NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-11-2025 4AM EST

Episode Date: January 11, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Devastating wildfires continue to burn in and around Los Angeles tonight. 153,000 people remain under evacuation order and a curfew is in place in some areas, says LA Police Chief Jim McDonnell. The curfew will run from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Unless you are public safety personnel or other disaster workers, you have no reason to be at these locations. And if we see you in these areas, you have no reason to be at these locations. And if we see you in these areas, you will be subject to arrest."

In response to those devastating fires, a small seafood restaurant in Orange County has rallied the community to help their neighbors up north. NPR's Emma Bowman has more. About an hour's drive south of the Palisades and Eaton fires, Lorne and Andrew Gruhl have turned their diner into a donation hub for wildfire relief. They own the Calico Fish House in Huntington Beach. We've seen such an outpouring of support. My husband and I put out a call to action on our social media and it kind of just blew up in the best possible way. People from around the country have chipped in with shipments to the diner, but mostly

it's locals showing up with supplies or trucks to haul the donations to LA. Shannon Aranis has been helping load the trucks. I mean kids are going through their stuff that they just got for Christmas and donating. It's so so great. The locals here say that's just the spirit of Surf City USA. Emma Bowman, NPR News, Huntington Beach. President-elect Donald Trump will begin office as a convicted and sentenced felon. More from NPR's Andrea Bernstein. Trump received no jail time, probation, or fines

at his sentencing hearing, just an unconditional discharge after being convicted by a jury of 34 felonies. Trump fought furiously to avoid even that outcome, not wanting the stain of a felony conviction hanging over his presidency. The judge in the case, Juan Marchand, who had himself sentenced Trump's former chief financial officer to jail time, said the constitutional protections of the presidency bolstered by the Supreme Court's immunity decision last July meant that this was the only sentence that could be applied to an incoming president.

Trump's lawyer, Todd Blanch, whom trump has nominated for the number two position in the justice department said he hoped quote this will never happen again in this country plan says will appeal andrea bernstein in pier news new york the supreme court heard oral arguments on friday over a law that will ban the video app tick tock from the u.s. if it's china on parent company does not sell that company. The federal government argues that a Chinese owner of a social media app threatens our national security. NPR's Bobby Allen.

So we're waiting to hear if the court is going to delay the ban start date and then also when it will rule on the merits, which will be in the coming days. And of course, there was President-elect Donald Trump who has vowed to save TikTok and that might throw another wrench into this situation. Ohio State beat Texas 28 to 14 Friday night in the college football playoff semifinals. Quinn Sean Judkins ran for two touchdowns in the win. You're listening to NPR News. Israel says it's carried out new airstrikes in Yemen against what it said were Houthi rebel military targets.

It comes a day after the Houthis launched multiple drones at Israel. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf reports. The strikes were on the western coast of Yemen, an inland, according to the Israeli military. It said it struck civilian infrastructure that had been, quote, exploited by the Iranian-backed Houthis, like a major power station and several ports. It was not immediately clear the extent of the damage, but pro-Houthi media reported at least one person had been killed and nine others wounded. Houthi leadership called the strikes a quote crime and a dangerous escalation. The Houthis have fired several drones and missiles toward Israel in

recent weeks, including three at once the day before. In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the Houthis will, quote, continue to pay a heavy price for their aggression against Israel. Kat Lonsdorf, NPR News, Tel Aviv. A winter storm that dropped heavy snow and glazed roads throughout the U.S. south is maintaining its icy grip on much of the region this weekend. Power outage numbers around Atlanta have crept up as meteorologists warn of accumulating freezing rain there. Georgia transportation officials are urging people to stay off the roads until midday Saturday. Naval ships from Estonia are taking part in stepped-up patrols in the

Baltic Sea by NATO countries. They're looking for any suspicious activity after undersea power and communications cables were cut late last year. Several countries have accused Russia in the incident, but the Kremlin has denied any involvement. Finnish police have seized one ship they say may have cut the cables with its anchor. I'm Dale Willman and you're listening to NPR News.