NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-15-2024 7PM EST

Episode Date: December 16, 2024

NPR News: 12-15-2024 7PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janene Hurst. President-elect Donald Trump says members of the congressional committee who investigated the deadly January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building, quote, should go to jail. He made the comment during an interview with NBC News last week. And that comment is getting bipartisan pushback, as NPR's Luke Garrett reports. Reliable Trump ally, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, told NBC's Kristen Welker, he can't's Luke Garrett reports. Reliable Trump ally Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told NBC's Kristen Welker he can't support him on this.

He thinks the members of the January 6th committee should go to jail. Do you agree with that statement? No. Welker then asked independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont whether President Biden should preemptively pardon January 6th committee members to protect them from Trump. Well, I think he might want to consider that very seriously. Look, that is an outrageous statement. This is what authoritarianism is all about. Trump has also promised to pardon some Capitol rioters on his first day back in the White

House. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. In Syria, students in Damascus went back to class today for the first time since rebels began their push toward the Capitol nearly two weeks ago. And Piers Hadil Al-Shulchi reports it was a morning of mixed emotions. It's time for students to gather at the Al-Sharif al-Radi elementary school in Damascus. Normally the students sing the Syrian national anthem at the assembly. Today is the first day they won't. Some parents look worried as they drop off their children. Ibrahim al-Khudr stands at the school's gate

making sure his seven-year-old daughter makes it through the school doors. There's some fear because things are chaotic right now, Khudr says. The school custodian stacks up framed pictures of President Bashar al-Assad and his father who ruled before him. He runs them to the trash. Third stars have been carefully added to the center of the old Syrian flag scattered around the school.

In the new Syria like the old, symbols are important. Hadeel Alshalchi, NPR News, Damascus. In central California, emergency authorities worked overnight to repair damage caused by a rare tornado that hit a Santa Cruz County city yesterday, leaving five people injured. Natalia Navarro with member station KQED has more. A strong storm this weekend that brought heavy rain and high winds formed a tornado about 70 miles south of San Francisco in the city of Scotts Valley.

Meteorologist Rick Canapa with the National Weather Service says the tornado was on the ground for five minutes, with rotating winds peaking at 90 miles per hour. These things can form typically well out over the Pacific and never affect land at all. So this one came through it had a powerful punch to it, highly focused pocket of energy in the atmosphere that was just positioned just right as it was coming in from the west. The Scotts Valley Police Department says power has been restored to nearby shops. For NPR News, I'm Natalia Navarro in San Francisco. U.S. futures contracts are trading slightly higher at last check.

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Germany is telling anyone who worked for the regime of Bashar al-Assad not to seek refuge in Germany. The country's foreign minister says if they do come, they will face the full force of the law. Berlin has put border checks in place as it tries to reduce migration. Nearly a million Syrians now live in Germany, a major destination for Syrian refugees over the past decade. Meanwhile, schools did reopen in Damascus today. Brazil's president has been discharged from the hospital after two surgeries this week to stop bleeding in his brain. Reporter Julia Canaro has more from Rio. Doctors were announcing President Luiz Inácio Lula da

Silva's release from a hospital in São Paulo when the president appeared at the press conference. in São Paulo when the president appeared at the press conference. In a Panama hat, Lula said he had returned to deliver quote, a great government. Brazil's leftist leader said he was 79 with the drive of a 20-year-old and was back to take care of the country. Doctors said Lula is to avoid travel and exercise in the coming month. He underwent emergency surgery last week to stop a brain bleed caused by a fall in October. Doctors performed a second operation to prevent future bleeding. For NPR News, I'm Julia Carneiro in Rio. Colorado's Travis Hunter is the Heisman Trophy winner. The big play wide receiver

and lockdown cornerback dominated on both sides of the ball for the Buffaloes, becoming the second player in school history to take home college football's most prestigious individual award. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty was the runner up. I'm Janene Herbst, NPR News. Support for this podcast and the following message come from Dignity Memorial. When your celebration of life is prepaid today, your family is protected tomorrow. Planning ahead is truly one of the best gifts you can give your family. For additional information, visit DignityMemorial.ca.