NPR News Now: February 18, 2025, 10 PM EST Summary

NPR News Now delivers the latest news in five minutes, updated hourly. This episode covers significant international developments, domestic policy changes, public health concerns, economic updates, and notable human interest stories.

1. International Affairs: US and Russia Negotiations on Ukraine

Key Points:

• Diplomatic Progress: The United States and Russia have initiated talks aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. These negotiations, however, notably exclude Ukrainian representatives.

• Agreed Objectives: During a recent meeting in Arabia, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined the primary goals of the dialogue:

  • Diplomatic Relations: Restoration of the respective embassies.
  • Support for Peace Talks: Establishment of a high-level team to facilitate Ukrainian peace negotiations.

Notable Quote:

• Secretary Rubio (00:17): “The two sides have agreed to pursue goals including restoring their respective embassies and creating a high level team to support Ukrainian peace talks.”

Ukrainian President's Response:

• Volodymyr Zelensky's Frustration: President Zelensky expressed strong dissatisfaction with the exclusion of Ukraine from the negotiations, leading to the cancellation of his planned visit to Saudi Arabia.

Notable Quote:

• President Zelensky (00:49): “I hear that, you know, they're upset about not having a seat. Well, they've had a seat for three years and a long time before that. This could have been settled very easily. Just a half-baked negotiator could have settled this years ago.”

2. Domestic Policy: Federal Budget Cuts Impact Rural Education

Key Points:

• Budget Reduction Consequences: President Trump's administration's efforts to reduce federal spending are adversely affecting rural initiatives, particularly in the education sector.

• Program Termination: A significant program aimed at mitigating the "brain drain" of rural educators has been abruptly terminated. This program was a collaboration between the University of Nebraska Lincoln and Kansas State University.

Impact Details:

• Project Goals: The initiative sought to identify and support communities struggling to recruit and retain teachers in rural districts, which typically experience high teacher turnover due to factors like high poverty rates.

• Immediate Effects: The Department of Education's decision to withdraw funding shortens what was expected to be a three to five-year project, leading to the rescinding of 16 full-ride scholarships for students targeting these high-need areas.

Notable Quote:

• Courtney Johnson, Project Specialist (01:25): “The quickness and the impersonality, the dispassionate form letter that we received that was tough, but the worst part was having to tell the students the project had to rescind 16 full ride scholarships to studies show high poverty.”

Reporter:

• Cassidy Arena, University of Nebraska Lincoln (01:25): Provides an in-depth report on the program's termination and its ramifications for rural education.

3. Public Health: Rising Measles Cases in West Texas

Key Points:

• Outbreak Statistics: Measles cases in West Texas have surged, with confirmed cases more than doubling in the past week to a total of 58 across five counties.

• Geographical Spread: The outbreak originated in rural Gaines County, near the Texas-New Mexico border, and has since spread to other areas, including Lubbock.

Response Measures:

• Containment Efforts: Dr. Ron Cook, the public health authority in Lubbock, emphasizes focusing on containing the outbreak. Interestingly, four cases have emerged among vaccinated individuals, raising concerns about vaccine efficacy in this instance.

• Preventative Actions: Authorities are monitoring exposure risks and vaccination histories. Should the outbreak escalate, booster doses may be administered to a broader population.

Notable Quotes:

• Dr. Ron Cook (02:25): “The focus is on containing the outbreak.”

• Dr. Ron Cook (02:54): “Cooking says that the state of Texas has vaccine reserves on hand if the measles outbreak continues spreading.”

• Samantha Larned, KTTZ Lubbock (02:09 & 02:42): Reports on the current status and potential future actions if the outbreak intensifies.

Reporter:

• Samantha Larned, KTTZ Lubbock (02:09 & 02:42): Provides comprehensive coverage of the measles outbreak and public health responses.

4. Economic Update: Stock Market Closes Higher

Key Points:

• Market Performance: Wall Street showed positive movement with the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing by 10 points and the Nasdaq Composite rising by 14 points.

Implications:

• Investor Sentiment: The uptick suggests a favorable sentiment among investors, possibly reflecting confidence in economic measures or corporate earnings.

Reporter:

• Jack Spear (03:08): Delivers a succinct overview of the day's stock market performance.

5. Legal and Privacy Issues: Unions Challenge Elon Musk and Doge's IRS Access

Key Points:

• Legal Action: A coalition of unions has filed lawsuits aiming to block Elon Musk and his team, referred to as "Doge," from accessing sensitive taxpayer information held by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

• Unknown Motives: The exact reasons behind Musk and Doge's interest in the IRS data remain unclear.

• Privacy Concerns: The plaintiffs argue that taxpayer data is protected under stringent privacy laws, citing the potential for misuse and malicious targeting if access is granted.

Notable Quote:

• Unions' Argument: “Tax data enjoys special privacy protections under the law,” highlighting the legal basis for their opposition.

Reporter:

• Jack Spear (03:08): Provides an overview of the ongoing legal battles surrounding data privacy and high-profile figures.

6. Human Interest: Avalanche Survival in Colorado

Key Points:

• Miraculous Survival: A snowmobiler in Colorado survived an avalanche after being completely buried for an hour. The incident took place in the mountainous regions of the state.

• Rescue Operations: The victim's friend initiated the search and called 911. A rescue team successfully dug up the man, who was found cold but conscious.

• Avalanche Safety Equipment: The survivor utilized an avalanche airbag, which played a critical role in preventing deeper burial under the snow.

Notable Quotes:

• Stina Sieg, Colorado Public Radio (03:56): “Being buried for an hour and coming out alive, that is very unusual.”

• Ethan Green, Avalanche Information Center (04:09): “Green says the victim deployed an avalanche airbag, which can keep someone from being buried deeply under snow.”

Emotional Impact:

• Community Relief: The successful rescue prevented potential grief and pain within the community, underscoring the importance of effective rescue operations and safety equipment.

Reporter:

• Stina Sieg, Grand Junction, Colorado (03:56 & 04:25): Offers a detailed account of the avalanche incident and survival strategies.

7. Health Update: Pope Francis Hospitalized with Pneumonia

Key Points:

• Medical Diagnosis: The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis has been diagnosed with double pneumonia. Additionally, he is battling bronchitis.

• Current Condition: Despite the complications, the 88-year-old pontiff remains in good spirits. He has been hospitalized since the previous week, and ongoing tests indicate further respiratory challenges.

Notable Quote:

• Vatican Statement (04:36): “The Vatican says the pope's respiratory infection also involves bronchitis.”

Reporter:

• Jack Spear, NPR News (04:36): Provides updates on the health status of Pope Francis.

Conclusion: This episode of NPR News Now encapsulates a range of pressing issues from international diplomacy and domestic policy challenges to urgent public health concerns and human interest stories. Notable highlights include the strained US-Russia negotiations on Ukraine without Ukrainian participation, significant federal budget cuts affecting rural education initiatives, a concerning rise in measles cases in Texas, positive movements in the stock market, legal battles over taxpayer data privacy involving high-profile figures, a remarkable survival story from a Colorado avalanche, and health updates on Pope Francis. Each segment is delivered with clarity and depth, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of current events.