NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-13-2024 12PM EST

Episode Date: December 13, 2024

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When it came out in 1843, a Christmas carol was a sensation, and Charles Dickens became a legend. Some people would consider him the originator of Christmas or the inventor of Christmas. The past, present, and future of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Listen to Thulein wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. An attorney for President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services is petitioning the government to revoke its approval of the polio vaccine.

The shot has protected millions of people for decades from a virus that could cause paralysis or death. NPR's Luke Garrett reports lawmakers on Capitol Hill continue to raise concerns about the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska tells NPR she is meeting with R.F.K. Jr. next week. I am from a state where vaccines have saved whole villages. And so I want to talk to him about the issue of vaccines. R.F.K. Jr. ran for president as an independent and spread anti-vaccine messages and conspiracies.

Kennedy dropped out of the race and endorsed Trump. Rekowsky says beyond vaccines, she also wants to hear his ideas about pesticide use and nutrition. I'm curious to talk to him about some of the food issues as well. So it should be a great conversation. Kennedy has been highly critical of big food and pharmaceutical industries. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. The sudden collapse of the Syrian regime last weekend came as a surprise to many, including Iran. NPR's Jackie Northam

reports for years Syria allowed Tehran access to Iranian Middle East proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas. NPR's Jackie Northam reports for years Syria allowed Tehran access to Iranian Middle East proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas. Syria allowed Iran to set up a critical land bridge to Lebanon, so a corridor to Lebanon, so it could funnel weapons to Hezbollah for many years. You know, this was crucial to get fighters, weapons going both ways, actually. But now that the anti-government rebels control Syria, that strategic route to Lebanon is

really most likely off limits to Iran. That's NPR's Jackie Northam reporting. Russian forces have launched nearly 300 missiles and drones across Ukraine targeting its power plants and energy grid. NPR's Joanna Kikis's reports more than half of the country's energy infrastructure has been destroyed since the war broke out. Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky called it one of the largest strikes on the country's energy grid since the beginning of the full-scale war in February 2022.

He said Russia attacked with nearly 200 drones and at least 93 missiles, some supplied by North Korea. Ukraine's military said F-16 fighter jets helped shoot down the missiles. Ukraine's energy sector is warning that there will be more rolling power cuts to rationed electricity. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister said he wants allies to deliver at least 20 additional air defense systems to protect the energy grid. Joanna Kekesis, NPR News, Kiev. This is NPR. The United Kingdom is banning entry to a close business associate of King Charles' younger

brother. NPR's Lauren Frere reports the government is concerned the man may be a Chinese spy. He's a 50-year-old Chinese citizen who advises British firms on how to do business in China. One of his clients was Prince Andrew, the disgraced younger brother of the king. They had a close business relationship, and the Chinese man, whose name has not been made public, was invited to Andrew's birthday party. But in recent years, he's been stopped at airports and barred entry to the UK. And now an immigration tribunal has upheld that. On grounds the Chinese man is actually a Communist

Party spy who may have seen Andrew as an easy target. In recent years the prince has been cut out of the royal budget and beset by scandals over his ties to wealthy foreigners including the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein who died by suicide five years ago. Lauren Freyer and PR News London. It's hard to imagine the holiday season without this festive hit playing on loop. Pop icon Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You has surpassed 2 billion streams on Spotify, making it the first song to hit that mark. In a statement to People magazine, Carey said she was grateful to listeners around the world and thanked them for making the song part of their annual holiday traditions.

I'm Windsor Johnston, NPR News in Washington.