NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-09-2025 5AM EST

Episode Date: February 9, 2025

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Usher, Yo-Yo Ma, Boy Genius, Shaka Khan, Billie Eilish, Weird Al, one thing all these big stars have in common, they've all played behind NPR's Tiny Desk. And if you enter NPR's Tiny Desk Contest between now and February 10th, you could be next. Unsigned musicians can find out more and see the official rules at npr.org slash tiny desk contest. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. and npr.org slash tiny desk contest. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. Following yesterday's hostages for prisoners' swamp as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal,

attention is now turning to talks on a second phase. The talks are being held in Doha. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's sending a delegation to Qatar. The talks are being held with President Trump's remarks about the future of Gaza raising tensions. Egypt says it will host an emergency summit of Arab leaders later this month, as imperial Jerome Sokolovsky reports. A statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry says the summit is being called in response to a Palestinian request.

It says the leaders will gather on February 27th to discuss, quote, the new and dangerous developments in the Palestinian issue. Arab states have rejected Trump's recent comments about relocating Gaza's Palestinian residents and creating a Riviera of the Middle East there. Several countries are also condemning the suggestion by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

that Saudi Arabia has enough land for a Palestinian state. Netanyahu appeared to be joking in response to a slip by an Israeli TV interviewer, but sensitivities are running high in the region. Jerome Sokolowski, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Five workers from Thailand arrived in Bangkok today after being held hostage in Gaza for more than a year. They were released as part of a separate deal negotiated between Thailand and Hamas. A six-tie hostage remains unaccounted for. In Madrid, leaders of the far-right coalition Patriots for Europe met this weekend to praise President Trump's agenda and affirm their

strength in the European Parliament. N Omeisias reports from Seville. Led by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the gathering included some of the most prominent names of the far-right in Europe, Frances Marie Le Pen, the Netherlands Geer Wilders, and the leader of Italy's League Party Matteo Salvini. The far-right leaders applauded Trump's agenda, praising his stance on immigrants in the US without legal status, and declaring their intention to make Europe great again. The summit was a coming out event for Spain's far-right Vox party and its leader, Santiago

Abascal, who presented himself as the only alternative to the ruling progressive coalition in Spain, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Notably missing from the summit was Italy's Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni, who is not a part of the Patriots for Europe group. Miguel Macias, NPR News, Seville, Spain. Winter storm that blanketed parts of the country from the Midwest to the Northeast had road crews in prep mode this weekend. Rick Fontana is the emergency management director in New Haven, Connecticut, where crews have been using magnesium chloride to treat roads instead of salt. When you put those lines on the street and the snow hits it and before you know it, it turns to water and it doesn't snow

cover the street. The snow is expected to taper off in the Northeast this morning that storm had cities from the Midwest to New England under winter weather alerts. This is NPR News. President Trump has revoked security clearances for more people associated with the Biden administration. They include former Secretary of State Antony Blinken and former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Late Friday, Trump revoked the security clearance for Biden himself. Biden has not commented on the move, but he ended Trump's security clearance in 2021, citing what he called Trump's erratic behavior. Authorities in Alaska are working to recover the wreckage of a small commuter plane that

crashed on Thursday. Crews are working against time. The wreckage is on an ice flow, and the sea is off-gnome, and the weather is expected to take a turn for the worse today. All 10 people on board were killed in the crash. Crews recovered their remains yesterday. In New Orleans, the biggest single-day sporting event in North America, the Super Bowl, is set to be played tonight. The Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Philadelphia Eagles. The Chiefs have a chance to make history, as Steve Futterman reports. After all the hype and build-up, it's now time to finally play the game. New Orleans has been invaded by thousands of fans who have made the pilgrimage from Kansas City and Philadelphia. Kelly Slagle is picking her favorite team, the Chiefs.

I think it's going to be super duper duper close. I think we're going to win. Nikita Dean is cheering for Philadelphia. Eagles! Eagles! Eagles all the way! Eagles! And she has a special reason. Her son, Nicoby Dean, is a linebacker for the Eagles. The Chiefs are trying to become the first team ever to win three straight Super Bowls. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman at the Super Bowl in New Orleans. And I'm Giles Snyder.

This is NPR News from Washington. Hey, it's Robin Hilton from NPR News from Washington.