NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-06-2025 9PM EST

Episode Date: January 7, 2025

NPR News: 01-06-2025 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. Congress has officially certified President-elect Donald Trump's 2024 election victory. As NPR's Barbara Sprunt reports, it was a smooth and orderly process, a stark contrast to four years ago when throngs of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in a violent attempt to overthrow the election results.

As president of the Senate, it was the duty of Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost the election to Trump, to oversee the proceedings certifying his win and announce the final tally, 312 to 226. Unlike four years ago, there were no objections to any state's election results during the hour-long joint session of Congress, a return to what's normally a mundane, bureaucratic process of members fulfilling their constitutional duty

to formally certify the final count of electoral votes. There was a standing ovation after Harris concluded the certification, the only time members on both sides of the aisle clapped together. Barbara Sprint and Peer News, the Capital. A polar vortex continues to hold much of the nation in its icy grip, snow and cold blasting a large part of the country from the Rocky Mountains to Maine with wintry weather hitting a number of states from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic. In Indiana, the National Guard was activated to help stranded motorists. Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia were also hit hard with half a foot or more of snow falling in some

spots. Hundreds of airline flights were canceled or delayed due to the weather. Six-point four inches of snow fell Sunday at Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport with more expected today. Facebook parent company Metta is adding Dana White to its board of directors. He is the CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and an ally of President-elect Donald Trump's. NPR's Shannon Bond reports Metta and other tech companies

are trying to improve their relationships with the incoming administration. Dana White is a long time friend of the President-elect. Trump's appearances at his UFC events have been credited with boosting Trump's appeal among young men. White even joined Trump on stage at his election night victory party. Metta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who's trained as a mixed martial arts fighter, is also friendly with White. Trump and other Republicans have long accused tech companies, including Metta, of anti-conservative bias. Since the election, Zuckerberg is among the tech executives who have visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago. And Metta donated a million

dollars to the president-elect's inauguration fund. Shannon Bond, NPR News. President Biden has signed into law a measure that boosts social security benefits for current and former public employees. The change will affect nearly 3 million people who receive pensions from their time as teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public servants. Bill rescinds two provisions that limit Social Security benefits for recipients if they get retirement payments from other sources, like public retirement programs from state and local governments.

Biden signed the measure into law over the weekend. A mixed close on Wall Street today, the Dow fell 25 points, the Nasdaq was up 243 points. This is NPR. One of the biggest electronics and technology gatherings of the year is about to kick off in Las Vegas. The multi-day event known as CES, organized by the Consumer Technology Association, starts this week. Like last year's show, AI is expected to be everywhere you look. One of the largest events of its kind in the world, CES last year drew more than 138,000 attendees and included more than 4,500 exhibitors spread across two and a half million square feet. It's Black Monday in

the NFL, the day after the end of the regular season when underperforming teams often fire their head coaches. NPR's Becky Sullivan reports two coaches lost their jobs today, joining three others who were already released. For Gerard Mayo of the New England Patriots, Black Monday came a day early. Team ownership let the first-year head coach go about an hour after the Patriots' Sunday afternoon game. New England was expected to be one of the worst teams in the league this season as they endure a complete rebuild after the departures of two future Hall of Famers in quarterback

Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick. But just four wins and 13 losses was evidently worse than anticipated. Then the Jacksonville Jaguars fired their head coach Doug Peterson after they missed the playoffs for two years in a row despite a weak division and a solid quarterback in Trevor Lawrence. In total, that makes five head coaching vacancies. The others are the Chicago Bears, New York Jets and New Orleans Saints. Becky Sullivan, NPR News.

The movie Mufasa, Walt Disney's prequel to The Lion King, took top honors with weekend box office. According to studio estimates, the movie took in an estimated twenty three point eight million in its third weekend. Paramount Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which does dominated for the past two weekends, was not far behind 2025 box office already, starting off strong. I'm Jack Spear in PR 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.