NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-27-2025 11PM EST

Episode Date: January 28, 2025

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What's in store for the music, TV, and film industries for 2025? We don't know, but we're making some fun, bold predictions for the new year. Listen now to the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shae Stevens. President Trump campaigned on the promise of strict enforcement of immigration laws. And NPR's Jimena Bustillo reports that his administration is now touting the latest string of immigration-related arrests. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency said they arrested almost 1,000 people yesterday,

an escalation from the daily numbers last week. Enforcement operations were seen in cities like Chicago, where members of the Trump administration were on the ground themselves. Border Czar Tom Homan and Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bovi traveled to Chicago to oversee the efforts. On average, the Biden administration arrested over 200 people per day last year, though exact levels increased and decreased over time. Trump officials tapped in other federal law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and the Drug Enforcement Administration to assist in the arrests. Jimena Bustillo, NPR News, New York. Federal public health officials have been ordered to stop working with the World Health

Organization effective immediately. As NPR's Gabriella Emanuel reports, the memo was sent to division directors and their deputies. The WHO and CDC collaborate on a wide range of health efforts, including a major M-pox outbreak in parts of Africa and in Tanzania, an outbreak of Marburg virus, which is Ebola's cousin. There are also global efforts to monitor and contain bird flu. CDC officials, who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to speak said the memo came as a surprise and they haven't seen

an order like this before. They're still trying to understand what the implications might be for fighting disease outbreaks. President Trump started the process of withdrawing from the WHO on inauguration day. That process takes a year. Gabriella Emanuel, NPR News. Millionaire investor Scott Besant has been confirmed as the new U.S. Treasury Secretary. The Senate vote was 68 to 29. Besant says the U.S. faces economic calamity if Congress fails to renew provisions of President Trump's 2018 tax cuts. Multiple Jewish groups have announced that they will stop actively posting on the social media platform X, and Paris Jason DeRose explains the reason why.

In a statement, more than a dozen Jewish organizations say that X has become a platform that promotes hate, anti-Semitism, and societal division. They plan to stop engagement on X within the next several months. Among the groups, the Union for Reform Judaism, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Central Conference of Cantors, and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. They cite reduced content moderation and X owner Elon Musk's own posts. The groups say rather than contribute to the coarsening of discourse that is so pervasive on X, they'll post content elsewhere.

Jason DeRose, NPR News. You're listening to NPR. A group of workers at Whole Foods in Philadelphia has voted to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 1776. The vote was 130 to 100, or 57 percent in favor of unionization. Whole Foods has expressed disappointment over the vote, while pro-Union workers say they hope it will lead to higher wages and other benefits. A new study finds that people who take time to prepare before major surgery can significantly

increase the likelihood of a good recovery. NPR's Allison Albreg reports on the top three prehabilitation strategies. If you're getting ready for a surgery, such as a joint replacement or another major operation, you may want to ask your health care providers about prehabilitation. The new study finds a combination of movement, increasing your protein intake, and mentally preparing for surgery can significantly reduce the risk of complications, says study author Dr. Dan McIsaac of the University of Ottawa. No matter what type of surgery you're preparing for, there's likely a benefit from prehabilitation.

For instance, the research shows people who do strength building and other forms of physical activity in the month or two before surgery can reduce their risks by as much as 40 percent, often decreasing hospital stays and making a meaningful improvement in how they experience their recovery. Alice Nobri, NPR News. Southern California Edison says a preliminary analysis has found a fault on a power line miles away from those near the Eaton Fire north of Los Angeles. The utility's infrastructure is being investigated, although officials have not found any link between Sokal's transmission lines and the fires that devastated parts of LA. This is NPR.

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.