NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-12-2025 10AM EST

Episode Date: January 12, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell is on the ground in Los Angeles where wildfires have reduced neighborhoods to smoldering ruins. When you come to one of these fires, it's, it's, people have lost everything. When, when you look at a hurricane and a tornado, people have something that they can come sift through and try to find their memories. But here they've lost the physical structure, but they've also lost so many of their memories, which makes this journey that they're going to have to go through that much more difficult in the coming weeks and months.

Nat. The flag warnings for fire danger remain in effect through at least Wednesday. Chriswell told ABC today that active duty U.S. military personnel stand ready to deploy to help contain the fires. The death toll from the fires rising. Authorities are investigating 16 deaths and more are expected. NPR's Amy Held reports 11 people are believed to have died in the Eaton fire at their homes in Altadena. Amy Held, NPR News Anchor Many were elderly or had mobility issues, like Anthony Mitchell, a 67-year year old amputee who used a wheelchair. He stayed behind with his son who had cerebral palsy. Both died. Rory Sykes

also had cerebral palsy. He was at home in Malibu as the palisades fire approached. His mother Shelley Sykes told Australia's 10 News First. He said, Mom, leave me and I know mom can leave the kid. But all the phone lines were down and she had to go get help. I've got a broken out. I couldn't lift him. By the time she returned, it was too late. Rory Sykes was 32.

Other victims died trying to protect their homes or pets. Search and rescue crews are working to find other victims. Amy Held, NPR News. TikTok is waiting for a decision from the Supreme Court over a law that could ban the app by January 19th. NPR's Bobby Allen reports that lawyers for the video service say if it shut down, lawmakers could then go after other companies. Tick Tock is asking the Supreme Court to pause or overturn a law prohibiting the app from operating in the U.S. unless it sheds its Chinese owner. TikTok's legal team told the court that upholding the ban

will set a dangerous precedent. Lawyer Jeff Fisher, who represented creators on TikTok in the case, asked the justices why lawmakers did not appear worried about other Chinese apps in its crackdown. Would a Congress really worried about these very dramatic risks leave out an e-commerce site like Temu that has 70 million Americans using it.

The Justice Department says China's potential influence over TikTok makes the app a risk to Americans' data and security. President-elect Donald Trump says once in office, he will find a way to save the app. Bobby Allen, NPR News, Washington. Special counsel Jack Smith has resigned from the Justice Department. The department disclosed Smith's departure in a court filing filing this weekend saying his resignation took effect on friday smith left the doj amid legal wrangling over the two volume report on president-elect donald trump that he and his team had prepared this is mpr news play has begun at the first grand

slam tennis tournament of the year, the Australian Open in Melbourne. Christina Kukulia reports on some of the top-ranked US players. More than 30 American players are set to compete in the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam for the year. The women's singles draw includes 19 American women, among them Coco Goff, Jessica Pagula, Emma Navarro and Danielle Collins. Goff, the 2023 US Open winner and ranked number three in the world, has fellow American Sophia Kennan as her first round opponent.

In the men's singles draw, there are 14 Americans, including Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul and Francis Tiafoe. Fritz, who enters the tournament ranked number four in the world, is up against another American, Jensen Brooksby, in the first round. For NPR News, I'm Christina Kukula in Melbourne. Rena Sabalinka is going for a third straight Australian Open title. She won her first round match against American Sloan Stevens today.

Novak Djokovic will begin his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title tomorrow. The lawyer for South Korea's impeached president, Yoon Sung-yeol, says he will not attend the first hearing of his trial to determine whether he will be removed from office, a hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Yoon's lawyer is citing concerns about his safety amid a standoff with police over an arrest warrant, following his failed attempt to impose martial law last month. President Biden has honored Pope Francis, awarding the pope this weekend with a presidential medal of freedom with distinction. Biden had planned to present the medal in person in Rome,

but canceled the trip to monitor the wildfires in California. I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News.