NPR News: 01-09-2025 4PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: January 9, 2025, 4PM EST

Host: Lakshmi Singh

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1. Southern California Battles Devastating Wildfires

Reporter: Kirk Sigler
Timestamp: [00:43]

Southern California is grappling with severe air quality issues due to persistent smoke from major wildfires. Kirk Sigler reports from near the Palisades fire, which has scorched over 17,000 acres.

"It's really this eerie smell. ... it's just this sulfury, charred smell of burning rubble and vegetation." [00:43]

Sheriff Robert Luna of Los Angeles County described the affected areas as devastation akin to a "bomb was dropped in them," anticipating an increasing death toll beyond the current five.

"He expects the death toll currently at 5, will climb." [00:14]

Despite ongoing firefighting efforts, embers continue to ignite new fires, making it challenging to provide an updated tally of destruction as the situation remains highly fluid.

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2. Nation Mourns Former President Jimmy Carter

Reporters: Elena Moore & Lakshmi Singh
Timestamp: [01:17] - [04:46]

The United States observed a national day of mourning following the passing of former President Jimmy Carter at the age of 100. Carter's flag-draped casket was transported to Georgia from the National Cathedral, where his state funeral was held.

Elena Moore reported on the event, highlighting the presence of all four living former presidents, including then-President-elect Donald Trump.

"Political leaders, friends and family described Carter as both a powerful president and politician and a thoughtful and giving man." [01:45]

President Joe Biden delivered a poignant eulogy emphasizing Carter's foresight and enduring legacy.

"Many think he was from a bygone era, but in reality, he saw well into the future." [02:05]

The funeral underscored Carter's impact on politics and his reputation as a generous and contemplative leader.

Additionally, in observance of the mourning period, U.S. markets were closed.

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3. North Texas Under Heavy Winter Storm Warning

Reporter: Penelope Rivera
Timestamp: [02:25] - [03:11]

A severe winter storm warning persists in North Texas until the following day, prompting extensive disruptions across the region.

Penelope Rivera reported that over a thousand flights have been canceled or delayed in and out of the Dallas area. By Thursday morning, schools statewide were shut down, including all schools in Dallas—the state's second-largest district.

"Dallas is preparing for up to 5 inches of snow. It's a lot of snow for the city, which only averages about two and a half inches for the entire winter." [02:32]

City officials have been proactive, treating roads and bridges, establishing emergency shelters for unhoused residents, and positioning technicians to address potential power outages. The state's independent power grid remains under weather watch until Friday.

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4. Efforts to Acquire TikTok Amid Security Concerns

Reporter: Lakshmi Singh
Timestamp: [03:11]

Frank McCourt, former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, along with his initiative Project Liberty and partners, announced a formal bid to acquire ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. This move comes amidst heightened scrutiny over security and privacy threats attributed to Beijing.

"Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary also expressed interest in helping to buy the Chinese company." [03:11]

The Biden administration has mandated that ByteDance sell TikTok by January 19, the day before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office, underlining the administration's stance on national security risks posed by the platform's ties to China.

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5. Extinction of Kangaroo Species Linked to Dietary Changes

Reporter: Ari Daniels
Timestamp: [03:59] - [04:46]

Nearly two dozen kangaroo species vanished between 40,000 and 65,000 years ago. Ari Daniels explores the possible reasons behind this mass extinction, focusing on recent research analyzing kangaroo teeth.

Sam Arman, a paleontologist, examined over 900 kangaroo teeth from both fossilized and modern specimens, identifying microscopic scratches that reveal dietary habits.

"Whenever an animal chews its food, the food leaves marks microscopic scratches on the surface of the teeth." [04:07]

Arman's study suggests that these ancient kangaroos sustained a diet of both shrubs and grasses. This dietary flexibility implies that climate-induced vegetation changes alone may not have caused their extinction. Instead, Arman posits that the arrival of humans in Australia around that period might have played a significant role, possibly through overhunting or habitat alteration.

However, this theory is contested by other paleontologists who argue that climate change was the primary driver behind the extinction of these species.

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End of Summary

Transcript

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[Lakshmi Singh]

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Many Southern California residents are trying to break clear of the dangerously poor air quality brought on by unrelenting smoke from several major wildfires. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna says some areas, quote, look like a bomb was dropped in them. He expects the death toll currently at 5, will climb. NPR's Kirk Sigler is near the Palisades fire, which has burned more than 17,000 acres.

[Kirk Sigler]

I'm standing here on Pacific Coast Highway. It's really this eerie smell. Among other things, you can smell the sea over here, the waves crashing, and then it's just this sulfury, charred smell of burning rubble and vegetation. I'm even looking at a fire truck trying to save a house right in front of me here. Doesn't look like they're going to do it, but embers have been still flying in and catching things on fire. I think that's partly why they don't have an updated destruction tally because it's still just such a fluid situation.

[Lakshmi Singh]

NPR's Kirk Sigler reporting. The U.S. is observing a national day of mourning for the late former President Jimmy Carter. He died last month at the age of one. Hundred. Moments ago, Carter's flag draped casket was placed on board the plane to be taken back home to Georgia. NPR's Elena Moore reports. The National Cathedral hosted Carter's state funeral today.

[Elena Moore]

Political leaders, friends and family described Carter as both a powerful president and politician and a thoughtful and giving man. President Biden, who was a longtime friend and colleague of the 39th president, delivered a eulogy at the service. He praised Carter's character and legacy, casting a forward looking message.

[Joe Biden]

Many think he was from a bygone era, but in reality, he saw well into the future.

[Elena Moore]

In addition to Biden, all four living former presidents attended the funeral, including President elect Donald Trump, who takes office in less than two weeks. Elena Moore, NPR News, Washington.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Communities in North Texas are under a winter storm warning until tomorrow. Ker Penelope Rivera has the latest.

[Penelope Rivera]

As a wintry mix began to fall, more than a thousand flights were canceled or delayed in and out the Dallas area. By Thursday morning, most schools in North Texas were closed, including every school in Dallas, the second largest school district in the state. Dallas is preparing for up to 5 inches of snow. It's a lot of snow for the city, which only averages about two and a half inches for the entire winter Typically, the city has been treating the roads and bridges and has set up emergency shelters for unhoused residents and has technicians on stand by in case of power outages. The state's independent power grid is also under a weather watch until Friday. For NPR News, I'm Penelope Rivera in Dallas.

[Lakshmi Singh]

It's NPR. Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt's Project Liberty and its partners say they've made a formal bid to acquire TikTok's owner, ByteDance. This week. Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary also expressed interest in helping to buy the Chinese company. Citing security and privacy threats from Beijing, the Biden administration told ByteDance TikTok would be banned unless it sold the platform by January 19, the day before President elect Donald Trump takes office. Nearly two dozen kangaroo species went extinct some 40 to 65,000 years ago. The question is why? Reporter Ari Daniels says hundreds of teeth may hold an answer.

[Sam Arman]

Sam Arman took a detailed look at the teeth of more than 900 kangaroos from both fossils and modern animals.

[Ari Daniel]

Whenever an animal chews its food, the food leaves marks microscopic scratches on the surface of the teeth.

[Sam Arman]

Arman, who's a paleontologist at a natural history museum in central Australia, used those scratches to figure out what the ancient kangaroos ate. His answer? A mix of shrubs and grasses, suggesting that a changing climate that wiped out a single group of plants likely wasn't behind the extinct. Rather, he thinks humans who arrived in Australia around this time had something to do with it. Other paleontologists disagree, citing evidence that climate change did play more of a role. For NPR News, I'm Ari Daniel.

[Lakshmi Singh]

US Markets were closed today in observance of the National Day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter. It's npr.

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