NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-21-2024 9PM EST

Episode Date: December 22, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janene Hurst. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited the Christmas Market in eastern Germany where a man drove his car into the crowd last night, killing at least five people and injuring more than 200. Terry Scholz reports the alleged attacker is a Saudi doctor who has residency in Germany. Mourners are leaving flowers and candles at a church near the Christmas Market in Magdeburg where a man plowed his BMW into shoppers. Visiting the scene, Chancellor Scholz said nearly 40 of those injured are very seriously

hurt. He urged Germans not to let this incident divide them. That we stick together and remain united, he said. That it is not hatred that determines our togetherness, but that we are a community which wants to win the future. German media have identified the driver, who was immediately arrested, as a 50-year-old Saudi psychiatrist. His social media account indicates he's a former Muslim, critical of German authorities,

for what he said was a failure to combat the Islamism of Europe. For NPR News, I'm Terri Schulz. Students in Madison, Wisconsin walked out of their classrooms yesterday protesting gun laws days after a deadly school shooting there. Wisconsin Public Radio's Anya VanWagtendonk has more. The young protesters marched down snowy streets to the state capitol. There, some gave speeches calling on lawmakers to address gun violence and mental health needs. In the crowd was Abby Johns. She's a sophomore at Abundant

Life Christian School, where earlier this week a student killed two people. Her dad, Jason Johns, stood nearby. It's been tough seeing your 15-year-old daughter, so so innocent be affected by something like this. He said his family is focused on healing, but they're still figuring out whether Abby will go back to that school building. For NPR News, I'm Anjelie Wagtendonk in Madison. It's the busy holiday travel season with millions of people expected to hit the roads and the skies. But as MPR's Ava Pukhnetj

reports, winter weather could hamper those travel plans. Some areas in the northeastern U.S. saw several inches of snowfall this weekend as a storm system moved across the region. But for the holiday week, Frick Pereira, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, says they aren't forecasting widespread inclement weather. There will be some localized areas where travel may be a little bit more difficult. We're looking at the potential for mountain snow and lower elevation rain across portions of the Pacific Northwest over the next several days. And that would certainly slow travelers down across that area.

And while the East Coast is experiencing some of the coldest temperatures of the season, Pereira says temperatures will gradually start to rise as Christmas approaches. Eva Pukac, NPR News. And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. Ricky Henderson, a World Series champion who holds the all-time record for the most stolen bases in Major League Baseball history, has died at the age of 65. For Member Station KQED in San Francisco, Joseph Gija has more. An Oakland legend who played parts of 14 seasons with the A's in a 25-year career, Henderson

was known most for his rare and exciting combination of speed and power. His wife, Pamela Henderson, confirmed his death in a statement issued Saturday through the A's. In addition to the stolen base title, Henderson had many other career records that have stood for decades, including most leadoff home runs and most runs scored. Billy Beane, the famed longtime former Oakland Athletics general manager, said in a statement that Henderson was, quote, the greatest Oakland A of all time and that his impact on the A's, on Oakland, and on baseball is immeasurable. For NPR News, I'm Joseph Gija. Federal health regulators have approved the weight loss drug Zepbond to treat obstructive

sleep apnea. The FDA says it's authorized for adults with obesity and moderate to severe sleep apnea. The FDA says it's authorized for adults with obesity and moderate to severe sleep apnea. That happens when a person's upper airway becomes blocked, causing them to struggle to breathe properly as they sleep. It can affect anyone, but it's more common in those who are overweight. The FDA says the drug should be used in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet and increased exercise. Last March, the FDA approved WeGoV, a weight loss drug from Norvo Nordisk, to be used to reduce the risk of strokes, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular problems in patients

who are overweight. I'm Janene Herbst, NPR News. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things in other currencies. Send, spend, or receive money internationally, and always get the real-time mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees. Download the Wyse app today or visit wyse.com, tease and seize apply.