NPR News: 02-22-2025 1AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: February 22, 2025

Hosted by NPR

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Presidential Shake-Up in the Military

President Donald Trump made a significant move by dismissing Air Force General Charles Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This decision has left many in the military and political spheres astonished. Tom Bowman, an NPR military correspondent with 27 years of experience, shared his insights:

"This is highly unusual that early into an administration you would remove the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and also the chief of naval operations... it appears that what they're basically saying here is these folks got their jobs because of DEI."
— Tom Bowman [00:16]

In the wake of Brown's dismissal, Trump has nominated Air Force Lt. Col. Dan Kane to assume the role of the nation's highest-ranking military officer.

FEMA Withdraws Building Safety Recommendations

FEMA has reversed its stance on enhancing building safety by retracting its previously submitted recommendations for stronger building codes. This decision marks a significant shift after 25 years of research into disaster resilience and construction standards. Lauren Sommer reports:

"FEMA had already submitted its recommendations but now is withdrawing its name from them... Republican lawmakers have criticized building codes as being too burdensome. Studies show they've already saved billions of dollars in damage."
— Lauren Sommer [01:15]

The withdrawal has sparked debate among lawmakers and stakeholders, highlighting tensions between safety protocols and regulatory burdens.

Legal Uncertainty Surrounding NYC Mayor Eric Adams

A federal judge overseeing the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams has opted not to immediately dismiss the prosecution despite the Justice Department's request. Instead, Judge Dale Ho has appointed Paul Clement, a former solicitor general, to provide an independent perspective on the matter. Ryan Lucas explains:

"The Justice Department says the request isn't based on the strength of the case. Instead, it says the prosecution hinders Adams' ability to help the Trump administration with immigration enforcement... at least six other senior Justice Department attorneys resigned in protest."
— Ryan Lucas [02:16]

This development underscores the ongoing tensions within the Justice Department and raises questions about the motives behind the case against Adams.

Sinn Fein Leaders Boycott White House St. Patrick’s Day Event

Leaders from Sinn Fein announced they will abstain from attending the traditional St. Patrick's Day celebration at the White House next month. This action is a protest against President Trump's policies regarding Gaza. Michelle O'Neill, Ireland's First Minister, voiced the party's stance:

"We're taking a stance against the threat of a mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza."
— Michelle O'Neill [03:31]

The boycott highlights the intersection of international politics and cultural events, emphasizing Sinn Fein's commitment to advocating for Palestinian rights.

Historic Discovery of King Thutmose II's Tomb in Egypt

In a groundbreaking archaeological achievement, the tomb of King Thutmose II, an ancient Egyptian pharaoh from the 18th Dynasty, has been unearthed near Luxor. Aya Batrawi reports on this monumental find:

"It's believed to be the last lost tomb of the kings of the 18th Dynasty in Egypt... fragments of the burial chamber's plaster show blue inscriptions and yellow sky stars, as well as excerpts from religious scripture specific to the tombs of pharaohs."
— Aya Batrawi [03:31]

This discovery is hailed as one of the most significant in recent years, offering invaluable insights into ancient Egyptian culture and burial practices.

Yankees Lift the 49-Year-Old Beard Ban

After nearly five decades, the New York Yankees have officially lifted the longstanding ban on players sporting beards. The change comes under the leadership of Hal Steinbrenner, son of former owner George Steinbrenner, who had instituted the policy in 1976. Dale Wilman covers this update:

"He says it was time to move away from what he has described as the familiar comfort of that very old policy."
— Dale Wilman [04:17]

The decision marks a significant cultural shift for the team, aligning with modern trends and player preferences.

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This episode of NPR News Now provided a comprehensive overview of critical developments across politics, military affairs, archaeology, and sports, offering listeners a succinct yet detailed snapshot of the day's most pressing news.

Transcript

[Dale Wilman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. President Donald Trump Friday fired Air Force General Charles Q. Brown Jr. Brown was the chairman of the Joint chiefs of staff. NPR's Tom Bowman says the reaction to the decision was one of surprise and bewilderment.

[Tom Bowman]

I've been covering the military for 27 years now. This is highly unusual that early into an administration you would remove the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and also the chief of naval operations. Clearly, the Trump administration and Secretary Hagsett have long said the military is woke. It's all about dei. And it's clearly important to note that this is the second black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff after Colin Powell, and Lisa Franchetti is the first woman to run the Navy. So it appears that what they're basically saying here is these folks got their jobs because of DEI. There's no question about that.

[Dale Wilman]

That's NPR's Tom Bowman. Trump has nominated Air Force Lt. Col. Dan Kane to succeed Brown as the nation's highest ranking military officer under the Trump administration. NPR has learned that FEMA is backtracking on its work on building safety by withdrawing its recommendations for stronger building codes. NPR's Lauren Sommer has more.

[Lauren Sommer]

For 25 years, FEMA has studied disasters, looking at how homes and buildings fared. Then they've made recommendations about how building codes could be improved to prevent some of that damage. Those codes are updated at the International Code Council, which takes feedback from stakeholders. Local and state governments can then adopt the codes which set the standards for home construction. FEMA had already submitted its recommendations but now is withdrawing its name from them. That's according to sources involved with the work, but who want to remain anonymous over concerns about reprisals. Republican lawmakers have criticized building codes as being too burdensome. Studies show they've already saved billions of dollars in damage. Lauren Sommer, NPR News.

[Dale Wilman]

The federal judge who has been overseeing the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams has decided not to rule immediately on the Justice Department's request to drop that prosecution. Instead, the judge has appointed an outside attorney to present an independent perspective. NPR's Ryan Lucas explains.

[Ryan Lucas]

U.S. district Judge Dale Ho has appointed Paul Clement as a so called friend of the court to help consider the Justice Department's unopposed motion to drop the case. Clement served as solicitor general during the George W. Bush administration. Judge Ho's decision comes days after the Justice Department formally requested to dismiss the Adams case. The department says the request isn't based on the strength of the case. Instead, it says the prosecution hinders Adams ability to help the Trump administration with immigration enforcement. The interim U.S. attorney in Manhattan and at least six other senior Justice Department attorneys resigned in protest. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.

[Dale Wilman]

And you're listening to NPR News. Sinn Fein's leaders say they will not attend a traditional St. Patrick's Day event next month at the White House. They say the move is in protest against President Trump's stance on Gaza. Ireland's First Minister, Michelle O'Neill, says she's taking a stance against the threat of a mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. The tomb of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who reigned anywhere from three to 4,000 years ago has been unearthed. And as NPR's Aya Batrawi reports, it's being hailed as one of the most important archaeological discoveries in recent years.

[Aya Batrawi]

Egypt's Antiquities Council says the discovery of King Thutmose II's tomb is the first to be unearthed since that of king Tutankhamuns in 1922, over a century ago. It's believed to be the last lost tomb of the kings of the 18th Dynasty in Egypt. While the tomb's main passage was discovered two and a half years ago, recent excavation work revealed part of alabaster vessels inside with inscriptions bearing the king's name along with that of his main royal wife, Queen hatshepsut. King Thutmose II's tomb was found about a mile and a half from the famed Valley of the Kings in Luxor and moved to its unusual location by the ancient Egyptians after floods. The team of Egyptian and British archaeologists say fragments of the burial chamber's plaster show blue inscriptions and yellow sky stars, as well as excerpts from religious scripture specific to the tombs of pharaohs. Ayaltrahoui, NPR News.

[Dale Wilman]

It's been 49 years since former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner placed a ban on players wearing beards. Now the ban is finally gone. Steinbrenner's son, Hal, now controls the team. He says it was time to move away from what he has described as the familiar comfort of that very old policy. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.