NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-30-2025 8PM EST

Episode Date: January 31, 2025

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Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have outlined their plans to slash the federal workforce with the help of a team of quote small government crusaders. What's in store for federal workers and how are they planning for change? This January 1A's.gov series guides you through various government agencies and the people working for you. Listen to the 1A podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Officials say there were no survivors in last night's collision between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter. A total of 67 people were killed. NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman says there were questions being raised about

why the two aircraft were flying in the same airspace over the Potomac River. The Blackhawk was heading south along the Potomac in the direction of National Airport and, like the plane, was in touch with the tower. Now, there's a flight corridor for helicopters and the maximum height is 200 feet, but sources I talked with said it appears the Blackhawk was flying higher, maybe more than 100 feet higher at the time of the crash. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would only say there was some sort of an elevation issue. The investigation of course will determine whether the helicopter was in the corridor and at the right altitude. NPR's Tom Bowman, the

National Transportation Safety Board, has recovered the aircraft's so-called black boxes. Lawmakers in Tennessee have passed a sweeping immigration bill to help with President Trump's mass deportation efforts. Mariana Bacallao, a member stationed WPLN in Nashville, reports Tennessee joined states like Florida that are looking to collaborate with ICE. The law will create a new state division

to enforce immigration laws and $5 million in grants to incentivize local law enforcement agencies to partner with ICE to help arrest, screen and deport migrants who are in the U.S. illegally. Also under the law, state officials can be removed from their positions and charged with a class E felony if they vote in favor of sanctuary policies for immigrants. That's something the Trump administration has tried to crack down on. But the federal government only has so much power over local governments.

State governments, however, do have that authority. Legal challenges to the law are expected, but state power could hold up. For NPR News, I'm Mariana Bacallao in Nashville. Republican and Democratic senators on the Intelligence Committee pushed Tulsi Gabbard to answer questions about Edward Snowden, who leaked NSA documents to journalists in 2013.

MPR's Dana McLaughlin reports Gabbard's past defense of Snowden might anger the U.S. spies she hopes to lead. Former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard faced over two and a half hours of questions from senators who will be voting on whether they believe she is fit to serve as President Trump's Director of National Intelligence. Several asked about her record on foreign policy, like her decision to visit former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2017, or excuses she's made for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Others focused on pushing Gabbard to condemn former NSA contractor Edward Snowden for leaking classified documents about US intelligence operations. Gabbard said Snowden broke the law, but she refused to call him a traitor.

She said he helped to expose illegal programs and inspired reform. Jen McLaughlin, NPR News. On Wall Street, the Dow is up 168 points. This is NPR. President Donald Trump's pick to be Interior Secretary has been confirmed. Former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum facing little opposition. Burgum appears to have had a relatively cozy relationship with oil and gas companies during his tenure. That's based on emails obtained by the Associated Press. A spokesman for Burgum says the Republican routinely, quote, met with job curators and leaders who generated opportunities for the people of North Dakota.

English musician Marianne Faithfull has died. She found fame in London swinging 60s. And according to a spokesperson, the 78 year old vocalist and actress died surrounded by her family in London. MPR's Felix Contreras has her remembrance. Marianne Faithfull started her career in 1964 with the hit song, As Tears Go By,

which was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. It is the evening of the day. During the 1970s, she experienced widely publicized bouts with drug and alcohol before mounting a comeback in 1979 with the album Broken English. Later, she faced health challenges,

including breast cancer, and in 2020, a hospitalization after contracting COVID. But she recovered and she released her final album a year later. Felix Contreras, NPR News. Dubai has cemented its status as the world's busiest airport for international travel, bouncing back from the coronavirus pandemic. Officials saying today the airport saw a record 92.3 million travelers last year.

There are plans to move planes and terminals in 10 years to the city's state's second airport, which has undergone a $35 billion upgrade. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things in other currencies. Sending or spending money abroad? Hidden fees may be taking a cut. With WISE, you can convert between up to 40 currencies at the mid-market exchange rate. Visit WISE.com. TNCs apply.