NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-08-2025 11AM EST

Episode Date: February 8, 2025

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Noor Ram, NPR News. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Ram. A federal judge in New York issued an emergency order early this morning blocking billionaire Elon Musk and his associates from accessing Treasury Department records. Attorneys general from 19 states had sued, led by Letitia James of New York. She says the private information of millions of Americans is at risk, including tax returns and Social Security numbers. This unelected group led by the world's richest man is not authorized to have this information.

And they explicitly sought this unauthorized access to illegally blocked payments that millions of Americans rely on, payments for health care, child care, and other essential programs. The order remains in effect until a hearing on Friday. Federal workers will have the weekend to mull over a Trump administration proposal that they resign now but be paid through September. As Frank Morris of Member Station KCUR reports, while four to five federal workers live in the DC area, it's not just Washington that's affected. In Kansas City, the federal government is by far the largest employer with close to 30,000 employees, including for the IRS, EPA, and Social Security Administration.

Elon Musk is trying to slash the federal workforce. He's targeting an immediate 10% cut. Economist Frank Link with the Mid-America Regional Council says that in Kansas City, that would be almost as bad as losing a major auto assembly plant. Overall, for every federal job, there's another job created in the metro. So they're powerful jobs from that standpoint. The buyout offer is tied up in court, at least until Monday. For NPR News, I'm Frank Morris

in Kansas City. The Trump administration wants Congress to provide more money for detaining and deporting people suspected of being in the country without authorization. NPR's Jimena Bastillo reports. Since the start of the Trump administration, officials say they have arrested over 8,000 people, but not all have been held in detention. Press Secretary Caroline Levitt told reporters at the White House this week that over 400 people that were arrested by federal immigration officials

have already been released. Some of the factors include a lack of significant likelihood of removal in the foreseeable future, lack of detention availability, which is something this president and this administration has been incredibly vocal about. She added that some had serious medical conditions and none have had final deportation orders. The lead agency in charge of stopping illegal immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has long warned that it may not have enough physical space to handle Trump's efforts to ramp up enforcement.

Hima Nabeustiere, NPR News, Washington. Hamas and Israel are conducting another hostage-prisoner exchange today under the ceasefire deal that began last month. Hammas released three men who had been held hostage since the war began. Israel is releasing more than 180 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. This is NPR News. Rescuers in southwestern China are searching for at least 30 people missing after a landslide. It struck a village in Sichuan province, burying 10 houses.

Officials say two people were pulled from the rubble alive. Super Bowl fans are arriving in New Orleans ahead of the big game tomorrow. More than 100,000 people are expected in town this weekend. Matt Bloom with member station WWNO reports many are noticing beefed up security. On Bourbon Street, the state has installed new metal barricades to block cars at every intersection. No coolers or large bags are allowed. It's a step up from the usual measures here, but fans like Denae Moreno from Philadelphia appreciate it. It definitely seems like there's more of a presence and I think because of it looks a little more than I saw in Vegas or even Arizona because we happen to go to

both the last couple years. Security upgrades came after a driver intentionally plowed into a bourbon street crowd early New Year's Day, killing 14 people and injuring dozens. More than 2,000 officers from various agencies are deployed. They're visible on almost every street corner. For NPR News, I'm Matt Bloom in New Orleans. Sony's PlayStation Network went dark last night, affecting gamers around the world. They can't access online services, stores, and multimedia apps. The company says it is aware of the issue and is working to resolve it.

Users are still able to play offline games, but they can't access the online aspects of games such as Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.