NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-12-2025 9PM EST

Episode Date: January 13, 2025

NPR News: 01-12-2025 9PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 Louise Schiavone. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office says it is investigating 24 deaths from the LA fires, 16 in the Eaton Fire and 8 in the Palisades Fire. This is an increase from a total of 16 yesterday. State officials say at least 12,000 structures have

been destroyed in these fires. In Altadena, where so many homes have been reduced to ash, a tight-knit community is grieving. NPR's Emma Bowman reports. Joelle Carter-Martinez and her son Pedro lost their home in the Eaton fire. The Pasadena school where she taught Spanish is also gone. But she says what's most important remains. We have lost the house. We haven't lost the home. We lost our school, the building, but we haven't lost the school community. Pedro is still in disbelief.

All the streets that were being shown on TV about the Dina burning and all that were like, that is where we want. That is where every day I go to Aldi and get my groceries or to the hardware store to do whatever my tinkering things. It's like it can't be real until they figure out what's next. The family says they will stay with a friend. Emma Bowman NPR News. The Los Angeles Unified School District says it plans to reopen most schools on Monday. The Los Angeles Unified School District says it plans to reopen most schools on Monday. The district shuttered all buildings late Wednesday as the fire situation worsened across the county. In a robo-call message to parents this

evening, the district said conditions have improved and the district is confident it is safe for students and employees to return to campuses. In the recording it said some campuses in the recording It said some schools in the highest impact areas will remain closed The Academy Awards are no longer on schedule the nominations for this year's Oscar Awards have been delayed and voting has been extended NPR's Andrew Limbaugh has the latest Bill Kramer the CEO of the Academy of Motion Arts and Pictures, sent a letter to Academy members saying, The voting window for Oscar nominations has been extended by two days and voting will

now close on Tuesday the 14th. So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area and we are thinking of you. Award season in Hollywood usually means a calendar chock full of events and everything is being affected by the fires. The Screen Actors Guild Awards canceled their live announcement of the nominees and the Writers Guild of America has also postponed their nominees announcement. But the biggest show, the 97th Academy Awards, is still set for March 2nd hosted by Conan

O'Brien. Angela Limbaugh and Pyr News. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on the ex-social media platform that he's exploring the possible participation of Ukrainian rescuers in combating the wildfires in California. He posted the offer as being coordinated and 150 Ukrainian firefighters are prepared to assist. This is NPR News. The LA Clippers expect to resume play tomorrow night at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, south

of the Palisades Fire. They'll host the Miami Heat. The Lakers are also planning on playing tomorrow, hosting the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. The Philadelphia 76ers have scrapped the team's plan to build a new basketball arena in the city's downtown. From member station WHYY, Aaron Moselle explains. The deal with Comcast Spectacor will keep the Sixers at the sports complex in South Philly. Philadelphia City Hall sources who weren't authorized to speak publicly confirmed the

agreement to MPR. The decision comes more than two years after the team said it wanted to build a home of its own in downtown Philly and less than a month after local lawmakers passed legislation authorizing the billion-dollar facility. There aren't a lot of details about the Sixers' arrangement with Comcast, but the company has plans to transform the stadium district into a year-round destination by redeveloping some of its parking lots. For now, the master plan doesn't specifically call for a new arena, but does leave room

for one. The Sixers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. For MPR News, I'm Aaron Moes-Allen, Philadelphia. The Buffalo Bills scored a 31-7 win over the Denver Broncos in a wild card playoff game. The five-time AFC East defending champions advanced to the divisional round for a fifth straight post season where they'll play the Baltimore Ravens. I'm Louise Schiavone, MPR News. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have outlined their plans to slash the federal workforce

with the help of a team of quote small government crusaders. What's in store for federal workers and how are they planning for change? This January 1A's.gov series guides you through various government agencies and the people working for you. Listen to the 1A podcast from NPR.