NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-23-2025 10PM EST

Episode Date: January 24, 2025

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Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have outlined their plans to slash the federal workforce with the help of a team of quote small government crusaders. What's in store for federal workers and how are they planning for change? This January 1A's dot gov series guides you through various government agencies and the people working for you. Listen to the 1A podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. President Trump's controversial defense secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth, has squeaked through a procedural vote in the Senate, making it likely he'll get the 51 votes needed for confirmation.

Hegseth has faced allegations of excessive drinking and aggressive behavior towards women. NBR's Tom Bowman reports on what actions AgSeth might take. Clearly he's going to get rid of the diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at the Pentagon. And there's concern among the senior ranks at the Pentagon that he may make personnel changes. He's been critical of the first woman to run the Navy, Admiral Lisa Frankeady. She could be out of a job. He's also basically said they want to bring their own

people in. So that could mean, again, some military, senior military officers losing their jobs. We just don't know at this point. MPR's Tom Bowman critics have also cited Hegcess' lack of experience in running such a large complex organization. Mexico is preparing to be on the receiving end of mass deportations under President Trump. A federal program called Mexico Embraces You is creating a system to take back Mexican nationals who were deported from the U.S. Nadek Kravinsky is more. Mexico is setting up nine centers along the border with the U.S. to provide medical attention, food and shelter to Mexican citizens who are deported. There will be at least one shelter

in each of Mexico's six border states. That includes one in Tijuana, south of California, one in Ciudad Juarez, south of Texas, and one in Nogales, south of Arizona. Buses will be available to transport people from the border to those centers and from the centers to their home states. President Claudia Schoenbaum says the country will welcome Mexicans required to leave the U.S. with open arms. says the country will welcome Mexicans required to leave the US with open arms. According to the Pew Research Center, about 4 million of the 11 million immigrants in the US illegally in 2022 were from Mexico.

For NPR News, I'm Nina Kravinsky in Hermosillo, Mexico. Marco Rubio is preparing to set off on his first foreign trip as Secretary of State next week. NPR's Michelle Kaleman reports Rubio's slated to travel to Central America. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce says the Secretary is making it a priority to work with countries in the Western Hemisphere. If we're going to be safe and prosperous and in good shape, Bruce tells reporters, we have

to have an interest in our neighbors in South and Central America. She says Secretary of State Rubio recognizes that. The trip is expected to include a stop in Panama, where officials have protested President Trump's talk about the U.S. taking back the Panama Canal. Secretary Rubio is also expected to visit Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic to talk about migration and supply chains. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department. US financial markets close mostly higher today.

The S&P set a new record up 32 points to 61 in 18. The Nasdaq rose 44 points. The Dow was up 408 points. This is NPR. The Senate has confirmed Donald Trump's picked-up the CIA, John Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during Trump's first term. His hearing last week, Ratcliffe told lawmakers the CIA needs to do better when it comes to using new technologies like AI to confront adversaries in Russia and China.

Vale Ski Resorts is now facing its second employee revolt in a month. MPR's Kirk Sigler reports a union of Lyft operators at Crested Butte in Colorado voted to authorize a strike. Lyft maintenance workers at Crested Butte, which Vail Resorts bought in 2018, unionized two years ago and say for the past year they've been asking for a cost of living raise. The union says it's experienced a 50% turnover

and says Vail isn't paying enough for employees to afford to live in Colorado's pricey Gunnison Valley. In a statement, Vail says its wages are fair for all employees and the negotiations with the 12-member union are making progress. But this is the latest salvo in a winter marked by slim snowfall and significant labor disputes. At Vail's Park City Resort, the Ski Patrol Union went on strike for nearly two weeks, causing stock prices to slump after a blizzard of customer complaints. Kirk Sigler, NPR News.

Aquarium keepers in southwestern Japan were perplexed after their solitary giant sunfish lost its appetite. Facility was closed for renovations and efforts to change the fish's diet proved futile. So in a last-ditch effort, keepers hung up cardboard cutouts of humans wearing aquarium uniforms and the lone fish's appetite returned. Officials at the aquarium say the ocean sunfish appears to have been affected by the sudden absence of an audience. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.

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