NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-28-2024 1AM EST

Episode Date: December 28, 2024

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Support for this podcast and the following message come from Autograph Collection Hotels, with over 300 independent hotels around the world, each exactly like nothing else. Autograph Collection is part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of hotel brands. Find the unforgettable at autographcollection.com. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. The White House says it's monitoring the investigation into the Azerbaijani passenger plane that crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday. NPR's Windsor Johnston says preliminary reports show the jet went down because of, quote,

physical and technical external interference. The passenger jet was traveling from the Azerbaijani capital to Chechnya, Russia, when it was diverted. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says it's possible that Russian weapons hit the plane. We have seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defense system.

That said, we have offered our assistance to that investigation. Should they need it? Should they want it? Images of the plane's tail show damage consistent with explosives. Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights to airports inside of Russia. Moscow has denied any wrongdoing. Windsor-Johnston and PR News, Washington. The Centers for Disease Control has found potentially concerning mutations in the bird flu. The mutations were found in a sample from a patient recently hospitalized in Louisiana. The discovery raises concern over potential human-to-human infection, but the CDC

says the risk to the public remains low. Dr. Deborah Bricks says the problem may be bigger than people think though, because testing for the viruses has so far been limited. They're monitoring more than 10,000 exposures, but they've only tested 530. What does that mean? That means we're not testing enough. And we know from other viruses

that a lot of the spread can be asymptomatic. Briggs is a former White House COVID-19 response coordinator during the first Trump administration. The National Weather Service has released a high surf advisory along the California coast from Sonoma County through Monterey where waves are reaching 30 feet high at this hour. Member Station KQED's Maria Fernanda Bernal reports. Meteorologists are warning people to stay away from the from the bea coast while the high surf

people should not swim or dangerous, says meteorolog for the National Weather recommend much in the way taking the pets along the still what they think is water, it could still sne also discouraged to be on beach. If there are still is far away from the water up on you. It's also disc recreational boat or a sm

time. Water temperatures can cause cold water shock rescues would also put em at risk because fog and r difficult. The high surf Sunday at 4 p.m. For NPR News, I'm Maria Fernanda Bernal in San Francisco. On Wall Street, stocks closed mixed on Friday. You're listening to NPR News.

Travelers to and from the UK faced major disruptions on Friday as foggy weather affected many airports. The country's three major airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick in London, experienced delays. The travel restrictions are having an effect on what is one of the biggest travel seasons of the year. New York State Attorney General Letitia James released what she called shocking and disturbing body camera videos on Friday that showed the beating of a handcuffed man in state prison who later died.

For Member Station WNYC, Charles Lane has more. The videos capture the moment Robert Brooks was carried to a medical exam room at the Marcy Correctional Facility in northern New York. Multiple corrections employees can be seen punching and kicking Brooks in the head, groin, and other body parts. He appeared delirious during the beating. Of the 14 employees present during the incident, only four had body cameras that were turned on, but they weren't activated and only recorded in standby mode, without

audio. Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the termination of the 14 employees involved in the incident or who failed to intervene. Criminal charges are also possible pending the outcome of James's investigation. For NPR News, I'm Charles Lane in New York. In college football, Kyle McCord led Syracuse to a 52 to 35 win over Washington State. Friday night, Talon Green threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns as the Arkansas Razorbacks

overpowered Texas Tech 39 to 26. In the Armed Forces Bowl, Blake Horvath set a Navy record with a 95-yard touchdown run as the Midshipmen beat Oklahoma 21-20 and Vanderbilt beat Georgia Tech 35-27. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.