NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-03-2025 9PM EST

Episode Date: January 4, 2025

NPR News: 01-03-2025 9PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. The house come to order. Representative Mike Johnson of Louisiana gaveling the 119th session of Congress to order today after two GOP dissenters reversed course, Johnson winning the necessary 218 votes to retain the gavel.

In remarks after today's vote, Johnson promised to push President-elect Donald Trump's America first agenda. The path of prosperity has long been paved with policies that put America and Americans first. And that is what we will champion in the 119th Congress. While Johnson prevailed, deep divisions remain within the GOP ranks. House Minority Leader, Akeem Jeffries, meanwhile, easily was re-elected by Democrats, pledging to work with Republicans on issues ranging from border security to the economy.

Today, President Biden honored seven U.S. Army veterans with the Medal of Honor. NPR's Franco Ordonia's reports, they were recognized for their heroism during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Five of the recipients were killed in battle. Another Korean War veteran, Richard Cavazosos died later as the first Hispanic four-star general for the Army. Only Specialist First Class Ken David, who drew fire away from his injured comrades in Vietnam so they could get medical aid, was at the White House to receive the medal from President Biden. Ken, I want to say to you that I wish I could say to every man we're honoring today, you're a hero,

a genuine hero, a flat-out straight-up American hero, and we owe you. Biden called the Medal of Honor ceremony the most solemn occasion he's had the honor to participate in as commander-in-chief, Franco Ordonez and PR News, the White House. Family and friends are mourning an 18-year-old college student killed in the New Year's Day attack in New Orleans. Brooke Thorrington of Member Station WRKF reports from a prayer service at a mosque in Baton Rouge. Kareem Badawi had just finished his first semester at the University of Alabama and

was home for winter break. His loss is devastating to his loved ones. His cousin Malik Bedoui spent all of Wednesday searching for him before they found out he was among the 14 people killed in the attack on Bourbon Street. Waiting in the hospital for hours on end was really tough with his father and his mom. But the second we heard the news, nobody could say anything. It was just so sad. It was horrible. The mosque opened its doors to everyone to honor Baddawi and comfort his family. For NPR News, I'm Brooke Thorington in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Wall Street broke out of a post-holiday funk to end the first trading week of the year on an up note. The Dow gained 339 points. The NASDAQ was up 340 points. You're listening to NPR. Almost a year after a door panel blew off a Boeing 737 MAX jetliner in mid-flight, the nation's top aviation regulator says the company needs to change its culture and place safety above profits. FAA Chief Mike Whitaker made his remarks today in an online post. He will step down as head of the aviation watchdog group in two weeks. Whitaker says his administration does have more work to do in an oversight of airplane builder Boeing. The incident with the Boeing jet occurred January 5th as the plane was flying over Oregon.

Assistance programs that give money directly to the poor can have a huge impact on their health. That's according to a new study published today in Nature Medicine, NPR's Gabrielle Emanuel reports. Researchers looked at 54 million people in Brazil living in poverty. About half of them got monthly payments from the government if they sent their kids to school and got them regular health checks. Among the extremely poor who got the money, cases and deaths from tuberculosis dropped by more than 50%. That's really remarkable. Aaron Richterman is at the University of Pennsylvania and was not part of the study. TB kills more than a million people each year.

It's highly linked to malnutrition, for example, so those payouts help people get better food. Giving the needy cash has lots of known health benefits. It reduces HIV and child mortality. Gabriella Emanuel, NPR News. Critical futures prices moved higher, closing up ahead of what is expected to be colder weather in the U.S. and Europe, oil up 83 cents a barrel to $73.96 a barrel. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. 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.