NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-25-2025 12AM EST

Episode Date: February 25, 2025

NPR News: 02-25-2025 12AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Excuse me, señor. NPR Shortwave podcast has entered the chat. One moment, please. To examine all of the AI generated content out there. Ads, Google searches, even your social media feed. Find out what happens when AI models like ChatGVT consume too much of their own AI generated data. Spoiler alert, they could collapse.

Find out more on Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. French President Emmanuel Macron is eager to show that there's still solidarity between President Trump and European allies when it comes to Ukraine. NPR's Marlaiessen reports on Macron's White House visit Monday, the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While Macron spoke about the need for any peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine to have security guarantees, which would include European peacekeeping troops and an American backup, Trump didn't talk about any role for the U.S. to guarantee the peace.

He did say he would end the war soon. I've spoken to President Putin and my people are dealing with him constantly and his people in particular. And they want to do something. I mean, that's what I do. I do deals. Earlier in the day, the U.S. made a stunning break with its allies at the United Nations, voting with North Korea, Iran and Russia against a resolution that marked the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Mara Liason, NPR News. President Trump is named right-wing podcaster Dan Bongino as the new deputy director of the FBI. More from NPR's Ryan Lucas. Dan Bongino is a former New York police officer and ex-secret service agent. After leaving

law enforcement, he unsuccessfully ran for public office and became a right-wing pundit and host of a popular podcast. In his media appearances, he has repeatedly denigrated liberals and was banned from YouTube for pushing COVID-19 disinformation. Now, Trump has tapped him for the number two job at the FBI as deputy to Cash Patel, putting two Trump loyalists in charge of the nation's most powerful law enforcement agency. The move adds to concerns that the FBI and its vast powers could be used to go after Trump's perceived political enemies. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington. The high price of

eggs is leading grocery stores to ration supplies and restaurants to raise prices. And PRS Giles Snyder reports that egg-flation is getting a lot of attention. The price of eggs may be becoming a proxy for inflation in American minds, but House Speaker Mike Johnson told a crowd at a conservative Americans for Prosperity event that there's more to it than that. You know, the price of eggs is up high because that has more to do with bird flu than anything else, okay? There's a lot of mixed messages out there, but obviously inflation continues to be a major problem. Johnson was responding to a question about Republican efforts to rein in inflation.

The ongoing bird flu outbreak has taken a toll on egg farmers. They've lost millions of egg laying hens. According to government data, egg prices reached a record high last month, $4.95 for a dozen grade A large eggs on average. The Denny's Restaurant chain is now the latest to announce a surcharge on eggs. Joelle Snyder, NPR News. US futures are virtually unchanged in after-hours trading on Wall Street. This is NPR. Starbucks has announced plans to lay off 1,100 workers and cut hundreds of unfilled jobs as it streamlines operations.

CEO Brian Nicole says the company's 361,000 baristas are not affected by the move. The coffee chain is also discontinuing some products as it shrinks its menu to improve business in the U.S. A new study finds that limiting time spent on smartphones can help improve moods and reduce symptoms of depression. NPR's Allison Albrey reports on how long it takes to measure a difference. At a time when more than 90% of Americans have a smartphone, we forget that having a supercomputer at our fingertips is a new phenomenon. Adrian Ward, a psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin, and his collaborators recruited 467 participants who agreed to block the internet from their smartphones for two weeks.

What we found was that people had better mental health, better subjective well-being, and better sustained attention. It's not feasible for most people to disconnect for two weeks, so researchers advise starting with small steps such as taking 30-minute breaks or powering down phones after dinner or setting aside a day a week for a digital detox. Alice Naubury, NPR News. Fans are mourning the loss of singer and musician Roberta Flack. The Grammy-winning soul and jazz artist died Monday at the age of 88. Flack became an overnight sensation when her rendition of the song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, became part of the soundtrack for the 1975 movie Play Misty for Me.

Her other biggest hits included Killing Me Softly with his song. This is NPR. Here on Shortwave, we believe that science is for everyone and that every question is worth asking, no matter your age. My name is Willie and my question is, is magic real? Our podcast is for the curious at heart. Come embrace your inner child when you listen now to Shortwave from NPR.