NPR News Now: January 14, 2025, 2 PM EST

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Release Date: January 14, 2025
Description: The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly.

Senate Confirmation Hearing for Defense Secretary Nominee Pete Hegseth

Timestamp: [00:13]

NPR's Lakshmi Singh reports on the Senate confirmation hearing for President Elect Donald Trump's first cabinet nominee for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth. During the hearing, members of the Armed Services Committee expressed their positions, with a significant focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs within the military.

Key Highlights:

• Criticism of DEI Programs:
  Senator Eric Schmidt of Missouri delivered a harsh critique of DEI initiatives, suggesting they may undermine military cohesion and effectiveness.

• Pete Hegseth's Stance on Equality:
  In response to concerns about equity versus equality, Hegseth stated:

  "[00:36] This is not a time for equity. Equity is a very different word than equality. Equality is the bedrock of our military. Men and women duty positions in uniform, black, white, doesn't matter. We treat you equally based on who you are in the image of God as an individual. And we all get the same bad haircuts."

• Allegations and Transparency Questions:
  NPR's Tom Bowman details how Hegseth faced intense scrutiny from lawmakers, particularly Democratic Senator Jack Reid, regarding serious allegations about his past behavior, including treatment of women, excessive drinking, and financial mismanagement.

  • Senator Jack Reid's Concerns:

    "[01:11] There was concern that Hegseth only met with Reid and not one of the other Democrats on the panel. ... allegations of Hegseth excessive drinking, racist and sexist remarks and sexual assault were, quote, extremely alarming."

  • Hegseth's Denials:
    Hegseth firmly denied the accusations of excessive drinking and sexual assault, labeling them as "false allegations."

Wildfires Ravage Los Angeles Area Amid High Winds

Timestamp: [00:55]

Elise Hu reports from Los Angeles on the ongoing battle against destructive wildfires exacerbated by powerful winds.

Key Highlights:

• Fire Containment Efforts:
  Firefighters have achieved greater containment over the Palisades and Eaton wildfires, which have collectively burned approximately 60 square miles—comparable to the size of Washington, D.C.

• Impact of Wind:
  Powerful winds ranging between 50-70 mph continue to pose challenges. County Sheriff Robert Luna emphasized caution:

  "[02:07] I don't want people to start thinking everything's okay now. Everything's not okay yet. We'll get there. We'll get there together. But again, the wind's blowing and it's going to continue to blow."

• Safety Measures:
  A dusk-to-dawn curfew remains in effect for areas under evacuation orders to ensure public safety.

Secretary Blinken Seeks Ceasefire in Gaza Ahead of Departure

Timestamp: [02:26]

Michelle Kellerman reports on Secretary of State Antony Blinken's efforts to broker a ceasefire deal in Gaza before his tenure ends.

Key Highlights:

• Ceasefire Proposal:
  Blinken stated that the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt have proposed a final ceasefire plan. The deal entails Hamas returning hostages in exchange for Israel releasing a larger number of Palestinian prisoners.

• Political Reactions:
  Both Robert Luna and Senator Jack Reid expressed optimism about the proposal's potential, stating:

  "[02:46] Robert Luna: It's right on the brink."
  "[02:47] Jack Reid: It's closer than it's ever been before."
  However, they also noted that final acceptance by Hamas is still pending.

• Protests and Opposition:
  During his speech at the Atlantic Council, Blinken was interrupted by protesters multiple times, highlighting the contentious nature of the negotiations.

Advances in Biodegradable Plastics Research

Timestamp: [03:02]

Lester Graham reports on innovative research by Canadian scientists aiming to tackle plastic pollution.

Key Highlights:

• Bacterial Degradation of Plastics:
  Researchers at the University of Waterloo have engineered bacteria commonly found in wastewater plants to break down plastics. In laboratory settings, these bacteria degraded 40% of a plastic cup lid within four days.

• Environmental Implications:
  PhD candidate Aaron Yip expressed hope that this technology could address microplastics in various environments, including wastewater treatment plants, oceans, and lakes:

  "[03:50] Aaron Yip: 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."

• Future Research:
  The next steps involve assessing the byproducts of plastic degradation to ensure they do not pose environmental risks.

Other Notable News

Timestamp: [04:16]

• Princess of Wales Announces Cancer Remission:
  Britain's Princess of Wales, Princess Kate, revealed that her cancer is in remission. She shared her news via a social media statement after visiting patients at the hospital where she received treatment last year.

• Meta Announces Workforce Layoffs:
  Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, announced layoffs affecting approximately 5% of its lowest-performing employees. CEO Mark Zuckerberg indicated that further job cuts could occur as the company aims to enhance performance management:

  "[04:03] CEO Mark Zuckerberg: ... we want to raise the bar on performance management."

Market Update

Timestamp: [03:02]

The Dow Jones Industrial Average saw an increase of nearly 200 points, marking a rise of approximately half a percent.

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