NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-10-2025 12AM EST

Episode Date: February 10, 2025

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President Trump is back in Washington, pursuing major policy changes on his own terms. We know from the past that means challenging precedent, busting norms, and pushing against the status quo. NPR is covering it all with Trump's Terms, a podcast where we curate stories about the 47th president with a focus on how he is upending the way Washington works. Listen to Trump's Term terms from NPR. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. President Donald Trump said today that he still wants the U.S. to own Gaza. His remarks to reporters came after several leaders of Arab countries dismissed the idea.

We may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it. Other people may do it through our auspices, but we're committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn't move back. There's nothing to move back into. Trump made his comments to reporters on Air Force One. Egypt, meanwhile, announced today that it's calling an emergency Arab summit to discuss what it calls new and dangerous developments in regard to Gaza. Staff at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have been told to work remotely because their work headquarters is closed for the week.

As NPR's Laura Wamsley reports, the move is the latest indication that the Trump administration is attempting to dismantle the independent agency. CFPB staff were told of the closure in an email obtained by NPR. No reason was given for the building's closure. Representatives of Elon Musk's government efficiency team were seen at the headquarters on Friday, according to the CFPB union. Musk's team has been granted access to key systems,

stirring concerns about the fate of vast amounts of sensitive information maintained by the bureau. Over the weekend, Russell Vogt took over as acting director at the agency, and issued a directive for staff to cease virtually all of its work. Vogt posted on X that he will not ask for the agency's next round of funding from the Federal Reserve. CFPB staff warned that without the agency doing its job, American families are left exposed to fraud and financial abuse.

Laurel Wamsley, NPR News, Washington. Wall Street is bracing this week for the latest data on inflation. As NPR's Rafael Nam tells us, the report comes as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is set to testify before Congress. Although inflation has come down significantly since last year, it still remains higher than many Americans or the Fed would like. We'll get the latest data on consumer prices on Wednesday. Bringing inflation down some more will be one of the key objectives for the Fed this year. That

job could become more difficult, however, if President Trump follows through on his economic promises. Trump, for example, has imposed a tariff on China, although he did put on hold tariffs he had announced for Canada and Mexico. Symbestos and lawmakers will be keen to hear from Fed Chair Powell this week when he testifies before the Senate and the House. Rafael Numb in PR News. The Kansas City Chiefs were denied a three-peat tonight as the Philadelphia Eagles brought a stifling defense along with a high-flying offense to beat the Chiefs 40-22 in the Super Bowl in New Orleans. defense, along with a high-flying offense, to beat the Chiefs 40-22 in the Super Bowl

in New Orleans. Cooper DeGene got a pick six on his 22nd birthday, and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs was sacked six times by the Eagles defense. Game MVP Jalen Hurts, meanwhile, threw for two touchdowns and ran for another score in the win. You're listening to NPR News. The head of humanitarian efforts for the United Nations says the risk of famine in the Gaza Strip is dropping as a surge of humanitarian aid has entered the region.

Assistance began flowing several weeks ago at the start of the current ceasefire, with hundreds of trucks arriving daily, but concerns are growing over what might happen if the ceasefire is not extended. The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania cut their links to Russia overnight and are now completely connected to the European power grid. The move is celebrated on Sunday in Lithuania, as Terry Schultz reports. The Baltic countries stopped buying electricity from Russia after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but they were still part of the Russian grid.

Those links were replaced Sunday by connections to Finland, Sweden and Poland. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was in Lithuania for a ceremony marking the move. She addressed Baltic leaders who were present. These chains of power lines linking you to hostile neighbors will be a thing of the past. This is freedom, freedom from threats, freedom from black males. Polish president Andrzej Duda said the synchronization helps liberate the entire EU from what he called the bloc's post-Soviet sphere of dependence on Russia for its energy supply.

For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz in Brussels. Thomas Tetree finished his final round of the Phoenix Open today with four closing birdies and a seven-stroke win. He finished the round with a 6-under, 65. The win was his first ever on the PGA Tour. Michael Kim and Daniel Berger finished tied for second while Christian Bezodenthaupt and Jordan Spieth tied for fourth place. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.