NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-25-2025 8PM EST

Episode Date: January 26, 2025

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Usher, Yo-Yo Ma, Boy Genius, Shaka Khan, Billie Eilish, Weird Al, one thing all these big stars have in common, they've all played behind NPR's Tiny Desk. And if you enter NPR's Tiny Desk Contest between now and February 10th, you could be next. Unsigned musicians can find out more and see the official rules at npr.org slash tiny desk contest. JANINE HERPST Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herpst. at npr.org slash tiny desk contest. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janene Herbst. At a rally in Las Vegas today, President Trump promised to fulfill his campaign pledge

to eliminate taxes on tips. And Piers Azmahallid has more. Trump first floated the idea of no taxes on tips in this same city last June during a campaign rally. And he credits it with helping him win the key state of Nevada in the presidential election. The president said that in the coming weeks he'll be working with Congress to get a bill to change the tax policies. Your tips will be 100% yours. A president cannot unilaterally change the tax code, but large portions of this sweeping 2017 tax law are set to expire at the end of 2025.

And the president said tax cuts are at the top of his legislative agenda. We're going to get it for you. No tax on tips. Asma Khalid, NPR News. Pete Hegseth was sworn in as defense secretary today after the Senate confirmed his nomination by the narrowest of margins last night, with Vice President Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. It's only the second time in history that a vice president was needed to break a tie for a cabinet-level nominee. During his swearing-in ceremony,

Hegseth said he has three priorities in his new job. Restore the warrior ethos in everything that we do. Rebuild our military and reestablish deterrence. We don't want to fight wars. Hegseth survived a brutal fight with Democrats and a few Republicans who questioned his fitness to run the massive department with its nearly 3 million employees, which includes around 1.3 million active duty service members over allegations of financial mismanagement and sexual assault. The former Fox News host and military veteran says the Defense Department has been weakened by woke generals and diversity programs.

Two hundred Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been released from Israeli jails. It happened shortly after four Israeli soldiers who had been held hostage in Gaza for more than 15 months returned to Israel. Imperial's Kat Lonsdorf has more. 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. attacks against Israel. NPR spoke to his son Fahir by phone. FAHIR SAID I CANNOT DESCRIBE MY HAPPINESS THAT HE IS FREE, HE SAID. BUT THERE IS ALSO SADNESS THAT HE CAN'T BE WITH US. Fahir said it was unclear to which country his father would

be sent. Kat Lansdorf, NPR News, Tel Aviv. And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. Tire maker Bridgestone says it's closing a Tennessee truck and bus tire plant, laying off 700 workers. The company stopped making tires for cars and light trucks at that plant about 16 years ago. Bridgestone says it will also reduce capacity and its workforce at a plant in Iowa, Brazil, and Argentina. Independent filmmakers, film buyers, and cinephiles are at the Sundance Film Festival for two weeks of movies, parties, and conversations. And Piers Mondolito-Lbarco reports this could be the biggest gathering before the festival leaves town. On pedestrian-only Main

Street in Park City, Utah, people are talking about what may happen to the festival and the town when Sundance moves in 2027. The next stop will be either Salt Lake City, Boulder, or Cincinnati. Some shop owners say they'll be glad to get rid of the traffic, but some locals are handing out stickers urging Sundance to stay in Utah. This year's festival kicked off with premieres of documentaries about Marley Matlin, Pee-wee Herman, and Sly Stone. Audiences were also treated to movies starring John Lithgow, Olivia Colman,-wee Herman, and Sly Stone. Audiences were also treated to movies starring John Lithgow, Olivia Coleman, Rose Byrne, and Conan O'Brien. There

were also films about teens in Macedonia, about smuggling cabbages, and one film made from Florida police body cam footage. Mandelit Del Barco, NPR News, Park City, Utah. American Madison Keys upset two-time defending champ Irina Savlenka of Belarus in the women's final today to nab her first Grand Slam title in the Australian Open Tennis Tournament. Keys is the first woman since Serena Williams in 2005 to defeat both of the W2EA's two top players

at Melbourne Park. This is NPR News. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things in 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. T&Cs apply.