NPR News Now: January 22, 2025, 2PM EST – Detailed Summary

On the January 22, 2025, episode of NPR News Now, host Lakshmi Singh delivered a comprehensive update on the latest national and international news. The episode covered a range of topics, including political developments, public safety incidents, advancements in space science, and significant movements in the business world. Below is a detailed summary of the key discussions, insights, and conclusions presented during the broadcast.

1. President Trump's Pardons for January 6th Participants

Lakshmi Singh opened the episode by addressing the controversial pardons issued by former President Donald Trump to over 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. David Brown, an independent voter from South Carolina, expressed his disapproval of the pardons, highlighting a sense of injustice and disrespect toward law enforcement.

• David Brown (00:53):
  "I believe if they were instructed to do something and they did not follow the officers or the police enforcement rules and follow what they said, they should be serving their time. I think it's pretty much a slap in the face of the law establishment."

Supporting these sentiments, an NPR/PBS Marist poll released prior to Trump’s presidency indicated that approximately 60% of Americans disapproved of the pardoning of January 6 rioters (01:07). This considerable disapproval underscores the ongoing national debate over accountability and the rule of law.

2. Antioch High School Shooting and Immigration Enforcement

The episode also reported a tragic incident at Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee, where three students were injured in a shooting (01:17). The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) provided updates via social media, noting that one of the injured was the suspect, who sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In response, buses were arranged to transfer other students to a safer location to reunite with their families.

Amidst this incident, the administration's stance on immigration enforcement was also highlighted. A U.S. official revealed plans for the Pentagon to deploy up to 1,500 active-duty troops to the U.S. border with Mexico, although specific units remain undetermined (01:17).

3. Marco Rubio’s Priorities as Secretary of State

Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined his strategic priorities at the State Department, emphasizing a shift away from the previous administration's focus areas. According to Michelle Kellerman of NPR, Rubio stressed the importance of securing the nation’s borders and collaborating with Western Hemisphere countries to manage illegal immigration (02:04).

• Marco Rubio (02:04):
  "Under my leadership, the State Department will help President Trump return to American energy dominance and do away with climate policies that he believes weaken America."

Rubio also indicated a move to "get back to the basics of diplomacy" by minimizing focus on "political and cultural causes that are, quote, divisive at home and deeply unpopular abroad," specifically mentioning LGBTQ rights and climate change. This realignment includes the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to energy independence over environmental initiatives.

4. Netflix Price Hike and Prince Harry’s Legal Settlement

Netflix announced another price increase for its streaming services in the United States. The standard, ad-free plan rose by over $2 to $17.99 per month, while the cheaper option with advertisements increased by $1 to $7.99 per month (02:49). Additionally, the streaming giant is intensifying efforts to curb password sharing among users. Despite these changes, Netflix reported that total paid memberships surpassed 300 million subscribers worldwide in the fourth quarter.

In a separate entertainment-related news piece, Prince Harry and senior British lawmaker Tom Watson secured an unprecedented apology from Rupert Murdoch's British tabloids. This settlement effectively concluded their legal battle over privacy breaches without proceeding to trial.

• David Folkenflik (03:34):
  "The News of the World... essentially apologized to him for going into his personal life in deep and unlawful and insensitive ways and even reached back to his childhood and to apologizing for the treatment of his mother, Princess Diana."

This resolution marks the end of Harry’s prolonged efforts to hold these tabloids accountable for their invasive practices.

5. Discovery of Chorus Waves in Space

Shifting to scientific advancements, Regina Barber reported on a groundbreaking study regarding chorus waves—natural phenomena that produce bursts of radiation in space (03:56). These waves, harnessed from radiation occurring approximately 100,000 miles above Earth's surface, are generated by "bunched up charged electrons trapped in Earth's magnetic field."

A recent study published in the journal Nature by researchers in Beijing, China, was the first to identify chorus waves in a region where Earth’s magnetic field is notably weak and less uniform. Understanding these waves is crucial as they have the potential to "accelerate particles to close to the speed of light," which poses risks to satellites and other spacecraft.

• Regina Barber (04:10):
  "This information could help protect satellites and other spacecraft from damage, since chorus waves can accelerate particles to close to the speed of light."

This discovery opens new avenues for safeguarding space infrastructure against natural space weather phenomena.

6. Financial Markets Update

Concluding the episode, Lakshmi Singh provided a brief update on the financial markets. The NASDAQ Composite Index rose by 267 points, marking a 1.3% increase (04:47). This uptick indicates positive investor sentiment and potential growth in the technology sector.

Conclusion

The January 22, 2025, episode of NPR News Now offered listeners a thorough overview of pressing issues spanning political controversies, public safety, international diplomacy, corporate strategies, scientific discoveries, and financial markets. By integrating firsthand accounts, expert analysis, and significant data points, the episode ensured that listeners remained informed about the multifaceted developments shaping the national and global landscape.