NPR News Now: February 1, 2025, 9 AM EST

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U.S. Political Turmoil: Democrats Warn of FBI Purge

In a significant development from Washington, Democratic leaders are raising alarms over a possible purge of FBI agents and prosecutors involved in high-profile cases against former President Donald Trump and the January 6th Capitol riot participants. Giles Snyder reports that Congressional Democrats believe these actions threaten national security and the integrity of the rule of law.

• Carrie Johnson highlights the severity of the situation: “Senator Richard Durbin... described the personnel moves as a brazen assault on the rule of law” (00:36).

• The interim U.S. attorney in Washington, previously known for promoting unfounded election fraud theories, has already dismissed over two dozen prosecutors associated with Capitol riot cases. These individuals were on probationary status, limiting their civil service protections.

• Further complicating matters, senior Justice Department officials have terminated several lawyers collaborating with Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is building cases against Trump. The administration is reportedly preparing a comprehensive list of FBI personnel involved in January 6th investigations, which could result in additional dismissals next week (00:36).

International Trade Tensions: Canada Stands Firm Against U.S. Tariffs

Mark Carney, a leading candidate to succeed Justin Trudeau as Canada’s Prime Minister, has asserted that Canada will not yield to what he terms as bullying tactics from the United States. This statement comes in response to President Trump’s announcement to impose tariffs on Canadian goods.

• Mark Carney stated: “We will target our tariffs against those goods and services that will most affect the United States and least affect Canada. But to be clear, this will have an impact on the Canadian economy, and that impact will be felt more quickly and to a greater extent than the U.S.” (01:34)

• He further emphasized Canadian resilience: “Canadians are in no mood, no mood to make any concessions here.” (01:34)

Canada, along with Mexico and China, is bracing for the implementation of these tariffs. Imported goods from Canada and Mexico may face a 25% tax, while those from China could incur a 10% charge (01:55).

Tragic Plane Crash in Philadelphia

A medical transport plane carrying six Mexican nationals tragically crashed in a densely populated area of northeast Philadelphia last night, leading to an explosive fire that consumed several homes and vehicles.

• Kenny Cooper reports: “Videos posted to social media showed the small jet plummeting from the sky and exploding in a heavily populated area” (02:23).

• Vadim Osipov, a witness from the area, recounted his harrowing experience: “I thought, like what? I thought it was the end of the world, like the sky light up so, so big.” (02:46)

• Philadelphia Mayor Sherrelle Parker confirmed the devastating impact on the neighborhood, indicating substantial damage to homes and vehicles (02:54).

This incident follows a recent tragedy in Washington, D.C., where a Black Hawk helicopter collided with a commercial jetliner, resulting in 67 fatalities (03:04).

Middle East Ceasefire and Global Health Milestones

In the Middle East, Israel has released over 180 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for three Israeli hostages, marking a significant step toward sustaining the ceasefire in Gaza. Negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire are anticipated to commence next week.

Concurrent with these geopolitical developments, the World Health Organization has certified the eradication of two significant diseases:

• Niger has eliminated river blindness, a parasitic infection spread by black flies. This milestone was achieved through the combined efforts of insecticides and medications. Daniel Adje Buache from the End Fund emphasized, “The elimination won't just help those who avoid blindness.” (03:59)

• Guinea has successfully stamped out sleeping sickness, marking the country's first official elimination of the disease. This parasitic illness, in its advanced stages, can lead to severe neurological issues. Vadim Osipov underscored the importance: “Children who were going to lead blind people now have the time to go to school.” (04:10)

Labor Relations: Costco Strike Averted

A potential strike at Costco was narrowly avoided after the Teamsters union reached a tentative agreement with the company early this morning. The union, representing 18,000 Costco employees across six states, will now present the new contract to its members for a vote.

• Giles Snyder reports: “A Teamsters union said early this morning that it has reached a tentative agreement for a new contract and will put it up to a membership vote.” (04:32)

This resolution comes hours before a midnight deadline, preventing significant disruptions in Costco's operations and ensuring continued employment stability for its workers (04:32).

This summary provides an overview of the key topics discussed in the NPR News Now episode released on February 1, 2025. For more detailed coverage, listeners are encouraged to access the full episode through NPR’s platforms.