NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-14-2025 11PM EST

Episode Date: February 15, 2025

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Technologist Paul Garcia is using AI to create photos of people's most precious memories. How her mother was dressed, the haircut that she remembered. We generated tens of images and then she saw two images that was like, that was it. Ideas about the future of memory. That's on the TED Radio Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Dale Willman. The Justice Department is asking a court to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams and as NPR's Kerry Johnson reports, the turmoil at the Justice Department is intensifying. Kirsten Khire Assistant U.S. Attorney Hagen Scotton resigned his post in Manhattan after

sending a letter to say prosecutors cannot use their vast power to lean on elected officials. Scottin earned two Bronze Stars in military service and clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts. He wrote that he expected senior leaders at Justice would eventually find someone who's enough of a fool or a coward to file a motion to dismiss the case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, but it was never going to be me. Ultimately, it's up to Judge Dale Ho to formally dismiss the corruption case.

The judge may decide to hold a hearing to explore the pressure Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bovi put on line prosecutors. Carrie Johnson in PR News, Washington. The Trump administration is cutting 10 percent of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's workforce. That's about 1,300 people. NPR's Will Stone reports on the hit to the public health agency. The layoffs are targeting probationary employees.

It's a broad category that includes recent hires and longtime staffers who recently moved to new positions in the CDC. One current CDC employee who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak called the decision tragic for the future of the agency. The cuts also hit the Epidemic Intelligence Service where all those in the first year of their service were laid off.

These are CDC's so-called disease detectives, often dispatched to investigate outbreaks and public health threats. A spokesperson at the Department of Health and Human Services told NPR it's taking the action to support President Trump's broader effort to restructure and streamline the federal government. Will Stone, NPR News. Vice President J.D.

Vance had a stinging message for European leaders in a speech at the Munich Security Conference today. Their biggest problem, he said, comes from within Europe and Pérez de Pichivrim has more. Vance didn't mince words in his speech at the annual security conference. He scolded Europe for what he said is censorship of right-wing views and shutting people out of the democratic process. He also downplayed interference from Russia in

democratic elections. If your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising from a foreign country, then it wasn't very strong to begin with. Vance also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the conference. Deepa Sivoram, NPR News, The White House. Retail sales were down sharply last month. The Commerce Department says sales dropped nine-tenths of a percent in January compared to December. Economists cite cold weather as one factor with January's average temperature

the lowest since 1988. The devastating fires in California may also have contributed to the drop. Stocks closed mixed on Friday and you're listening to NPR News from New York City. A federal judge ruled tonight that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cannot fire any employee unless it's for cause related to their performance or conduct. The Bureau's acting director had laid off more than 100 employees earlier this week. A union representing the employees had argued that the agency was created by Congress and the firings were done without congressional authority.

The National Parks Service has taken down all references to transgender people from the Stonewall National Monument website. As NPR's Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento reports, in response, crowds gathered outside the Stonewall Inn today to defend trans rights. The Stonewall National Monument in New York City is the first U.S. landmark dedicated to LGBTQ rights and history. In 1969, the Stonewall Inn was a gay bar where patrons rioted against raids by the NYPD. People gathered at the spot to protest the removal of the word transgender,

as well as the letters T and Q from the LGBTQ acronym on the monument's website. Give us back! Angelica Christina is board director of the Stone acronym on the monument's website. Angelica Christina is board director of the Stonewall Inn gives back initiative. It is deeply offensive and such a slap in the face for what the National Park Service did in attempting to erase trans people and queer people from their website. The agency did not respond to NPR's request for comment. Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento, NPR News, New York. Philadelphia Eagles fans were hanging from trees for a chance to see the Super Bowl champion team during their homecoming victory parade today. Running back Saquon Barkley and several other players hopped off the bus for a bit to walk along the parade route offering high fives with fans.

I'm Dale Willman, NPR News in New York City. with fans. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News in New York City.