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

Episode Date: February 9, 2025

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Public media counts on your support to ensure that the reporting and programs you depend on thrive. Make a recurring donation today to get special access to more than 20 NPR podcasts, perks like sponsor-free listening, bonus episodes, early access, and more. So start supporting what you love today at plus.npr.org. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janene Hurst. President Trump is defending Elon Musk and his efforts to cut the federal workforce. In Piers Franco Ordoña's reports, Trump praised the billionaire's efforts in a pregame Super Bowl interview. In a pre-taped interview,

President Trump told Fox News' Brett Baer that Elon Musk is carrying out promises he made on the campaign trail to root out waste and abuse. I don't know if it's kickbacks or what's going on, but the people, look, I ran on this, and the people want me to find it. And I've had a great help with Elon Musk, who's been terrific. Bottom line, you say you trust him. Trust Elon? Oh, he's not gaining anything.

Musk has drawn increasing scrutiny and criticism for his moves to dismantle federal agencies such as USAID. Trump said he'll direct Musk and his team to next look at the Department of Education and the Pentagon, promising they'll find billions of dollars in fraud and abuse. Franco, Ordonez, NPR News, West Palm Beach. Staff at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have been told the D.C. headquarters is closed and that they should work remotely for the week. This comes after new acting director Russell Vogt told staff to suspend nearly all of the

bureau's activities. The Israeli military has fully withdrawn from a large strip of land bisecting Gaza as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. In Pierce, Danielle Estrin reports. Israeli troops have withdrawn from the Nitzarim corridor in the middle of Gaza that Israel's military occupied as its main base during the war. NPR producer Anas Baba. This now opens up a new area where Gazans are allowed to return and move freely

without the presence of Israeli forces. No traces of the area remain. What was once a paved highway is now a dirt path, and one can see sewage pipes beneath the ground." Troops razed entire neighborhoods to make way for the corridor. A body was found under a sand dune. Soldiers left ammunition canisters and graffiti. One message reads, Trump Tower, Gaza.

Hamas said the withdrawal shows Israel did not achieve total victory over it. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv, with Anas Baba in Gaza. A winter storm that blanketed parts of the northeast this weekend with snow is now headed out as another one forms. NPR's Amy Held reports. More disruptive winter weather is on its way. We have overall a very active pattern across the country. We have storm after storm pushing from west to east. Forecaster Bob Oruvek says snow will fall starting in the central U.S. overnight into Tuesday from Kansas into Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington up to a half foot or so. Then there's also the risk of icing in parts especially southward into Virginia and North

Carolina. Overall, tree damage and power outages are possible. Roadways are going to be dangerous to drive on, and I'm sure it's like delays Tuesday into Wednesday. Amy Held, NPR News. And the mid-Atlantic area is bracing for snow early this week. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The Super Bowl kicks off today between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City and their quarterback Patrick Mahomes are hoping to become the first team to ever win three Super Bowls in a row. And Pierce Becky Sullivan has more.

Becky Sullivan Mahomes and the Chiefs have become the NFL's newest dynasty. They've been to five of the last six Super Bowls, including today, and won three of them. Today would be their fourth in all and their third consecutive. This year's Chiefs have thrived in close games. They've won all 12 where the margin of victory was within one score. The Eagles though are no pushover. Their acquisition of the star running back Saquon Barkley has turbocharged their offense. And when their quarterback Jaylen Hertz is healthy, they haven't lost a game since September. President Trump is expected to be in attendance today at the Superdome in New Orleans, and Kendrick Lamar will perform in the halftime show.

Becky Sullivan in PR News. And the Super Bowl is set to start in New Orleans at 630 Eastern Time tonight. At the weekend box office, DreamWorks Animation's Dogman took the top spot with an estimated $13 million in ticket sales. The movie had a production budget of around $40 million. That film was based on a graphic novel and it's already taken in $54 million domestically in the two weeks it's been in theaters. In second place, the Valentine's Day-themed Slasher, Heart Eyes, with $8 million.

The Spyglass Media Group's film, released by Sony, was produced for around $18 million. I'm Janene Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.