NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-27-2024 4PM EST

Episode Date: December 27, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Investigators are learning more about the passenger jet that crashed in Kazakhstan this week, killing at least 38 people. NPR's Brian Mann reports Russian weapons may have hit the plane. The Azerbaijani jetliner crashed in Kazakhstan while en route to a city in Russia Wednesday with 67 passengers and crew on board. 29 people survived. During a briefing with reporters, U.S. National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said it's possible Russian weapons hit the civilian

plane. We do have, have seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defense systems. Kirby emphasized the probe into the fiery crash is still underway. Azerbaijan Airlines officials said in a statement it appears external interference impacted the plane. The airline has suspended flights to airports inside Russia. Brian Mann, NPR News, Kyiv.

The White House says Russia is showing no signs of ending its nearly three-year invasion of Ukraine. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says Russian President Vladimir Putin has given zero indication that he's willing to negotiate an end to the war. Putin's comments are pretty vacuous. I mean, just over Christmas days, launching waves of missiles and drones against Ukrainian infrastructure. This is not a man who anyone should take seriously when it comes to saying he's ready for a negotiated settlement. He has proven quite the contrary in almost every single possible way. Russia carried out what Washington called an outrageous attack on Wednesday that targeted

Ukraine's energy network. Gaza's health ministry says Israeli troops have stormed one of the last functioning hospitals in the territories north today, forcing employees and patients outside. NPR's Emily Fang reports supplies have been cut to the facility, and more than 200 staff members have been cut to the facility and more than 200 staff members have been wounded. The Israeli military said in a statement that Kamal Adwan Hospital is a Hamas stronghold, used regularly by militants for cover.

Hospital officials deny the allegations and say they've been under assault by airstrikes and other targeted strikes. Since October, more than 20 of Kamal Adwan's staff have been killed during the Israeli offensive in North Gaza. That includes three medical staff who died this week after an Israeli airstrike hit a building across from the hospital. Israel's military said Kamal Adwan's approximately 75 patients are being moved to another hospital. But North Gaza's remaining two hospitals have been partially destroyed, and nurses in Kamal Adwan fear patients moved to them might die from lack of supplies. Emily Fang, NPR News, Tel Aviv, Israel.

That last check on Wall Street, the Dow was down 333 points. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Credit card companies usually offer big incentives after the holidays, but the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns that some of those promises may not be real. Nick Ewen is the Senior Editorial Director at The Points Guy. It's a website all about credit card rewards. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report was based on complaints that they received. And obviously they're not going to receive information from people that are happily using

their rewards. But there are definitely some instances where partnerships might end and certain benefits are no longer going to be available. And the credit card issuers try to announce that far in advance. We should note that the PointSky website makes some of its money through credit card referrals. NASA's Parker Solar Probe has survived its closest-ever approach to the Sun. NPR's Jonathan Lambert explains how the flyby could help scientists better understand the Sun. The Parker Solar Probe barreled towards the Sun on

December 24th, getting closer than any human-made object has ever gotten to a star, about 3.8 million miles. After getting cut off from communication, the mission team received a message from the probe just before midnight Eastern Standard Time on December 26th, indicating the probe survived. The team expects more detailed data from the flyby on January 1st. Measurements taken so close to the Sun's surface will help scientists study questions including how matter in this region gets heated to millions of degrees and how solar wind forms.

Jonathan Lambert, NPR News. I'm Windsor Johnston and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.