NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-03-2025 2AM EST

Episode Date: January 3, 2025

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Okay, so does this sound like you? You love NPR's podcasts, you wish you could get more of all your favorite shows, and you want to support NPR's mission to create a more informed public. If all that sounds appealing, then it is time to sign up for the NPR Plus bundle. Learn more at plus.npr.org. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Police in Las Vegas say the man who caused a Tesla Cybertruck to explode outside the Trump Hotel on Thursday was a highly decorated soldier. The in Germany and he was back in the U.S. on approved leave.

And authorities said today they were unable to initially identify him because he was burned beyond recognition, but they did find other clues. That's Joe Shaneman of Nevada Public Radio. Police say Livelsberger shot himself in the head just before the explosion occurred. Seven people received minor injuries from the blast. The Pentagon says Littlesberger had served in the Army since 2006 and was on a prove lead when he died. The FBI says the driver who killed 14 people in New Orleans on New Year's Eve acted alone and there's no more threat to the public. And as NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports, Bourbon Street is

now open once again. It didn't take long for this iconic strip to swing back to life. Quinton and Gina Snow came this week from Texas and were on this street until just an hour before the attack. They say it feels surreal now, but they're grateful the large security presence that was here near Z eve acted fast. You can't anticipate everything sadly. You know, and there were cars and trucks at many of the intersections. Businesses say they've taken a hit at one of their peak times, but they hope people don't stay

away. Jennifer Ludden and Pierre News New Orleans. The final four teams of the college football playoffs are now set. The semifinal games will take place late next week. NPR's Becky Sullivan has this preview. In the first semifinal, Penn State will take on Notre Dame, the lowest seed left and the winner of the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

Both schools were powerhouses in the 1980s but haven't won a championship in decades. That game will take place next Thursday. Then on Friday will be a showdown between two teams that were each ranked in the top three for most of the season, the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Ohio State looked unstoppable this week as they took down the undefeated top overall seed Oregon Ducks while Texas escaped a thriller with Arizona State that went to double overtime. The two winners will play for the title on January 20th.

Becky Sullivan, NPR News. Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Thursday have killed at least 40 people, and that includes several children. The first attack hit the humanitarian zone known as Mwazi, which holds hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians. Israel's military says it was targeting a senior police officer involved in gathering intelligence for Hamas. A second strike in central Gaza, meanwhile, killed members of a local committee that helped to secure aid convoys,

and a third strike in southern Gaza killed five policemen. You're listening to NPR News. Investigators in South Korea tried to detain impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol over his short-lived martial law decree last month. Yoon is at his residence in Seoul, and hundreds of his supporters gathered outside his home vowing to protect him. In a message to his supporters, Yoon said he will fight to the end against anti-state forces. His lawyers, meanwhile, say the warrant to detain him is illegal. A cold front known as an Arctic outbreak is spreading through much of

the U.S. As NPR's Rachel Triesman reports, the central and eastern parts of the country could soon see their coldest air of the season so far. The National Weather Service says blasts of air from Siberia have reached the northern plains and will spread east and south into next week. The cold front is likely to bring below average temperatures as far south as Florida and the Gulf Coast. Forecasters are also warning of a weekend storm that could dump heavy snow and hazardous ice from the central plains to the mid-Atlantic and northeast. They're encouraging people to stock up on three days worth of provisions, insulate their pipes, monitor emergency alerts, and check in on their loved ones. Rachel Triesman, NPR News. A controversial call in the college football playoff game between Texas and Arizona State

this week has led to a call from the commissioner of the Big 12 Conference for more clarity on what is required for such a penalty. A Texas safety hit an Arizona state receiver with his helmet during the game, but a potential penalty was waived off by the officials. Using the crown of the helmet to strike another player is considered a major element of that penalty. Texas went on to win the game 39 to 31.

I'm Dale Willman, NPR News. What's in store for the music, TV, and film industries for 2025? I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.