NPR News: 01-20-2025 12AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: January 20, 2025

Release Date: January 20, 2025
Host: Dale Willman
Description: The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly.

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1. Release of Three Israeli Hostages by Hamas

Timestamp: [00:17]

Dale Willman opens the episode with significant news from the Middle East. Three Israeli women, who had been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, were freed and safely returned to Israel. This release was part of a broader ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.

Timestamp: [00:36]
Greg Myhre reports from Tel Aviv, detailing the chaotic scene in Gaza City where the women were released. Masked Hamas gunmen transported the hostages in a van to a crowded square filled with Palestinians. The Red Cross took custody of the women before handing them over to the Israeli military for their journey back to Israel.

Notable Quote:
"The women, ages 24 to 31, were all able to walk on their own, but there was no word on their overall condition," Myhre noted, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding their wellbeing post-release.

These exchanges between Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners are expected to continue for several weeks, as both sides work towards stabilizing the fragile ceasefire.

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2. Donald Trump's Inauguration Moved Indoors Due to Extreme Cold

Timestamp: [01:18]

President-elect Donald Trump announced a significant change to his inauguration plans, moving the event indoors in response to plummeting temperatures in Washington, D.C. This marks the first time in 40 years that the inauguration will be held inside the Capitol.

Timestamp: [01:39]
Amy Held provides further details, explaining that President Joe Biden, members of Congress, and other select guests will attend the inauguration in the Capitol rotunda. The venue has a capacity of 600 people, a stark contrast to the originally planned 250,000 attendees.

Timestamp: [01:53]
Luke Griffin, a local resident, expressed disappointment:
"We would show up. We're prepared. We've got gloves and hats and scarves and coats. We're ready to go."
Despite the public's anticipation, the harsh weather forecast led to mass cancellations, leaving most plans to witness the inauguration in person unfulfilled.

Additional Details:
Capitol Police officials stated that the west front of the U.S. Capitol, the traditional location for inaugurations, was inaccessible due to safety concerns. Consequently, Trump directed attendees to watch the proceedings at DC's Capital One Arena, which can accommodate up to 20,000 people. He also mentioned a personal appearance post-inauguration at the venue.

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3. Justice Department Files Voting Rights Lawsuit in Tennessee

Timestamp: [02:23]

The Department of Justice has initiated a lawsuit against Fayette County in western Tennessee, alleging that the county's voting district map undermines the collective power of Black voters. This legal action contends that the redistricting plan violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by preventing Black voters from having an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their preference.

Timestamp: [02:38]
Hansi Lo Wang elaborates on the issue:
"About a half hour east of Memphis sits Fayette County, where the Justice Department argues voting is racially polarized and the redistricting plan for the county Commission violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by not giving Black voters an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice."

The DOJ is seeking a federal court order for Fayette County to redesign its voting map. This lawsuit is one of three similar cases filed by the federal government, raising concerns among voting rights advocates. There is apprehension that the incoming Trump administration may deprioritize such cases, potentially weakening protections against racial discrimination in voting.

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4. India Launches Battlefield Tourism in Border Villages

Timestamp: [03:11]

In an unconventional move, India has unveiled its latest tourism initiative dubbed "battlefield tourism," focusing on over 70 border areas where Indian soldiers have historically engaged with counterparts from Pakistan and China over the past eighty years. These regions, often nestled in the challenging terrains of the Himalayas, were previously off-limits to civilians.

Timestamp: [03:24]
Omkar Kandekar reports:
"India's Defence Ministry has launched a website and mobile app to promote the tourism of more than 70 border areas where Indian soldiers have clashed with their counterparts in Pakistan and China over the last eight decades."
Army Chief Upendra D. Vivedi stated that this initiative aims to support residents of border villages, many of whom have migrated due to limited employment opportunities. Analysts believe that encouraging habitation in these regions will mitigate the risk of encroachment, particularly around strategic areas like Indochina.

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5. Bob Dylan’s "Mr. Tambourine Man" Lyrics Auction and Movie Sales Report

Timestamp: [04:06]

In cultural news, the draft lyrics to Bob Dylan's iconic song "Mr. Tambourine Man" fetched over half a million dollars at a recent Nashville auction. The sale also included various memorabilia related to Dylan, such as photographs, sheet music, one of his guitars, and an oil painting. Celebrating his illustrious career, the 83-year-old Nobel Prize-winning singer remains a significant influence in music and popular culture. Additionally, Dylan is the subject of an upcoming movie, further cementing his legacy.

Shifting to the film industry, a surprising entry emerged at the box office: the Palmer buddy comedy "One of Them Days" secured the top spot over the weekend, grossing $11.6 million in North American theaters. This R-rated film eclipsed Disney’s "Mufasa: The Lion King," which took second place with substantial earnings, while the horror movie "Wolfman" rounded out the top three with $10.6 million in sales. Despite these successes, the holiday period has been notably slow for movie sales, marking it as one of the sluggish Martin Luther King Jr. Holidays since 1977.

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This summary provides an overview of the key topics discussed in the January 20, 2025, episode of NPR News Now. For more detailed information, please refer to the full podcast episode.

Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Three Israeli women held hostage by Hamas in Gaza were freed today and are now safely back in Israel. They were released as part of the ceasefire agreement intended to end the war. Israel, meanwhile, also released some Palestinian prisoners. NPR's Greg Myhre reports from Tel Aviv.

[Greg Myhre]

Hamas released the three Israeli women in a chaotic scene in Gaza City. Masked Hamas gunmen drove a van carrying the women to a crowded square packed with Palestinians. The women were handed over to the Red Cross, which in turn delivered them to the Israeli military. They were then whisked back to Israel. Video footage showed the women, ages 24 to 31, were all able to walk on their own, but there was no word on their overall condition. All three were seized by Hamas in the attack that ignited the war on October 7, 2023. These exchanges of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners are set to carry on for weeks. Greg Myhre, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

[Dale Willman]

President elect Donald Trump moved his Monday inauguration indoors after reports that frigid temperatures are descending on Washington, DC. It's the first time it will be held indoors in 40 years. Now, as NPR's Amy Held reports, President Joe Bide, Biden, members of Congress and other select guests will all be attending the event in the Capitol rotunda.

[Advertiser]

The rotunda can hold 600 people. For almost everyone else, some 250,000 people plans to see proceedings in person are not panning out, even though Luke Griffin says he came to D.C. equipped for the weather.

[Luke Griffin]

We would show up. We're prepared. We've got gloves and hats and scarves and coats. We're ready to go.

[Advertiser]

Capitol Police say they can't go to the west front of the US Capitol where the inauguration is usually held. The House sergeant at arms says tickets can now be considered commemorative. Trump announced DC's Capital One arena, with a 20,000 person capacity is open to those wanting to view the inauguration and said he would swing by after being sworn in. Amy Held, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

The Justice Department has filed a voting rights lawsuit against a county in western Tennessee. As NPR's Hansi Lo Wang tells us, the federal lawsuit argues that the county's map of voting districts dilutes the collective power of black votes voters.

[Hansi Lo Wang]

About a half hour east of Memphis sits Fayette county, where the Justice Department argues voting is racially polarized and the redistricting plan for the county Commission violates section 2 of the Voting Rights act by not giving black voters an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. The DOJ is asking a federal court to order the county to come up with a different voting map. This is one of three voting rights lawsuits the federal government has filed. Many voting rights advocates are concerned incoming Trump officials will deprioritize these kinds of cases and and scale back enforcing protections against racial discrimination under the Voting Rights Act. Han Zila Wang, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

I'm Dale Willman, and you're listening to NPR News. India has opened up its border villages for what they're calling battlefield tourism. Amkar Kandekar reports.

[Omkar Kandekar]

India's Defence Ministry has launched a website and mobile app to promote the tourism of more than 70 border areas where Indian soldiers have clashed with their counterparts in Pakistan and China over the last eight decades. Many of these areas are in the high mountains of the Himalayas and were earlier restricted for civilians. India's army chief, Upendra D. Vivedi, said that the move is part of a series of initiatives to support the residents of border villages who have been moving out for years due to low employment opportunities. Analysts say that their absence was making these regions vulnerable to encroachment, especially around the Indochina. Bor Omkar Khandekar, NPR News, Mumbai.

[Dale Willman]

The draft lyrics to the Bob Dylan song Mr. Tambourine man sold for more than a half million dollars this weekend. The auction in Nashville sold dozens of items related to the iconic singer, including photos, sheet music, one of his guitars and an oil painting. The 83 year old singer is also a Nobel Prize winner and the focus of a new movie. A complete unknown, the Palmer buddy comedy One of Them Days took first place in movie theaters this weekend. The R rated movie earned $11.6 million in sales at North American theaters. Disney's Mufasa the Lion King was close behind in second place, while the horror flick Wolfman was in third with $10.6 million. Overall, it's been one of the slowest Martin Luther King Jr. Holidays since 1977. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

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