NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-23-2024 6PM EST

Episode Date: December 23, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. The House Ethics Committee has released its report on former Congressman Matt Gaetz. The panel launched an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use by the Florida Republican. NPR's Bob Respondent has details of the panel's findings. The committee found evidence that Gates violated House rules, state and federal laws, and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, and obstruction of Congress. The panel did not find that Gates violated the federal sex trafficking statute. Gates resigned his seat before the panel voted on the report and denies the allegations against him.

He sued the ethics panel in an attempt to block the report's release, arguing the committee no longer has jurisdiction over him as a private citizen. Barbara Sprint, NPR News, The Capital. More than 50 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza over the last three days. Health officials say the attacks targeted a school where displaced families were living. NPR's Kary Kahn reports Israel says Hamas Command Center was inside the compound. Gaza's civil defense agency says a wave of Israeli airstrikes since Friday has killed dozens of people. The agency says two children sheltering at a school were killed in a strike

in northern Gaza. Israel has been fighting a focused offensive in north Gaza, one of the fiercest in the war since October to drive out Hamas militants. The director of one of the last functioning hospitals there says hundreds of patients and civilians are in danger from the constant bombardment. Israel's military says it is operating in the vicinity but denies targeting the hospital. The head of the World Health Organization called on Israel to stop attacks near the hospital. Ceasefire talks continue. Israeli and Hamas mediators are still negotiating details and timelines, though are not public. Kerry Kahn, NPR News, Tel Aviv. A federal lawsuit is alleging Walmart illegally created deposit accounts for more than a million

delivery drivers using Social Security and other personal information without their knowledge or consent. The accounts in question were for drivers to receive their pay and Pia Salin at Salyuk reports. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is suing Walmart and a payments platform called Branch Messenger. The lawsuit says Walmart told its delivery drivers they could not work without using branch accounts and in fact created branch accounts using drivers' personal information and even deposited drivers' wages before they ever agreed to terms and conditions. The lawsuit also says Walmart suggested drivers could instantly access their earnings but

the accounts had fees for instant transfers that overall cost drivers more than $10 million. Walmart in turn accuses the Bureau of rushing its investigation and lawsuit, saying it's quote, riddled with factual errors and contains exaggerations and blatant misstatements. Alina Seluk, NPR News. Stocks gained ground on Wall Street today. All three of the major U.S. stock market index is up. The Dow rose 66 points. The Nasdaq was up 192 points.

This is NPR. This year, the first night of Hanukkah falls on Christmas. Some are even calling it Christmas. NPR's Sarah Ventry has more on how interfaith families are honoring both holidays. At the Lieberman's home in Maristown, New Jersey, you'll find an Advent calendar and dreidels. That's because Lance Lieberman is Jewish and his wife, Petra Wehe Lieberman, is Christian. And their family embraces both religions, not just for winter holidays, but throughout the year.

It's about honoring family and that the traditions are really important because of our connections to our family and to our heritage. Many families embrace both holidays, but separately. Reverend Emily Brewer's husband is Jewish. We'll probably have our traditional Christmas lunch there. And then at sundown, we'll have packed some candles and we'll do Hanukkah there. And both families, like many others, will be saying both Merry Christmas and Hanukkah Sameach on the 25th.

Sarah Ventry, NPR News. Artificial intelligence applications have potential for misuse. Wildlife researchers in Costa Rica are hoping to use the technology to help monitor endangered spider monkeys in the rainforest in order to help protect them. A biologist hit 350 audio monitors, collected data, then used artificial intelligence to recognize monkey calls. Following up on that, tech giant Microsoft says it hopes to supercharge AI-assisted wildlife research with new solar-powered devices that can capture sounds, images, and other wilderness And that tech giant Microsoft says it hopes to supercharge AI-assisted wildlife research

with new solar-powered devices that can capture sounds, images, and other wilderness data for up to a year with no human intervention. Coodle futures prices closed down slightly, oil down 22 cents a barrel to settle at 69.24 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.