NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-27-2025 9PM EST

Episode Date: February 28, 2025

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This message comes from Wondery. Scam Factory, the explosive new podcast series, exposes a multi-billion dollar criminal empire where thousands are being forced to scam others under the threat of death. Follow Scam Factory wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. A federal judge in San Francisco is ordering a temporary and partial halt to the Trump administration's mass firing of probationary employees. As NPR's Andrea Hsu explains, the order affects some but not all agencies that have carried out mass firings in recent weeks.

Several labor unions and civic organizations sued the Trump administration, saying its Office of Personnel Management had violated the law by ordering agencies to fire probationary employees en masse. In court, the government argued that it was merely an ask, not an order. U.S. District Judge William Alsup rejected that argument, noting that the firings happened suddenly and across so much of the government. Because of standing issues, he issued only partial relief to those agencies whose firings affect the civic groups that joined the lawsuit. They include the VA, the Small Business Administration, the National Park Service, the National Science Foundation, and

others. He scheduled another hearing in two weeks. Andrea Hsu, NPR News. New FBI director Cash Patel is suggesting the Bureau partner with the ultimate fighting Championship in an effort to enhance physical fitness at the FBI. UFC is popular mixed martial arts fighting league run by a close supporter of President Trump's. More from NPR's Ryan Lucas. FBI Director Cash Patel made the statement during a weekly call with the leaders of the Bureau's 55 field offices. A person familiar with the matter told NPR that Patel said the FBI will partner with the ultimate fighting championship.

The director did not provide any details on what any partnership between UFC and the FBI would entail. FBI agents are trained at the Academy in Quantico, Virginia, a course that includes intensive training in physical fitness and defensive tactics. The head of UFC is Dana White, who has close ties to President Trump. A UFC spokesperson says White knows Patel, too, but that the company is unaware of any information regarding UFC and FBI training. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is asking the Justice Department to clarify if she or her office are under investigation. She spoke with NPR's Steve Inskeep about a Trump administration official referring to her to the DOJ. Steve Inskeep The New York Democrat held an online seminar encouraging constituents to know their rights. And that attracted attention from President Trump's border czar. Tom Homan told Fox News he asked the Justice Department if she was helping immigrants without legal status to avoid deportation. Ocasio-Cortez told me she

intended to ask the Justice Department about it herself. I think it's important to call this administration's bluff. I think that this is what authoritarians do. I think this is what kleptocracies do. They rely on the illusion of power. She then sent a letter, which she shared with NPR, asking the attorney general if she had, quote, yielded to political pressure to investigate elected officials. Steven Skeep, NPR News.

On Wall Street, the Dow was down 193 points today. This is NPR. Egypt says negotiations between Israel and Hamas on the next phase of a ceasefire in Gaza are now underway in Cairo. According to Egypt's state run information service, Israel, the US, and Qatar started intensive discussions on the second phase of a ceasefire earlier in the day. An Israeli official had said its military will not withdraw from a strategic corridor in the Gaza Strip. Those remarks came hours after Hamas released the bodies of four hostages in

exchange for 600 Palestinian prisoners. Public health officials in North Texas are monitoring the spread of measles after a case was confirmed in a Dallas area suburb this week. Kelly Broussard from Member Station KERA in Dallas says more. Texas public health officials say the measles case out of Rockwall County is not related to the more than 130 cases reported in West Texas and New Mexico. But local health officials are bracing themselves for more. Dr. Philip Wong with Dallas County Health and Human Services says he's reached out to school superintendents in districts with lower vaccination rates.

The vaccination is very effective and so fortunately that's something that we have to try to make sure that we continue to keep the measles a rare thing in our community. Health leaders in neighboring Tarrant County are working on a plan to address measles if cases are reported there. For NPR News, I'm Kayleigh Broussard in Arlington, Texas. Carnival season is winding down in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast with big parades

rolling down the main routes as participants don their fancy costumes. Three parades are scheduled to roll through the city tonight with scores of masked riders and colorful floats. More processions will be continuing every day through Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things in other currencies. Sending or spending money abroad? Hidden fees may be taking a cut. With WISE, you can convert between up to 40 currencies at the mid-market exchange rate.

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