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Top Stories Today
The Trump administration has launched a new online tracker claiming $55 billion in savings in federal government spending by the Department of Government Efficiency. However, an NPR analysis reveals that the actual savings are significantly lower than reported, casting doubt on the accuracy of the figures.
Elon Musk speaks as President Trump looks on in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 11.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
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Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
- 🎧 DOGE released a list of recent government contract cancellations, amounting to approximately $16 billion in savings, as reported by NPR’s Stephen Fowler on Up First. Fowler’s investigation revealed that DOGE’s claims were inflated by billions of dollars, with discrepancies in the contract database. Notably, a typo erroneously inflated a contract’s worth from $8 million to $8 billion, which has since been corrected. Additionally, a significant portion of the reported savings were already spent, resulting in no actual future savings.
President Trump has intensified his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, labeling him a “dictator.” Amid calls for peace talks with Russia excluding Ukraine, Zelenskyy has urged the U.S. to refrain from spreading disinformation about the conflict. Trump’s accusations against Ukraine starting the war have raised concerns, with Zelenskyy expressing reservations about meetings between the Trump administration and Russian officials.
- 🎧 Trump’s conflicting remarks on Zelenskyy have sparked uncertainty, notes NPR’s Franco Ordoñez. Zelenskyy’s cautious response to these attacks, coupled with fears of potential future Russian invasions, has heightened tensions across Europe. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine remains a focal point of international concern.
Hamas has handed over the bodies of four Israeli captives, including a mother and her two children, for forensic examination in Israel to confirm their identities. This marks a significant development under the current ceasefire agreement, marking a departure from Hamas’s previous practices.
- 🎧 The bodies are believed to be that of 33-year-old Shiri Bibas, her sons Ariel and Kfir, aged 4 and nine months, and 84-year-old Oded Lifshitz, according to NPR’s Kat Lonsdorf. Hamas alleges that the hostages were killed by Israeli airstrikes during their captivity. Bibas’ husband, who was also captured with the family, was released alive in early February. The upcoming release of six remaining hostages by Hamas is expected to be honored this weekend, with Israel reciprocating by releasing over 600 Palestinian detainees from its prisons.
