NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-26-2025 8AM EST

Episode Date: January 26, 2025

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Technologist Paul Garcia is using AI to create photos of people's most precious memories. How her mother was dressed, the haircut that she remembered. We generated tens of images and then she saw two images that was like, that was it. Ideas about the future of memory. That's on the TED Radio Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. President Trump has told reporters traveling with him aboard Air Force One that he'd like Jordan and Egypt to take in Palestinians from Gaza, an area decimated by the Israel-Hamas war. NPR's Osmocalled reports. Trump described this idea of relocating Palestinians

as a plan that could be temporary or could be long term. The president said he spoke about this with the King of Jordan. I said to him, I'd love you to take on more, because I'm looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now, and it's a mess. It's a real mess. Trump said he also plans to speak with Egypt's president over the weekend. He said Gaza right now is like a, quote, demol demolition site and he wants to get Arab nations to help

build housing at a different location. Trump's comments come as additional Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners were released over the weekend as part of a ceasefire deal. Asma Khalid, NPR News. This place Palestinians are still being blocked from returning to northern Gaza. They were supposed to begin returning this weekend, but Israel says Hamas breached the terms of the ceasefire when an Israeli civilian was not included in yesterday's hostages for prisoner swap.

Florida's legislature is meeting today in a special session called by Governor Ron DeSantis to take up measures aimed at curbing illegal immigration. NPR's Greg Allen reports that Republican leaders are pushing back against DeSantis calling the session premature. President Trump has expressed support for Florida's special session on a series of enforcement measures including one that would require local officials to help carry out deportations or face suspension. Governor DeSantis wants to make it a state crime to enter the US illegally and to require people to show proof of immigration status before sending money abroad. Republican leaders in Florida's legislature have indicated they

may take no action this week, but DeSantis says he'll keep the pressure on. You can view me as like a dog that's got you on the ankle on immigration. I am not just going to let go. Lawmakers say they will deal with immigration and other issues in their regular session in March. Greg Allen, NPR News Miami. Belarus' authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, is all but certain to secure a seventh term as president.

Voters are going to the polls today with Lukashenko's fiercest critics, either in prison or in exile. The electoral process has been described by the opposition and the European Union. As far as Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is the exiled opposition leader. It's all fake and everybody knows this. Lukashenko desperately tries to restore legitimacy. There are no real candidates, no independent observers, no votes being counted. Belarusians rejected Lukashenko back in 2020. A 2020 election triggered months of protests with Tikhonouskaya winning Western backing

for her claim that Lukashenko cheated her a victory. Tens of thousands were arrested. And you're listening to NPR News. The CIA is offering a new assessment of the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency released a report this weekend that was completed under former President Joe Biden. It gives more credence to the virus having leaked from a Chinese lab. But the report also acknowledges that the agency has low confidence in that conclusion, saying a natural origin remains plausible. The report was declassified and released on the order of CIA Director

John Ratcliffe, who was sworn in last week. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, rebels are waging battles on the outskirts of the eastern city of Goma, with many rushing to take shelter across the border into Rwanda. Emmett Livingstone reports from Goma. Emmett Livingstone, CISC, CISC, C swooped low over Goma as M23 rebels launched a fierce attack on government positions just about seven miles north of the city. The rebels have advanced after a week of intense combat and have vowed to take the regional capital of over one million people on the Rwandan border. Displaced people have been streaming towards the city centre, where most shops are shut and pick-up trucks packed with Congolese troops can be seen.

M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, are inflicting heavy casualties on Congo and its allies. Six UN peacekeepers have also been killed. Congo has recalled its ambassador in Rwanda. For NPR News, I'm Emmett Livingstone in Goma. To Australia now, where Yannick Sinner has retained his Australian Open Tennis title. Sinner beat Alexander Sverev in straight sets in today's men's final at Melbourne Park. Sinner is 23 years old. He is now the first Italian player to win three Grand Slam tennis tournaments. I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News.