NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-25-2025 8AM EST

Episode Date: February 25, 2025

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Planet Money is there. From California's most expensive fires ever. That was my home home. Yeah. I grew up there. It's ashes. To the potentially largest deportation in U.S. history. They're going to come to the businesses. They're going to come to the restaurants. They're going to come here. Planet Money. We go to the places at the center of the story. The Planet Money podcast from NPR. Live from NPR.

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. President Trump met French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House yesterday on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Trump has supported Russia's view of the conflict. Ukraine is hoping the administration will keep providing support to it. Trump says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could come to the White House soon to sign a deal that would provide the U.S. with some of Ukraine's revenues from natural resources. Igor Bruslio is deputy head of Zelensky's office. It will mean the economic partnership

between two countries, probably to see as the common farm can be established to be filled with money that will come from exploration and extraction of rare earth or critical minerals. And it means that security guarantees should come hand in hand with the American economic presence in Ukraine. He spoke to NPR's morning edition. A new document obtained by NPR undercuts the Trump administration's timeline for a proposal to buy $400 million worth of Tesla automobiles. NPR's Bobby Allen reports the State Department has paused the planned deal with Elon Musk's

electric vehicle company. NPR obtained a State Department document sent to the Biden White House with a finalized budget for electric vehicles. It shows the State Department planned to buy $483,000 worth of EVs and Tesla was being tapped to begin researching armored EVs. That is a far cry from what appeared in a Trump State Department budget, $400 million dollars for armored Teslas. In a statement the State Department says it's paused those plans suggesting the discussion began under Biden. But the document NPR obtained shows Biden officials were nowhere near even testing out

an armored Tesla, let alone buying $400 million worth of them. State Department officials would not say why that figure appeared in a budget document. Bobbi Allen, NPR News. President Trump has put grant money on hold that affects how water from the Colorado River is used. Billions of dollars have been set aside to help reservoirs like Lake Mead and Lake Powell. Conservation work there is making sure there's enough water saved to generate hydropower and send water downstream. Alex Hager of member station KUNC reports that the grant money was part of the Inflation Reduction Act and President Trump's executive order has revoked much of that act.

Water users have been told that their grants are under review, but they're not hearing much from their contacts with the federal government. And I'll note that NPR's questions about all this to federal agencies went unanswered. Some are confused as to why their funding is caught up in this freeze because it doesn't seem to be related to the Trump administration's stated priorities, like eliminating diversity programs and developing American energy production. Alex Hager from Member Station KUNC. You're listening to NPR.

There's more confusion this morning among federal employees over a directive released last weekend. It told staffers to email five of their accomplishments from the prior week. Some agencies told staffers not to respond. The Trump administration seemed to back down yesterday, but last night it released more guidance suggesting managers should now evaluate staffers with non-responses. DOJ leader Elon Musk says federal workers who fail to comply will be fired. President Trump is supporting Musk. Officials in South Korea say a bridge under construction has collapsed, four

workers have been killed, six others injured. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul the country's acting president has ordered all available resources be four workers have been killed, six others injured. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul, the country's acting president has ordered all available resources be mobilized for rescue operations. The accident happened in Anseong City, about 45 miles south of Seoul. A motorist's video shows two sections of a bridge, supported by pillars about 160 feet high,

crumbling and falling to the ground. 10 workers were on the bridge, including seven South Koreans and three Chinese. Five of the six survivors were seriously injured. Local fire departments sent fire trucks, helicopters, and around 150 firefighters to the scene. The cause of the accident remains under investigation. The Hyundai Construction and Engineering Company,

which is building the bridge, apologized for the injury and loss of life. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul. Private space company Blue Origin will try to launch a rocket into space this morning. Several space tourists will be aboard. The launch will be in West Texas. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News. 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.