NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-31-2024 9AM EST

Episode Date: December 31, 2024

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On the latest NPR Politics Podcast, we look back on the life and legacy of Jimmy Carter. The former president died Sunday at the age of 100. And unlike other presidents, his accomplishments after leaving the Oval Office are arguably what most define his story. Listen to our remembrance of the 39th president on the NPR Politics Podcast. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. There will be a National Day of Mourning, Thursday, January 9th, for former President Jimmy Carter.

He will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol, and his state funeral will be held at the Washington National Cathedral. A landmark moment in civil rights history played out during the Carter administration. NPR's Kristen Wright reports on how a mass sit-in and nationwide protests are remembered as an important turning point of the disability rights movement. In 1977, protesters occupied a federal building in San Francisco. They wanted to convince the Carter administration to finally enact regulations that would prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities by entities receiving federal funds.

President Carter had made a campaign promise. Mary Lou Breslin, with the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, stayed for days. Expectation and joy and appreciation for the fact that it was possible to take over a federal building in San Francisco and be supported in doing it by the community. After 26 days of the sit-in and a White House meeting, the regulations or Section 504 were issued, paving the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. Kristen Wright, NPR News.

The war in Gaza continues and no ceasefire has been struck between Israel and Hamas. NPR's Emily Fang reports from Tel Aviv that ceasefire talks this year have been rocky. After months of talks, Hamas conceded to Israel's demands to let their troops temporarily remain in a sliver of land in between Egypt and Gaza, and in Gaza itself. But there's still disagreement about which Palestinian prisoners and detainees Israel would release for surviving hostages in Gaza. Plus, Hamas wants a permanent ceasefire. Israel wants a temporary truce first. Jamal Zahaka, a

former member of Israel's Parliament who worked closely with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, says he thinks the Prime Minister is no longer in a rush to secure a ceasefire. I think Netanyahu is waiting for Trump. He says Netanyahu believes he can get more concessions after Trump becomes U.S. president again, because he sees Trump as a closer political ally. Emily Fang, NPR News, Tel Aviv, Israel. This Sunday, New York City is supposed to start imposing the country's first congestion toll on drivers.

Motorists have to pay as much as $9 if they want to drive into the heart of Manhattan. Supporters say it will cut the number of cars there. But New York City's neighbor, New Jersey, filed a federal lawsuit to try to stop it. New Jersey Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer says the congestion toll creates problems. This is going to cause a massive amount of cancer-causing pollution in northern New Jersey. It's going to mess up massive amount of cancer-causing pollution in northern New Jersey. It's going to mess up traffic further in the region. A federal judge says that federal authorities will have to weigh in on the issue. But New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul insists the city toll is going to start on

Sunday. This is NPR. Most of Puerto Rico has been plunged into the dark. The island's utility company, Luma, says 1.3 million customers do not have electricity. Officials say it could take up to two days to restore power. Officials suggest the problem could be a failure in an underground power line.

Puerto Rico is struggling with power outages and a crumbling power grid. The island was badly damaged after powerful hurricanes raked the US territory in 2017. TV series with spies such as Slow Horses on Apple TV Plus and Netflix's Black Doves were a huge trend this year. NPR TV critic Eric Deggans reports they also topped his list of the best series in

2024. In Slow Horses, Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb is a slovenly but cunning spy with a unique way of talking to his staff. Slow Horses is among a rush of programs centered on spies which are the best shows on TV including Black Doves, Netflix's The Diplomat and Peacock's The Day of the Jackal. Other shows like FX's Lush Shogun also topped some critics' best of lists but Spies Negotiating Modern Life filled high quality TV in 2024. Eric Deggans, NPR News. It is already New Year's Day 2025 in some parts of the world. People in Auckland, New Zealand rang in the new year with fireworks. Revelers have already started to ring in the new year in eastern Australia. This is NPR.