NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-03-2025 3AM EST

Episode Date: January 3, 2025

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Okay, so does this sound like you? You love NPR's podcasts, you wish you could get more of all your favorite shows, and you want to support NPR's mission to create a more informed public. If all that sounds appealing, then it is time to sign up for the NPR Plus bundle. Learn more at plus.npr.org. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. A Muslim community north of Houston, Texas is concerned about potential backlash after a local man drove into a crowd of pedestrians in New Orleans this week. Houston Public Media's Lucio Vasquez spoke with some of the driver's neighbors who say they're worried about the potential effect on their community.

Shamsuddin Jabbar lived in a quiet northwest Houston neighborhood, home to a small, predominantly Muslim community. Then came the news that Jabbar had killed more than a dozen people in New Orleans in an apparent act of terrorism. A man who identified himself as a neighbor of Jabbar, but asked to remain anonymous, says he's worried about potential backlash. We don't feel comfortable after what happened. How the people look at people who practice that religion, even though they're radical. That sentiment was echoed in private conversations among Jabbar's neighbors. The FBI believes Jabbar acted alone, but the investigation is ongoing.

I'm Lucio Vázquez in Houston. President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration plans are taking shape and will include what's being called a victory rally on January 19th. That's according to a sign-up page in Trump's inauguration website. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports on what to expect. The rally will be held in the afternoon, the day before inauguration, at Washington, D.C.'s Capital One Arena. The arena is home to the NHL's Washington Capitals and the NBA's

Washington Wizards. It's now typical for presidents-elect to hold special events ahead of Inauguration Day. Obama held a massive concert and rally on the mall in 2008. In 2016, Trump also held a concert on the mall featuring rock band Three Doors Down and country singer Toby Keith. In 2020, amid COVID, Joe Biden held a shorter, more somber event on the mall, billed as a COVID remembrance ceremony. Inauguration day will be Monday, January 20th, which is also Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News. The newly elected 119th Congress will be sworn in on Friday, where Republicans will control both bodies for the first time since 2019.

And in the House, they'll also be voting on a new speaker. Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene is urging Republicans to once again vote in current speaker Mike Johnson. Well, here's what I'm asking my colleagues to do. Let's put aside our pride. Let's put aside our egos. And let's put aside the infighting. It's time to come together as Republicans. Republicans control the House by a small four-seat margin so unity is needed in order to avoid a protracted battle over the leadership position. The government of Venezuela announced a $100,000 reward Thursday for information on the whereabouts of Edmundo Gonzalez. Gonzalez was the opposition presidential candidate in elections last year. He

claims he defeated President Nicolas Maduro. Gonzalez left in September for exile in Spain after a warrant was issued for his arrest. This latest complication comes just a week before the next presidential term begins. You're listening to NPR News. Palestinian authorities have suspended the news outlet Al Jazeera from broadcasting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. NPR's Emily Fang reports that they say the popular network must correct its legal status before it resumes operations.

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 Janine 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's coverage hate speech. Al Jazeera said in a statement that it, quote, deplores the Palestinian authorities actions. Emily Fang and Pure News, Ramallah. Riley Leonard passed for a touchdown and Notre Dame's defense won the Battle of the Trenches as the fighting Irish beat the Georgia Bulldogs on Thursday in the college football playoffs. The score was 23 to 10. The win moves number three Notre Dame into the semi-finals. The game was delayed by a day

because of Wednesday's terror attack on Bourbon Street in the host city of New Orleans. In Thursday's other game meanwhile, Ole Miss beat Duke 52 to 20. I'm Dale Willman and you're listening to NPR News. The Indicator is a podcast where daily economic news is about what matters to you. Willman and you're listening to NPR News.