NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-15-2024 1AM EST

Episode Date: December 15, 2024

NPR News: 12-15-2024 1AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Dwahleesha Kaotel. The Secretary of State says negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza are intense. Antony Blinken made his comments in Jordan at the end of a Middle East trip that focused mostly on the situation in Syria, as NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports. Blinken huddled with Arab leaders in Jordan to agree on some basic principles for a new Syrian government after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Our message to the Syrian people is this,

we want them to succeed and we're prepared to help them do so. Speaking about the war in Gaza, Blinken says US officials are trying to get a ceasefire and hostage deal over the finish line. This is the moment to finally conclude that agreement. He says Israel has achieved its core military objectives, degrading Hamas so that it can't repeat the kind of attack it led on Israel on October 7th of last year.

Hamas still holds 100 hostages, seven of whom are Americans. Michelle Kelliman, NPR News, Tel Aviv. A lockdown at Fort Eisenhower near Augusta, Georgia, was imposed, then lifted after officials said a person was shot and killed at the US Army installation Saturday morning. For Member Station WABE in Atlanta, Molly Samuel reports. Army officials issued an all clear less than an hour after the lockdown began Saturday

morning. They said the shooting happened at a housing unit on the installation and appeared to be an isolated incident. The alleged shooter was apprehended and taken into custody. Officials said they wouldn't release information about the victim until family was notified. Despite base operations center saying normal operations could resume, activities related to the Army-Navy football game, which was being played outside Washington, were canceled. Fort Eisenhower, formerly named Fort Gordon, is home to the United States Army Cyber Command. For NPR News, I'm Mollye Samuel in Atlanta. 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 amid warnings that supplies will come short for months to come. And Pires Alina Seljuk reports. 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. This is NPR News from New York. The new acting president of South Korea, Han Deok-su, held talks with President Biden on Sunday, less than 24 hours after lawmakers voted to impeach President Yoon Seok-yul for declaring martial law 12 days ago. Han spoke to Biden about their shared defense posture against North Korea, and the Associated Press reports that Han, the acting leader, ordered South Korea's military to be on higher alert Sunday in case of fresh

provocations by the North. Meanwhile, the country's opposition leader, E.J. Myung, the frontrunner to replace Yoon urged the Constitutional Court to swiftly rule if Yoon should be removed permanently from office or reinstated. Elon Musk has submitted a petition to turn the South Texas SpaceX facility and surrounding complex into an incorporated city. Texas Public Radio's Jerry Clayton reports. Officials in Cameron County say they received the petition asking them to incorporate Star Base as a municipality on the Texas-Mexico border.

Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino says his office is working on the petition and that residents in the proposed area could vote to decide. Some have pushed back against SpaceX expansion. Elon Musk says the company needs the ability to grow a starbase community in order to continue growing its workforce necessary to develop its giant rocket Starship. Some 3400 workers are employed at the site. Musk also says he plans to move SpaceX headquarters from California to Texas.

I'm Jerry Clayton in San Antonio. And I'm Dua-Hli Saikow-Tel. NPR News from New York City.