NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-13-2025 10AM EST

Episode Date: January 13, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korova Coleman. In Los Angeles, stronger winds are in the forecast for the next 72 hours. That could complicate efforts by fire crews to contain the major fires that continue to burn in and around the city. Steve Futterman reports 24 people have been killed. It is the one thing people here do not want. The increased winds will continue for the next three days. The strongest are forecast to come late Tuesday into Wednesday.

Because of the threat, fire crews are being pre-positioned in areas thought to be vulnerable. Ryan Chadwick is in the Mandeville Canyon area. Fires obviously continuing to go, but we're keeping it contained, keeping it away from the houses. From here right now, things are looking good around these homes. As strong as these winds will be they are not expected to be nearly equal to the tremendously strong winds last week. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles. California Governor Gavin Newsom says he has already ordered work to begin on fire recovery. More than 12,000 structures have been damaged or lost in the L.A. blazes.

Investigators are evaluating the structure before debris removal begins. The governor says he estimates it will take between six and nine months to remove all the fire wreckage. Negotiations continue in Qatar to try to reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza. Representatives from Israel, Hamas, and the U.S. are in close proximity in Qatar reviewing proposals. The outgoing Biden administration and members of the incoming Trump administration are working together on the issues. And Piers Daniel Estrin says they both want some kind of agreement reached before Biden

leaves office. I spoke with an official with knowledge of the ongoing talks, who's not authorized to speak publicly, but who said Trump's team has told Israel that by the inauguration, they want either a deal or a declaration of principles, which would be some kind of document that would, you know, lock the sides into a commitment toward a deal. NPR's Daniel Estrin reporting. Stocks open mixed this morning as oil prices jump. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose about 140 points in early trading. Oil prices

jumped sharply over the weekend after the Biden administration added new sanctions against Russia's energy sector. The benchmark for U.S. crude topped $78 a barrel. So far, the higher crude prices have not filtered down to the gas pump. AAA says regular gas is selling for an average of just over $3.06 a gallon, little change from a week ago. U.S. Steel has gotten a little more time to cancel its planned sale to Japan's Nippon Steel. President Biden moved to block that sale, citing national security concerns, but an interagency committee agreed to delay the effective date of that order until mid-June. Stock in U.S. steel rose on the news. The companies still

hope to salvage the deal. Scott Horsley in Pear News, Washington. On Wall Street, the Dow is up 142 points. The Nasdaq is down 230. This is NPR. The U.S. Geological Survey says an earthquake hit southeastern Japan today with a magnitude of 6.9. Japanese authorities issued a tsunami advisory, but there are no immediate reports of damage. Japanese officials say they're going to investigate to see if this tremor could be linked to its warning last year for the potential of a mega-quake. Canada's foreign affairs minister says she is considering all options when it comes to

countermeasures against tariffs threatened by President-elect Trump. As Dan Karpenchuk reports, that's the message Canadian leaders will take to Washington next week. During an interview with CTV News, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolie was asked if she would cut off energy exports to the U.S. in response to tariffs. Jolie said, quote, everything is on the table, adding it's a conversation she would have with Republican decision makers. Canada's leaders say Trump's threat of a 25 percent tariff on

Canadian products would be devastating for the economies of both countries. Some premiers are against cutting off energy exports to retaliate. The premiers are to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week to formulate a Canadian response to theate. The premiers are to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week to formulate a Canadian response to the tariffs. Jolie says she's calling on every political leader in Canada to be on board because this is no time for division. For NPR News, I'm Dan Karpanchuk in Toronto. The world's largest religious gathering has begun in Prayagraj, India. Over the next six weeks

nearly 400 million Hindus will join the Mahakum festival. Many will conduct ritual bathing in the confluence of three rivers, including the Ganges. This Hindu festival is held once about every 12 years. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.