NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-05-2025 5AM EST

Episode Date: January 5, 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 in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. Members of the public are paying their respects to the late former president, Jimmy Carter. Carter will lie in repose at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta through Tuesday morning.

NPR's Stephen Fallon reports on this weekend's ceremony, honoring Carter's humanitarian work. Carter's first funeral service Saturday was held in front of staff members who worked at his presidential library and his nonprofit Carter Center, where he spent more than 40 years after the White House fighting to advance democracy and advance public health goals.

His grandson, Jason Carter, said their work honors his legacy. We will spend this week celebrating this incredible life, and a life that I think we can all agree is as full and powerful as any life can be. As someone said, it's amazing what you can cram into a hundred years. Carter will lie in repose until Tuesday before traveling to Washington, D.C. for services at the U.S. Capitol and Washington National Cathedral. Stephen Fowler, NPR News, Atlanta.

Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Quintin Lucas says his city is prepared for that winter storm that's socking the region. This is not something that's unusual for us. Major winter storms are a thing that we have. It doesn't mean that we are unserious about them. It does mean that we're realistic and our city will reopen in the days ahead. That storm system stretches from the central U.S. to the nation's capital, the National Weather Service, as it will dump heavy snow and damaging ice accumulations through late

tomorrow night. Ice in Kansas City led to the temporary closure of the International Airport yesterday. Dozens of flights were canceled. Overseas, heavy snow has disrupted flights in the UK and the Netherlands. Commercial international flights will soon start flying into the Syrian capital of Damascus. That's according to a top aviation official. Most flights had been grounded in the country since early December. NPR's Diya Hadid reports from Damascus.

The general manager of Syrian Air, Hatem Qabas, tells NPR that their first international flight is scheduled to fly from the Damascus airport to Dubai on Tuesday. Qatar Airways, based in the Gulf, also says it will start flying into the Syrian capital three times a week. Flights carrying humanitarian and diplomatic delegations have already been landing in the country, but commercial flights were largely grounded after rebels seized power. Ludo's ransacked the airport and staff have been working to repair the damage. The state of Syria's aviation industry has been dire for years because of war, international sanctions and Israeli bombardment.

Tia Hadid, NPR News, Damascus. Renewed push is underway to reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The talks are being brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S. It remains unclear how far along the talks are. Yesterday, Hamas released a video showing an Israeli hostage. And you're listening to NPR News. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is to meet with top officials in Seoul today as a deadline looms for the arrest of impeached South Korean President Yoon Sang-yul.

Protesters both for and against Yoon gathered near his residence overnight in freezing temperatures and heavy snow. The arrest warrant over Yoon's botched attempt to declare martial law expires tomorrow night. Poland has taken over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. It's a six-month position last held by Euroskeptic Hungary. Terry Schultz reports the next six months are going to be key in the EU's future relationships with both Moscow and Washington. Hosting a gala celebration in Warsaw to kick off his country's turn at the EU Council presidency, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged his fellow European leaders to band together against the challenges of an aggressive Russia and a US that's seen as unpredictable under

President-elect Donald Trump. We have every reason to become a strong Europe again, he said. Poland is prepared for this task. The EU is worried that after his January 20th inauguration, Trump will quickly go through with threats to dramatically reduce aid to Ukraine, Poland's neighbor, and to impose trade tariffs on goods coming from the EU. The US is the European Union's biggest trading partner. For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz in Brussels.

The first major ceremony of the Hollywood Awards season is tonight. The Golden Globes are to be handed out in Los Angeles. Films such as Wicked, The Brutalist, and Amelia Perez are in contention for top awards ahead of the Oscars in March. I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News.