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

Episode Date: February 11, 2025

NPR News: 02-11-2025 11AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

At the Super Bowl halftime show, Kendrick Lamar indeed performed his smash diss track Not Like Us and brought out Samuel L. Jackson, Serena Williams, and SZA. We're recapping the Super Bowl, including why we saw so many celebrities in commercials this year. Listen to the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington on Korova Coleman, a federal judge says the Trump administration — or rather Trump administration — has disobeyed their court order to release federal funds frozen last week by President Trump.

Democratic Attorneys General had sued to restore payments for grants and other federal programs. NPR's Alaina Moore reports. The order directs the Trump administration to immediately end any federal funding pause, pointing to information from states that details how some funding has remained inaccessible. The legal challenge is one of two lawsuits sparked by a memo from the Office of Management and Budget last month. That memo was rescinded days after it was released, but the White House says a review

of federal funding is still necessary. The administration also argued in a court filing that it had acted, quote, in good faith to interpret the scope of the court's temporary restraining order. Elena Moore, NPR News. The judge ordered all federal funding be restored until he can hold another hearing. The Trump administration is appealing the decision. President Trump has imposed 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imported into the U.S. This will affect all U.S. allies, including the European Union.

The European Commission's chief for trade and economic security, Marfos Shefchevich, says tariffs won't work the way President Trump says they will. Tariffs are taxes bad for businesses, worse for consumers. And by imposing tariffs, the U.S. will be taxing its own citizens, raising costs for its own business, and fueling inflation. Danielle Pletka Trump says these will safeguard U.S. companies that make these metals. But some economists warn U.S. companies that need steel and aluminum will have to pay higher prices to get them. Automakers, home builders, and defense contractors could choose to lay off workers to save money. The Justice Department is advising federal prosecutors to drop corruption charges against

New York Democratic Mayor Eric Adams. NPR's Ryan Lucas reports. Acting Deputy Attorney General Amal Bove sent a memo to the acting US attorney in Manhattan, Danielle Sassoon, instructing her to dismiss the charges against Mayor Adams as soon as practicable, subject to a few conditions. Those include that the matter be reviewed after New York City's mayoral election this fall. The memo says the directive is not based on an assessment of the strength of the case.

Instead, it says the indictment last year came too close in time to the mayoral election this upcoming November. It also says the prosecution hinders Adams' ability to help in Trump's immigration crackdown. The move comes after Adams visited Trump in Florida and attended his inauguration. Ryan Lucas and PR News, Washington. Meanwhile, Trump has pardoned former Illinois Democratic Governor Ron Blagojevich for corruption crimes. He had been convicted of pressuring people and groups for money.

He had tried to sell former President Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat. Trump says the sentence was an injustice. This is NPR. President Trump's ally, Elon Musk, claims there is widespread fraud happening in federal entitlements such as Social Security. Musk is heading the Doge entity and has already cut numerous other federal programs. Writing online, Musk claims the fraud is bigger than people know, but he offers no evidence and does not say if he'll cut anything like Medicare or disability programs.

Many grocery stores are limiting the number of eggs that customers can buy, largely due to shortages linked to the bird flu outbreak. NPR's Giles Snyder reports Trader Joe's is now among them. Trader Joe's says it's now limiting customers to one dozen eggs daily, saying the move is intended to ensure eggs remain available for as many shoppers as possible. Other chains, including Costco and Aldi, are limiting the amount of eggs customers can buy and restaurants are feeling the shortage.

Last week, Waffle House implemented a 50-cent surcharge on each egg until prices come down. With the bird flu outbreak leading to the slaughter of millions of egg-laying hens, the price of eggs are soaring. The average per dozen hit $4.15 in December, and the Agriculture Department expects prices to rise another 20 percent this year. Shyle Snyder, NPR News. Federal health officials say they are reporting a new type of bird flu in a dairy worker in Nevada. This type of flu is different from the type

that's been circulating recently in U.S. dairy herds. The CDC says the worker had mild symptoms and recovered. The CDC says it's the first time this type of bird flu has been traced to a cow. This is NPR. NPR covers the stories that shape our world. Whether you're here for news or culture or good conversation, we're proud to be here for you.

Federal funding helps keep the public radio network strong and available to all for about a dollar and 60 cents per person each year. Visit ProtectMyPublicMedia.org to learn more about safeguarding public media's future.