NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-21-2025 9PM EST

Episode Date: January 22, 2025

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President Trump is back in Washington, pursuing major policy changes on his own terms. We know from the past that means challenging precedent, busting norms, and pushing against the status quo. NPR is covering it all with Trump's Terms, a podcast where we curate stories about the 47th president with a focus on how he is upending the way Washington works. Listen to Trump's Terms from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. President Trump invited three executives to the White House today to announce a new venture known as Stargate.

As NPR's Tamara Keith reports, it is a large investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The CEOs of SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle said 10 massive data centers that will be used to run AI technology are already under construction in Texas, and more could be possible. They praised Trump, and he in turn praised the multibillion-dollar investment. This monumental undertaking is a resounding declaration of confidence in America's potential under a new president. Let me be a new president. I didn't say it. They did. Trump has a history of inviting executives to make splashy announcements like this one

at the White House, though they haven't always lived up to the hype. Tamara Keith, NPR News, the White House. So President Trump's executive actions could fundamentally change the U.S. immigration system. His supporters are celebrating moves they say will lower the number of illegal border crossings, while immigrant rights groups say they'll challenge the measures in court. Imperator Mario Martinez-Baltron reports. Trump's executive actions range from sending the National Guard to the southern border to ending birthright citizenship. Dean Stein is

president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which advocates for tighter immigration laws. So it's going to be a period of, you know, both conflict and battle, but it would be a mistake to underestimate the determination of Trump 2.0 in getting the borders under control and restoring some kind of common sense to the immigration system. The ACLU has already filed a lawsuit over the end of birthright citizenship. The organization says it will prevail. Sergio Martinez Beltran, NPR News, Washington. Attorneys General from 22 states have also filed suit in federal court seeking to block an executive order that refuses to recognize U.S. born children of immigrants without legal status as citizens. The action expected to be just the first in a number of suits looking to block

some of President Donald Trump's newly announced initiatives. Even as dangerous high winds have returned to Southern California, increasing the possibility wildfires will spread further. Word rain may be in the installation of barriers, debris removal and diverting runoff from our stormwater system and into our sewer system where it can be treated. The action plan is to ensure that the emergency emergency system is not used by the public. The emergency emergency system is used by the public

to ensure that the emergency system is not used by the public. implement includes the installation of barriers, debris removal, and diverting runoff from our stormwater system and into our sewer system where it can be treated. Several new wildfires have broken out there in recent days. Stocks rose after companies began reporting some better than expected profit numbers. The Dow was up 537 points today. You're listening to NPR. Severe winter weather is hitting parts of the U.S. that rarely see snow, and in some cases have little or no snow removal equipment. Snow is coating roadways today in Lake Charles, Louisiana, New Orleans, and Pensacola, Florida. They're expecting 5 to 6 inches of snow there.

Airports in Houston suspended operations due to the storm. State Highway Department officials are warning people to stay off the roads. As of this afternoon, more than 2,000 flights had already been cancelled nationwide, according to FlightAware. Garth Hudson, the last surviving member of beloved Roots Rock Ensemble, the band has died. The Canadian musician was 87 years old. And there's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento has this remembrance. Garth Hudson played keyboard and saxophone, but it was his way of playing the laurie organ and the clavinet as leading instruments

that gave the band its signature churchy, post-psychedelic sound. Take the load off, Benny. The band got their start as the backing instrumentalists for Ronnie Hawkins and famously, Bob Dylan. But in 1968, they broke out with their debut solo album, Music from Big Pink. After their official dissolution in 1976, Hudson continued playing with different iterations of the band for decades.

He gave his first public performance in years, in 2023, at a house concert in upstate New York. Writer Harry Hugh told NPR that Hudson, quote, never lost that spark. Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, NPR News. Crude oil futures prices moved lower today. Oil dropped $1.99 a barrel to $75.89 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from NYU Langone. The NYU Langone Health app gives you access I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.