NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-25-2025 2AM EST

Episode Date: February 25, 2025

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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 ShoreWave from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Education Department and the Office of Personnel Management from sharing sensitive data with Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.

NPR's Elissa Natwani reports that the judge says that such access appears to be a breach of federal privacy laws. In the 33-page ruling granting a two-week restraining order, the judge said the government had yet to prove why they needed to access the sensitive information, which includes Social Security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, income and assets, citizenship status and disability status. The lawsuit was brought by one of the largest teachers' unions, student and assets, citizenship status, and disability status. The lawsuit was brought by one of the largest teachers unions, student loan recipients, and veterans who receive government benefits.

In addition to blocking information related to student loan borrowers, it also bars OPM, the government's HR department, from sharing federal employees' personal information with DOJ. The administration will have additional opportunities to prove it does need this data as the lawsuit plays out. Alyson Adworni, NPR News. President Trump is expressing hope that the war in Ukraine is nearing an end, perhaps within weeks. And I've spoken with both President Putin and President Zelensky, and again, a lot of good things toward peace are happening, moving it, I think, pretty quickly.

I'm speaking at a White House press conference Monday alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. Speaking here to an interpreter, Macron cautioned that any ceasefire agreement for Ukraine should include security guarantees. This peace must not mean a surrender of Ukraine. It must not mean a ceasefire without guarantees. This peace must allow for Ukrainian sovereignty and allow Ukraine to negotiate with other stakeholders.

The meeting between Trump and Macron took place on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In a split with European allies Monday, the U.S. rejected a resolution to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In a split with European allies Monday, the U.S. rejected a resolution to condemn Russia's war. As NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports, the United States drafted its own resolution with support from Russia and China. The Trump administration says its resolution had a simple message. It implores a swift end to the conflict and urges lasting peace without calling Russia the aggressor or even calling for a just peace based on the UN Charter.

The UK and France tried but failed to change that and ended up abstaining in the vote. Russia and China supported the US resolution, which passed in a 10-0 vote. Earlier in the day in the General Assembly, 93 countries backed a Ukrainian and European resolution to mark three years since the start of Russia's aggression. The U.S., Russia and Belarus were among 18 countries that opposed that text. Michelle Kelliman, NPR News, the State Department. U.S. futures are flat in after-hours trading. This is NPR.

Conservative podcaster Dan Bongino is the new deputy director of the FBI. Bongino is a former Secret Service agent who will oversee the FBI's day-to-day operations. The Post is not subject to confirmation by the Senate. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth heads to the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Tuesday for briefings on operations there. His arrival would come days after the transfer of nearly 200 migrants who were detained at the facility before being repatriated to Venezuela.

A team of scientists in California has published new evidence of a possible lost ocean on Mars. Anna Guth of member station KQED has details. Billions of years ago, when Mars had a thicker atmosphere and a warmer climate, abundant water likely blanketed the planet. A new study found signs of waves, sand, and shoreline on the red planet, suggesting that the water there was an ancient ocean. UC Berkeley's Michael Manga and his colleagues analyzed data from a Chinese rover on Mars,

probing below the surface with the radar. This is the first time we've really looked underground with this resolution. We identified old beaches beneath the surface of Mars that record the past existence of a huge ocean. The researchers say their new study strengthens the case for past life on Mars. For NPR News, I'm Anna Guth in San Francisco. In trading on Asia Pacific markets, shares in Hong Kong are down 1.7%. Shares are down 1% in Tokyo.

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