NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-20-2025 7PM EST

Episode Date: January 21, 2025

NPR News: 01-20-2025 7PM 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. After the pomp and ceremony of a traditional inauguration, President Donald Trump appearing before thousands of citizens who placed him in office for a second term. Trump attending a rally at Washington's Capital One Arena where a crowd had been waiting for hours for their glimpse of the 47th president.

And in an unusual bit of stagecraft, a small desk was set up for Trump to sign, some of the numerous executive actions being put in place. I'm going to sign a presidential memorandum directory directing every member of my cabinet to marshal every power at their disposal to defeat inflation and rapidly bring down the cost of daily life. The event was billed as an indoor parade after inauguration of activities removed indoors due to cold weather in the nation's capital. Trump signed orders that would rescind Biden-era policies, freeze federal hiring except for the military, and withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord.

President Trump's pledge to focus on immigration and border security has had an immediate impact for some migrants waiting on Mexico's border with the U.S., and Peruzada Peralta has that story. Almost as soon as Donald Trump became President Trump, the phone application that allows migrants appointments to seek asylum in the United States went down. Existing appointments scheduled through CBP1 are no longer valid,

the phones flashed. Margarita Estinoco had been waiting for an appointment for six months and the news broke her. She knelt on the ground at the foot of the international bridge that leads to El Paso and she wept. My God, when I thought everything was solved, it all comes crumbling down, she said. Eder Peralta, NPR News, Juarez, Mexico. As President Trump was speaking at the Capitol today,

now former president, Joe Biden was giving brief remarks to members of his staff. As NPR's Asma Khalid reports, these were Biden's final comments before leaving Washington on way to California. Biden told his staff he knows from experience there can be ups and downs in politics, but they can't give up.

We're leaving office, but we're not leaving the fight. Biden thanked his team and encouraged them to stay engaged because the country needs them. If you heard the inaugural address today, you know we got a lot more to do. He crossed himself as he referred to Trump's speech. Biden now leaves Washington after four years in which he passed some major pieces of legislation. But already on day one, Trump is beginning a series of actions to undo Biden's legacy on immigration, energy, and the economy. Asma Khalid, NPR News.

The Senate has unanimously signed off on President Trump's first cabinet appointment today, confirming Republican Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. Rubio, a longtime member of the Senate, formed relations and intelligence committees, is a China hawk and has been a staunch backer of State. Rubio, a longtime member of the Senate, formed relations and intelligence committees as a China hawk and has been a staunch backer of Israel. U.S. financial markets are closed today. This is NPR. One of the Israeli hostages freed on the first day of a Gaza ceasefire in her first comments since being released says she has, quote, been returned to life. 28 year old Emily Demare was one of three hostages freed Sunday after spending 471 days in captivity.

Officials at a hospital there received the three, say their conditions are stable. Demare, a dual Israeli-British citizen in a post on social media thanked her family and those who advocated for the hostages release. Today was not just about the presidential inauguration across the U.S. community celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy. Brian Bull of Member Station, KLCC, and Eugene, Oregon reports.

On MLK Boulevard, roughly 300 people lined up in below freezing temperatures for the annual MLK Jr. celebration on March. Dimond Hawkins of the Eugene Springfield NAACP said President Trump's push to roll back DEI initiatives neither surprises nor discourages black Americans. If we were fighting for diversity, equity, and inclusion before, it didn't matter if Kamala Harris was in office or Donald Trump in office. We were gonna still have to fight

for diversity, equity, and inclusion. That's just what the battle is in our country, right? Marchers paraded through Eugene before more speakers and music honoring King's civil rights legacy. For NPR News, I'm Brian Boll in Eugene, Oregon. Well, some of the entertainers at President Trump's inaugural events may not be A-listers. They are more representative of the mainstream

in some various musical genres, entertainers from Carrie Underwood to Nellie to the Village People, among those performing at various events around Washington, D.C. for the Trump inauguration. abroad, hidden fees may be taking a cut. With WISE, you can convert between up to 40 currencies at the mid-market exchange rate. Visit WISE.com. TNCs apply.