NPR News: 01-14-2025 11AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: January 14, 2025, 11 AM EST – Detailed Summary

1. Defense Secretary Nominee Pete Hegseth's Confirmation Hearing Faces Protests

Timestamp: [00:19]

NPR's Korva Coleman opens the episode from Washington, reporting on the tense confirmation hearing of President-elect Trump's nominee for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth. As Hegseth began his opening statement, protesters interrupted, chanting, "Are you gonna stop bombing babies in Gaza?" These demonstrators were subsequently escorted out, marking the first of at least three planned disruptions during the hearing.

2. Pete Hegseth: A Non-Traditional Candidate Aiming to Restore Pentagon's Warrior Ethos

Timestamp: [00:48]

Tom Bowman provides an in-depth look at Hegseth's background and his vision for the Pentagon. Hegseth, a National Guard combat veteran and former Fox News host, acknowledges his unconventional path to the Defense Department. He states, "It's time to play someone with, quote, dust on his boots at the helm of the Defense Department" (00:48). Positioning himself as a "change agent," Hegseth criticizes what he terms a "woke military," arguing that current policies emphasize quotas over merit. He has also voiced opposition to allowing women in ground combat roles, a policy that has been in place for nine years. Hegseth emphasizes his commitment to ensuring that military leaders are selected based on qualifications, saying, "Generals and admirals are chosen on merit" (00:48).

3. Wildfire Conditions in Los Angeles Heighten Political Tensions Over Disaster Aid

Timestamp: [01:32]

Korva Coleman reports severe weather forecasts warning of increased wind in the Los Angeles area, potentially exacerbating ongoing wildfires. The Palisades fire west of LA stands at 17% containment, while the Eaton fire in Pasadena Altadena is over a third contained. President Biden is actively urging Congress to approve federal disaster aid swiftly. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson counters, alleging that California officials mishandled the situation without providing evidence. Johnson expressed his stance, stating, "I think there should probably be conditions on that aid. That's my personal view" (02:03).

Democratic lawmakers have pushed back against Johnson's position, arguing that disaster responses should remain apolitical. They maintain that aid should not be contingent upon political conditions, ensuring that assistance is provided based solely on need.

4. Justice Department Releases Partial Report on Trump's Election Interference and Classified Documents Case

Timestamp: [02:14]

The Justice Department has unveiled its report on former President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. However, NPR's Kristen Wright highlights that this release excludes a second volume focused on Trump's handling of classified documents post-presidency. This unreleased section delves into allegations that Trump retained classified materials at his Mar-a-Lago resort and refused to return them to the government.

Kristen Wright reports, "Florida District Judge Aileen Cannon ordered the Justice Department to hold off on releasing that part of Smith's report" (02:35). The decision comes as Trump's two former co-defendants in the classified documents case seek to prevent the report's release due to their ongoing litigation. Notably, after Trump's reelection in November, the Justice Department had previously dropped cases against him, adhering to a long-standing policy against prosecuting sitting presidents.

5. Wall Street Update and Potential Gaza Ceasefire; Advances in Plastic Degradation Using Bacteria

Timestamp: [03:14]

Korva Coleman provides a brief Wall Street update, noting that the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up approximately 55 points. Shifting focus to international affairs, NPR has learned that negotiators are nearing a ceasefire agreement for Gaza. The proposed deal includes an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees and a six-week pause in hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

In scientific advancements, Lester Graham reports on groundbreaking research from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Scientists are exploring the potential of genetically engineered bacteria to break down plastics. In laboratory conditions, these bacteria successfully degraded 40% of a plastic cup lid within four days. PhD candidate Aaron Yip explains the process, highlighting its promise for reducing plastic pollution in wastewater plants.

6. Expert Insights on Plastic-Degrading Bacteria and Future Applications

Timestamp: [04:11]

In an interview segment, Mike Johnson shares his optimism regarding the bacterial technology, stating, "My hope is that this technology can be a platform to get rid of microplastics in different types of environments, so wastewater treatment plants being one of them and perhaps in the far future in the oceans or lakes" (04:11). Lester Graham adds that the research team's next steps involve assessing the environmental impact of the bacteria and the byproducts resulting from plastic degradation to ensure safety and efficacy.

7. Space News: Blue Origin's Glenn Rocket Launch Delayed Due to Ice Buildup

Timestamp: [04:35]

Korva Coleman concludes the episode with an update on Blue Origin's space endeavors. The highly anticipated launch of the Glenn space rocket has been postponed to Thursday at the earliest. The 320-foot rocket faced a scrub from its scheduled kickoff at Cape Canaveral in Florida due to ice accumulation. The mission aims to deploy a prototype satellite into orbit. Blue Origin, founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, continues to push the boundaries of commercial space exploration despite the setback.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the January 14, 2025, episode of NPR News Now, providing listeners with a clear and detailed overview of the day's most pressing news stories.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. President elect Trump's nominee to be Defense secretary, Pete Hegseth is appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing. He Hegseth began his opening statement last hour, but was soon interrupted by the first of at least three protesters. Are you gonna stop bombing babies in Gaza? The protesters have been escorted out of the confirmation hearing. NPR's Tom Bowman reports. Hegseth says he plans to restore the warrior ethos to the Pentagon.

[Tom Bowman]

Hegseth is a National Guard combat veteran and a former Fox News host. In his opening statement, he takes on his lack of experience for the job, saying his biography is not like other defense secretaries who have come from the top ranks of politics, industry and the military. Hegseth says it's time to play someone with, quote, dust on his boots at the helm of the Defense Department. Calling himself a change agent, Hegseth has complained about what he calls a woke military that is based on quotas and not merit. And he has opposed women in ground combat jobs, something that's been allowed for nine years. Higsit says he will make sure warriors are fully qualified on their weapons and insists that generals and admirals are chosen on merit. Tom bowman, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

Forecasters have issued their most serious warnings for wind in the Los Angeles area today. This could make uncontained wildfires worse. The Palisades fire burning west of LA is now 17% contained. The Eaton fire in the Pasadena Altadena area is more than a third contained. President Biden is urging Congress to quickly approve federal disaster aid, but House Speaker Mike Johnson claims without offering evidence California officials mishandled the situation. He wants to put limits on the assistance.

[Mike Johnson]

I think there should probably be conditions on that aid. That's my personal view. We'll see what the consensus is. I haven't had a chance to socialize that with any of the members over the weekend because we've all been very busy. But it will be part of the discussion.

[Korva Coleman]

Democratic lawmakers say any disaster response for any part of the country should not be linked with political conditions. Justice Department has released its report on Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. As NPR's Kristen Wright reports, it does not include a second part of Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation.

[Kristen Wright]

The separate unreleased volume of Smith's report focuses on Trump's handling of classified documents. After leaving the White House. Prosecutors charged the former president with keeping the documents at his Mar a Lago resort and refusing to return them to the government. Florida District Judge Aileen Cannon ordered the Justice Department to hold off on releasing that part of Smith's report. For now, Trump's two former co defendants in the classified documents case are asking the court to block its release because of their ongoing litigation. After Trump was reelected in November, the Justice Department dropped the cases against him, citing long standing department policy prohibiting federal prosecutions of sitting presidents. Kristen Wright, NPR News, Washington.

[Korva Coleman]

On Wall street, the Dow is up about 55 points. It's NPR. NPR has learned that negotiators are close to a ceasefire deal for Gaza. A proposed agreement would reportedly see an exchange of Israeli hostages for some Palestinian detainees. It would also include a six week pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas. Scientists in Canada are investigating whether bacteria can be programmed to break down plastics. As Michigan Public's Lester Graham reports, pieces and fibers of plastic that end up in wastewater plants can pass through into.

[Lester Graham]

Streams and rivers using what's known as bacterial sex. A team at Ontario's University of Waterloo engineered bacteria often found in wastewater plants to try to break down plastics. In one lab experiment, the bacteria degraded 40% of a plastic cup lid in four days. PhD candidate Aaron Yip is one of the researchers.

[Mike Johnson]

My hope is that this technology can be a platform to get rid of microplastics in different types of environments, so wastewater treatment plants being one of them and perhaps in the far future in the oceans or lakes.

[Lester Graham]

Yip says the next step is to determine what's left behind after bacteria destroy the plastic and whether it or the bacteria pose a risk to the environment. For NPR News, I'm Lester Graham.

[Korva Coleman]

The launch of Blue Origin's new Glenn space rocket is now set for Thursday at the earliest. The 320 foot rocket tried to blast off from Cape Canaveral in Florida yesterday, but the launch was scrubbed. That's due to ice buildup. The rocket will carry a prototype satellite into space. Billionaire Jeff Bezos is the founder of Blue Origin. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.

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