NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-31-2025 11PM EST

Episode Date: February 1, 2025

NPR News: 01-31-2025 11PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Are you the greatest musician the world has never heard? Unsigned artists, now's your opportunity to play the Tiny Desk. Enter the 2025 Tiny Desk Contest, our nationwide search for the next undiscovered star. The winner will play a Tiny Desk concert and a U.S. tour. To learn more, visit npr.org slash tiny desk contest. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. A medical transport jet carrying a pediatric patient, a patient escort and four crew members crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood tonight.

Mayor Sheryl Parker says it's unknown if anyone has survived the crash, but everyone is stepping in to help. I've spoken to our Governor, Josh Shapiro. He is in route. I've spoken to our U.S. Senator, John Fetterman, other federal officials, and everyone, all hands on deck. That's where we are right now. The crash caused a fireball that set several homes on fire.

Investigators say the black box from the Army Blackhawk helicopter that collided with a passenger jet on Wednesday has been recovered. The flight data information from the device is now being reviewed along with two similar devices from the passenger jet. Fire officials meanwhile say the bodies of 41 of the 67 people who died in the crash have now been recovered. Federal agencies were scrambling to meet a deadline today to purge programs and content related to gender issues. As NPR's Franco Ordonia's reports, agencies had until close of business today to complete that work. The directive called for the elimination of agency programs promoting

gender ideology as well as content on government websites and social media accounts. President Trump was asked about websites possibly being taken down in order to scrub for content involving diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. He said he didn't know of that happening but that doesn't sound like a bad idea to me. DEI would have ruined our country and now it's dead. I think DEI is dead so if they want to scrub the websites, that's okay with me The website of the National Institute of Health's Office for Sexual and Gender Minority Research Office disappeared Several web pages from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention with reference to LGBTQ plus health also disappeared

Franco Ordonez NPR News the White House Mariko Ordonez, NPR News, The White House. Marco Rubio is now set to take his first overseas trip as Secretary of State and Piers Michelle Kellerman reports that Rubio is staying relatively close to home visiting five countries in the Western Hemisphere. Secretary Rubio is vowing to make this hemisphere a priority, heading first to Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, he says the Trump administration will reward countries that cooperate with the U.S. on trade and migration, but will act quickly

to punish those who don't. Rubio pointed to a public spat with Colombia last weekend over military planes for deported migrants. Panama's president says he won't discuss control over the Panama Canal when he meets Secretary Rubio. The secretary who has raised concerns about Chinese companies along the canal plans to visit it on Sunday. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department. And you're listening to NPR News. Cereal is one of the top sources of added sugar in children's diets.

Now, a new study shows that advertising drives sales of high-sugar cereals, but when it's aimed directly at kids, not adults. And Paris Maria Godoy has more. Kids' cereals are the most heavily advertised food product to children. In the study, researchers at the University of Connecticut's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health looked at advertising to households and subsequent cereal purchases over nine years. They found a strong relationship between how much TV advertising was targeted at kids under 12 and how much sugary cereals households bought. Just nine high-sugar cereals dominated sales. Study author Jennifer Harris says, by contrast, there was no link to increased purchases when

ads targeted adults. Parents probably wouldn't buy them if their kids weren't asking them for them. The research appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Maria Godoy, NPR News. Chuck Todd has announced that he's leaving NBC News. Todd is a former host of Meet the Press and that high visibility position led to many attacks by President Donald Trump and his supporters. Todd says he'll continue to host his podcast after he leaves but gave no other details about any future plans.

Sepp Straka is in the lead today. Following two rounds at the Pebble Beach Golf Pro-Am in California, he shot a 65 to build a three-stroke lead over Cameron Davis. Roy McElroy, meanwhile, had four bogeys over a six-hole stretch before ending with an eagle on the 18th hole. He shot a 70 and a six-strokes off the lead, and Scottie Scheffler is seven strokes back after shooting a 70. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.