NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-23-2025 9PM EST

Episode Date: January 24, 2025

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This is Eric Glass. In this American life, sometimes we just show up somewhere, turn on our tape recorders, and see what happens. If you can't get seven cars in 12 days, you gotta look yourself in the mirror and say, holy, what are you kidding me? Like this car dealership, trying to sell its monthly quota of cars, and it is not going well. I just don't want one balloon to a car. Balloon the whole freaking place so it looks like I'm circus. Real life stories every week. Live from NPR News in Washington I'm Jack Spear. Another slew of executive

actions signed today by President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. They ranged from orders aimed at making America the AI and crypto capital of the world, pardons for 23 anti-abortion protesters, and declassifying all files related to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Trump also took questions on a variety of issues, including a Seattle judge's decision to block his order calling for an end to birthright citizenship. Obviously we'll appeal it. They put it before a certain judge in Seattle, I guess, right?

And there's no surprises with that judge. Trump expressed confidence about Pete Hegcess nomination to be his Secretary of Defense and he said tariffs are being discussed against China but with no firm date set unlike Canada and Mexico. California Governor Gavin Newsom has approved new disaster relief for victims of the fires in Los Angeles from member station KQED Guy Maserati says Newsom is hoping to meet with President Trump and collaborate on fire response. Newsom signed a 2.5 billion dollar relief package that will fund cleanup and

sheltering those affected by the fires. But the governor also wants to spend more money to fight the Trump administration in court over issues like immigration. I'm here for the long haul to support the president where we can, to defend our values where we must. Trump has threatened to withhold disaster aid from California over disagreements on water policy. For NPR News, I'm Guy Marzerati in San Jose. The European Union got more electricity from solar power than coal last year. NPR's Jeff Brady reports coal continues

its long decline in the EU, even as the industry in the US is hoping for a boost from the Trump administration. Nuclear remains the top source of electricity in the EU, followed by wind, gas, and hydropower. But a review of the European Union's electricity generating fuels by the think tank Ember found for the first time solar generated more power than coal. Europe launched its Green Deal five years ago, aiming to zero out climate pollution

by 2050. The U.S. has the same goal under the Paris climate agreement, though President Trump is withdrawing from that, as he did during his first term. Renewable energy has also grown rapidly in the U.S. The research firm Rhodium Group says last year solar and wind power together generated slightly more electricity than coal in the U.S. Jeff Brady, NPR News. More people were standing in line last week to file initial jobless claims. The Labor Department reporting today claims for first time unemployment benefits rose by 6,000 to 223,000 for the

week ending January 18th. Total number of Americans receiving benefits climbed to 1.9 million. Weekly applications or jobless benefits are often considered to be a proxy for layoffs in the broader economy. Stocks closed higher on Wall Street that dial up 408 points today. You're listening to NPR. Speaking via videotape to participants at the Davos Economic Summit in Switzerland, President Donald Trump today promised cheaper prices and lower interest rates. He also pledged to lower taxes for global elites if they bring manufacturing jobs to the U.S. While we're in an economy where growth has been driven by relatively healthy consumer

spending, it's not entirely clear how Trump will carry out those pledges. Economists say if Trump follows through on promises to impose widespread tariffs and deport millions of migrants, inflation could worsen. Tina Turner's record label is releasing a previously lost song by the late rock icon. NPR's Chloe Veltman reports, Hot For You Baby isn't creating sparks among critics, but it's a welcome dose of nostalgia for fans. Hot For You Baby was originally destined for Tina Turner's blockbuster 1984 album Private Dancer,

but it didn't make the cut. Hot For You Baby, Hot For You Baby. The song languished forgotten for roughly 40 years until Turner's record label rediscovered the master tape. Rolling Stone magazine contributing editor Anthony de Curtis says Hot for You Baby is a bit one-dimensional, not nearly as nuanced as tracks like What's Love Got to do with it. But you know, it's got energy and it's got power and it's got excitement.

The critic says most importantly, it makes us feel like Tina Turner, who died in 2023, is still with us. Chloe Valtman, NPR News. Some surprises from the Film Academy for this year's 97th Oscars. It had seemed that actors like Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman were destined for nominations, where the Academy members have snubbed some of the big names in favor of other actors like Felicity Jones and James Mangold. This is NPR. This message comes from Wse, the app for doing

things and other currencies. Sending or spending money abroad? Hidden fees may be taking a cut. With Wyse, you can convert between up to 40 currencies at the mid-market exchange rate. Visit Wyse.com. TNCs apply.