NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-26-2024 9AM EST

Episode Date: December 26, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, on Korova-Kulman, utility crews are working across Ukraine to restore power and clean up rubble after Russia launched a massive Christmas Day attack. Dozens of missiles and drones targeted Ukraine's energy grid. NPR's Brian Mann reports from Kyiv. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said most of the roughly 70 missiles and 100 drones were shot down, but at least 20 got through, knocking out power and heat across the country. Svitana Artyushkova says her city, Kharkiv, was hit hard.

There were strikes all around my house, she said. It was frightening, but we're still standing. We're still alive. Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, said in a statement an engineer was killed in Moscow's attack. Most cities and most homes have seen power restored. In a statement, President Joe Biden called the Christmas Day strike outrageous. President-elect Donald Trump's incoming special envoy for Ukraine and Russia also condemned

Moscow's attack. Brian Mann, NPR News, Kyiv. Israel and Hamas cannot agree on ceasefire negotiations to stop the war in Gaza and release surviving hostages. They've hinted for weeks that they're close but as MPOs Emily Fang reports significant sticking points remain. The main disagreements have been about how Hamas would release hostages still alive in stages or all at once. Also an issue is which Palestinian detainees Israel would release from its prisons and when and for how long Israel's military would

withdraw from Gaza. It's also not clear yet who would govern Gaza after a ceasefire. A Hamas official familiar with the negotiations told NPR there was flexibility on the militant group's part regarding detainee releases. But the official says Israel is now insisting the ceasefire be temporary. So he says it could one day resume its war in Gaza. Asked about last-minute changes by Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas was quote, lying. Emily Fang and Pierre News, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of a massive earthquake and tsunami that rolled across the Indian Ocean. More than 230,000 people were killed in about a dozen countries, mostly in Southeast Asia. But the tsunami was so powerful, it rolled across the Indian Ocean and crashed into East Africa, killing hundreds of people. Operations inside one of the terminals at the Phoenix International Airport were briefly suspended last night. Phoenix police say several people were involved in an altercation near a restaurant outside of security checkpoints.

Three people were shot. A fourth person was stabbed. Phoenix Police Sergeant Mayra Riesen says the incident is over and the airport is in full service. This incident has been resolved. It was resolved very quickly. There's nobody outstanding. We are not, we do not believe that there's any suspects out there outstanding.

I want to put everybody at ease. One of the victims from the altercation is now hospitalized in critical condition. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Officials in Finland are investigating why a major power cable on the floor of the Baltic Sea has been interrupted. The cable runs to Estonia, and officials in Estonia's government are meeting to review the incident. The cable's power supply mysteriously vanished at midday yesterday. Authorities in Northern Europe are worried after two international data cables were severed last month.

Two underwater gas pipelines between Russia and Germany were sabotaged in September 2022. This month, Congress passed a major bill to help military veteran caregivers. As NPR's Quill Lawrence reports, the bill will cost about a billion dollars over the next decade. Named for Senator and military family caregiver Elizabeth Dole, the Act vastly expands caregiver benefits, especially for elderly or sick veterans who prefer getting help at home. Advocates say loved ones can often do a better job than hospitals or nursing homes. Work done by military family home caregivers is estimated to save the VA tens of millions of dollars each year.

In recognition of the relentless nature of the work, the Act also adds services for the caregivers themselves, including mental health support. The measure had been held up since last spring because it also expands access for veterans to get reimbursed for private medical care outside VA. In the incoming Trump administration, use of private care outside the VA system is expected to increase. Quill Lawrence, NPR News. There are winter storm warnings and advisories posted from Washington State to Utah today.

The National Weather Service says that is because of a series of Pacific Ocean storms that are still moving into the West Coast. I'm Correra Coleman, NPR News.