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Episode Date: January 3, 2025

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The Indicator is a podcast where daily economic news is about what matters to you. Workers have been feeling the sting of inflation. So as a new administration promises action on the cost of living, taxes, and home prices, The S&P 500 biggest post-election day spike ever. follow all the big changes and what they mean for you. Make America affordable again. Listen to The Indicator, the daily economics podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Congress returns tomorrow with Republicans

holding narrow majorities in both houses that could complicate President-elect Donald Trump's plans to pursue an ambitious legislative agenda. More from NPR's Lexi Shapiddle. The first order of business in the House will be electing a new speaker. While incoming speaker Mike Johnson has Trump's endorsement, just a few Republican defectors could derail the voting process. If the House hasn't chosen a speaker by Monday, that could delay the certification of Trump's 2024 presidential victory. Trump's legislative priorities will likely include passing a border security package and extending the tax cuts Republicans passed during his first term.

Those are set to expire this year. Lawmakers will also need to fund the government by March to avoid a shutdown, and the Senate will soon begin confirmation hearings for Trump's cabinet picks, some of whom have yet to secure the support they'll need. Lexi Shapiro, NPR News, Washington. Officials now say the man who detonated

a rented Tesla cyber truck packed with explosives in front of President-elect Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel apparently shot himself in the head before the vehicle burst into flames. Sheriff's Department officials identified the man as 37-year-old Master Sergeant Matthew Allen Littlesburg. Seven people were injured. Officials say there does not appear to be a connection to an incident in New Orleans where a former soldier drove a truck into a crowd of New Year's revelers killing 14 people. Meanwhile, more than 24 hours after the attack in New Orleans, parts of Bourbon Street began reopening today. Among those returning, street musicians and

artists like E.O. Lauren Broomfield who says she hopes her work helps the community heal. I just want things to be normal, even though I know it's not normal. So I like playing out here just so I can feel a little bit normal. Driver of the pickup that plowed into New Year's revelers identified as 42-year-old Shamsa Din Jabbar. Appears to have been inspired by the Islamic State, Jabbar was shot and killed by police.

Palestinian authorities have suspended the news out at Al Jazeera from broadcasting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Bank and PR's Emily Fang as more. First Israel banned Al Jazeera for its coverage of Israel's war in Gaza. Now Palestinian authorities and the West Bank are shutting down the Qatari-funded network. The Palestinian Authority, or PA, which governs much of the West Bank, says Al Jazeera's coverage constitutes hate speech, imposed a quote threat to Palestinian social cohesion. The PA has been battling Palestinian militants inside the sprawling refugee camp in Jenin in the West Bank. The rare operation by PA security forces there

have divided Palestinians and Al Jazeera has covered the clashes in the camp as well as protests for and against the PA. The PA has called Al Jazeera has covered the clashes in the camp as well as protests for and against the PA. The PA has called Al Jazeera's coverage hate speech. Al Jazeera said in a statement that it, quote, deplores the Palestinian Authority's actions. Emily Fang, NPR News, Ramallah. On the first trading day of the new year, the Dow was down 151 points. This is NPR.

Some environmental groups and Native American activists say they are trying to block further construction of a huge lithium mine in Nevada. Groups saying the project has already caused a drop in groundwater levels, posing an extinction threat to a tiny snail, as well as sacred lands where dozens of indigenous people were massacred by US troops in the 1800s. The dispute centers around Lithium America's Thacker Pass mine. The company says opponents' concerns are being addressed in court. Animal rights groups are suing to stop the killing of up to 450,000 invasive barred owls in the Pacific Northwest.

As Nate Hedgie from New Hampshire Public Radio explains, it's part of a federal plan to save their smaller threatened cousin, the Northern Spotted Owl. Barred owls are originally from the eastern woodlands of the U.S., but climate change and other factors have allowed them to expand their range across the country. You got this bigger, rough and tumble owl coming in and it easily evicts the Northern Spotted Owl from its territory.

Joe Liebesite is with a non-profit conservation group, Bird Alliance of Oregon. His group has lent support to the plan, but others sued this past fall to stop it. Wayne Peselli is with a non-profit animal wellness action. We're going to unleash an unprecedented assault on a North American native owl, and we shouldn't do it. The government is expected to issue a response

to the lawsuits this month. For NPR News, I'm Nate Hedgie. Crude oil futures prices gained ground on the first official trading day of the new year with investors somewhat upbeat about China's economy. Oil was up a dollar and 41 cents a barrel to settle at 73.13 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. What's in store for the music, TV, and film industries for 2025? We don't know, but we're making some fun, bold predictions for the new year. Listen now to the Pop Culture Happy

Hour podcast from NPR.