NPR News: 01-14-2025 7PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: January 14, 2025, 7PM EST Summary

NPR News Now delivered a comprehensive update on the latest national and international developments in its January 14, 2025, episode. Hosted by Jeanine Hurst and featuring reports from Deirdre Walsh, Megan Jamerson, Allison Aubrey, and Lauren Frayer, the episode covered significant topics ranging from political confirmation hearings to natural disasters, health policy changes, and royal family news. Below is a detailed summary of the key discussions, insights, and conclusions presented during the episode.

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1. Defense Secretary Nominee Pete Hegseth's Senate Confirmation Hearing

Host Introduction: Jeanine Hurst opened the episode by highlighting the contentious Senate confirmation hearing of Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth. Hegseth faced intense scrutiny from Democratic senators over his qualifications to lead the Pentagon amid allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking.

Report by Deirdre Walsh: Deirdre Walsh provided an in-depth analysis of the hearing dynamics. She described the session as "really a partisan confirmation hearing that's really a departure from previous ones for nominees to lead the Pentagon" (00:42). Democrats adopted an aggressive stance, rigorously questioning Hegseth's suitability for the role. In response, Hegseth maintained a combative demeanor, often speaking over Democratic senators during exchanges.

The hearing attracted considerable public interest, necessitating a larger room than the traditional Armed Services Committee chamber to accommodate the audience. Hegseth's supporters were notably present, with moments of applause during his responses, reflecting the polarized atmosphere of the proceedings.

Notable Quote:
"This was a really partisan confirmation hearing that's really a departure from previous ones for nominees to lead the Pentagon." — Deirdre Walsh (00:42)

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2. Los Angeles Wildfires and Artistic Support for Victims

Report by Megan Jamerson: Jeanine Hurst transitioned to the escalating wildfire crisis in Los Angeles, where the Santa Ana winds are exacerbating two of the largest blazes: the Palisades and the Eaton fires. With over 100,000 individuals displaced and at least 24 fatalities reported, the situation remains dire, with expectations of rising casualty numbers and widespread home destructions.

Amid the devastation, local artist Asher Bingham has initiated a heartfelt project to support fire victims. As detailed by Megan Jamerson, Bingham creates line drawings of destroyed homes as tangible memories for those who lost everything.

Notable Quotes:
"I can just create them a memory." — Asher Bingham (02:04)
"Maybe it's something slightly nice in this really horrific time." — Deirdre Walsh (02:06)

Bingham's initiative gained significant traction on social media, leading to nearly 1,000 requests from affected individuals. To meet the demand, Bingham enlisted the help of four other artists who utilized photos and Google Earth imagery to complete the drawings. This gesture provides solace to families, offering them a cherished keepsake during a period of immense loss.

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3. Redefining Obesity Metrics: A Shift in Health Diagnostics

Report by Allison Aubrey: Jeanine Hurst introduced a significant development in health policy, where an international committee of experts is advocating for a revised approach to defining and diagnosing obesity. Traditionally, obesity has been assessed using the Body Mass Index (BMI), a method based solely on an individual's weight and height.

Allison Aubrey elaborated on the committee's findings, highlighting limitations of BMI. Dr. Robert Kushner from Northwestern University emphasized that "not everyone with a high BMI has excess body fat" (02:32). To address this, the commission recommends incorporating additional measures such as waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, or direct body fat assessments. This multifaceted approach aims to more accurately identify excess body fat, thereby refining obesity diagnoses.

Notable Quote:
"We try to define obesity by excess body fat, which is what obesity actually is." — Dr. Robert Kushner (02:32)

This proposed change seeks to prevent misclassification of individuals with high BMI due to muscle mass, ensuring that obesity diagnoses are both precise and meaningful in clinical settings.

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4. President-Elect Trump's Proposal for an External Revenue Service

Report by Jeanine Hurst: In a noteworthy policy announcement, President-elect Donald Trump revealed plans to establish a new agency named the External Revenue Service. This agency is intended to collect tariffs and other revenues from foreign nations, potentially reshaping U.S. trade dynamics.

Trump stated on his social media platform, "The US will begin charging those that make money off us with trade and they will start paying," drawing a comparison to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) (03:14). However, experts point out that creating a new federal agency would require congressional approval—a challenge given Trump's stated intent to reduce the size of government. The proposed External Revenue Service would overlap with existing entities like the Commerce Department and Customs and Border Control, raising questions about its necessity and efficiency.

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5. Princess of Wales Announces Cancer Remission

Report by Lauren Frayer: Jeanine Hurst reported on a significant personal health update from the British royal family. The Princess of Wales has publicly stated that her cancer is in remission, marking the first time she has used this specific term to describe her condition.

Lauren Frayer provided further details, noting that while the type and stage of the cancer remain undisclosed, the Princess has indicated she has completed chemotherapy. In a visit to a London hospital where she was treated, the Princess met with current cancer patients and offered words of encouragement, saying, "chemotherapy can be really tough and such a shock" (04:03).

Following her hospital visit, the Princess shared an Instagram post expressing relief at being in remission and reaffirmed her focus on recovery. Palace officials have confirmed that she is gradually resuming her royal duties. Additionally, King Charles, her father-in-law, has also undergone treatment for an unspecified form of cancer, highlighting a period of health challenges within the royal family.

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6. Wall Street Closes in Mixed Territory

Market Update by Jeanine Hurst: Concluding the episode, Jeanine Hurst provided a brief overview of the day’s stock market performance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up by 221 points, reflecting a positive movement in that sector. In contrast, the NASDAQ experienced a slight decline, falling by 43 points, while the S&P 500 saw a modest increase of 6 points. This mixed performance underscores the volatile nature of the current financial markets.

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Conclusion: The January 14, 2025, episode of NPR News Now offered listeners a thorough examination of pressing issues spanning political turmoil, natural disasters, health policy reforms, economic strategies, and personal health milestones within the British royal family. Through detailed reporting and poignant quotes, the episode provided valuable insights for audiences seeking to stay informed on a diverse array of topics.

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Note: Timestamps correspond to the points in the transcript where each piece of information or quote was mentioned.

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Timestamps Reference

• 00:18: Intro to Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing
• 00:42: Deirdre Walsh on the hearing's partisanship
• 01:13: Introduction to Los Angeles wildfires
• 01:48: Megan Jamerson on Asher Bingham's drawings
• 02:04: Asher Bingham’s quote
• 02:06: Deirdre Walsh’s supportive comment
• 02:23: Introduction to obesity metrics discussion
• 02:32: Dr. Robert Kushner’s quote on obesity definition
• 03:14: Trump’s External Revenue Service announcement
• 04:03: Princess of Wales’ cancer remission details
• 04:44: Wall Street market closing numbers

Transcript

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[Jeanine Hurst]

NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Hurst. Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth defended himself at his Senate confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill today, acknowledging he's not a perfect person. But he stood to defiant as Democrats questioned his qualifications to run the Pentagon, and that amid accusations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking. NPR's Deirdre Walsh has more.

[Deirdre Walsh]

This was a really partisan confirmation hearing that's really a departure from previous ones for nominees to lead the Pentagon. Democrats were pretty aggressive in their questioning of Hegseth, but Hegseth himself was combative at times, talking over Democratic senators during many of the exchanges. The hearing room was packed. This was a larger room than the traditional armed services hearing room to accommodate the interest. And Hegseth had a lot of supporters there who occasionally applauded during his responses.

[Jeanine Hurst]

NPR's Deirdre Walsh reporting. In Los Angeles, the Santa Ana winds are getting stronger, worrying firefighters battling the two biggest blazesthe Palisades and the Eaton fires. With bone dry vegetation and low humidity, there's a concern that more fires might pop up. More than 100,000 are displaced and at least 24 people have died, but authorities expect that number to rise and thousands of homes have been destroyed. As Megan Jamerson from member station KQED reports, though, a local artist is offering fire victims a drawing of their house as a keepsake.

[Megan Jamerson]

Asher Bingham was at a loss for words when she learned the fires destroyed the homes of several friends. So the illustrator began creating line drawings of each house as a gift. Word spread on social media, and soon she had nearly 1,000 requests from strangers. She got to work.

[Jeanine Hurst]

I can just create them a memory.

[Deirdre Walsh]

Maybe it's something slightly nice in this really horrific time.

[Megan Jamerson]

She now has the help of four other artists who are using photos and Google Earth to complete the drawings. Some families told Bingham they lost everything, so this drawing will be the only keepsake they have. For NPR News, I'm Megan Jamerson in Los Angeles.

[Jeanine Hurst]

An international committee of experts is recommending a change to the way obesity is defined and diagnosed. NPR's Allison Aubrey reports.

[Allison Aubrey]

Obesity has long been diagnosed by calculating a person's bmi, which is a quick and inexpensive estimate based on just weight and height. But Dr. Robert Kushner of Northwestern University, who was part of the commission, says not everyone with a high BMI has excess body fat. We try to define obesity by excess body fat, which is what obesity actually is. The commission recommends adding other measures, such as waist circumference or waist to hip ratio, or using direct measures of body fat to diagnose obesity by by doing so, an athlete with lots of muscle mass who may have a high BMI but low body fat would not be considered obese. Alison Aubrey, NPR News.

[Jeanine Hurst]

This is NPR News. President elect Trump says he plans to create a new agency called the External Revenue Service to collect tariffs and other revenue from foreign nations. Trump said on his social media site that the US Will, quote, begin charging those that make money off us with trade and they will start paying. He compares his new agency to the irs. But the creation of a new agency requires an act of Congress. Trump, who has vowed to shrink the size of government, would be creating a new agency to do functions that are already handled by existing agencies, including the Commerce Department and the Customs and Border Control. The Princess of Wales says her cancer is in remission. It's the first time she's used that word. As NPR's Lauren Frayer reports, this is.

[Lauren Frayer]

The first detail Kate has offered about her diagnosis. She'd previously said she completed chemotherapy. The royals haven't ever revealed what type of cancer it was, nor what stage. In a visit to the London hospital where she was treated last year, the princess met current cancer patients, at one point telling a woman that chemotherapy can be really tough and such a shock. After the visit, she posted on Instagram writing that it's a relief to now be in remission and that she remains focused on recovery. Palace officials have said she's slowly returning to a full slate of royal duties. Her father in law, King Charles, has also been treated for an also unspecified form of cancer. Lauren Freyer, NPR News, London.

[Jeanine Hurst]

Wall street in mixed territory by the closing bell. The Dow up 221 points, the NASDAQ down 43, the S&P 500 up 6. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington.

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