NPR News: 01-03-2025 6AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: January 3, 2025, 6 AM EST Summary

Live from Washington, NPR News Now brings you the latest updates from around the globe. This episode covers a deadly truck attack in New Orleans, the resumption of the Sugar Bowl, the commencement of the new U.S. Congress, an unprecedented political arrest attempt in South Korea, and significant updates from the FBI.

---

Deadly Truck Attack in New Orleans

Timestamp: [00:24]

The episode opens with breaking news about a tragic truck attack in New Orleans. The FBI has identified the sole suspect, Shamshuddin Jabbar, reversing their initial stance that multiple suspects might be involved. This attack, which occurred on New Year's Day, resulted in the loss of 14 lives.

President Biden's Statement

Timestamp: [01:05]

President Joe Biden addressed the nation, clarifying the FBI’s findings:

“We have no information that anyone else is involved in the attack. They've established that the attacker is the same person who planted the explosives in those ice coolers in two nearby locations.”

Biden emphasized the necessity for swift and thorough investigations to answer the remaining questions about the attack.

---

Sugar Bowl Rescheduled Amid Security Concerns

Timestamp: [01:28]

New Orleans successfully hosted the Sugar Bowl at the Superdome after a delay caused by the recent truck attack. Notre Dame triumphed over Georgia with a score of 23-10, advancing to the college football semifinals. The game witnessed tens of thousands of attendees and featured a moment of silence honoring the 14 victims of the attack.

President Biden’s Message on ESPN

Timestamp: [01:55]

President Biden appeared in the broadcast, expressing solidarity and resilience:

“I'm glad the game is back on for today, but I'm not surprised because the spirit of New Orleans can never be kept down. That's also true of the spirit of America. You just have to remember who we are.”

This message highlighted the unwavering spirit of both the city and the nation in the face of tragedy.

---

New Congress Commences and Speaker Election

Timestamp: [02:27]

As the new Congress convenes, the House of Representatives faces the critical task of electing a new Speaker. Incumbent Speaker Mike Johnson is keen to retain his position, but his leadership is under scrutiny from some conservative Republican members. With Republicans holding a razor-thin majority, Johnson's support is precarious.

Support from Marjorie Taylor Greene

Timestamp: [02:54]

Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene publicly declared her support for Johnson:

“I cannot wait to get started. I'll be voting for Mike Johnson. I will be looking ahead in complete hopefulness and working as hard as possible.”

Despite Greene’s backing, Johnson faces opposition that could jeopardize his speakership, reminiscent of the 15-round vote that elected Kevin McCarthy two years ago.

---

Attempted Arrest of South Korea’s Impeached President Yoon Sang Yeolt

Timestamp: [03:42]

In an unprecedented move, South Korean authorities attempted to arrest impeached President Yoon Sang Yeolt on charges of insurrection related to his erroneous declaration of martial law a month prior. Approximately 150 police and investigators converged on Yoon’s residence but were thwarted by his security detail, citing the presence of military secrets within the premises.

Anthony Kuhn Reports from Seoul

Timestamp: [03:42]

“Both sides accuse the other side of obstructing justice and abusing their powers. There's no precedent to go by as no sitting South Korean president has ever been arrested.”

The standoff lasted six hours, leaving the arrest warrant in effect until Monday as authorities contemplate their next steps.

---

Honoring Heroes and FBI Investigations

Medals of Honor Awarded

Timestamp: [04:19]

President Biden is set to honor seven army soldiers for their service during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, with six medals being awarded posthumously. This tribute underscores the nation's deep respect for those who have sacrificed their lives in service.

FBI's New Details on Pipe Bomb Suspect

Timestamp: [04:19]

The FBI has released fresh information regarding the elusive individual responsible for placing pipe bombs outside both the Republican and Democratic National Committee buildings the day before the 2021 U.S. Capitol attack. Although the bombs failed to detonate, the suspect remains at large.

Suspect Description:

• Height: Approximately 5’7”
• Footwear: Unusual Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers, with only about 25,000 gray and black pairs sold prior to the incident.

This profile aims to aid in the suspect’s identification and capture.

---

Conclusion

This episode of NPR News Now provides a comprehensive overview of significant national and international events, from a tragic attack in New Orleans and its impact on local events, to critical political developments in both the United States and South Korea. Additionally, the episode honors military heroes and updates listeners on ongoing FBI investigations.

For more detailed coverage, tuning into the full episode is recommended.

Transcript

[Korva Coleman]

Okay.

[NPR Announcer]

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 bundle. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

[Korva Coleman]

Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The FBI says that the suspect in the deadly New Orleans truck attack acted by him early on New Year's Day. Previously, the FBI had said agents were looking for more potential suspects. Now they've reversed themselves. NPR's Tamara Keith reports. President Biden met with his Homeland Security team to discuss the attack that killed 14 people.

[Tamara Keith]

Investigators initially thought that Shamshuddin Jabbar had help in executing the attack because they found improvised explosive devices in coolers elsewhere in the French Quarter. Now President Biden confirms Jabbar had a remote detonator in the vehicle he used to target pedestrians.

[President Biden]

We have no information that anyone else is involved in the attack. They've established that the attacker is the same person who planted the explosives in those ice coolers in two nearby locations.

[Tamara Keith]

Biden said he asked his team to accelerate their investigations to try to get answers to remaining questions, and he promised to provide updates when he knows more. Tamara Keith, NPR News, the White House.

[Korva Coleman]

New Orleans held the Sugar bowl yesterday in the Superdome. The collegiate playoff game won by Notre Dame had been delayed by because of the deadly truck attack. NPR's Becky Sullivan has more.

[Becky Sullivan]

The game was supposed to have taken place the evening of New Year's Day, but it was postponed in part to allow for a security sweep of the stadium. The broadcast of the game on ESPN opened with a message from President Biden, who prayed for the victims and thanked first responders.

[President Biden]

I'm glad the game is back on for today, but I'm not surprised because the spirit of New Orleans can never be kept down. That's also true of the spirit of America. You just have to remember who we are.

[Becky Sullivan]

Notre dame overpowered Georgia 23 to 10 to advance to college football semifinals. Tens of thousands of fans attended the game. The whole stadium quieted for the moment of silence for the 14 victims of the attack, which took place less than a mile away. A University of Georgia student, a sophomore, was among the injured, receiving medical care. Becky Sullivan, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

The new Congress starts work today, and the first thing the House of Representatives needs to do is is vote for a new speaker. Current Speaker Mike Johnson wants to keep his job, but some very conservative Republican colleagues are on the fence about him. Republicans hold the slimmest of majorities in the House. That means Johnson can only afford to lose one vote for speaker. Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene says she is supporting Johnson.

[Marjorie Taylor Greene]

I cannot wait to get started. I'll be voting for Mike Johnson. I will be looking ahead in complete hopefulness and working as hard as possible.

[Korva Coleman]

But one GOP lawmaker is already opposing Johnson. That means he can't lose any more GOP support. Two years ago, it took Kevin McCarthy 15 rounds of voting before he won the speakership. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. In South Korea, investigators and police tried and failed to arrest impeached South Korean President Yoon Sang Yeolt today. They were blocked by Yoon's security detail. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul. Yoon is accused of insurrection stemming from his botched call for martial law exactly one month ago.

[Anthony Kuhn]

Around 150 police and investigators tried to execute an arrest warrant at Yoon's residence Friday morning. A crowd of Yoon supporters rallied outside. The investigators got past a military unit guarding the residents, but Yoon's security detail wouldn't let them in on the grounds that there were military secrets inside. Both sides accuse the other side of obstructing justice and abusing their powers. There's no precedent to go by as no sitting South Korean president has ever been arrested. Investigators left after a six hour long standoff and will consider their next move. The arrest warrant is valid until Monday. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul.

[Korva Coleman]

President Biden will award Medals of Honor to seven army soldiers today who served during Korea and Vietnam. Six are receiving this medal posthumously. The FBI is releasing new details about the person who put pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committee buildings that happened the day before the attack on the U.S. capitol four years ago. The bombs did not detonate and the person has never been found. The FBI says the suspect is about 57 in height and they wore unusual Nike shoes. There were only about 25,000 gray and black Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers that were sold before the incident. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News.

[NPR Announcer]

Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR News Now. [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org.