NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-22-2024 4PM EST

Episode Date: December 22, 2024

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In 1987, a young black man named Ben Spencer was convicted of a brutal murder in Texas, but there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime. And he had an alibi, but that didn't matter. It's hard to overcome a dead white guy who's killed by two black men. Follow Ben's 30-year fight for justice. Listen now to the Sunday story on the Up First Podcast. Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Dwahle Saikow-Tow. Health officials in Gaza say they are under a quote, unprecedented attack by Israeli forces

in the north of the enclave. The AP reports that Palestinian officials say at least 20 people were killed in overnight attacks. More from NPR's Carrie Khan. The director of one of the last functioning hospitals in northern Gaza says the facility has been shelled by sniper fire and drones. The director of Kamal Adman Hospital says the attacks have come with no warning and no protection for patients and civilians.

He insists there are no military targets or fighters within his hospital, which he says has hundreds of patients and civilians there, including babies in the neonatal unit. Israel says Hamas militants operate in hospitals and schools endangering civilians. In a statement to NPR, the Israeli military says its forces have been operating in the vicinity, but not within the hospital's premises.

In the past 48 hours, more than 50 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, according to the health ministry there. Kari Kahn, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Utah Senator-elect John Curtis is replacing retiring Republican Senator Mitt Romney. On ABC News this week, he explained that he wants to see President-elect Trump, quote, wildly successful, especially on the economy. But he had this message for Trump. I'm going to be winning his back on things like inflation.

I want him to bring peace around the world. I want to deal with the border situation. And I'm really there for him. I want to be helpful. And Mr. President, from time to time, I'm going to disagree with you. And it will be respectful. And I think when I disagree with you, it will be helpful. Mr. President, from time to time, I'm going to disagree with you. And it will be respectful. And I think when I disagree with you, it will be helpful. And I hope you'll listen to me.

Curtis was one of the 38 GOP House members who voted against Trump's demands at the tail end of negotiations to prevent a government shutdown. A new study finds that the number of executions in the U.S. remains about the same this year as it has been recently, and Piers Martin-Costee reports that 25 people have been put to death in 2024. Robin Maher is the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, which just published its annual report. She says the death penalty was not a major political issue this year, and not much has

changed. Public support for the death penalty remains at a bare majority, which is 53 percent. That's a five decade low. But active use of the death penalty remains limited to just a minority of states. Just four states accounted for three quarters of all executions this year and Marr says that has contributed to making the death penalty a quote local issue, which escapes the notice of most Americans. Twenty-seven states have the death penalty on the books though five of those have paused

executions by order of their governors. Martin Kosty, NPR News. Sudan's largest refugee camp has been attacked by artillery shelling almost daily for two weeks that's according to local media. You're listening to NPR News from New York. Major League Baseball's Man of Steel Ricky Henderson has died. He played for nine MLB teams from 1979 to 2003, becoming the league's most valuable player in 1990, and then achieved the all-time stolen base record of 1406. MLB commissioner Rob Manford said on Saturday night he called Henderson the gold standard of bass stealing and lead-off hitting. He died just before his 66th birthday on Christmas Day. One New England state is leaning into its

role as a filming location for many holiday films. Connecticut Public Radio's Chris Polanski reports on the state's new Christmas movie trail. The trail is a tourism push by the state of Connecticut, a self-guided tour of taverns and town squares and more. Each stop was featured in a Christmas movie filmed over the last decade. Ellen Wolf is the state's brand director. You can just pick a movie and watch it with a steaming cup of hot cocoa a la Hallmark style and then step into the shoes of your favorite actors and relive those special scenes from the movies right here in Connecticut. Wolf says the industry is a big moneymaker for Connecticut, attributing

millions of dollars in revenue to holiday movie production. For NPR News, I'm Chris Polanski in Hartford, Connecticut. President Biden is expected to sign into law a new bill that was passed last week aimed at creating a national center focused on culturally appropriate services for Native American children. I'm Dwali Psykowtel, NPR News in New York City.