NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-13-2025 2PM EST

Episode Date: January 13, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Some progress reported in the catastrophic wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area this hour. The Eaton fires at 33 percent containment now. The Palisades fire is at 14 percent. And officials are reporting 95 percent containment of the Hearst fire, according to the CAL FIRE website. However, the forecast calls for another round of fierce winds.

The fear is that those winds will slow down firefighters trying to keep the flames from exploding in size again and incinerating more neighborhoods. At least 24 people have died. Sixteen people are missing, however, as far as officials are aware. There are no minors who are unaccounted for. Senior citizens are especially vulnerable in these wildfires. Kelly McEvers reports from a Red Cross shelter that's housing many elders who fled the Palisades fire. Sarah James is 76. She's worried that she's so sleep deprived she's stopped making sense. I close my eyes and think that I'll go to sleep instead of they pop open in 20 minutes and I'm wide awake.

Her cop mate at the shelter, Francoise Myra, who's 64, says she's pretty sure her house is gone. She doesn't even know where to start to rebuild her life. She's having trouble logging into her accounts. Kelly McEvers, National Public Radio, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City,P. European officials say they will discuss easing sanctions on Syria this month, although some officials say lifting sanctions depends on Syria's new leaders and whether they're making good on pledges for an inclusive political transition. From Damascus, NPR's Kary Kahn has details. K.P. Reconstructing Syria after more than a decade of international sanctions is going to be tough. Financial bans are still in place on everything from banking to oil purchases and trade in

key sectors. The EU's top diplomat says European foreign ministers will meet on the 27th of this month to start talks on lifting sanctions, but any easing must be followed by, quote, tangible progress in a political transition that reflects all diversity in Syria. The U.S. has already eased some sanctions, including lifting a $10 million bounty on the new Syrian leader, who years ago had been a senior al-Qaeda militant. And the U.S. is also allowing temporary transactions in some sectors, including the critical energy

market. Kari Kahn, NPR News, Damascus. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 212 points or roughly half a percent at 42,150. From Washington, this is NPR News. Crude oil prices have climbed to their highest level in five months. And PR Scott Horsley reports on what's driving energy markets. Oil prices jumped sharply over the weekend after the Biden administration added new sanctions against Russia's energy sector. 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. Scott Horsley in Pear News, Washington. When the Texas Legislature convenes tomorrow, it'll consider banning THC, the psychoactive

element in cannabis. Jon Bernet reports a loophole in a state law has created a booming market in consumable cannabis and conservative lawmakers want to close it. Texas never intended to legalize recreational cannabis, but that's effectively what happened when the state passed the law six years ago to allow farmers to grow hemp for industrial purposes. Resourceful chemists and retailers found a way to take non-intoxicating hemp and extract products that get you high. Today, Texas has more than 7,000 cannabis dispensaries, even more than California. But the state's powerful Lieutenant Governor, Republican Dan Patrick, declared that he wants

to ban THC altogether. Fans of consumable cannabis, from gummies to smokable flour, say it's too late to put the genie back in the bottle. For NPR News, I'm John Burnett in Austin. It's NPR.