NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-06-2025 10PM EST

Episode Date: January 7, 2025

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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. Canada's Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced he's retiring after almost ten years in office. MPR's Jackie Northam says Trudeau faced mounting pressure to step down over his hangal of Canada's economy and immigration. In his resignation speech, Trudeau spoke about his deep love of Canada, but acknowledged

a lack of support from voters and many members of his own Liberal Party. This is a far cry from 2015 when he was first elected Prime Minister and Trudeau mania swept through Canada. He had a progressive agenda including gender equity, more taxes on the wealthy and more action to protect the environment. But the honeymoon lasted only a few years. Inflation, housing shortages and immigration issues plagued Trudeau's agenda. His resignation comes as President-elect Donald Trump is threatening 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods. Trudeau will stay on as PM until the Liberal Party chooses a new leader in the next few months.

Jackie Northam, NPR News. Lawyers for convicted Proud Boys leader Henry Enrique Tarrio are renewing their request for a presidential pardon. NPR's Kerry Johnson reports Tarrio has been serving a 22-year prison sentence. DC juries convicted Enrique Tarrio and several other members of the far-right Proud Boys Group of seditious conspiracy for their role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol four years ago. Tarrio's lawyer says he's not an extremist, but rather a quote, proud American who believes in true conservative values

The lawyers making a new appeal to President-elect Trump who says he wants to pardon at least some of the defendants convicted in the Capitol riot Tarrio's been held in special housing units during his incarceration Limiting his interaction with other prisoners and his movements outside a prison cell Tarrio's lawyer says that kind of isolation can lead to major mental health problems. Kerry Johnson, NPR News, Washington. The top bank regulator at the Federal Reserve is stepping down, but as NPR's Scott Horsley explains, he plans to remain on the Fed's governing board. Fed Governor Michael Barr plans to resign from his post as vice chair of bank supervision

by the end of next month, hoping to avoid a possible showdown with incoming President Donald Trump. But Barr plans to remain on the Fed's governing board, which means Trump may have to select a replacement from the central bank's existing panel of board members. Barr says in a statement that a dispute over the post with the incoming president could be a distraction from the Fed's mission. Trump's authority to fire the vice chair, or even the Fed chairman, has not been tested in court. Barr was picked for the post by President Biden and led the Fed's effort to tighten bank supervision. Any successor chosen by Trump is likely to approach regulation with a lighter touch. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

Rising tech sector shares help propel the market mostly higher to start the trading week. The NASDAQ was up 243 points. The S&P 500 gained 32 points. The Dow was down 25 points. You're listening to NPR. A strong earthquake has rocked an area of western China near the border with Nepal. The US Geological Survey putting the quake at a strong 7.1, while China's Earthquake Center put it at 6.9. Either way, the relatively shallow quake was felt as far as 250 miles from the epicenter. Such an earthquake is considered strong and capable of causing major damage. Southwestern China is frequently hit by earthquakes, including one in 2008 that killed nearly 70,000

people. The extent of damage or loss of life from this latest earthquake is not yet known. Merry Christmas if you are celebrating Orthodox Christmas today. Many Orthodox Christians celebrate the biblical birthdate of Jesus 12 to 13 days after December 25th. Emperors Emily Fang went to Orthodox Mass in Beirut, Lebanon. Lebanon's Armenian diaspora is among the various communities celebrating at this Beirut church, the Armenian Apostolic Church. They say the holiday this year is extra poignant for them. The economy here is struggling. Lebanon's just emerged from a war with Israel and many Armenian

Christians say they are worried for the safety of their family members in neighboring Syria where a new Islamist government has come to power. Across Beirut, bells tolled in celebration and public servants had the day off. And the devout gathered at Orthodox churches to sing, pray, and eat together. Emily Feng and PR News, Beirut, Lebanon. Oil was down 40 cents a barrel to $73.56 a barrel. This is NPR. 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.