NPR News: 02-06-2025 8PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: February 6, 2025, 8 PM EST

Released February 7, 2025

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1. Significant Reductions at USAID Impact Global Efforts

Reporter: Jen McLaughlin (00:37)

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is facing substantial staff reductions as Secretary of State Marco Rubio has approved fewer than half of the requested exemptions for an extensive administrative leave program. According to internal emails obtained by NPR, fewer than 300 employees will remain active by Friday, with only 12 individuals retained in the Africa bureau and 21 in the Middle East team. These cuts are expected to severely disrupt USAID's critical work in areas such as health care, poverty alleviation, digital sovereignty, and human rights. McLaughlin emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting, "Staffers around the world report disruptions to life-saving work" (00:37).

2. Republican Party Faces Potential Fractures Over Spending Bill

Reporter: Deidre Walsh (01:37)

With President Donald Trump and his advisers pushing to downsize the federal government, the Republican-controlled Congress is grappling with the upcoming spending bill. Despite a unified front so far, signs of division are emerging within the party. Deidre Walsh highlighted that "federal agencies are going to run out of money on March 14th," prompting Republicans to aim for a spending bill that preserves key constituent programs like transportation and water projects. The influence of figures like Elon Musk adds complexity to the negotiations, as Musk has previously demonstrated significant sway over legislative processes. Walsh stated, "It's unclear what Trump or Musk are going to demand in that spending bill, but Musk has already shown when he inserts himself, he can really influence the process" (01:37).

3. Scandal in Major League Baseball: Interpreter Sentenced to Prison

Reporter: McKenna Sivertson (02:28)

Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, has been sentenced to 57 months in prison following a conviction for bank fraud and false tax charges. McKenna Sivertson detailed how Mizuhara embezzled nearly $17 million from Ohtani by leveraging their friendship, using the funds to cover gambling debts with an illegal bookmaker in Orange County. Both prosecutors and Major League Baseball have recognized Ohtani as a victim of fraud. Mizuhara is mandated to repay approximately $17 million in restitution to Ohtani and an additional $1 million to the IRS. Sivertson remarked, "He's set to surrender for his prison sentence next month, almost exactly a year since the scandal first shocked the sports world" (02:28).

4. Honeywell Announces Major Corporate Split

Reporter: Jack Spear (03:11)

Honeywell, one of the last remaining U.S. industrial conglomerates, revealed plans to split into three distinct companies. This strategic move aims to separate its automation and aerospace technology divisions from the broader industrial conglomerate. This decision aligns with similar strategies employed by General Electric and Alcoa, which have also opted to segregate their various business units to enhance focus and operational efficiency.

5. New Insights into Crowd Behavior from Pamplona Festival Study

Reporter: Regina Barber (03:51)
Expert: Dennis Bartolo (04:17)

Research conducted during the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, Spain, has provided groundbreaking insights into crowd behavior. By modeling the movements of approximately 5,000 festival-goers waving red handkerchiefs, Dennis Bartolo and his team discovered that dense crowds exhibit fluid-like behavior rather than chaotic movements. Barber reported, "Because these spontaneous motions are periodic in time, they are very easy to detect very early on before they become dangerous." These findings suggest that authorities could utilize these patterns to monitor and potentially prevent dangerous crowd surges, thereby saving lives during large gatherings.

6. Mortgage Rates Continue to Decline Slightly

Reporter: Jack Spear (04:34)

The average interest rate for a 30-year mortgage has experienced a slight decrease for the third consecutive week, according to Freddie Mac. Rates have fallen to 6.89%, down from 6.95% the previous week. In comparison, rates a year ago were just over 6.6%. Additionally, the average rate for a 15-year mortgage has decreased to just above 6%. This trend may provide some relief to prospective homebuyers seeking more favorable borrowing conditions.

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Note: This summary excludes sponsor messages, introductory remarks, and non-content segments to focus solely on the news updates provided in the episode.

Transcript

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Support for NPR and the following message come from Bolen Branch. Change your sleep with the softness of Bolen Branch's 100% organic cotton sheets. Feel the difference with 15% off your first set of [e-mail] with code NPR exclusions apply. See site for details.

[Jack Spear]

Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Jack Spear. After days of news about cuts to the United States Agency for International Development, staffers learned that less than 300 people would be exempt from being placed on administrative leave by Friday. That's according to NPR's Jen McLaughlin.

[Jen McLaughlin]

Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved less than half of the requested exemptions for a near agency wide administrative leave program that will be in effect for the United States Agency for International Development on Friday. That's according to internal emails shared with NPR by multiple sources on the condition of anonymity, fearing further reprisal from the Trump administration. The news comes as staffers around the world report disruptions to life saving work on health care, poverty, digital sovereignty and human rights, among other issues. Bureaus in Washington and overseas will be cut drastically. Only 12 people will still be actively working in the Africa bureau, while the Middle east team will only have 21. Jenna McLaughlin, NPR News.

[Jack Spear]

As President Donald Trump and his advisers chief among the Milan must continue to take actions to virtually do away with or severely downsize federal government, the question of the power of the purse looms large. While Republicans hold a majority in Congress that have largely been going along with moves by Trump and Musk, NPR's Deidre Walsh says that could change.

[Deidre Walsh]

There are some places where you could see some cracks in what's really been a really unified Republican Party in Washington. Deferring to Trump, federal agencies are going to run out of money on March 14th. Republicans want to put their own stamp on a spending bill so they can protect programs they've helped get for their constituents, things like transportation, money or water projects. It's unclear what Trump or Musk are going to demand in that spending bill, but Musk has already shown when he inserts himself, he can really influence the process.

[Jack Spear]

NPR's Deidre Walsh. There have already been challenges in the courts as well, with summit issues placed on hold while arguments continue in Southern California. Louisiana Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter has been sentenced to 57 months or nearly five years in prison. Ippei Mizuhara pleaded guilty last year to bank fraud and false tax charges. Member station LAIST McKenna Sivertson has more.

[McKenna Sivertson]

A federal investigation found that Mizuhara took advantage of his friendship with Ohtani by secretly stealing nearly $17 million from the Dodgers MVP. Mizuhara used that money to place bets and cover his gambling debts with an illegal bookmaker in Orange County. Both prosecutors and Major League Baseball have called Ohtani a victim of fraud. Mizuhara is required to pay nearly $17 million in restitution to Ohtani and about 1 million to the IRS, according to the U.S. attorney's office. He's set to surrender for his prison sentence next month, almost exactly a year since the scandal first shocked the sports world. For NPR News, I'm McKenna Sebertson in Los Angeles.

[Jack Spear]

On Wall street, the Dow closed down 125 points today. You're listening to NPR. One of the last remaining U.S. industrial conglomerates, giant Honeywell, says it is planning to split itself into three companies. The company saying today plans to separate its automation and aerospace technology business from its industrial conglomera. That would follow similar moves by General Electric and Alcoa, which have also split off their businesses. New research based on studying dense crowds at a festival in Paplona, Spain, has led to a better understanding of how potentially dangerous crowds behave. Piero's Eugenia Barber reports on what they learned.

[Regina Barber]

That's the sound of the first day of the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, Spain. At noon, around 5,000 people gather in the town square and and wave red handkerchiefs. After filming this crowd from rooftops, researchers modeled the movement and it behaved like a fluid. In the past, crowd movements were thought to be chaotic, but Dennis Bartolo and his team broke down the physics of these fluctuations. They found that dense crowds followed recurring, predictable patterns.

[Dennis Bartolo]

Because these spontaneous motions are periodic in time, they are very easy to detect and they are very easy to detect very early on before they become dangerous.

[Regina Barber]

These results could help authorities monitor if a crowd starts exhibiting this periodic behavior and possibly save lives. Regina Barber, NPR News.

[Jack Spear]

The average interest rate on a 30 year mortgage came down slightly this week, the third straight week of easing, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. Rates for a 30 year loan fell to 6.89%, down from 6.95% last week. A year ago at this time, rates were just over 6.6%. Class of a 15 year mortgage fell to just over 6%. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.

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Support for NPR and the following message come from Boland Branch. Change your sleep with the softness of Boland Branch's 100% organic cotton sheets. Feel the difference with 15% off your first set of [e-mail] with code NPR exclusions apply. See Site for details.