NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-12-2024 4PM EST

Episode Date: November 12, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee will be nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as the U.S. ambassador to Israel. NPR's Stephen Fowler reports Huckabee is a longtime supporter of Israel and a critic of the Biden administration's handling of the war in Gaza. Mike Huckabee has previously spoken out against efforts to negotiate a ceasefire deal, arguing the only solution was the defeat or surrender of Hamas. Huckabee was a longtime Baptist minister before running for political office

and regularly leads, quote, the Israel Experience Trips, where paid tour groups visit sites with biblical and historical significance like the Sea of Galilee, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Old City of Jerusalem. In terms of present-day politics in the region, Huckabee has been a supporter of Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank. On the campaign trail, Donald Trump vowed to be Israel's, quote, protector if elected. Stephen Fowler, NPR News. The Biden administration says Israel is taking steps to get more aid into Gaza. So for now, the U.S. will not withhold U.S. military aid.

NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports the U.S. had given Israel a 30-day period to improve the situation. According to a memorandum previously signed by President Biden, the U.S. cannot give arms to a country that is blocking U.S. humanitarian assistance. A month ago, the Secretaries of State and Defense sent a letter to their Israeli counterparts, spelling out the steps they wanted Israel to take in Gaza to avoid a U.S. military aid cutoff. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel says there has been some progress.

VEDANT PATEL, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State Department Spokesman, State says there has been some progress. We at this time have not made an assessment that the Israelis are in violation of US law. Major aid groups give the Israelis a failing grade though, and the UN says Palestinians in Gaza have nowhere near the amount of aid they need. Michelle Kelliman, NPR News, the State Department.

Commercial airline flights in and out of the Haitian capital are now banned for the next 30 days after Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Each reported damage from gunfire to one of its planes. Freelance journalist Harold Isaac says the Spirit flight was diverted to the Dominican Republic yesterday after gunfire in the capital left one crew member with minor injuries. Harold Isaac As the Spirit Airlines 951 was attempting to land in Port-au-Prince, it got struck by gunshots and had to abort the landing and reroute to Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic. The only injury reported was a flight attendant that got grazed by

a bullet. Gang violence in Haiti has been escalating across the island for more than a year. At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was down 382 points. This is NPR. Federal safety regulators have asked Tesla to be careful about social media posts promoting the company's semi-autonomous software. NPR's Kamila Domenosky Report's new document showing the request were published as part of an investigation into how well the systems work when there's low visibility. Federal regulators have long been frustrated with how Tesla markets its driver assistance software. That's a big part of why Tesla added Supervised to the software's name. Now Full Self-Driving Supervised. To make it clear, you need to pay attention while using it.

Newly released documents show regulators have complained to Tesla about some social media posts on X, or rather reposts, where the company elevated the voices of drivers praising full self-driving supervised. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration called those posts, lost opportunities to temper enthusiasm. Tesla is selling the feature's abilities. Regulators would prefer more focus on its potential safety risks. Kamila Domenosky, NPR News.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a law in Louisiana that required public schools and universities to display the Ten Commandments. The injunction is a victory for civil rights groups. They argue the law violates the First Amendment's provisions against the government from establishing or favoring one religion over another, also from interfering with the right to practice a religion without government interference. I'm Windsor Johnston and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.