NPR News: 11-20-2024 3AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: November 20, 2024, 3 AM EST – Detailed Summary

Hosted by Shea Stevens

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1. Escalation Tensions Between Ukraine and Russia

Shea Stevens opens the episode with a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Following the Biden administration's approval, Ukraine has launched several U.S.-supplied ballistic missiles into Russian territory. This move has intensified the already volatile situation, drawing strong condemnation from Russia.

Tom Bowman details the Russian response, highlighting statements from Russian Foreign Secretary Sergey Lavrov. Lavrov condemned the missile strikes as “a new phase of the Western war against Russia” (00:39). He further escalated threats by announcing that Russia has lowered the threshold for nuclear weapon use. This alarming declaration implies that Russia might resort to nuclear weapons in response to conventional attacks deemed critical threats to its sovereignty or territorial integrity. Lavrov also suggested that long-range attacks could implicate NATO directly in the Ukraine conflict, potentially targeting NATO assets supporting Ukraine.

2. U.S. Support to Ukraine and Israel’s Use of Sniper Drones in Gaza

Continuing the geopolitical discourse, Shea Stevens reports on President Biden’s authorization to send anti-personnel mines to Ukraine, aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defensive capabilities.

Shifting focus to the Middle East, NPR’s Kat Landsdorf unveils reports of Israel deploying a new weapon—a sniper drone—in the Gaza conflict (01:40). This drone, described as a small quadcopter equipped with a rifle, has been allegedly used to target civilians, including medical professionals and first responders. Eyewitnesses, including international doctors, have reported these disturbing incidents. Despite these claims, the Israeli military has denied awareness of such actions, labeling any allegations of intending to harm civilians as “unfounded and baseless.” NPR’s inquiries about the use of sniper drones in Gaza received no direct response, though the technology is known to exist and is produced by companies with Israeli ties.

3. Legal Proceedings Against President Elect Donald Trump

The summary then shifts to U.S. domestic politics, focusing on the criminal trial of President Elect Donald Trump. NPR's Ximena Bustillo explains that after a May jury conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, Trump's sentencing has faced multiple postponements.

Currently, Manhattan prosecutors are seeking a further delay to argue for the dismissal of the charges entirely. They reference Trump's election victory and a recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity, contending that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted. District Attorney Alvin Bragg has requested a new deadline of December 9th to present this case (02:33). Trump's legal team aims to leverage these arguments to have the trial and associated charges dismissed.

4. Justice Department Requests Records on Fatal Shooting in Illinois

Shea Stevens reports on a pressing legal matter in Sangamon County, Illinois. The Justice Department is pressing the sheriff's office to release records pertaining to the fatal shooting of Sonia Massie, a 36-year-old woman killed by a deputy responding to a suspected prowler call. The officer involved faces murder charges alongside other offenses. Body camera footage from the incident on July 22 has been made public, adding transparency to the case.

5. Hong Kong Media Mogul Jimmy Lai’s Testimony Under National Security Law

Another significant international story covered by Shea Stevens involves Jimmy Lai, a prominent Hong Kong media mogul imprisoned under China's stringent national security laws. NPR's Emily Fang provides an in-depth look at Lai's situation. Lai, whose newspaper Apple Daily was shuttered and forced into bankruptcy, along with the arrest of his family members, is enduring a protracted trial accused of colluding with foreign forces and sedition.

During his testimony, Lai appeared visibly thinner, indicative of the harsh conditions of his detention. He recounted meetings with Taiwan's former president and various U.S. officials, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. However, Lai denied soliciting any concrete actions against China and dismissed notions of Hong Kong’s independence as “too crazy” (03:57). His trial is notable for being a no-jury proceeding, overseen by judges specially appointed for national security cases, emphasizing the gravity with which China views these charges.

6. Financial Markets Update

Concluding the episode, Shea Stevens provides a brief overview of the financial markets. U.S. futures are trending higher in after-hours trading, reflecting investor optimism. In contrast, Asia-Pacific markets show mixed results, with Tokyo’s market indices slightly down at the time of reporting (04:43).

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Notable Quotes:

• Sergey Lavrov (00:39): “A new phase of the Western war against Russia.”

• Jimmy Lai (03:57): “I thought it was too crazy to even think about Hong Kong independence from China.”

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions and developments from the NPR News Now episode released on November 20, 2024. It provides listeners with a clear understanding of the critical international tensions, significant legal battles, and notable security and economic updates shaping the current global landscape.

Transcript

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[Shea Stevens]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. Ukraine has fired several US Ballistic missiles into Russia only days after the Biden administration gave the go ahead. As NPR's Tom Bowman reports, Russia is expressing strong opposition to the move, calling it an escalation of its war with Ukraine.

[Tom Bowman]

Russian Foreign Secretary Sergey Lavrov called it, quote, a new phase of the Western war against Russia. And he said we will react accordingly, though he didn't say what that means. He also pointed out that Russia has lowered the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. That means nuclear weapons could be used in the case of a conventional weapons attack on Russia, one that is, they say, a critical threat to sovereignty or its territorial integrity. Russia has been saying for some time that such long range attacks would mean NATO is directly involved in the Ukraine war, indicating that Russia could hit NATO targets like, you know, stocks of weapons destined for Ukraine.

[Shea Stevens]

NPR's Tom Boom. And meanwhile, President Biden is now authorizing sending anti personnel mines to help Ukraine defend itself. Israel is using a new kind of weapon in the war in Gaza. It's a sniper drone. As NPR's Cat Landsdorf reports, witnesses say it's been used to shoot civilians.

[Kat Lansdorf]

For months, NPR has been hearing about a small quadcopter drone with a rifle attached shooting at civilians, medical professionals and first responders in Gaza. Several eyewitnesses, including visiting doctors from other countries, have described the technology being used to shoot and sometimes kill civilians, including children. The Israeli military told NPR it was unaware of such incidents and that any suggestion that it intends to harm civilians is, quote, unfounded and baseless. NPR also asked the Israeli military repeatedly if it was using this sniper drone technology in Gaza. It did not respond to the question, but the technology exists, is produced by companies with ties to Israel and has been touted by the Israeli military in the past. Kat Lansdorf, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

[Shea Stevens]

Prosecutors in the criminal trial of President Elect Donald Trump are seeking another delay. NPR's Jimenez Bustillo has more.

[Ximena Bustillo]

In May, a jury convicted Trump of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, but his sentencing has been postponed several times. Now Manhattan prosecutors who brought the case are asking Jud Merchand to pause the proceedings to give them time to argue whether it should be dismissed entirely. Merchand had previously paused Trump's sentencing in the case. Trump's lawyers are hoping to argue to dismiss the trial and charges. Because Trump won the election and because of a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity, they say that a sitting president cannot be charged in a court filing. On Tuesday, DA Alvin Bragg asked for a new deadline of December 9th to make his case. Ximena Bustillo, NPR News, New York.

[Shea Stevens]

This is npr. The Justice Department is demanding that the sheriff's office in Sangamon County, Illinois, release records on the killing of A Springfield woman, 36 year Sonia Massie was shot to death inside her home by a deputy who was responding to a call about a possible prowler. The officer is charged with murder and other offenses. Body cam footage of the July 22 incident has been posted online. Imprisoned Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai has testified in his long running trial on charges of colluding with foreign forces. As NPR's Emily Fang reports, Lai faces up to life in prison under a Beijing national security law.

[Emily Fang]

Lai has been in prison for almost four years. His newspaper, Apple Daily, was shut down and filed for bankruptcy, and several of his executives and sons were also arrested. Now he's speaking at his own trial in which he's being charged with colluding with foreign forces and sedition. At the stand, he appeared significantly thinner than before his detention. He said he'd had meetings with Taiwan's former president and numerous U.S. officials, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, but said he did not ask them to take concrete action against China. And lie said he thought it was too crazy to even think about Hong Kong independence from China. He's facing a no jury trial presided over by three judges specially chosen for national security cases. Emily Fang, NPR News.

[Shea Stevens]

U.S. futures are higher in after hours trading on Wall Street. On Asia Pacific market shares are mixed at this hour, down a fraction in Tokyo. I'm Shay Stevens. This is NPR News.

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