NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-11-2025 3PM EST

Episode Date: January 11, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. Historic wildfires are burning across the Los Angeles area for the fifth straight day. Eleven people are dead, others are unaccounted for. Crews are beginning search and recovery operations. Elise Hugh reports from Los Angeles. The L.A. County Sheriff is working with the Coroner's Office and FEMA to conduct searches. L.A LA County Sheriff Robert Luna says specialized search and rescue teams will use cadaver dogs to search for missing

people as well as remains. Due to safety concerns, we are unable to safely search the impacted areas during the hours of darkness. So this will only be taking place while there's light. Firefighters have struggled to contain the biggest Palisades fire in West Los Angeles. It grew by about 1,000 acres overnight. For NPR News, I'm Elise Hue in Los Angeles. Fire officials now say the Palisades fire is about 11 percent contained after burning more than 22,000 acres. The Eaton fire, also in Los Angeles County, is now about 15 percent contained.

It's black in more than 14,000 acres. Meanwhile, weather forecasters say the Santa Ana winds, which have been spreading the flames, are expected to return today. California Governor Gavin Newsom is ordering an independent investigation into why firefighters battling the fires face challenges getting water. For Member Station KQED, Marissa Lagos reports. Crews in the Pacific Palisades and near Pasadena have repeatedly been stymied by low water pressure and fire hydrants running dry.

In a letter to local officials, Newsom wrote that while water supplies from hydrants are not designed for widespread blazes, losing supplies likely impaired firefighting and evacuation efforts. He directed state water and fire officials to investigate. Newsom asked LA officials to conduct their own review and share information with the state. Ukraine's president says his soldiers have captured North Korean troops fighting for Russia. Thousands of North Korean troops are now involved in the war. NPR's Juenica Kisses reports from Lviv. Writing on the social media app Telegram, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the two North Korean soldiers were wounded in Kursk, the Russian border region partly occupied

by Ukraine. He said the soldiers are cooperating with Ukraine's domestic intelligence service and will be available to speak to journalists. A unit of Ukraine's special operations forces also released this video, complete with dramatic music, showing the capture of the North Korean soldiers. In the video, one soldier appears listless as medics swab at his wounds. Zelensky shared photos of another injured soldier with bandaged arms in a striped sweater. In the video, one soldier appears listless as medics swab at his wounds. Zelensky shared photos of another injured soldier with bandaged arms and a striped sweater. He said the soldiers are being treated for their injuries in Kiev. Joanna Kekesis, NPR News, Lviv.

This is NPR News in Washington. The Supreme Court is considering whether to delay a law that could force TikTok to shut down in the U.S. The China-based parent company has until January 19th to sell the popular video-sharing app or be banned on national security grounds. The justices heard arguments yesterday. The Super Bowl in New Orleans is less than a month away. Public safety concerns have grown since the

Bourbon Street attack on New Year's Day. Officials say state and local law enforcement are prepared. Joseph King of the Gulf States Newsroom reports. At a press conference, New Orleans city officials reassured residents and visitors. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said local agencies working alongside the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies have created a program for people and businesses involved with the Super Bowl to help identify any suspicious activity. Our greatest asset, which we keep hearing over and over, and which we know are our people. And so if we can engage them in training, and it is specifically on security and terrorism awareness training that we will be conducting.

Cantrell said there will be hundreds of local, state, and federal officers spread out across New Orleans to ensure public safety. For NPR News, I'm Joseph King. Singer Sam Moore has died. He was one half of the 1960s duo Sam and Dave, with hits including Soul Man and Hold On I'm Comin'. His publicist tells the Associated Press he died yesterday in Coral Gables, Florida, while recovering from surgery. Sam Moore was 89. I'm Nora Rahm. NPR News in Washington.