NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-19-2025 8PM EST

Episode Date: February 20, 2025

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My defining characteristic for him is love. I'm Jesse Thorne on Bullseye Kelsey Grammar on the thing that makes Frazier Frazier. That he loves so deeply that it almost harpoons him. Plus sideshow Bob, cheers, and so much more. On Bullseye for MaximumFun.org and NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. A Trump administration executive order aims to expand the president's sway further over what are known as independent regulatory agencies.

The order is part of a string of actions aimed at expanding presidential power. More from NPR's Daniel Kurtzleben. Independent agencies include well-known entities like the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. They were set up by Congress with some insulation from presidential power. This order, signed Tuesday afternoon,

would remove much of that insulation, requiring those agencies to run new regulations by the White House. In addition, the Trump administration would have power over their spending. This comes after Trump has fired top officials from some of these agencies, such as the National Labor Relations Board. Those firings have led to lawsuits and this order could similarly spur more legal action. Danielle Kurzlaib in NPR News.

A crowd gathered in front of the headquarters for the Department of Health and Human Services today in Washington. They were protesting cuts to scientific research by the Trump administration. More from NPR, Selena Simmons Duffin. People brave snow and freezing temperatures to protest the firing of government researchers and cuts to academic research currently paused by the courts. Signs read, no one voted for polio and I'd rather be in my lab working on cures for cancer. One of the speakers was Connor Phillips, who told the crowd he has cerebral palsy. My experience inspired me to become a scientist at the NIH where I have developed new

therapies to improve the lives of other children with cerebral palsy. He says after cuts at the National Institutes of Health, he can't continue his research even though he was a postgraduate volunteer. Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR News, Washington. New York Governor Kathy Hochul is responding to an announcement by the Trump administration that's doing away with the congestion pricing plan recently put in place in New York City. Plan instituted tolls for vehicles entering the city below 60th Street. Hochul defended the policy and accused Trump of going after New York City as

part of his quote revenge tour. We are a nation of states. This is what we fought for. There's like Alexander Hamilton and others fought for to set up a system we are not subservient to a king or anyone else out of Washington. Trump in a statement on a social media platform said, quote, congestion pricing is dead. Manhattan and all of New York is saved. Long live the king. The pricing plan was designed to reduce traffic

and generate millions for mass transit in New York. Fed members at their meeting last month opted not to raise short-term interest rates, citing concerns about the prospect of inflation. Now it appears those concerns may have been justified. But policy members citing Trump administration tariffs and deportation of migrants, along with strong spending by consumers

as pushing up prices. Trump meanwhile is trying to distance himself from a rise in inflation, saying it had nothing to do with his return to the Oval Office. Stocks gained ground on Wall Street. The Dow was up 71 points today. This is NPR.

After comments from President Trump yesterday in which he appeared to blame Russia's war against Ukraine on Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelensky, relations appear to be souring further between Trump and the Ukrainian leader. Trump's comments came after Russia and the U.S. held a meeting during which they promised to work toward bringing the nearly three-year-old war to a close without including Ukraine in the discussion. Zelensky today accused Trump of living in what he termed a Russian-made disinformation space. This June, the Tony Awards, Broadway's highest honors will have a new host, Cynthia Erivo.

The British actress has been in constant presence throughout the Hollywood Awards season. She's up for an Oscar as Elphabot, the Green Witch in Wicked. But as Jeff London reports, the stage is in her blood. After playing many theater roles in London Cynthia Erivo burst on the Broadway scene in 2015 as Sealy in the Tony award-winning revival of The Color Purple. She won a Tony for best actressress in a Musical that season. And on June 8th, this year, she'll serve as host for the 78th Annual Tony Awards. It's been quite a year for Arevo.

She's been nominated for several awards for Wicked, and it was just announced that she'll be appearing as the title character in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl in August. For NPR News, I'm Jeff London in New York. Critical futures prices gain ground today. Oil up 40 cents a barrel to settle at $72.25 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from Home Instead. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.