NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-25-2025 11AM EST

Episode Date: January 25, 2025

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Matt Wilson spent years doing rounds at children's hospitals in New York City. I had a clip-on tie. I wore Heelys, size 11. Matt was a medical clown. The whole of a medical clown is to reintroduce the sense of play and joy and hope and light into a space that doesn't normally inhabit. Ideas about navigating uncertainty. That's on the TED Radio Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. Pete Hegseth has been sworn in as Secretary of Defense.

The former Fox News host is an Army National Guard combat veteran. He was confirmed on a narrow Senate vote last night requiring Vice President J.D. Vance to break a tie. In a sweeping late nightnight action, President Trump dismissed independent watchdogs or inspectors general at several federal agencies. This, according to multiple media reports, including the Washington Post, which first reported the action, and IG's role is to hold a federal agency accountable for its actions. NPR's Ron Elving has more.

Trump sent firing notices to a dozen of these last night, some of whom are people he himself appointed in his first term. And it's unclear what the illegal effect of this will be, as the law says. Congress has to get 30 days notice in advance, and obviously that didn't happen. NPR's Ron Elving reporting. Two hundred Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been released from Israeli jails. This after four Israeli soldiers who'd been held hostage in Gaza for more than 15 months

returned to Israel. It's part of the fragile Gaza ceasefire deal. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf reports. The detainees are being sent to different places, depending on where they're from and the severity of their crimes, according to Israel. Around half were released to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Association. But anyone serving a life sentence for murder or other serious crimes is being exiled to Arab countries. Among those deported was 70-year-old Mohammed

al-Tus, the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner, sentenced to life in 1985 for carrying out attacks against Israel. NPR spoke to his son, Thayer, by phone. I cannot describe my happiness that he is free, he said, but there is also sadness that he can't be with us. Thayer said it was unclear to which country his father would be sent. Kat Lansdorf, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Trump Justice Department officials are instructing federal prosecutors to limit enforcement of

a law that protects reproductive health care providers and facilities. It says previous legal action taken by the department under the law is an example of the weaponization of law enforcement. NPR's Ryan Lucas reports. This relates to enforcement of what's known as the FACE Act, which prohibits threats of force, obstruction, or property damage that interferes with reproductive right services, including clinics that perform abortions

and pregnancy facilities that don't. Now, Justice Department Chief of Staff Chad Mizzell says in an internal memo obtained by NPR that new prosecutions and civil actions under the FACE Act will only be permitted in extraordinary circumstances or when there are significant aggravating factors such as death or serious bodily harm. The memo says cases lacking such factors can be handled by state or local law. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.

This is NPR. The world's top tennis player, Yannick Sinner, is vying for back-to-back Australian Open titles when he faces world number two, Alexanders Varev, in that men's single final. Christina Kukolia reports from Melbourne. The world's top two tennis players will face off in the Australian Open men's final at Melbourne Park on Australia's National Day. Defending champion Italy's Yannick Sinner is on a 20-match winning streak and cruise past American Ben Shelton in the semi-final to reach the final two. Germany's Alexander Zverev advanced after Novak Djokovic of Serbia retired early due to injury. Nearly a decade after his debut in Melbourne, Zverev is chasing a maiden Grand Slam title and leads 4-2 in head-to-head

competition. Sinner is the favourite to secure a third Grand Slam title. For NPR News, I'm Christina Kukalia in Melbourne. Today is the biggest travel day of the year in China when many journey to their hometowns to celebrate the Lunar New Year with their families. The BBC's Cecilia Hatton reports this year will usher in the Year of the Snake beginning Wednesday. Millions of people across China are hurrying to the places they'd like to be for the start of the Lunar New Year. An estimated 9 billion journeys will be logged across China in the

40-day period around the New Year festival. That's up from 8.4 billion last year. Celia Hatten reporting the government anticipates lots of car travel while train trips will exceed half a billion with 90 million more expected to travel by air. I'm Louise Chiavone, NPR News, Washington. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Fresh air? Up first, NPR News, Washington.