NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-28-2025 10AM EST

Episode Date: February 28, 2025

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James Baldwin was an activist, an orator, a style icon, but on NPR's Book of the Day, we'll dissect the thing he was most known for, his writing. That last clause kind of reads like a horror story. Right? There's something deeply, deeply ominous about the way that that opening paragraph closes. Celebrate Black History Month with us as we examine some of his best works on NPR's Book of the Day podcast. Live from NPR News, I'm Korova Coleman. President Trump meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House today. They're supposed to sign a preliminary deal that shares Ukrainian critical minerals with the U.S. Trump insists this is an important step toward

reaching a peace deal with Russia. He has been wanting it in recompense for U.S. aid to Ukraine. The American taxpayers will now effectively be reimbursed for the money and hundreds of billions of dollars poured into helping Ukraine defend itself, which by and of itself is a very worthy thing to do. We've paid far more than any other country. But Ukraine's president has also insisted on U.S. security guarantees in order to bring an end to Russia's invasion of his country. In the U.S., a federal judge in California says the Trump administration's mass firings of probationary federal workers is likely illegal and must be halted.

NPR's Andrea Shue reports the judge ordered the Office of Personnel Management to rescind some of its directives to terminate federal workers. Several labor unions and civic organizations sued the Trump administration saying its Office of Personnel Management had violated the law by ordering agencies to fire probationary employees en masse. In court the government argued that it was merely an ask, not an order. U.S. District Judge William Alsop rejected that argument, noting that the firings happened suddenly and across so much of the government. Because of standing issues, he issued only partial relief to those agencies whose firings affect the civic groups that join the lawsuit.

They include the VA, the Small Business Administration, the National Park Service, the National Science Foundation, the National Science Foundation and others. He scheduled another hearing in two weeks. Andrea Hsu, NPR News. The U.S. Education Department has launched a new website called END DEI. The public can file complaints there about diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in public schools.

The federal agency says it will use this tool to find areas for investigation. Stocks opened higher this morning as the Commerce Department reported a slowdown in inflation last month. NPR Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones industrial average soared about 230 points in early trading. According to the Commerce Department's inflation yardstick, which is closely watched by the Federal Reserve, According to the Commerce Department's inflation yardstick, which is closely watched by the Federal Reserve, consumer prices in January were up 2.5 percent from a year ago. That's a slightly smaller annual increase than the previous month. Stripping out food and energy prices, which bounce around a lot, the core inflation rate was 2.6 percent.

Personal income jumped in January by nearly a full percentage point, thanks in part to the annual cost of living increase in Social Security and other benefits. People spent less of their income last month and socked away a little more. The personal savings rate increased to 4.6 percent. Five years ago, before the pandemic hit the U.S., the savings rate was 7 percent. Scott Horsley, MPR News, Washington. On Wall Street, stocks are now mixed. This is NPR News, Washington. On Wall Street, stocks are now mixed. This is NPR.

Health officials in Texas say they've identified 146 cases of measles. 20 people have been hospitalized. Most of the measles cases are in children who were not vaccinated. One of the children who wasn't vaccinated died this week. Federal health officials have reported a handful of other cases of measles in other states. The first all-female team is headed for the edge of space, apparently sometime this spring. NPR's Amy Held reports the private space company Blue Origin announced the historic Lina, including a pop superstar, on its space tourism rocket flight. In fireworks, she sings about shooting across the sky.

Now, Katy Perry is set to do it for real, some 62 miles above the earth. Jeff Bezos' private space company has long leveraged celebrity for a boost in the tourism space race. Also set to ride is his fiance Lauren Sanchez, a helicopter pilot, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Boe, civil rights champion scientist Amanda Nguyen, filmmaker Carrie-Anne Flynn, and CBS News broadcaster Gayle King. I'm so afraid, but I'm also so excited about it. The six-woman team will be on an autonomous flight, no pilot. 1963 marks the last all-female

and solo spaceflight when Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space. Amy Held, NPR News. Islamic holy month of Ramadan is beginning with the sighting of the crescent moon. The start date can vary by country. The month is celebrated by Muslims worldwide with prayer, fasting and good works toward others. This is NPR News.