NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-06-2025 5PM EST

Episode Date: February 6, 2025

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This is Ira Glass with This American Life, each week on our show. We choose a theme, tell different stories on that theme. All right, I'm just going to stop right there. You're listening to an NPR podcast, chances are you know our show. So instead, I'm going to tell you, we've just been on a run of really good shows lately. Some big epic emotional stories, some weird funny stuff too. Download us, This American Life. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. A federal judge in Massachusetts is temporarily pausing

the Trump administration's deferred resignation offer to federal workers. NPR's Andrea Shue reports the decision means federal employees no longer face a deadline today to decide whether to stay or go. U.S. District Judge George O'Toole paused the resignation offer until Monday, granting a request from unions representing federal employees. O'Toole said the court had just received a brief from the government and gave the unions

until Friday to respond. He also ordered the government to notify employees of this change by the end of today and scheduled another hearing for Monday afternoon when he will hear the merits of the case. The labor unions are arguing that the deferred resignation offer is arbitrary, capricious, and unlawful. Already tens of thousands of federal workers have accepted the administration's offer to resign now and keep their pay and benefits through the end of September. Andrea Hsu, NPR News. Tech billionaire Elon Musk's expanding role in the U.S. government is amplifying concerns

about transparency and the concentration of executive power. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports legal experts are weighing in on Musk's authority as he gains access to a growing number of federal agencies. Elon Musk's cost-cutting unit DOGE is sending shockwaves through the government workforce as it aims to make substantial cuts to federal agencies. Kathleen Clark is a professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis. She says without transparency and accountability, Musk's actions risk weakening mechanisms designed to prevent the overreach of power. Congressional Republicans are complicit in this dismantling of Democratic checks and

balances. President Trump and congressional Republicans see Musk's efforts as a way to better streamline and save money within government agencies. Windsor-Johnston, NPR News, Washington. President Trump's pick to be his top trade negotiator was on Capitol Hill today. Jamison Greer telling members of the Senate Finance Committee he would promise to stick to the president's hardline trade policies. Greer says he'll use tariffs on foreign goods that would give Americans, quote, the opportunity to work in good-paying jobs, producing goods and services they can sell in this market and abroad to earn an honest living.

U.S. productivity rose in October, November, and December. NPR's Scott Horstley reports on the latest numbers from the Labor Department. U.S. workers got a little more productive in the final months of 2024, churning out 1.2 percent more goods and services with every hour of work. That's important because when workers are more productive, they can earn higher wages without putting upward pressure on prices. New applications for unemployment benefits inched up last week as 219,000 people applied for jobless aid.

We'll get a more complete snapshot of the job market tomorrow when the Labor Department reports on employment gains for the month of January. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. The Dow fell 125 points today. This is NPR. Argentina has followed in Donald Trump's footsteps announcing that it is pulling out of the world I'll give you a total of 125 points today. This is NPR. Argentina has followed in Donald Trump's footsteps announcing that it is pulling out of the World Health Organization.

Here's Gabriella Emanuel reports. A spokesman for the Argentinian government said the withdrawal is partly because of how the WHO handled the COVID pandemic. He said WHO guidelines led to the largest shutdown in the history of mankind. Neil Menyar is a professor of public health at Northeastern University. He says countries leaving the WHO could make it harder to control outbreaks that cross borders. I think this has implications not just for the WHO and for Argentina, but for all countries. for the WHO and for Argentina, but for all countries. We are going in a direction where we are increasing the fragmentation of the global public health

system. More than 190 other countries are still part of the WHO. Gabriella Emanuel, NPR News. Well everyone knows about this weekend's Super Bowl football contest. Another parallel event known as the Puppy Bowl is taking place. Carried this coming Sunday on Animal Planet, Puppy Bowl 21 was taped in advance and will feature some professionally trained athletes. Kansas City defensive tackle Derek Noddy has helped coach this year's canine contenders.

He says he's been working with a four-year-old pup named Parsnip, who he says he's been putting through rigorous training. Noddy, who has been an advocate for puppy adoptions, predicting Parsnip will quote be phenomenal in Sunday's big game if he can focus. Crude old futures prices fell 42 cents a barrel today in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.