NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-27-2025 7PM EST

Episode Date: February 28, 2025

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This message comes from Wondery. At 24 years old, Monica Lewinsky was in a scandal that defined who she was for the entire world. And now she's ready to draw from her own experience on what it means to redefine yourself on her new podcast, Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. President Trump hosted UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer today, the second European leader to meet with Trump this week. Europe and Ukraine were excluded from recent U.S.-Russia talks over how to end Russia's

invasion of Ukraine. More from NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben At a joint press conference with Prime Minister Starmer, Trump was asked point blank whether he supports Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben.

Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben.

Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. Danielle Kurtzleben. On the campaign trail, Trump at one point said he had told a foreign leader that he would encourage Russia to, quote,

do whatever the hell they want against NATO members who don't meet defense spending guidelines. Trump said that on Friday he will be meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. Danielle Kertslabe in NPR News. The federal judge ruled today U.S. intelligence agencies can fire 19 employees who were assigned to work on diversity issues. As NPR's Greg Meyery explains, the ruling is expected to clear the way for dismissing dozens of intelligence officials. Greg Meyery, NPR's NPR's Director of Intelligence, U.S. District Judge Anthony Tringa in Alexandria, Virginia said he might have ruled differently if the issue was, quote, fairness and good

judgment. But he said CIA Director John Ratcliffe has brought authority to dismiss agency employees. The 19 employees at CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said they've worked in the intelligence community for many years and were assigned to diversity issues as part of regular job rotations. They're among some 50 intelligence community employees being fired for work on DEI programs. President Trump wants to eliminate all such programs in the federal government. Greg Myre, NPR News, Washington. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers have voted to repeal a fee on climate warming methane pollution the Biden administration established last year.

President Trump is expected to sign the measure. NPR's Jeff Brady reports the oil and gas industry opposed the fee. Natural gas is mostly methane and often released when drilling for oil. It's a potent climate warmer which is why former President Biden's signature climate law required the EPA to establish the fee. Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the fee a tax. Energy producers will not have to worry about this unnecessary natural gas tax and the American people won't have to worry about it driving up their utility bills.

Democratic Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse criticized the repeal. Bending the knee to the wishes of the fossil fuel industry appears to have no limits. The methane fee was reversed under the Congressional Review Act which allows Congress to overturn certain agency actions. Jeff Brady, NPR News.

Stocks fell sharply on Wall Street today. The Dow was down 193 points. The Nasdaq fell 530 points today. You're listening to NPR. Officials in New Mexico continue their investigation into the death of actor Gene Hackman. His body was found along with that of his wife at their home in Santa Fe. Steve Futterman is more. So far there are no definitive answers.

Police say it appears that the 95-year-old Hackman and his 64-year-old wife had been dead for several days. Prescription pills were found near her body. One of the couple's three dogs was also found dead in a bathroom closet. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza. There was no obvious sign or indication of a foul play. There was no immediate sign of foul play. I haven't ruled that out yet.

This is an investigation, so we're keeping everything on the table. You know, I think the autopsy is going to tell us a lot. The acclaimed actor was a two-time Oscar winner. Gene Hackman appeared in such memorable films as The French Connection, Hoosiers, Unforgiven, and two of the Superman movies. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles. It's being described as one of the biggest thefts ever of cryptocurrencies apparently

carried out by North Korean hackers. The FBI says an estimated 1.5 billion in cryptocurrency was apparently taken from a new buy based firm earlier this month to hack targeting Bybit, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges. The FBI says it believes that North Korea based hackers were responsible for the theft. There is no official response from North Korea. Critical futures prices moved higher today. Oil up $1.73 a barrel to end the session at $70.35 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.

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