NPR News: 02-27-2025 10PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: February 28, 2025

Hosted by NPR's Jack Spear, this episode of NPR News Now delivers the latest updates on global politics, humanitarian crises, economic shifts, and notable passings.

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Peace Talks Between the U.S. and U.K. on Ending Russia's War in Ukraine

Timestamp: 00:17 - 00:54

NPR's Jack Spear reports from Washington, highlighting a significant meeting at the White House between U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and former U.S. President Donald Trump. The primary focus of their discussion was the ongoing war in Ukraine and efforts to broker a lasting peace.

Key Points:

• Optimism for Peace: Starmer expressed strong confidence in achieving a durable peace agreement.
  • "I think we're going to have a very successful peace and I think it's going to be a long lasting peace and I think it's going to happen hopefully quickly. If it doesn't happen quickly, it may not happen at all," Starmer stated at 00:41.
• U.S. Stance: Trump echoed this optimism, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to resume hostilities if a truce is established.
• Economic Implications: Trump also mentioned the possibility of lifting tariffs on British goods, aiming to bolster economic relations.

The discussions come amidst significant shifts in U.S. international aid, raising concerns about the stability and support for various humanitarian programs worldwide.

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Termination of U.S. Funding Impacting Global Humanitarian Efforts

Timestamp: 00:54 - 02:05

NPR's Gabrielle Emanuel sheds light on the repercussions of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department terminating contracts valued at nearly $60 billion. This drastic move threatens numerous aid programs globally.

Personal Account:

• Michaela Hilo's Experience: A program manager at Ethiopia's Organization for Social Services Health and Development, Hilo shares the dire consequences of the funding cuts.
  • "This is just a disaster," Hilo lamented at 01:17.
  • "The termination means his program is laying off all 135 workers and the 1600 children and adolescents they work with are without their HIV medication. We don't even want to," he added at 01:30.
  • "Open our eyes to see the disaster that's coming ahead," Hilo emphasized at 01:48.

Broader Impact:

• The termination affects approximately 10,000 grants and contracts, including vital services like clean water for refugee camps and food aid for malnourished children.

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Allegations of Mistreatment at Guantanamo Bay

Timestamp: 02:05 - 02:55

NPR's Sergio Martinez Beltran reports on serious allegations from immigrants detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Detainees claim they endured beatings and other forms of mistreatment during their two-week detention.

Detainee Testimonies:

• Durana Arape's Struggle: Arape recounts his protest efforts and subsequent mistreatment.
  • "We were not allowed to call an attorney while at Guantanamo Bay, so they held a five day hunger strike and blocked the cameras inside their cells so they could get the guards' attention," he explained at 02:17.
  • "My friend Duran Arape says he also kicked on the cell's door as a protest. He says soldiers in riot gear would beat him up," Martinez Beltran summarizes.
  • In a harrowing admission, Arape stated, "Things got so bad, Duran Arape says he tried to die by suicide twice," at 02:30.

Government Response:

• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded by stating that detainees have access to phone facilities to reach lawyers but did not substantiate Arape's claims. "The agency cannot confirm the veracity of Duran Arape's claims," DHS remarked at 02:45.

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Wall Street Reacts to Diminishing AI Hype and EU Trade Tensions

Timestamp: 02:55 - 04:34

Stock Market Decline:

• Economic Shift: Wall Street experienced a sharp decline as investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence (AI) waned. Despite strong earnings reports the previous day, tech stocks took a hit.
  • "Shares of chipmaker Nvidia dropped more than today," Jack Spear reported at 02:55.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 193 points, and the NASDAQ, heavily weighted with tech companies, dropped by 530 points.

EU-U.S. Trade Relations:

• Tariff Disputes: President Trump's assertion that the European Union (EU) was designed to undermine the U.S. was met with strong rebuttals from EU leaders.
  • The EU defended itself as "the world's largest free market and has created an economic windfall for U.S. Companies working on the continent," according to Spear at 03:10.
  • The EU also announced its intent to oppose Trump's proposal to impose a 25% tariff on EU products entering the U.S., countering the administration's trade strategies.

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Appointment of Tom Schultz as Head of the U.S. Forest Service

Timestamp: 03:55 - 04:34

NPR's Kirk Sigler reports on the appointment of Tom Schultz, a former state lands manager and timber industry lobbyist, as the new head of the U.S. Forest Service. This move signals a significant policy shift toward expanding logging activities on public lands.

Background:

• Schultz's Credentials: Previously serving as the Vice President of Government Affairs for a prominent timber company in Idaho, Schultz is set to oversee nearly 200 million acres of federal timberlands.

Policy Implications:

• Logging and Wildfires: Under Schultz's leadership, the Forest Service is expected to accelerate logging on public lands as a strategy to rejuvenate timber economies and combat wildfires.
• Political Context: Republicans are advocating for faster regulatory changes to support these initiatives, aligning with broader economic and environmental strategies.

Agency Outlook:

• Outgoing Leadership's Concerns: Randy Moore, the outgoing head appointed during the Biden administration, expressed worries in his resignation letter.
  • He stated that recent job cuts "will hamper its ability to manage land and fires," highlighting the challenges the agency faces under the new administration's policies.

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Passing of Chess Legend Boris Spassky

Timestamp: 04:34 - 04:57

NPR's Jack Spear announces the death of Boris Spassky, the revered Russian chess grandmaster. At 88 years old, Spassky was the oldest living former World Chess Champion.

Legacy:

• World Champion Era: Spassky held the title from 1969 until his iconic match against American Bobby Fischer in Reykjavik, which symbolized the intense Cold War rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
• Cultural Impact: His match against Fischer not only captivated the chess world but also served as a significant cultural event during a period of geopolitical tension.

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Stay informed with NPR News Now for concise and comprehensive coverage of the day's most important stories.

Transcript

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[Jack Spear]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House today. President Trump said the talks to end Russia's war against Ukraine are very well advanced, also saying he's confident Russian leader Vladimir Putin won't restart fighting if a truce is reached between the two sides. Starmer and Trump emerged from a meeting saying both intend to work towards peace.

[Keir Starmer]

I think we're going to have a very successful peace and I think it's going to be a long lasting peace and I think it's going to happen hopefully quickly. If it doesn't happen quickly, it may not happen at all.

[Jack Spear]

Starmer said it's important. Any peace deal is a lasting one, and Putin knows that. Trump also said he's hopeful a deal can be reached where perhaps no tariffs would be levied against Britain. Aid programs for millions of people are collapsing worldwide. It comes after the US Agency for International Development and the State Department announced this week it was terminating contracts worth nearly $60 billion. NPR's Gabrielle Emanuel reports.

[Michaela Hilo]

Michaela Hilo is a program manager at the Ethiopian nonprofit Organization for Social Services Health and Development. Today he learned US Funding for his work with HIV positive children with was terminated.

[Gabriela Emanuel]

This is just a disaster.

[Michaela Hilo]

The termination means his program is laying off all 135 workers and the 1600 children and adolescents they work with are without their HIV medication. He fears that without medicine to keep the virus in check, the kids will fall ill. We don't even want to.

[Gabriela Emanuel]

Open our eyes to see the disaster that's coming ahead.

[Michaela Hilo]

His program is one of roughly 10,000 grants and contracts that were terminated. Others include clean water for refugee camps and food aid for malnourishment malnourished children. Gabriela Emanuel, NPR News.

[Jack Spear]

Immigrants detained by the US In Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, allege they experienced beatings and other forms of mistreatment during their two weeks at the U.S. naval base. Earlier this month, NPR's Sergio Martinez Beltran spoke with two of them.

[Gabriela Emanuel]

The detainees alleged they were not allowed to call an attorney while at Guantanamo Bay, so they held a five day hunger strike and blocked the cameras inside their cells so they could get the guards attention. My friend Durana Rape says he also kicked on the cell's door as a protest. He says soldiers in riot gear would beat him up. Things got so bad, Duran Arape says he tried to die by suicide twice. The Department of Homeland Security tells NPR the agency cannot confirm the veracity of Duran Arape's claims. DHSS detainees have, quote, access to phone utilization to reach lawyers but did not provide evidence. Sergio Martinez Beltran, NPR News.

[Jack Spear]

Stocks fell sharply on Wall street as some of the investor hype over AI appears to be fading. Despite solid earnings numbers yesterday, shares of chipmaker Nvidia dropped more than today. The Dow fell 193 points. The tech heavy NASDAQ was down 530 points. You're listening to NPR News in Washington. Despite charges from President Trump, the EU was created in order to, quote, screw the United States. EU leaders say the 27 nation bloc actually is the world's largest free market and has created an economic windfall for US Companies working on the continent. EU says it will also fight against Trump's proposal to slap a wholesale tariff of 25% on EU products headed to the U.S. a former state lands manager and timber industry lobbyist has been named as the next head of the U.S. forest Service. NPR's Kirk Sigler reports. Tom Schultz will take over the agency that manages forests and wildfire and has been the focus of job cutting by President Trump and adviser Elon Musk.

[Kirk Sigler]

Tom Schultz has most recently been VP of government affairs for an influential Coeur d'alene, Idaho based timber company. And he'll now be back in the public sector managing close to 200 million acres of federal timberlands. Republicans are pledging to fast track more logging on public land as a means of restarting timber economies and addressing the wildfire threat. Some of this was already underway during the Biden administration. In his resignation letter, the agency's outgoing chief, Randy Moore, a Biden appointee, warned that the agency had no say in the recent job cuts that he said will hamper its ability to manage land and fires. Kirk Sigler, NPR News, Boise.

[Jack Spear]

Russian chess legend Boris Spassky has died. Spassky held the world title of chess champion from 1969-72 until losing to American Bobby Fischer at a famous match in Reykjavik played during the height of the US Cold War with the Soviet Union. Spassky was the oldest living world chess champion. He was 88 years old. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News, in Washington.

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