert Cubby Broccoli secured the rights to adaptations of Ian Fleming's novels and

put out 1962's hit, Dr. No. Crude oil futures prices closed higher today up oil up 32 cents a barrel to $72.57 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. Bella DiPaolo is glad if you're happily married, but she is perfectly happy being single. I would love to have someone who took care of my card or someone who cleaned up the dishes after dinner, but then I'd want them to leave. From yourself to your dog to your spouse are significant others. That's on the TED Radio Hour from NPR.