NPR News: 01-21-2025 4AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: January 21, 2025, 4AM EST

Hosted by NPR

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Presidential Pardons for January 6 Participants

Dan Ronan opens the episode with significant news regarding former President Donald Trump's actions shortly after being sworn in for his second term. Trump has issued 1,500 full pardons to individuals convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack.

Dan Ronan reports:

"Approximately 1,500 for a pardon. Yes, full pardon." [00:17]

This move comes as part of Trump's initial executive actions. A bipartisan Senate report highlighted the severity of the January 6th events, noting fatalities among Capitol Police officers due to injuries and suicides, with over 140 officers injured. The pardons have sparked considerable debate across the political spectrum.

US-Mexico-Canada Trade Relations: Tariff Tensions Rise

Dan Ronan transitions to international trade tensions, focusing on the strained relationship between the United States and its neighbors, Canada and Mexico. Initially, President Trump did not mention tariffs in his inaugural address, providing temporary relief. However, this sentiment was short-lived as tariffs were later announced to potentially impact these countries starting February 1st.

Dan Karpenschuk provides further insight:

"Canadians had been bracing for the 25% tariffs to take effect immediately. Now leaders here say they are more hopeful that they have time to negotiate..." [01:22]

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolie expressed a dual approach of preventing tariffs while preparing countermeasures. Ontario Premier Doug Ford warned:

"Make no mistake about it, he's coming for us." [01:22]

Canada's federal government had been strategizing a phased counter-tariff response, now potentially delaying implementation to explore diplomatic resolutions.

Marco Rubio Confirmed as Secretary of State

In a historic appointment, Marco Rubio has been unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the next Secretary of State. Dan Ronan reports:

"Marco Rubio is making history as the first Latino to serve as secretary of state..." [02:04]

Claudia Grisales adds that Rubio's nomination benefited from bipartisan support, setting him apart from other Trump cabinet picks that face delays or opposition due to controversies. Notable nominees encountering challenges include:

• Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary, whose confirmation is delayed amidst allegations of misconduct.
• Cash Patel for FBI Director.
• Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence.
• Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for an unspecified role.

Brief News Highlights

Dan Ronan offers a roundup of additional headlines:

• Ohio State University triumphs as the national champions of college football, defeating Notre Dame.
• Wall Street remains closed on Monday in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, set to reopen the following day.
• Oil Prices see a significant increase for the fourth consecutive week, with West Texas Intermediate crude rising to $77 per barrel, marking a $7 increase since late December, influenced by the new Trump administration's policies.

Hubble Space Telescope Completes Comprehensive Andromeda Survey

A major milestone in astronomy was reported by Dan Ronan, featuring an in-depth segment by Jonathan Lambert:

"NASA's Hubble telescope has completed the widest look yet at the Andromeda Galaxy..." [03:50]

The Hubble Space Telescope's extensive survey, published in the Astrophysical Journal, added approximately 100 million stars to the southern half of Andromeda. This endeavor required over a decade and about 1,000 revolutions around Earth to gather the necessary photos. The comprehensive data is expected to enhance scientists' understanding of Andromeda's history, particularly its interactions and collisions with smaller galaxies.

Severe Winter Storm Threatens the Gulf States and Southeast

Concluding the episode, Dan Ronan alerts listeners to an impending winter storm poised to affect regions from Texas through the Gulf states into the Southeast. Key points include:

• Cities such as Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas in Texas could receive up to 5 inches of snow.
• The storm poses significant dangers due to the unusually cold temperatures gripping much of the nation.

Ronan emphasizes the breadth of the storm's impact:

"A winter storm now threatening to blanket areas from Texas through the Gulf states into the Southeast." [04:36]

Residents in the affected areas are advised to prepare for severe weather conditions and potential disruptions.

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Transcript

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[Dan Ronan]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. 1,500 men and women who were involved and convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021 attack at the US Capitol have received pardons from. In one of his first acts as president, just hours after being sworn in for his second term, Trump signed a number of executive orders and other documents in the Oval Office. So this is January 6th. These are the hostages. Approximately 1,500 for a pardon. Yes, full pardon. A bipartisan U.S. senate report said the January 6th attack left several people dead, including Capitol Police officers, as a result of their injuries and suicides. In all, more than 140 officers were hurt. There was some relief in Ottawa Monday when President Trump didn't mention tariffs during his inaugural address. As Dan Karpenschuk reports, the relief was short lived when Trump later added tariffs would likely be slapped on Canada and Mexico February 1st.

[Dan Karpenschuk]

Canadians had been bracing for the 25% tariffs to take effect immediately. Now leaders here say they are more hopeful that they have time to negotiate and persuade Trump to give up the idea of punishing tariffs of 25. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolie says the Canadians will now be working on preventing the tariffs and at the same time preparing countermeasures. Canada's federal government had been developing a three phase counter tariff response to roll out on Inauguration Day. That will now likely come when and if Trump goes ahead with the tariffs. Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he's not certain about Trump's next moves, but says, quote, make no mistake about it, he's coming for us. For NPR News, I'm Dan Karpenschuk in Toronto.

[Dan Ronan]

The U.S. senate has unanimously confirmed Florida Republican Marco Rubio as the next secretary of state Monday. NPR's Claudia Grisels reports Rubio is the first Trump cabinet pick to get a vote.

[Claudia Grisales]

Marco Rubio is making history as the first Latino to serve as secretary of state, and bipartisan support sped his nomination through the Senate confirmation process. However, there's a long list of Trump nominees, including several controversial picks who will face more delays or in some cases, opposition. Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, an Army veteran and former Fox host beset by allegations of sexual misconduct and alcohol abuse, will see his Senate vote delayed as a result of Democratic opposition confirmation hearings have yet to be scheduled for Cash Patel for FBI director, Tulsi Gabbard for director of national Intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. For Health Secretary Claude Grisales, NPR News.

[Dan Ronan]

Ohio State are the national champs of college football. They beat Notre Dame. This is NPR News. Wall street was closed Monday in observance of the Martin Luther King holiday. It will reopen Monday. Meanwhile, oil prices have increased for four weeks in a row. West Texas Intermediate crude is now $77 a barrel, a up $7 since late December as traders assess the new Trump administration. The Hubble Space Telescope has completed the most comprehensive survey yet of the Andromedia Galaxy. As NPR's Jonathan Lambert reports, the new images will help scientists understand the history of our galactic neighbor.

[Jonathan Lambert]

The spiral shaped Andromeda Galaxy is the closest galaxy to our Milky way, only about 2.5 million light years away. That's made it tough for astronomers to construct a full picture of Andromeda, because to see it, telescopes need to cover a relatively large swath of the sky. Now NASA's Hubble telescope has completed the widest look yet. In a study published last week in the Astrophysical Journal, researchers added about 100 million stars in the southern half of Andromeda. It took the telescope over a decade, about 1,000 revolutions around Earth to collect all of the photos. The analysis will help researchers reconstruct Andromeda's history, which scientists suspect involved collisions with smaller galaxies. Jonathan Lambert, NPR News.

[Dan Ronan]

Much of the nation is experiencing dangerously cold temperatures. A winter storm now threatening to blanket areas from Texas through the Gulf states into the Southeast. Many cities in Texas, including Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Dallas, could get up to 5 inches of snow. I'm Dan Ronan in Washington. This is NPR News.

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