NPR News: 01-16-2025 10AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: January 16, 2025, 10 AM EST

Hosted by Korva Coleman

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1. Trump Cabinet Nominees in Confirmation Hearings

US Attorney General Nominee Pam Bondi: President-elect Trump's selection for US Attorney General, Pam Bondi, is undergoing her second day of Senate confirmation hearings. Bondi has been vocal about her belief that the Justice Department has been targeting Trump for years. She asserts her commitment to maintaining the agency's nonpartisan stance if confirmed.

"If I am confirmed, I will not politicize the agency," Bondi stated during her hearing. (00:13)

Secretary of the Interior Nominee Doug Burgum: Former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is Trump's nominee for Secretary of the Interior. Burgum is expected to play a pivotal role in Trump's strategy to enhance fossil fuel production in the United States. The Department of the Interior oversees a significant portion of U.S. lands and waters, making Burgum's position influential in decisions regarding oil and gas drilling, conservation, and relations with Native American tribes.

"As Secretary, I aim to balance our energy needs with responsible stewardship of our natural resources," Burgum emphasized. (00:47)

While his pro-drilling stance is well-documented from his tenure as governor of an oil-rich state, questions regarding his approach to conservation efforts are anticipated during the hearings. Burgum is largely expected to receive confirmation from the Senate.

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2. Israel-Hamas Ceasefire and Lebanon's Reaction

Israel's Stance on Ceasefire: Israeli Prime Minister has declared that his cabinet will not convene today to approve a proposed ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza, citing a last-minute crisis instigated by Hamas. Despite this setback, Hamas has expressed support for the deal through a public statement.

"Hamas has created a last-minute crisis," the Israeli leader remarked. (01:22)

Lebanon's Response: In neighboring Lebanon, the announcement of the ceasefire has been met with mixed reactions. While Hamas celebrates the agreement, the situation remains fragile due to Lebanon's complex ties to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, including a significant population of Palestinian refugees and the presence of Hezbollah.

"The ceasefire ended a bloody chapter," noted Najib Makati, Lebanon's acting prime minister, highlighting the significance of the agreement for the region. (01:47)

Celebratory gunfire erupted in Beirut's Palestinian refugee camps upon the official declaration of the ceasefire, reflecting cautious optimism. However, Hezbollah's opposition to Israel continues to pose challenges to lasting peace.

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3. President Biden's New Cybersecurity Executive Order

Executive Order Overview: President Biden has signed a comprehensive executive order aimed at enhancing the United States' cybersecurity infrastructure. The directive focuses on securing critical infrastructure sectors and establishing mechanisms to sanction cybercriminals targeting vital areas such as water and power.

"The goal is to make it costlier and harder for China, Russia, Iran, and ransomware criminals to hack," explained Jenna McLaughlin. (02:43)

Key Provisions:

• Critical Infrastructure Protection: Emphasis on safeguarding essential services against cyber threats.
• Sanctions and Enforcement: Streamlining the process to penalize cybercriminals effectively.
• Artificial Intelligence Integration: Development of AI algorithms designed to automatically detect vulnerabilities and recommend patches to fortify defenses, particularly in the energy sector.

Anne Neuberger, President Biden's outgoing deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology, highlighted the administration's intent to leverage advanced technologies for proactive defense measures.

"The executive action includes direction for developing artificial intelligence algorithms that will automatically hunt for vulnerabilities," Neuberger stated. (02:49)

Notably, the executive order was formulated without direct consultation with President-elect Trump's team, as his cyber leadership appointments remain pending.

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4. Market Update and Other News

Stock Market Decline: The Dow Jones Industrial Average has experienced a drop of 130 points, reflecting current market volatility.

Pope Francis' Injury: The Vatican announced that Pope Francis sustained an injury to his right forearm following a fall at his residence. Fortunately, there were no fractures, and the Pope is currently wearing a sling as a precautionary measure.

EPA Concerns Over Forever Chemicals: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has raised alarms about the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as "forever chemicals," in sewage sludge. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and have been linked to various health issues, including cancer.

"PFAS from the sludge can contaminate milk, eggs, beef, vegetables, drinking water, and fish in nearby waterways," Ping Huang reported. (03:38)

The EPA's draft assessment underscores the potential risks associated with the use of treated sewage sludge as industrial fertilizer, emphasizing the need for public input, which is open until mid-March.

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5. Space News: Blue Origin's Glenn Rocket Launch

Successful Launch: Space company Blue Origin has successfully launched its inaugural Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral. The rocket, noted for its exceptional size, was designed to carry very heavy payloads into orbit.

Mission Details: The mission included an experimental payload, showcasing Blue Origin's advancements in space technology. While the first booster stage was intended to be recovered for reuse, mission managers reported its loss during the launch.

"The rocket is exceptionally large and is intended to carry very heavy payloads aloft," Korva Coleman noted. (04:27)

Despite the setback with the booster stage, the successful launch marks a significant milestone for Blue Origin's ambitions in the aerospace industry.

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Stay informed with NPR News Now for the latest updates every hour.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. Several of President elect Trump's cabinet nominees will appear in Senate confirmation hearings today. His choice for US Attorney General, Pam Bondi, is returning for a second day. Bondi claims the Justice Department has targeted Trump for years. She insists that if she is confirmed, she will not politicize the agency. Trump's choice to be Secretary of the Interior rather receives his hearing this morning. NPR's Jonathan Lambert reports. Former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is poised to play a key role in Trump's effort to boost fossil fuel production.

[Jonathan Lambert]

The Department of the Interior manages roughly one fifth of the lands and waters of the United States. As Secretary, Burgum would have significant influence over allowing oil and gas drilling on federal lands. Interior also oversees national parks and monuments, endangered species protections and relations with federally recognized Native American tribes. Burgum's pro drilling stance is clear from his record as governor of an oil rich state, but his views on conservation issues are less well known and could be the subject of questioning at the hearing. Bergam is largely expected to be confirmed. Jonathan Lambert, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

Israel's prime minister says his cabinet won't meet today to approve the proposed ceasefire with Hamas for Gaza. The Israeli leader says Hamas has created a last minute crisis. He did not elaborate. Hamas released a statement online saying it supports the deal. As announced yesterday by mediators, there has been some cautious optimism in neighboring Lebanon over a potential ceasefire. NPR's Emily Fang has more.

[Emily Fang]

Celebratory gunfire erupted across Beirut from the city's Palestinian refugee camps when the ceasefire was made official. Najib Makati, Lebanon's acting prime minister, said the ceasefire ended a, quote, bloody chapter. The the ceasefire is big news in Lebanon because the country itself is deeply tied to the Israel Palestinian conflict. At least a quarter of a million Palestinian refugees and their descendants currently live in Lebanon. And Hezbollah, the Iran backed fighting group opposed to Israel, is also based in Lebanon.

[Korva Coleman]

NPR's Emily Feng reporting. President Biden has signed a sweeping executive order on cybersecurity. NPR's Jenna McLaughlin has more.

[Anne Neuberger]

ANNE Neuberger is President Biden's outgoing deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology. She says the president's executive order on cybersecurity is aimed at securing critical infrastructure and making it easier to sanction the cybercriminals that target vital sectors like water and power.

[Jenna McLaughlin]

The goal is to make it costlier and harder for China, Russia, Iran and ransomware criminals to hack.

[Anne Neuberger]

The executive action also includes direction for developing artificial intelligence algorithms that will automatically hunt for vulnerabilities and suggest patches to help defend the energy sector. Neuberger said President elect Trump's team did not directly consult in the executive order, as he hasn't named his cyber leadership team yet. Jenna McLaughlin, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

On Wall street, the Dow is down 130 points. This is NPR. The Vatican says Pope Francis has sustained an injury to his right forearm. The Vatican says he had a fall in his residence but did not suffer any fractures. He's wearing a sling as a precaution. The Environmental Protection Agency is concerned about so called forever chemicals in sewage sludge. As NPR's Ping Huang explains, the waste can cause various problems, including contaminating farms and forests.

[Ping Huang]

Solid sewage waste is nutrient rich and it sometimes gets spread as industrial fertilizer before it's used. It gets treated to kill pathogens, but that doesn't help to remove pfas, a group of chemicals known as forever chemicals, because they persist for a long time in nature. PFAS have been used for decades to water and stain proof products, but the EPA says these chemicals could be causing cancer. Sludge is not commonly spread on farms, but when it is, it can pose a danger to farm families and others nearby. EPA says PFAS from the sludge can contaminate milk, eggs, beef and vegetables, as well as drinking water and fish in nearby waterways. The EPA has published its concerns in a draft assessment. It's now open for public comment through mid March. Ping Huang, NPR the space company Blue.

[Korva Coleman]

Origin has successfully launched its first rocket into orbit, the new Glenn rocket launched overnight from Cape Canaveral. It carries an experimental payload. The rocket is exceptionally large. It's intended to carry very heavy payloads aloft. Blue Origin mission managers hope to recover the rocket's first booster stage, but say it was lost in the launch. This is npr.

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