NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-06-2025 6PM 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 is ordering the government to limit access to the U.S. Treasury Department's

payment system. NPR's Shannon Bond reports unions representing federal workers sued Treasury over fear-sensitive data is being shared with the Trump Administration's government cost-cutting team team helmed by Elon Musk. The judge's order allows two special government employees at Treasury who are connected to Musk's Doge team to continue accessing payment records on a read-only basis. But it bars them from sharing information outside the Treasury Department. Musk's Doge team has been seeking access to information and systems across federal agencies, raising worries highly sensitive data could be compromised.

The treasury system processes trillions of dollars in federal spending every year, including Social Security and Medicare benefits. The judge's order is temporary while the union's lawsuit moves forward. Shannon Bond, NPR News. A federal judge in Seattle has issued a nationwide injunction on the Trump administration's attempt to restrict birthright citizenship. As NPR's Martin Costey explains, it is the broadest court order against the Trump executives so far and has come with stern words from the judge.

On Wednesday, a federal judge in Maryland issued a preliminary injunction against Trump's order to withhold citizenship from children born to mothers in the country illegally. But now federal judge John Kunauer in Seattle has signed an even broader order which also recognizes the interests of the states that have sued over this. The judge called Trump's executive order unconstitutional. There are moments in the world's history when people look back and ask, where were the lawyers? Where were the judges? In these moments, the rule of law becomes especially vulnerable. I refuse to let that beacon go dark today. Some Trump supporters have accused

the judge of bias. The state attorney's general who brought the suit welcomed the injunction and predicted it's headed for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Martin Costi, NPR News, Seattle. Speaking of the national prayer breakfast today, President Trump announced the creation of a task force to root out what he called anti-Christian bias in the federal government, more from NPR's Joel Rose. During the Prayer Breakfast, Trump talked about a number of religion initiatives, including the formation of a commission on religious liberty and a new task force on anti-Christian bias.

The mission of this task force will be to immediately halt all forms of anti-christian targeting and discrimination within the federal government. In recent weeks meanwhile the Trump administration has allowed immigration raids at houses of worship and cut off funding to faith-based refugee resettlement organizations. Trump surrogates have also attacked the work of faith-based charities calling without evidence their funding illegal. Jason DeRose, NPR News. More Americans are filing first-time jobless claims

last week. According to the Labor Department, initial claims for unemployment rose by 11,000 to 219,000 with the week ending February 1st. On Wall Street, the Dow was down 125 points. This is NPR. President Trump has stalked his second administration 25 points. This is NPR. President Trump has stalked his second administration full of former Fox News personalities. Now

one Trump is headed the other direction. NPR's David Falkenvick reports the hiring demonstrates the hand-in-glove dynamic of the White House and the conservative network. The network's founder, Rupert Murdoch, met with Trump at the Oval Office earlier this week signifying their ongoing alliance of convenience. Fox has been a pillar of Trump's political base, and except when its stars deviate from supporting him, his fans have rewarded the network with strong ratings. Fox has now named his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, the host of a show on Saturday nights. Lara Trump was a producer on the tabloid TV show Inside Edition years ago and married Eric Trump during that time.

She has worked on Trump's behalf repeatedly since. Fox News briefly hired her as a commentator after then-President Joe Biden took office. More recently, Lara Trump helped to lead the Republican National Committee. Her show is to debut later this month. David Folkenflick, NPR News. In the world of astronomy, it's apparently creating a buzz. A monster radio jet streaming from a quasar dating back to the first one billion years of the universe that's been spotted by telescopes around the globe.

At double the width of the Milky Way galaxy, the jet of radio waves is the biggest ever detected in the early universe. Stronwer say while such radio jets are not uncommon, they've turned up less often in the distant early universe. Strong will say while such radio jets are not uncommon they've turned up less often in the distant early universe. Quasars are among the universe's brightest objects. Cradle of futures prices settled lower today oiled down 42 cents a barrel to end the session at 70.60 won a barrel 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.