NPR News: 02-24-2025 6PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: Episode Summary – February 24, 2025

Hosted by NPR, this episode of NPR News Now covers the latest developments in federal workforce directives, international diplomacy at the UN, public health updates, significant corporate announcements, mental health research, and an important update on Pope Francis’s health.

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1. Federal Agencies Resist Trump Administration’s Reporting Directive

Key Points: Federal agencies are collectively pushing back against a directive from the Trump administration requiring federal employees to submit reports detailing their weekly activities.

Details:

• Directive Overview: Over the weekend, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent an email instructing federal employees to provide approximately five bullet points summarizing their accomplishments from the previous week, including their managers in the correspondence. (00:37)

• Administration Response: On Saturday, Elon Musk, an advisor to President Trump, implied on social media platform X that non-compliance could result in job losses. (00:37)

• Agency Pushback: In response, leaders from various departments—including the FBI, Energy Department, and Department of Defense—have advised their employees not to comply with the directive. These agencies emphasized that performance reviews are handled internally and that any necessary responses would be coordinated appropriately. (00:37)

Notable Quote: Andrea Hsu, NPR News, stated, “Departments are responsible for reviewing the performance of their personnel and will coordinate any response when and if required.” (00:37)

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2. U.S. and European Allies Clash Over UN Resolution on Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Key Points: A significant rift emerged between the United States and its European allies regarding United Nations votes on Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.

Details:

• Trump Administration’s Resolution: The U.S. introduced its own resolution urging a swift end to the conflict and lasting peace but notably avoided labeling Russia as the aggressor or calling for a peace based on the UN Charter. (01:33)

• International Response: The U.K. and France attempted to modify the resolution but ultimately abstained from the vote. Conversely, Russia and China supported the U.S. resolution, which passed with a 100-vote majority in the General Assembly. (01:33)

• Ukrainian Resolution: In contrast, 93 countries backed a resolution from Ukraine and Europe commemorating three years since Russia's aggression, which the U.S., Russia, and Belarus opposed. (01:33)

Notable Quote: Michelle Kellerman, NPR News from the State Department, explained, “The Trump administration says its resolution had a simple message. It implores a swift end to the conflict and urges lasting peace without calling Russia the aggressor or even calling for a just peace based on the UN Charter.” (01:33)

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3. Signs of Relief in the Flu Season, But Caution Remains

Key Points: Preliminary data suggests that the current flu season may be declining, though it remains severe with ongoing health concerns.

Details:

• CDC Data: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a decrease in the rate of flu-related doctor visits and hospitalizations after a significant rise over recent weeks. (02:28)

• Severity of Season: Despite signs of improvement, the flu season is still the worst in seven years, with heightened cases, particularly among children who are developing more neurological complications than usual. (02:28)

• Public Health Advice: Health experts encourage the continued administration of flu shots, emphasizing that it is not too late to protect against the virus. (02:28)

Notable Quote: Rob Stein, NPR News, noted, “But lots of people are still getting hit by the flu in the worst flu season in seven years. In fact, doctors around the country are reporting that kids may be developing neurological complications from the flu, more than usual this year.” (02:28)

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4. Elizabeth Holmes Loses Appeal; Apple Announces Massive U.S. Investment

Key Points: Significant legal and corporate developments include Elizabeth Holmes’s failed appeal and Apple’s substantial investment plans in the United States.

Details:

• Elizabeth Holmes: The founder of Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes, has lost her appeal to overturn her conviction on fraud charges. She is currently serving an 11-year sentence in a Texas women's prison. (03:01)

• Stock Market Update: The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 33 points, reflecting positive movement in the stock market. (03:01)

• Apple’s Investment Plans: Apple announced a plan to invest over $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years. This includes hiring 20,000 additional employees and constructing a new 250,000-square-foot server factory in Texas. Notably, the Houston-based plant is set to open next year, indicating much of the initiative is already underway. (03:01)

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5. Reducing Smartphone Usage Benefits Mental Health

Key Points: A new study highlights the positive effects of limiting smartphone use on mental well-being and suggests practical steps for individuals to achieve digital balance.

Details:

• Study Overview: Conducted by Adrian Ward, a psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin, the study involved 467 participants who blocked internet access on their smartphones for two weeks to assess the impact on their mental health. (03:53)

• Findings: Participants experienced enhanced mental health and subjective well-being, along with improved sustained attention. (04:12)

• Practical Recommendations: Given the difficulty of a full two-week detox for most, researchers suggest smaller adjustments such as taking 30-minute breaks from devices, powering down phones after dinner, or designating one day a week as a digital detox day. (04:19)

Notable Quote: Adrian Ward stated, “What we found was that people had better mental health, better subjective well being.” (04:12)

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6. Pope Francis’s Health Remains Critical but Showing Improvement

Key Points: Updates on Pope Francis’s health reveal he remains in critical condition yet shows signs of slight improvement and has resumed some work activities.

Details:

• Health Status: The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis is battling pneumonia affecting both lungs. While his condition is still critical, there have been slight improvements in his lab tests. (04:35)

• Activities: Despite his health challenges, the Pope has been able to resume certain work-related activities, indicating a potential stabilization of his condition. (04:35)

• Crisis Status: Vatican officials assured that there have not been any major respiratory crises recently, providing some reassurance amidst ongoing health concerns. (04:35)

Notable Quote: Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington, reported, “Vatican says while the pope continues to suffer from pneumonia in both lungs, they have not experienced any major respiratory crises.” (04:35)

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This summary encapsulates the major stories covered in the February 24, 2025 episode of NPR News Now, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of the day’s most pressing news.

Transcript

[NPR Sponsor]

Support for NPR and the following message come from IXL Learning. IXL Learning uses advanced algorithms to give the right help to each kid, no matter the age or personality. Get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when you sign up [e-mail] NPR Live.

[Jack Spear]

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Federal agencies are pushing back against the Trump administration's request that federal workers report back before midnight tonight on what they did did last week. As NPR's Andrew Hsu reports, numerous agencies have told their employees not to respond.

[Andrew Hsu]

The email over the weekend from the Office of Personnel Management told federal employees to reply with approximately five bullet points, listing what they accomplished last week and copying their managers. On Saturday, billionaire Elon Musk, an advisor to President Trump, suggested in a post on X that workers could lose their jobs if they didn't comply. Since then, leaders of federal agencies, including the FBI, the Energy Department, the Department of Defense and many others have instructed their employees not to respond to the email. They note that departments are responsible for reviewing the performance of their personnel and will coordinate any response when and if required. Andrea Hsu, NPR News.

[Jack Spear]

The U.S. and key European allies were on opposite sides on UN votes today on Russia's war against Ukraine. The Trump administration rejecting Ukraine's version of a resolution and drafting its own, which garnered support from Russia and China but not U.S. allies. Here's NPR's Michelle Kellerman.

[Michelle Kellerman]

The Trump administration says its resolution had a simple message. It implores a swift end to the conflict and urges lasting peace without calling Russia the aggressor or even calling for a just peace based on the UN Charter. The UK And France tried but failed to change that and ended up abstaining in the vote. Russia and China supported the U.S. resolution, which passed in a 100 vote earlier in the day in the General Assembly, 93 countries backed a Ukrainian and European resolution to mark three years since the start of Russia's aggression. The U.S. russia and Belarus were among 18 countries that opposed that text. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department.

[Jack Spear]

Finally, some good news about this year's flu season. It looks like this winter's flu surge may finally be waning. That's according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease control and prevention. NPR's Rob Stein has more.

[Rob Stein]

According to the CDC data, the rate at which people are getting treated by a doctor for the flu or ending up in the hospital looks looks like it has finally started to decrease after rising sharply for weeks. But lots of people are still getting hit by the flu in the worst flu season in seven years. In fact, doctors around the country are reporting that kids may be developing neurological complications from the flu, more than usual this year. Experts say it's still not too late to get a flu shot. Rob Stein, NPR News.

[Jack Spear]

The founder of a now defunct blood testing company has lost her appeal to overturn a conviction on charges she defrauded investors. Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is currently serving an 11 year sentence at a women's prison in Texas. On Wall street, the dow is up 33 points. This is NPR. Device maker Apple has announced plans to invest more than $500 billion in the US over the next four years. Company also saying today intends to hire 20,000 additional people and will build a new 250,000 square foot server factory in Texas. With however, much of the plan appears to have already been underway. For example, the plant being built with partners in Houston is scheduled to open next year. A new study finds limiting time spent on smartphones can help improve moods and reduce symptoms of depression. NPR's Alison Arbey reports on how long it takes to measure a difference.

[Alison Aubry]

At a time when more than 90% of Americans have a smartphone, we forget that having a supercomputer at our fingertips is a new phenomenon. Adrian Ward, a psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin, and his collaborators recruited 467 participants who agreed to block the Internet from their smartphones for two weeks.

[Adrian Ward]

What we found was that people had better mental health, better subjective well being.

[NPR Sponsor]

And better sustained attention.

[Alison Aubry]

It's not feasible for most people to disconnect for two weeks, so researchers advise starting with small steps such as taking 30 minute breaks or powering down phones after dinner, or setting aside a day a week for digital detox. Alison Aubry, NPR News.

[Jack Spear]

The Vatican says Pope Francis remains in critical condition at Rome Hospital, though officials say there has been slight improvement in lab tests. And they say the pontiff has resumed some work activities. Vatican says while the pope continues to suffer from pneumonia in both lungs, they have not experienced any major respiratory crises. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.

[NPR Sponsor]

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