NPR News Now: January 1, 2025 | 6 PM EST
Terrorist Attack in New Orleans Prompts Sugar Bowl Postponement
On the evening of January 1, 2025, the highly anticipated Sugar Bowl game was postponed due to a tragic terrorist attack in New Orleans. Jeanine Herbst reported live from Washington, stating, “The Sugar bowl game has been postponed until tomorrow as authorities in New Orleans scrambled to determine why a man drove into a crowd on Bourbon Street in the early hours of the morning, killing at least 10 people” [00:18].
FBI Assistant Special Agent Althea Duncan provided further details, revealing that the perpetrator was “a 42-year-old Texan and an army veteran named Shamsuddin Jabbar” [00:40]. NPR's Martin Costi added, “An ISIS flag was located on the trailer hitch of the vehicle, and the FBI is working to determine the subject's potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations” [00:49].
The situation escalated as Duncan explained, “Police say they had parked a squad car across the entrance to Bourbon Street, but the truck got around it by driving up on the sidewalk. They say Jabbar drove through the crowd, crashed the truck and was killed in a firefight with officers” [01:04]. The FBI continues to investigate the incident as a potential act of terrorism, highlighting the severity of the attack and its impact on the community.
Intensifying Conflict Between Israel and Hamas
The long-standing conflict between Israel and Hamas shows no signs of abating, with renewed violence marking the beginning of the new year. Jeanine Herbst introduced the segment by noting, “There's no end in sight to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza that began nearly 15 months ago with Hamas ambush of southern Israel” [01:18].
Daniel Estrin provided a comprehensive overview of the latest developments, stating, “At the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, air raid sirens wailed in southern Israel as Hamas fired two rockets across the border. They caused no damage or injuries. Hamas said it was avenging Israeli strikes, killing civilians” [01:34]. He detailed Israel's response: “Israel's military ordered residents of a part of central Gaza to evacuate, warning it would strike where rockets had been fired on New Year's Day. Israeli strikes have killed more than a dozen people, including children, according to Gaza health officials.”
Estrin also highlighted the contrasting experiences of civilians, mentioning “some New Year's Eve parties in Israel where there's an attempt at normalcy despite Israeli hostages held in Gaza” and the somber mood in “the Palestinian city of Ramallah” where “the new year mood was muted because of the war” [01:34]. Ceasefire talks remain stalled, with mutual attacks continuing to escalate tensions in the region.
Significant Increase in U.S. Minimum Wage Across 21 States
A major economic development unfolded as minimum wage hikes took effect in 21 states, marking a significant shift in labor policies across the United States. Jeanine Herbst reported, “Minimum wage hikes take effect in 21 states today. As NPR's Andrea Hsu reports, a third of U.S. workers now live in states with a minimum wage of $15 an hour or more” [02:18].
Andrea Hsu elaborated on the impact, noting, “The latest states to hit a $15 minimum wage are Delaware, Illinois and Rhode Island. The new wage floors there and elsewhere are expected to raise the wages of more than 9 million people” [02:31]. She highlighted the demographic benefits, stating, “Women make up almost 60% of workers getting raises on January 1st. Hispanic workers make up more than a third.”
Hsu explained that most full-time minimum wage earners are projected to earn about $400 more per year, a measure intended “to ensure workers don't lose [out] as prices rise.” However, she also pointed out disparities, “In many states, including those that follow the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, workers don't have that protection” [02:31]. This increase aims to bolster the financial stability of millions of workers amidst ongoing economic challenges.
Ukraine Halts Russian Gas Supplies to Europe
In a significant geopolitical shift, Kyiv has ceased Russian gas supplies to European customers through its pipeline network, ending a transit deal that had lasted nearly three years since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Jeanine Herbst reported, “Kyiv halted Russian gas supplies to European customers through its pipeline network. This comes after a transit deal expired at the end of 2024” [03:13].
She provided context on the historical dependence on Russian energy, noting, “Before the war, Russia supplied nearly 40% of Europe's natural gas through those pipelines. By 2023, that figure dropped to around 8% as users switched to liquefied natural gas from the US and from Norway” [03:13]. This move marks a critical step in Europe’s energy transition and a response to the geopolitical tensions stemming from the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Ambitious Lunar Missions Scheduled for 2025
The year 2025 is set to be a landmark for lunar exploration, with multiple missions planned to enhance our understanding of the Moon. Joe Palka reported on the upcoming missions, stating, “The missions include landers, rovers and orbiters” [04:04].
Firefly Aerospace is set to launch the Blue Ghost lander, equipped with “Lunar Planet Vac, a device that will suck up lunar dust” [04:04]. Intuitive Machines plans to send its second lander to the Moon after a partial success in 2024, with the rocket also delivering Lunar Trailblazer into lunar orbit to “map and characterize the water on the moon” [04:04].
Additionally, Japan is contributing to the exploration efforts with plans to send a lander named Resilience and a micro rover called Tenacious to the “sea of cold on the moon's northern hemisphere” [04:04]. These missions aim to expand our knowledge of the Moon's surface and resources, paving the way for future scientific and possibly commercial endeavors.
This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key stories from the NPR News Now episode released on January 1, 2025, providing listeners with in-depth coverage of significant events ranging from terrorism and international conflicts to economic changes and advancements in space exploration.