NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-16-2025 5AM EST

Episode Date: February 16, 2025

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On the Sunday story from Up First, for decades, the guiding philosophy around how to get homeless people with addictions off the streets has focused on an approach called Housing First. Now, many conservative lawmakers want this practice scrapped. We explore what Housing First is good at and where it falls short. Listen now to the Sunday story on the Up First podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Gile Snyder. The Russian Foreign Ministry says Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart spoke by phone this weekend amid fears among European leaders that they're being locked

out of talks on ending the war in Ukraine. They're planning to hold an emergency summit meeting in Paris amid Some have been reports that the U.S. and Russia will hold talks in Saudi Arabia. Rubio was due in Saudi Arabia this week as part of his first tour of the Middle East as the nation's top diplomat. As the Trump administration escalates efforts to shrink the size of the federal workforce, thousands have been let go, including Joanna Hickman. She was dismissed from her job as a lawyer for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau last week. This is an attack on the CFPB, and it's an attack on the law that Congress passed to protect ordinary Americans after the financial crisis. The White House has halted the work of the CFPB, and employees have been locked

out of their building. President Trump has acknowledged that he wants to eliminate the CFPB. Separately, the Associated Press is reporting that the IRS could begin to lay off as soon as this week thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has given the go-ahead for the city to sue the Trump administration. Bruce Convicer reports that the city wants back millions of dollars dispersed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Bruce Convicer, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington

Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington

Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington Post, The Washington temporary housing costs for migrants. But without warning, those funds suddenly disappeared from the city's coffers last week. The city's pending lawsuit against the administration comes during a tumultuous time for the scandal-plagued mayor. This past week, the Justice Department ordered federal prosecutors to drop corruption charges

against Mayor Adams. At least six prosecutors in New York and Washington resigned rather than comply with an order they say appeared to be politically motivated. For NPR News, I'm Bruce Convyser in New York and Washington resigned rather than comply with an order they say appeared to be politically motivated. For NPR News, I'm Bruce Convicer in New York. And Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expressing distress over the deaths of at least 15 people in a crush at the main railway station in the capital, New Delhi. The crush took place Saturday evening as pilgrims surged to get on trains to travel to a Hindu festival.

The BBC's Ambarasenath Ariyajan says overcrowding is an issue in India. Ambarasenath Ariyajan – Crowd control had always been a problem. Crash like this, it's not very uncommon in India. In fact, late last month, the same similar situation happened in Prayagraj where millions of people were trying to take a holy dip very early morning around at 2 a.m. and there was a huge rush because there's millions of people there. And according to the government, 30 people were killed, whereas the Indian media reports put the figure much higher and dozens were injured. And there

was a lot of criticism about crowd management, crowd control, and you were expecting millions to turn up there. So you should have been prepared. And this is NPR News. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is asking the Trump administration for a federal emergency declaration. At least one person is confirmed dead in Kentucky following heavy rain and flooding that has submerged cars and buildings. The governor in neighboring West Virginia has put 10 counties under a state of emergency, and mudslides have blocked roads in Virginia. Real West Texas is contending with an outbreak of measles.

Forty-eight cases have been reported so far, mostly in children and teens. State health officials say most of those infected are either unvaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown and that 13 people have been hospitalized. Texas law allows children to get an exemption from school vaccines for reasons of conscience, including religious beliefs. The 35th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe opened this weekend to respectable box office numbers,

as NPR's Bob Mandela reports. That vibranium shield Captain America carries apparently protects him not just from bullets, but also from lackluster reviews. You want me? Come and get me! On his opening day, including previews as the new Captain America, Anthony Mackie's fourth quell took in a snappy $40 million in North America.

Wait for it. That's a better start than Chris Evans had in either of his first two Captain America movies, though it's off considerably from his most recent one. Captain America, Brave New World appears to be headed for close to $100 million over the four-day combination Valentine's Day and President's Day weekend, also pulling crowds, the family film Paddington in Peru. Bob Mandelo, NPR News. And I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News. And I'm Charles Snyder. This is NPR News.