NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-14-2024 5PM EST

Episode Date: December 14, 2024

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Lakshmi Singh I'm Lakshmi Singh. Public radio reminds us of our shared humanity, even at our darkest hours, like with the story of an artist couple who make beautiful spaces for communities to grieve. Janine Hurst We found that people will usually stop by and just feel a little bit more open and willing to talk and share. Lakshmi Singh Help us make room for light in the dark. Give before the end of the year at donate.npr.org. Janine Hurst Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Hurst. The White House says the drones that have been spotted over New Jersey, New York,

and other Northeastern states for weeks now are still being investigated, but that they have no known evidence of foreign activity or nefarious activity at this point. And Piers Deepa Shivaram has more. Officials from the FBI, Homeland Security and the FAA said Saturday that they share public concern about the drones but also think there has been some overreaction from the public. Officials said they're working with New Jersey State Police and other entities like the Coast Guard as they investigate. They also established a tip line that resulted in 5,000 tips, but

less than 100 that they say was worth looking into. Officials could not say how long they expect the investigation to last. President-elect Donald Trump suggested on Friday in a post on Truth Social that the drones could be shot down, but officials did not speak to that possibility. Deepa Sivaram, NPR News. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the United States, along with counterparts from eight Arab nations, Turkey and officials from the EU and the United Nations, have been in direct contact with the rebel group HTS and others that overthrew the Assad regime in Syria.

Blinken says he signed off on a set of principles meant to guide Syria toward a peaceful, nonsectarian, and inclusive country. What happens inside of Syria can have powerful consequences well beyond its borders, from mass displacement to terrorism. And we know that we can't underestimate the challenges of this moment and in the weeks and months ahead. Speaking to reporters in Jordan, Blinken says the U.S.'s message to the Syrian people is that the U.S. wants them to succeed and is prepared to help them do so. His comments are the first public confirmation that Washington is in contact with the rebel group HTS, that the U.S. designated a terrorist organization six years ago. Blinken's wrapping up a three-nation tour of the region scheduled after the fall of the Assad regime. South Korean lawmakers voted to impeach President Yun Sung-yeol for his attempt to impose martial

law 11 days ago. NPR's Anthony Kuhn has more. Lawmakers' cries rang out in the main chamber of the National Assembly, South Korea's parliament, when the vote count was announced, 204 to 85, with three abstentions and eight invalid votes. Yoon's support eroded in recent days as it became clear he had masterminded the martial law declaration. Yoon is the third South Korean president to be impeached, following Noh Moo-hyun in 2004

and Park Geun-hye in 2016. South Korea's prime minister will take over as acting president. If the nation's constitutional court upholds the impeachment, Yoon will be formally removed and an election for a new president will be held. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul. This is NPR News from Washington. Coffee is the latest commodity facing spikes in prices after unusual weather in top-growing countries. The cost of coffee on the futures market has been trading near record highs and warnings that supplies will come short for months to come. And here's Alina Seljuk has more. Brazil is the top grower

of the world's most popular coffee bean called Arabica. Vietnam is the top grower of the second most popular bean called Robusta. And over the past year, Vietnam faced severe drought, followed by heavier than usual rains. And then Brazil had one of the worst droughts with rains delayed. Scientists say climate change is shifting weather patterns

in those regions. Futures prices for both types of beans have soared. Robusta this year has doubled in price. Arabica this week passed a 50-year high, and both have lately gone up and down, hovering around record levels fueled in part by financial speculators. Brands like Nescafé and Folgers have already raised their retail prices in response. Alina Seluk, NPR News. Stanley is recalling two and a half million travel mugs because of problems with the lids. The company says those lid threads on the switchback and the trigger action mugs could shrink if exposed to too much heat, and that means those lids could pop off, posing a burn hazard. The company says they've received more than 90 reports of the lids coming off with 38

people burned, including 11 who required medical treatment. The mug sold for between $20 and $50 at major retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, and Target. I'm Janene Hurst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.