NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-13-2025 1PM EST

Episode Date: January 13, 2025

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Lyle from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The outgoing Biden administration and incoming Trump administration are working together toward a breakthrough in the war between Israel and Hamas. Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters today a deal can get done this week. NPR's Danielle Lester reports on what an agreement might look like. Hamas would release around 33 Israeli hostages. A Palestinian official tells NPR this morning that Israel is discussing the release of more than a thousand Palestinian detainees, including 22 people serving life sentences in connection with deadly attacks on Israelis, and those prisoners would be presumably exiled to Turkey, Qatar,

or Egypt. And during all of this, there would be a six-week pause in fighting, there would be a surge of aid to Gaza, and more talks about the other hostages and trying to end the war. NPR's Tanya Lestrin. U.S. Senate confirmation hearings for President-elect Trump's cabinet start this week. NPR's Luke Garrett reports,

Trump's nominees to lead the Departments of Defense, State, Justice, as well as the CIA are among the first to face grilling. On Tuesday, Pete Hegseth, Trump's choice for Defense Secretary, will take questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee. Hegseth, a former Fox News host and combat veteran, has been meeting with senators for weeks as he faces allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct. Despite this, Republican Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas tells Fox News that all of Trump's picks, including Hexeth, will get confirmed.

Yes, some of them are outside the box, but I do think we have the votes. On Wednesday, Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi, Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio, and CIA Director nominee John Radcliffe all face Senate committee hearings. Once the committees advance the nominees, the full Senate will then vote on each candidate who need a simple majority for confirmation. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. Florida District Judge Eileen Cannon has paved the way for the Justice Department

to release a first part of a special counsel's inquiry into Trump covering the investigation and charges tied to the 2020 vote. Cannon denied a motion by Trump's former co-defendants who sought to block the release of special counsel Jack Smith's report on the election interference case. At least 24 deaths are now linked to the wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area. Among the victims were members of the Mitchell family in Altadena.

Here's Elise Hue. Both family members who died in the Eaton fire faced disabilities. Anthony Mitchell Sr. was a 67 year old amputee. His son Justin Mitchell, who also died in the fire, had cerebral palsy. The family says the pair were waiting to be evacuated as flames reached their neighborhood. Hajim White is Anthony Mitchell's daughter. I just lost it. I started screaming, calling my husband. He was like, what's wrong? What's wrong? I said, my daddy and brothers go. Crews have begun search and recovery operations using cadaver dogs

to locate any additional victims. For NPR News, I'm Elise Hugh in Los Angeles. From Washington, this is NPR News. Online tributes are being paid to famed photographer Olivero Toscani on news that he has died at the age of 82. He's perhaps best known for producing provocative images for the retailer Benetton, including the popular logo United Colors of Benetton. A technical problem has grounded Blue Origin's new 320-foot rocket.

The reusable rocket called New Glenn in honor of the first American to orbit the Earth was supposed to make its inaugural launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida early this morning. It was scheduled to lift off with a prototype satellite. No new date has been set. The first full moon of the year has appeared. Several other planets will be visible along with it. NPR's Iyana Archie has details. This moon phase is also known as the Wolf Moon, a name derived from Native American culture due to wolf packs howling on the outskirts of villages. The Maine Farmer's Almanac has been using Native American names for full moons since the 1930s. During this phase, the moon will pass in front of Mars, which will be the closest and brightest

on Wednesday. Venus and Jupiter will be the brightest planets Monday, and Mercury can be seen during dawn for the next week or so, NASA says. Ayanna Archie, NPR News. US stocks are mixed this hour. The NASDAQ Composite Index is down 150 points or roughly three-quarters of a percent at 19,010. The S&P is down 12 points and the Dow is up 216 points or more than half a percent. I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.