NPR News: 01-23-2025 8PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
This message comes from Intuit TurboTax. Now, taxes is matching with an expert backed by tech to get you the most money back at TurboTax.com. Experts only available with TurboTax Live. See guarantee details at TurboTax.com slash guarantees.
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Pete Hegseth's nomination to lead the Department of Defense cleared a procedural vote today. NPR's Deidre Walsh reports there's some Republican opposition, but it's not expected to derail him.
Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski announced she could not support Hegseth, citing his lack of experience and reports about excessive drinking and other inappropriate behavior that raised questions about his character. A second GOP senator, Susan Collins of Maine, also plans to vote no.
She raised doubt about him leading the large department and his previous comments about women serving in group combat roles. Hegseth backtracked on those, but Collins says she's not convinced his position has changed. Hegseth is not expected to get any support from Democrats, but he can afford to lose as many as three GOP votes. The final Senate vote is expected sometime on Friday.
And Hegseth appears likely to be confirmed as Secretary of Defense, mostly along party lines. Deirdre Walsh, NPR News, the Capitol.
President Trump's nominee to lead Veterans Affairs easily passed Senate committee today. Also, NPR's Quill Lawrence reports the vast majority of VA staff were exempted from federal hiring freeze.
Doug Collins, an Air Force Reserve colonel and former Georgia congressman, was endorsed by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee 18 to 1, almost guaranteeing he'll be the next Secretary of Veterans Affairs. During his confirmation hearing this week, he was pressed on whether President Trump's federal hiring freeze would apply to VA. He said he needed to study it.
In the meantime, doctors and nurses nationwide who thought they had VA job offers got the news their offers were rescinded. After two days of mixed messages, the administration has now exempted the majority of health care positions at VA from the hiring freeze. Senate Democrats have urged Trump to protect all VA staff positions from the freeze. Quill Lawrence, NPR News.
President Trump is calling on Saudi Arabia to lower oil prices, which he says could help bring an end to Russia's war in Ukraine. His remarks were from the White House and delivered by video to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. More from NPR's Deepa Shivram.
After listing what he sees as accomplishments in his first week of office, Trump addressed the Economic Forum in Switzerland with a focus on tariffs. saying that if products aren't made in America, there will be tariffs added to them. He also said he would call on Saudi Arabia to bring down the cost of oil, and that doing so would, quote, immediately end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Russia, which exports a lot of oil, has been relying on the high cost of it to sustain the war.
Right now the price is high enough that that war will continue. You've got to bring down the oil price, you've got to end that war.
Trump also said China's Xi Jinping could help pressure Russia's Putin to end the conflict. Deepa Shivaram, NPR News, the White House.
U.S. financial markets closed mostly higher, with the broad market notching another record high today in hopes of falling interest rates. The S&P 500 gained 32 points. You're listening to NPR. Members of the powerful Sackler family who own Oxycontin maker Purdue Pharma and the company itself are agreeing to pay out $7.4 billion to settle lawsuits over the toll of the powerful opioid painkiller.
The deal is an improvement over a previous proposal that was rejected last year by the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court shot down the earlier proposal largely because it protected members of the wealthy family from civil lawsuits over the drug. even though they were not in bankruptcy. The latest deal comes on top of about $50 billion in opioid settlements announced in recent years.
A new study shows adults who are diagnosed with ADHD live shorter lives than people without such a diagnosis. More from NPR's Maria Godoy.
women with ADHD lived an average of nine years less. Prior research has found that factors including smoking, sleep, exercise, nutrition, and risky driving are key factors behind the shorter lifespans in adults with ADHD. Researchers say these factors are linked to impulsivity, which can be treated.
The findings are in line with other research that finds untreated ADHD raises the risk of serious health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Maria Godoy, NPR News.
Cradle features prices move lower today, oil down 82 cents a barrel to settle at 74.62 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.
This message comes from Bombas. Their socks are super plush, designed to support your arches and support people in need. One purchase equals one donated to those experiencing homelessness. Go to bombas.com slash NPR and use code NPR for 20% off your first order.