NPR News: 01-12-2025 4PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now Episode: January 12, 2025, 4PM EST

On the January 12, 2025, episode of NPR News Now, host Nora Rahm delivers a comprehensive overview of the day’s most pressing news stories, ranging from devastating wildfires in Southern California to significant developments in education policy in Florida, international political turmoil in South Korea, environmental crises in Russia, updates from the U.S. Census Bureau, and the final week of President Biden’s administration. Below is a detailed summary of each major topic discussed, enriched with notable quotes and insights from key contributors.

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Southern California Wildfires

Timestamp: [00:13] - [01:09]

Nora Rahm opens the episode with a sobering report on the ongoing wildfires ravaging Southern California. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office is investigating the tragic deaths of at least 16 individuals linked to the fires, with authorities cautioning that the death toll may rise as firefighting crews advance into more neighborhoods.

• Impact and Statistics:

  • At least 16 people are reported missing.
  • Approximately 12,000 structures have been destroyed.
  • The largest fire, the Palisades Fire, has scorched over 23,000 acres since it ignited on Tuesday and is currently 11% contained.

• Firefighting Challenges:

  • Louisiana County Fire Chief Anthony Maroney addresses the complexities facing firefighting efforts: “Firefighting efforts may become more complicated in the next few days” as crews battle extreme weather conditions.

• Weather Conditions:

  • Daniel Pryor from Central Florida Public Media highlights the persistent threat: “We know that elevated critical fire weather conditions will continue through Wednesday. The Los Angeles County Fire Department is prepared. These winds, combined with low relative humidities and low fuel moistures will keep the fire threat in Los Angeles county very high” ([00:47]).

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Florida’s Universal Voucher Program

Timestamp: [01:09] - [02:15]

The discussion shifts to education policy in Florida, where a universal voucher program has seen significant uptake since its inception two years ago. Governor Ron DeSantis touts the program's success in expanding school choice across the state.

• Program Success:

  • Ron DeSantis states, “Florida students now account for about a third of all students throughout the country who are enrolled in school choice programs” ([01:36]).
  • Over 500,000 students are currently benefiting from the voucher program.

• Future Aspirations:

  • Governor DeSantis expresses hope for national adoption: “I'm hoping Congress passes something similar to a universal voucher program at the national level once the Trump administration takes office” ([01:36]).

• Program Growth:

  • Reflecting on the program’s growth, Daniel Pryor adds, “So we hope that they will consider looking at Florida's model for education choice and applying that nationally” ([01:53]).
  • DeSantis notes the program's rapid expansion: “When I took office in 2019, only about 100,000 students were on scholarships through the state's Step Up program” ([02:03]).

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South Korea’s Impeachment Trial

Timestamp: [02:15] - [03:07]

Nora Rahm reports on the political upheaval surrounding South Korean President Yoon Song Yol, who faces impeachment proceedings following his brief declaration of martial law.

• Impeachment Proceedings:

  • The South Korean parliament has voted to impeach President Yoon, a move contingent upon approval by the Constitutional Court.

• President Yoon’s Absence:

  • Anthony Kuhn, NPR's correspondent in Seoul, explains that Yoon’s attorney revealed the president will not attend the first hearing: “Yoon's lawyers say that because Yoon is wanted on separate criminal charges of insurrection, attending the impeachment hearing could jeopardize his safety, implying that he could be arrested” ([02:27]).
  • As a result, Yoon remains confined to his residence under tight security: “He remains holed up in his residence, protected by the presidential security detail, which blocked police and investigators from executing an arrest warrant” ([02:27]).

• Next Steps:

  • If Yoon does not attend the scheduled hearing on Tuesday, it will be rescheduled to Thursday. Failure to appear at the rescheduled hearing would allow proceedings to continue without him ([02:27]).

---

Southern Russia Oil Spill

Timestamp: [03:07] - [03:54]

An environmental crisis unfolds in southern Russia as an oil spill threatens local ecosystems and communities.

• Incident Details:

  • Two tankers were damaged in a storm in the Kerch Strait on December 15, leading to significant oil leakage.

• Response Efforts:

  • An emergency task force has arrived at the spill site to manage the disaster. Thousands of emergency workers are actively involved in clearing contaminated sand and mitigating the environmental impact.

Nora Rahm briefly touches on these efforts before transitioning to the next topic.

---

U.S. Census Bureau’s Upcoming Field Test

Timestamp: [03:54] - [04:38]

The U.S. Census Bureau is gearing up for its next major field test in preparation for the 2030 national headcount, seeking public input to enhance accuracy and inclusivity.

• Field Test Objectives:

  • The 2026 census test aims to refine methods for counting residents in challenging environments such as college dorms, nursing homes, and other group living quarters.

• Proposed Changes:

  • Introducing the option for residents of group quarters to fill out census forms online.
  • Specialized training for census workers to better engage with individuals living in group settings.

• Participation and Feedback:

  • The test will involve over 600,000 participants across states including Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.
  • Public comments on the testing plans are solicited by early March, with the final census results slated to influence congressional seat distribution, electoral college votes, and federal funding allocations for the subsequent decade.

• Insights from Hansi Luong:

  • Hansi Luong, reporting for NPR, emphasizes the critical nature of these improvements: “The results of the actual census in 2030 are set to be used to determine each state's share of congressional seats, electoral college votes and trillions in federal funding for the next decade” ([03:54]).

---

President Biden’s Final Week in Office

Timestamp: [04:38] - [04:52]

As President Biden approaches the end of his administration, plans are underway for his final policy outreach.

• Upcoming Speech:
  • President Biden is scheduled to deliver a foreign policy speech at the State Department, where he is expected to highlight his administration’s efforts to rebuild alliances globally.

Nora Rahm underscores the significance of this speech in marking the culmination of Biden’s foreign policy initiatives during his presidency.

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Closing Remarks

The episode concludes with a brief advertisement from Carvana and a reminder to listeners about accessing the podcast without sponsorships through various platforms. These sections are succinctly skipped in the summary to maintain focus on the substantive news content.

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Notable Quotes:

• Daniel Pryor on Fire Threat: “We know that elevated critical fire weather conditions will continue through Wednesday” ([00:47]).

• Governor Ron DeSantis on School Choice: “Florida students now account for about a third of all students throughout the country who are enrolled in school choice programs” ([01:36]).

• Hansi Luong on Census Importance: “The results of the actual census in 2030 are set to be used to determine each state's share of congressional seats, electoral college votes and trillions in federal funding for the next decade” ([03:54]).

---

This episode of NPR News Now encapsulates a wide array of significant events and developments, providing listeners with a succinct yet comprehensive snapshot of current affairs both domestically and internationally. From battling natural disasters and shaping education policy to navigating political crises and preparing for national censuses, the program ensures that listeners are well-informed about the critical issues shaping our world.

Transcript

[Carvana]

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[Nora Rahm]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. The Los Angeles county medical Examiner's office says it's investigating the deaths of at least 16 people in connection with the major wildfires that have been raging in Southern California for five days. Officials warn that number could rise as firefighters reach more neighborhoods. At least 16 people are reported missing. Some 12,000 structures have been destroyed. Louisiana County Fire Chief Anthony Maroney says firefighting efforts may become more complicated in the next few days.

[Daniel Pryor]

We know that elevated critical fire weather conditions will continue through Wednesday. The Los Angeles County Fire Department is prepared. These winds, combined with low relative humidities and low fuel moistures will keep the fire threat in Los Angeles county very high.

[Nora Rahm]

The largest of the fires is the Palisades Fire, which has burned more than 23,000 acres since it broke out Tuesday. Officials say that blaze is now about 11% contained. About 2 years after a universal voucher program became law in Florida. The state's Republican governor says more than 500,000 students in the state are taking advantage of the program. Central Florida Public Media's Daniel Pryor has more.

[Ron DeSantis]

Governor Ron DeSantis says Florida students now account for about a third of all students throughout the country who are enrolled in school choice programs. In fact, DeSantis says he's hoping Congress passes something similar to a universal voucher program at the national level once the Trump administration takes office.

[Daniel Pryor]

So we hope that they will consider looking at Florida's model for education choice and applying that nationally.

[Ron DeSantis]

DeSantis says when he took office in 2019, only about 100,000 students were on scholarships through the state's Step up program. For NPR News, I'm Danielle Pryor in Orlando.

[Nora Rahm]

South Korean President Yoon Song Yol will not attend the first hearing of his own impeachment trial, according to his attorney. It's scheduled for Tuesday. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul.

[Anthony Kuhn]

South Korea's party parliament voted to impeach Yoon for his brief declaration of martial law last month. Now it's up to the Constitutional Court to uphold or overturn the impeachment. But Yoon's lawyers say that because Yoon is wanted on separate criminal charges of insurrection, attending the impeachment hearing could jeopardize his safety, implying that he could be arrested. Yoon remains holed up in his residence, protected by the presidential security detail, which blocked police and investigators from executing an arrest warrant If Yoon is absent on Tuesday, the hearing will be rescheduled for Thursday. And if he doesn't show up, then the proceedings can go ahead without him. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul.

[Nora Rahm]

You're listening to NPR News. In Washington. An emergency task force arrived today at the scene of a growing oil spill in southern Russia. Two tankers damaged in a storm in the Kerch Strait began leaking oil on December 15. Thousands of emergency workers are trying to clear tons of contaminated sand and earthquake. The U.S. census Bureau is asking for public feedback on its plans for the next major field test ahead of the next national headcount in 2030. As NPRN's Hansi Luong reports, the bureau says the test in 2026 is designed to help produce an accurate tally of the country's residents that will be used to redistribute political representation and federal funding.

[Hansi Luong]

Next year's census test is set to involve more than 600,000 participants in parts of Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas. Counting who lives in college dorms, nursing homes and other group living quarters has long been a challenge. One of the potential changes the bureau plans to test before the 2030 census is giving administrators and residents of those group quarters the option to fill out a census form online. Another change is training some census workers specifically to interview residents of group quarters as well as those of individual households. Public comments on testing plans are due in early March. The results of the actual census in 2030 are set to be used to determine each state's share of congressional seats, electoral college votes and and trillions in federal funding for the next decade. Hansi Loong, NPR News.

[Nora Rahm]

This is President Biden's final full week in office. He's scheduled to deliver a foreign policy speech tomorrow at the State Department. He's expected to highlight what he's done to rebuild alliances around the world. I'm Nora Ramm, NPR News.

[Carvana]

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