NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-20-2024 3AM EST

Episode Date: November 20, 2024

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SHAYE STIEBENS Live from MPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. Ukraine has fired several U.S. ballistic missiles into Russia, only days after the Biden administration gave the go-ahead. As NPR's Tom Bowman reports, Russia is expressing strong opposition to the move, calling it an escalation of its war with Ukraine. Tom Bowman Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov called it, quote, a new phase of the Western War against Russia. And he said, we will react accordingly, though he didn't say what that means.

He also pointed out that Russia has lowered the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. That means nuclear weapons could be used in the case of a conventional weapons attack on Russia, one that is, they say, a critical threat to sovereignty or its territorial integrity. Russia has been saying for some time that such long-range attacks would mean NATO is directly involved in the Ukraine war, indicating that Russia could hit NATO targets like, you know, stocks of weapons destined for Ukraine. NPR's Tom Bowman, meanwhile President Biden, is now authorizing sending anti-personnel mines to help Ukraine defend itself. Israel is using a new kind of weapon in the war in Gaza. It's a sniper drone.

As NPR's Kat Lonsdorf reports, witnesses say it's been used to shoot civilians. For months, NPR has been hearing about a small quadcopter drone with a rifle attached, shooting at civilians, medical professionals, and first responders in Gaza. Several eyewitnesses, including visiting doctors from other countries, have described the technology being used to shoot and sometimes kill civilians, including children. The Israeli military told NPR it was unaware of such incidents

and that any suggestion that it intends to harm civilians is, quote, unfounded and baseless. NPR also asked the Israeli military repeatedly if it was using this sniper drone technology in Gaza. It did not respond to the question. But the technology exists, is produced by companies with ties to Israel, and has been touted by the Israeli military in the past. Kat Lonsdorf, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

Prosecutors in the criminal trial of President-elect Donald Trump are seeking another delay. NPR's Ximena Bustillo has more. In May, a jury convicted Trump of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, but his sentencing has been postponed several times. Now Manhattan prosecutors who brought the case are asking Judge Juan Marchand to pause the proceedings to give them time to argue whether it should be dismissed entirely. Marchand had previously paused Trump's sentencing in the case. Trump's lawyers are hoping to argue to dismiss the trial and charges because Trump won the election and because

of a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity. They say that a sitting president cannot be charged. In a court filing on Tuesday, D.A. Alvin Bragg asked for a new deadline of December 9th to make his case. Jimena Bustillo, NPR News, New York. This is NPR. The Justice Department is demanding that the Sheriff's Office in Sangamon County, Illinois release records on the killing of a Springfield woman. Thirty-six-year-old Sonia Massey was shot to death inside her home by a deputy who was

responding to a call about a possible prowler. The officer is charged with murder and other offenses. Bodycam footage of the July 22 incident has been posted online. In prison, Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai has testified in his long-running trial on charges of colluding with foreign forces. As NPR's Emily Fang reports, Lai faces up to life in prison under a Beijing national security law. Emily Fang, NPR's Emily Fang, NPR's Emily Fang, NPR's Emily Fang, NPR's Emily Fang,

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before his detention. He said he'd had meetings with Taiwan's former president and numerous US officials including former Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo but said he did not ask them to take concrete action against China. And Lai said he thought it was, quote, too crazy to even think about Hong Kong independence from China. He's facing a no-jury trial presided over by three judges specially chosen for national security cases. Emily Fang, NPR News. US futures are higher in after-hours trading on Wall Street. On Asia Pacific, market shares are mixed at this hour, down a fraction in Tokyo.

I'm Shea Stevens. This is NPR News.