NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-27-2024 1PM EST

Episode Date: December 27, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Officials in Ukraine say they're hoping to speed up delivery of a $61 billion aid package promised by the United States. NPR's Brian Mann reports their goal is to receive as much of the assistance as possible before President Biden leaves office in January. In a national address this week, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky described the situation on the front lines as grave. It is very important the United States is now increasing delivery,

Zelensky said. This is necessary to stabilize the situation. During a briefing at Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, spokesman Hyori Taki said aid is needed now. We are conveying the sense of urgency. Right now the priorities are of course air defense. Taki said Ukraine is confident the Biden administration will manage to transfer most of the promised weapons and ammunition before President-elect Donald Trump takes office January 20th. Brian Mann, NPR News, Keefe. The Israeli military has forced the evacuation of one of the last functioning hospitals in northern Gaza, calling it a Hamas terror center.

Staff at the hospital say airstrikes overnight that targeted the area killed 50 people. The BBC spoke with Dr. Mimi Sayed, an American emergency physician in Gaza. We do expect a large influx of patients coming into central Gaza where I am here. This hospital is nowhere near equipped to take care of that number of patients or acuity. We are heavily burdened. There are no resources here at the hospital for the patients that are already coming here. I can't imagine what's going to be happening in the next few days. The hospital has been under siege by the IDF for weeks.

The new Syrian government has appointed a man sanctioned by the United Nations for his involvement in terrorist organizations, including al-Qaeda. NPR's Hadil al-Shalchi reports from Damascus. Anas Hassan Khattab was involved in the formation of al-Nusra Front, according to the United Nations. And today, he's the new Syrian Minister of General Intelligence appointed by President Ahmed al-Sharah. Khattab was sanctioned by the UN in 2014 for a number of activities, including helping to facilitate financing and support for the militant Nusra Front. The group that swept to power in Syria, Heyat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, had ties to al-Qaeda

but broke them off years ago. HTS is a designated terrorist organization by the United States, and Sharaq, its leader, remains a designated terrorist. The United States, however, did recently lift a $10 million bounty on the head of Sharaq. Hadeel Al-Shalchi, NPR News, Damascus. Stocks are trading sharply lower on Wall Street at this hour. The Dow was down 471 points, the Nasdaq down 391. This is NPR News from Washington.

Investigators are learning more about the Azerbaijani plane that crashed on Wednesday. Preliminary reports show the jet went down because of a quote, physical and technical external interference. Images of the plane's tail show damage consistent with explosives. Osamu Suzuki, who led Japanese auto and motorcycle maker Suzuki Motor for more than four decades, has died at the age of 94. NPR's Rafael Nam reports Suzuki was best known for leading his company into spectacular success in India. Drive on any Indian road and you'll soon see a small Suzuki car or motorcycle. The Maruti Suzuki, as the

company's car is known in India, is a popular and affordable car driven by everybody from taxi drivers to families all over India. It was all largely thanks to Osamu Suzuki. He married into the Suzuki family behind the automaker and adopted their family name. Under his leadership, Suzuki entered India in the early 1980s and expanded into other markets. But he was particularly well known in India, where he was a frequent and recognizable visitor thanks to his bushy eyebrows and dedication to the country that brought him one of his biggest successes. Rafael Nam, NPR News

The largest electric carmaker in China has fired the subcontractor that provided workers for its factory in Brazil. Labor officials found unsafe working conditions at BYD, including long hours and evidence of forced labor. This is NPR.