NPR News: 01-21-2025 11PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now - January 21, 2025, 11PM EST

NPR News Now delivers the latest news in five minutes, updated hourly. This summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the January 21, 2025, episode.

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1. Law Enforcement Discouraged by Presidential Pardons

Host: Dan Ronan
Reporter: Martin Casty

Two major police organizations—the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police—issued a joint statement expressing their dissatisfaction with recent clemency actions by Presidents Biden and Trump. These actions include pardons granted to individuals convicted of crimes that harmed law enforcement officers.

Key Points:

• Trump's Pardon: President Trump pardoned nearly all individuals arrested or convicted for crimes committed during the January 6th Capitol assault.
• Biden's Clemency: President Biden commuted the life sentence of Leonard Peltier, a Native American activist convicted 50 years ago for killing two FBI agents.

Notable Quote:

"You know, at the end of the day, the whole idea of backing the blue and the intern is all just crap."
— Michael Fanone (00:56)

Michael Fanone, a D.C. police officer involved in the Capitol incident, expressed his frustration, highlighting the strained relationship between law enforcement and the administrations' clemency decisions.

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2. States Challenge Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship

Host: Dan Ronan
Reporter: Scott Greenstone

Eighteen states and two cities have filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts challenging President Trump's executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship in the United States. Additional states, including Washington, Oregon, Illinois, and Arizona, are joining the legal battle.

Key Points:

• Washington State's Response: Attorney General Nick Brown filed an emergency order to prevent federal agencies from denying citizenship to babies born in Washington.
• Legal Standpoint: The executive order is deemed "plainly and obviously illegal" by Washington officials.
• Political Reactions: Republicans in Washington label the lawsuit as a "craven political move" and a distraction.

Notable Quote:

"The president's executive order claiming to end birthright citizenship in the United States is plainly and obviously illegal. Washington state will not abide by such harmful and unjust action."
— Washington Attorney General Nick Brown (01:38)

Scott Greenstone detailed the multi-state resistance against the executive order, emphasizing the legal and political tensions surrounding the issue.

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3. Unusual Snowfall and Homelessness in the Deep South

Host: Dan Ronan
Reporter: Grant Blankenship

For the first time in seven years, Macon, Georgia, experienced snowfall, impacting the region's homeless population. Outreach workers from the United Way of Central Georgia responded by extending shelter services.

Key Points:

• Shelter Efforts: Homeless outreach workers prioritized providing warmth and shelter to those affected by the unexpected snow.
• Community Response: Leaders like Jake Hall utilized the extended forecast to manage resources effectively, distributing bus passes and extending shelter hours.
• Ongoing Concerns: Despite current efforts, there remains apprehension about individuals who may still be unsheltered during cold conditions.

Notable Interaction:

Michael Fanone: "Anybody home?"
Pam Pinkston: "Hey there."
(02:32)

This brief exchange highlights the personal interactions between outreach workers and the homeless individuals they assist.

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4. Wall Street Sees Gains Amid Economic Uncertainty

Host: Dan Ronan

The major stock indexes closed with notable gains:

• Dow Jones Industrial Average: Up 537 points
• Nasdaq Composite: Increased by 126 points
• S&P 500: Rose by 52 points

These movements indicate a positive trend in the stock market despite ongoing economic challenges.

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5. Rupert Murdoch's Media Empire Faces Legal Settlements

Host: Dan Ronan
Reporter: David Folkenflick

Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper division has proposed substantial settlements to Prince Harry and veteran lawmaker Tom Watson to resolve a lawsuit tied to a longstanding phone hacking scandal.

Key Points:

• Allegations: The lawsuit accuses Murdoch's tabloids of illegally accessing voicemail messages and confidential information over the years.
• Key Figures: Will Lewis, former Washington Post publisher and a top Murdoch executive during the scandal, is implicated but not a defendant.
• Prince Harry's Stance: Harry refuses to settle, aiming to hold Murdoch papers accountable publicly, despite the potential financial burden.

Notable Quote:

"Harry had said he would not settle because he wants to make sure the Murdoch papers are publicly held to account. Yet he'd be on the hook for Murdoch's huge legal fees if he does not win a judgment greater than the settlement Murdoch offered."
— David Folkenflick (03:39)

David Folkenflick provided an in-depth analysis of the legal tensions between Murdoch's media outlets and the plaintiffs seeking accountability.

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6. Baseball Hall of Fame Inducts New Members

Host: Dan Ronan

This summer, the Baseball Hall of Fame will welcome three distinguished inductees:

• Eichio Suzuki: A Japanese superstar primarily with the Seattle Mariners, Suzuki narrowly missed unanimous induction by one vote. He will become the first Japanese-born player inducted into Cooperstown.
• Cece Sabathia: Renowned pitcher for the New York Yankees.
• Billy Wagner: Celebrated Houston Astros pitcher, recognized as one of the game's great relief pitchers.

These inductees join legends like Dick Allen and Dave Parker, who were honored by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee earlier.

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For more updates, stay tuned to NPR News Now.

Transcript

[NPR Announcer]

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[Dan Ronan]

In Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. Two major police organizations say they're discouraged by recent pardons by Presidents Biden and Trump. NPR's law enforcement correspondent Martin Casty reports.

[Martin Casty]

In an unusual joint statement, the International association of Chiefs of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police say they're not happy with recent clemency actions for people convicted of harming law enforcement officers. The most dramatic case of this was President Trump's pardon of nearly all the people arrested or convicted of crimes during the assault on the Capitol four years ago. Michael Fanone was a D.C. cop caught up in that, and he's angry.

[Michael Fanone]

You know, at the end of the day, the whole idea of backing the blue and the intern is all just crap.

[Martin Casty]

The joint statement also cites clemency actions by President Biden, which include the commutation of the life sentence of Leonard Peltier, the Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents 50 years ago. Martin Kosti, NPR News.

[Dan Ronan]

A number of states are suing the Trump administration over an executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship in the U.S. 18 states and two cities filed one lawsuit today in Massachusetts. Scott Greenstone at member station KUOW has more on the other states that have filed in Washington state.

[Michael Fanone]

Washington State will be joined by Oregon, Illinois and Arizona in the lawsuit. Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said he's also filing an emergency order to block any federal agency from denying citizenship to babies born in Washington state. The president's executive order claiming to end birthright citizenship in the United States is plainly and obviously illegal. Washington state will not abide by such harmful and unjust action. Republicans in Washington state have claimed this lawsuit is a distraction or a, quote, craven political move. For NPR News, I'm Scott Greenstone in Seattle.

[Dan Ronan]

It's snowing in the Deep south, including Macon, Georgia, which has not seen snow in seven years. Cross Grant Blankenship of Georgia Public Broadcasting.

[Grant Blankenship]

Reports snow's just beginning to fall when homeless outreach workers from the United Way of Central Georgia stop in one of the large encampments on their list.

[Michael Fanone]

Anybody home?

[Pam Pinkston]

Hey there.

[Grant Blankenship]

Stanley's alone in a cluster of tents when Pam Pinkston tells him about where he can go get warm.

[Michael Fanone]

They've extended shelter hours in the actual shelter park.

[Grant Blankenship]

Jake hall leads this work. He says the weeks long forecast worked to his advantage.

[Michael Fanone]

Past two weeks, we've been sending bus passes out into the system.

[Grant Blankenship]

Paul's glad there's some slack still in the shelter system here, but he's worried, too, about the people still unsheltered in the cold to come. For NPR News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Macon, Georgia.

[Dan Ronan]

On Wall street, all three major stock indexes posted gains, The Dow up 537 points, the Nasdaq added 126, the S&P 52 from Washington. You're listening to NPR News. Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper arm has offered Prince Harry and a veteran lawmaker sizable settlements to resolve a lawsuit involving a long running phone hacking scandal. As NPR's David Folkenflick reports, the trial would have cast a harsh light on top Murdoch executives, including one who's now publishing the Washington Post.

[David Folkenflick]

The case involves allegations that for years the Murdoch tabloids hacked into voicemail messages and otherwise illegally got access to confidential information. Washington Post publisher Will Lewis was a Top Murdoch Executive 14 years ago when the scandal was at its peak. Harry and politician Tom Watson say Lewis helped to orchestrate the destruction of millions of emails and lied to police. News UK and Lewis deny that. And Lewis is not a defendant in the case. Harry had said he would not settle because he wants to make sure the Murdoch papers are publicly held to account. Yet he'd be on the hook for Murdoch's huge legal fees if he does not win a judgment greater than the settlement Murdoch offered. David Folkenflick, NPR News, London.

[Dan Ronan]

The Baseball hall of Fame will welcome three new members this summer. Japanese superstar Eichio Suzuki, who played most of his career with the Seattle Mariners, missed being a unanimous inductee by just one vote. Pitcher Cece Sabathia, who was a star for the Yankees, and hard throwing Houston Astros pitcher Billy Wagner, who's one of the game's great relief pitchers, will be inducted. They'll join 1970s legends Dick Allen and Dave Parker, who who were inducted earlier by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee. In December, Suzuki will be the first Japanese born player ever to be inducted in Cooperstown. From NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan.

[Pam Pinkston]

This message comes from Warby Parker. What makes a great pair of glasses at Warby Parker? It's all the invisible extras without the extra cost, like free adjustments for life. Find your [e-mail] or visit one of their hundreds of stores around the country.