NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-30-2024 11AM EST

Episode Date: December 30, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Kuhlman. Former President Jimmy Carter died yesterday after spending almost two years under hospice care at his home in Plains, Georgia. President Biden is remembering Carter as a dear friend, as well as a globally recognized humanitarian. NPR's Tamara Keith reports. Biden, a young senator at the time, was one of the first national figures to endorse Carter in his bid for the presidency in 1976.

I've been hanging out with Jimmy Carter for over 50 years. It dawned on me. Biden said it is a testament to Carter's decency and decades of work after leaving office that millions of people all over the world feel like they lost a friend too, even if they've never met him. And his compassion and moral clarity lifted people up and changed lives and saved lives all over the globe. Biden delivered his remarks after sharing his condolences in a call with several Carter family members.

Funeral plans are underway. Tamara Keith, NPR News. Other former presidents have weighed in. Former President Barack Obama says Carter embodied his values such as compassion. Former President Barack Obama says Carter embodied his values, such as compassion. Former President Bill Clinton said Carter worked for a better, fairer world. Former President George W. Bush says Carter set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations.

The president of Azerbaijan is demanding that Russia accept full responsibility for the downing of an airliner last week that claimed 38 lives. While the investigation is still underway, officials in Azerbaijan say it's clear Russian air defense weapons hit the plane. NPR's Brian Mann reports. For days after the crash, Russian officials offered theories about what might have downed the Azerbaijan Airlines jet that was en route to the Russian city of Grozny. They suggested bird strikes or an explosion on board the plane

might be the cause. In a televised address, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev said it was certain the plane was hit by Russian weapons. He spoke through an interpreter. Compensation must be paid to the Azerbaijani state, to the injured passengers and crew members. These are our conditions."

In a statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin stopped short of accepting responsibility but did apologize, quote, for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace. Brian Mann, NPR News, Kyiv. In the U.S., public health officials are tracking the status of bird flu among humans and among animals. Both are often exposed through raw milk products or raw meat that is sold to animals as pet food. NPR's Will Stone says there are other ways pets can be exposed.

We do know that all kinds of mammals, including cats and dogs, can catch bird flu and it can be serious, even fatal. The recommendation is keep them away from wild birds, also mice if possible, because the virus is still very widespread. NPR's Will Stone reporting. Stocks are lower on Wall Street. The Dow Jones industrials are down more than 540 points.

The Nasdaq is down nearly 300 points. This is NPR. A federal appeals court has upheld a $5 million civil verdict against President-elect Trump. In 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing and later defaming writer E. Gene Carroll. The jury did not find that Trump was liable for rape. A separate jury ordered Trump to pay the millions to Carroll for defaming her. Trump has appealed.

The White House says President Biden is sending a fresh tranche of aid to Ukraine worth nearly two and a half billion dollars. Biden says it's for security assistance. He says the U.S. has now spent all the money allocated by Congress to help Ukraine. This is happening before Biden leaves office. The holidays can be a difficult time for people caring for those who have dementia. But health experts say there are still things people can do to help their families enjoy the upcoming New Year festivities. From member station WUSF, Stephanie Columbini spoke with a Tampa caregiver who reminisced about how she

celebrated holidays with her late mother. Melissa Malone cooked her mom's favorite food and put on music in movies she grew up loving. Just to jounce any bit of memory that she had. So she didn't overwhelm her mom, Malone staggered guests' rivals. They tried to stick to yes or no questions to limit confusion and didn't shame her if she said something that didn't make sense. It's okay to be upset at the disease and it's okay to be mad at the disease, but you can't be mad

at the person. Malone encourages caregivers to take breaks and ask for help when they need it. For NPR News, I'm Stephanie Columbini in Tampa. And I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News from Washington.