NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-28-2024 3AM 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 UN says the Israeli military launched an airstrike in North Gaza overnight and troops raided a hospital. An airstrike near Kamal Adwan Hospital in North Gaza Governorate last night reportedly

killed dozens of people, including health workers. Today, we're also told by our colleagues that staff patients and their companions were forced out of the facility. That's UN spokeswoman Stephanie Tremblay. The Gaza Health Ministry says once the patients and staff were taken outside, Israeli troops forced them to remove their clothes. Israel's military says the hospital is used by Hamas fighters as a base, but it's not offered any evidence of that.

Hospital officials have denied the charge. Hospital officials also say the facility has been hit many times in the past three months. The number of people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. has hit another record high, reaching more than 770,000. As NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports, the annual federal count cites high housing costs and the recent surge in migrants as key factors behind that rise. The homelessness count is up a whopping 18 percent from last year. Jeff Olivett recently stepped down as head of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. A lot of families, a lot of households, a lot of individuals are still struggling. I think we're still in for deeply poor people a real recovery from the pandemic.

Still, the count is made in January. And the federal housing agency that puts it out says it's likely the numbers have come down since then. Denver and Chicago, for example, saw a big drop in migrants after President Biden limited asylum seekers at the border. And in some places, they note rising rents have finally stabilized or even dropped. Jennifer Ludden, NPR News, Washington.

Stocks ended a very quiet week with mild gains despite falling on Friday, as NPR's Rafael Naam reports. The period between Christmas and the start of the new year is traditionally a good one. Many investors are off during the holidays and those who remain are mainly paying attention to whether markets will experience the Santa Claus rally. Stocks have usually done well in the last five trading sessions of the year and the first two of the new year, but so far the picture is mixed on whether we'll see a Santa Claus rally this year.

Although markets started the week strongly, they lost momentum as the week ended, mainly as technology stocks retreated. But the main indexes still rose for the week, with the Dow Jones ending a three-week losing streak. Rafael Nam, NPR News. Police in Mexico are investigating what caused a bus and a truck to collide Friday morning on Mexico's Gulf Coast. Eight people were killed in that accident and 27 others were injured and are being treated

at local hospitals. The collision took place in a stretch of highway near the state capital. You're listening to NPR News. Holiday travelers to and from the UK faced some major delays on Friday. Widespread fog was affecting air travel at three major airports, Heathrow and Gatwick in London and Manchester Airport. A spokesperson for the Manchester Airport though says most of the delays were short. Argentinian-born actress Olivia Hussey, who first gained fame as a 16-year-old in Romeo and Juliet, has died at the age of 73. We have more from Steve Futterman. Hussey burst upon the big screen in 1968 as a fresh teenager. She was just 15

years old when she was cast to play Juliet in the Shakespeare classic. Oh Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? It was a worldwide success. Hussie won a Golden Globe for most promising female newcomer. She would appear in numerous other films including the cult classic slasher film Black Christmas and Death on the Nile. Although for years Hussey defended a brief nude scene in Romeo and Juliet, last year she was part of a $500 million lawsuit accusing Paramount pictures of sexual harassment and abuse. The lawsuit was later dismissed. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles. Vanderbilt got its first winning season since 2013 with a 35 to 27 win Friday over Georgia Tech. Diego Pavia threw three touchdown

passes in the win. Blake Horvath meanwhile set a record for Navy with 95-yard touchdown run as the midshipman beat Oklahoma 21 to 20. Syracuse beat Washington State 52 to 35 Arkansas beat Texas Tech 39 to 6 and USC beat Texas A&M 35 to 31. I'm Dale Willman NPR News.