NPR News: 12-27-2024 7AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: December 27, 2024, 7AM EST Episode Summary

NPR News Now delivered a comprehensive update on December 27, 2024, covering significant global and national events. Hosted by NPR, this episode encapsulates political upheavals, international tragedies, scientific achievements, legislative developments, and notable obituaries. Below is a detailed summary structured into clear sections, highlighting key discussions, insights, and notable quotes with accurate timestamps.

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1. Political Turmoil in South Korea

Reporter: Korva Coleman (00:17)

South Korea faces intense political instability as opposition lawmakers move to impeach acting President Han Deok Soo merely two weeks into his tenure. Han assumed office following the impeachment of President Yoon Sang Yong after Yoon's controversial declaration of martial law earlier in December.

Key Points:

• The opposition accuses Han Deok Soo of undermining the impeachment process against President Yoon.
• Han's refusal to appoint three justices to the Constitutional Court has sparked accusations of favoritism towards Yoon.
• Opposition highlights Han's veto of bills intended to appoint special counsels investigating President Yoon and his wife, alongside his lack of opposition to martial law, suggesting a protective stance.

Notable Quote: Anthony Kuhn states, "Basically he's protecting Yoon," emphasizing the opposition's perspective on the acting president's actions (00:45).

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2. Tragic Aviation Incident in Kazakhstan

Reporter: Terri Schultz (01:24)

A devastating crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight in Kazakhstan resulted in at least 38 fatalities. The incident occurred en route from Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, to Grozny, the capital of Russia's Chechen Republic.

Key Points:

• NATO has called for a thorough investigation into the crash, citing potential foul play with evidence of explosive damage to the aircraft's tail.
• Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kazakhstan have initiated criminal probes to determine the cause, with suspicions raised due to the plane's unexpected diversion and denial of landing rights in Russian territory.
• The tragedy has prompted a day of mourning in Azerbaijan for the victims.

Notable Quote: NATO spokesperson Farah Daklala expressed condolences and emphasized the need for a "full investigation" (01:24).

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3. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Makes History

Reporter: Korva Coleman (02:03)

NASA announced that its Parker Solar Probe remains secure after passing within four million miles of the sun's surface, setting a record for the closest approach by a human-made object.

Key Points:

• The probe successfully transmitted a beacon tone back to Earth, confirming its operational status.
• This mission marks a significant milestone in solar research, providing unprecedented data on solar activity and conditions.

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4. Congressional Pay Raise Controversy

Reporter: Barbara Sprunt (02:32)

A near miss with Congressional pay adjustments has stirred misinformation and political debate as the holiday season begins.

Key Points:

• Misinformation circulated suggesting a proposed 40% pay increase for Congress members, a claim later refuted.
• The actual bill proposed a modest cost of living adjustment of 3.8%, equating to approximately $6,600, reflecting the stagnant congressional salaries of $174,000 since 2009.
• Critics argue that without adjustments, running for Congress becomes increasingly challenging for those without substantial personal wealth.

Notable Quote: Barbara Sprunt clarifies, "Misinformation quickly spread about the funding bill," highlighting the discrepancy between the actual proposal and public misconception (02:32).

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5. Israeli Military Strike in Yemen

Reporter: Korva Coleman (03:13)

An Israeli airstrike on Yemen's capital resulted in the deaths of six individuals and injured dozens more. The attack targeted the Yemeni airport amidst ongoing missile exchanges by Houthi rebels against Israel.

Key Points:

• The strike has intensified regional tensions, with Houthi rebels openly firing missiles at Israeli targets.
• The incident underscores the volatile relationship between Israel and the Houthi movement in Yemen.

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6. FDA Resolves Medication Shortages

Reporter: Sidney Lupkin (03:43)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the resolution of shortages for two critical medications, Zepbound and Manjaro, which are essential for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Key Points:

• The shortage was declared resolved after the FDA reviewed manufacturer inventory data, demand projections, and feedback from patients and healthcare providers.
• Temporary compounding by pharmacies had mitigated shortages, but these measures will conclude in the coming months.

Notable Quote: Sidney Lupkin explains, "The FDA has heard that some patients have had a hard time filling prescriptions recently, but it doesn't think that means the shortage is ongoing" (03:43).

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7. Obituary: Richard Parsons

Reporter: Korva Coleman (04:22)

The business community mourns the loss of Richard Parsons, a renowned turnaround specialist and influential black leader in the corporate world, who passed away at 76.

Key Points:

• Parsons' career included leadership roles at Citigroup and as Time Warner's president and CEO.
• He co-founded an investment group focused on supporting ventures led by women and people of color.
• Parsons also played a pivotal role with the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, particularly in addressing and mitigating issues related to racism within the organization.

Notable Quote: Korva Coleman remarks, "He was one of the business world's most prominent black leaders," summarizing Parsons' impact and legacy (04:22).

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Conclusion

This episode of NPR News Now provided succinct yet comprehensive coverage of critical events shaping the global and national landscape as of December 27, 2024. From South Korean political instability and tragic aviation accidents to significant advancements in space exploration and pivotal legislative debates, the episode encapsulates a wide array of pertinent issues. Additionally, the segment honoring Richard Parsons underscores the importance of leadership and diversity in the business realm.

For listeners seeking an in-depth understanding of today's most pressing news, this episode offers valuable insights and updates, ensuring they remain informed even without tuning into the live broadcast.

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Note: Advertisements, sponsorship messages, and non-content segments have been excluded to focus solely on the substantive news coverage.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. There's political turmoil in South Korea. Opposition lawmakers have impeached acting President Han Deok Soo. He'd been on the job for less than two weeks. Han was installed after the South Korean parliament impeached President Yoon Sang Yong following his botched declaration of martial law this month. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports. South Korean lawmakers are angry at the acting President Hahn for interfering with the impeachment process against President Yoon.

[Anthony Kuhn]

The opposition party which controls the parliament says that Han refused to appoint three justices to fill vacancies on the Constitutional Court. And that's the court which will rule on President Yoon's impeachment. Hahn says he didn't appoint them because that's up to the president to do. But the opposition points out that he did veto bills to appoint special counsels to investigate President Yoon and his wife, and he didn't oppose martial law. So basically he's protecting Yoon.

[Korva Coleman]

NPR's Anthony Kuhn reporting. NATO is calling for a full investigation into Wednesday's crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight in Kazakhstan. At least 38 people aboard were killed. Terry Schultz reports.

[Terri Schultz]

As Azerbaijan observed a day of mourning for the dozens of dead and injured. Speculation is mounting as to what brought down the plane on its way from the Azerbaijani capital Baku, to Grozny, the capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. NATO spokesperson Farah Daklala posted on social media offering condolences for the victims, saying the alliance calls for a full investigation. Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan have all launched criminal probes into why the flight was diverted from its path and was reportedly not allowed to land on Russian territory. Images of the crash appear to show damage to the aircraft's tail consistent with explosives. For NPR News, I'm Terri Schultz.

[Korva Coleman]

NASA says its Parker solar probe appears to be safe. The probe has transmitted a beacon tone back to Earth. On Tuesday, it skimmed less than 4 million miles away from the surface of the sun without burning up. It's the closest a human made object has ever come to the sun. For a brief moment before Congress left Washington for the holidays, it appeared that members were about to get their first pay raise in 15 years. But as NPR's Barbara Sprunt reports, it didn't happen.

[Barbara Sprunt]

Misinformation quickly spread about the funding bill with Elon Musk an advisor to President Elect Donald Trump, claiming members of Congress were trying to give themselves a 40% pay bump. The bill would have actually made it possible for members to get a cost of living adjustment of 3.8%, a roughly $6,600 increase. Congressional pay for rank and file members is $174,000. It hasn't been adjusted since 2009. Lawmakers have long blocked a statute that would give them a yearly cost of living pay increase over concerns of political blowback. But critics argue stagnant pay makes it harder to run for Congress unless you're already wealthy. Barbara Sprent, NPR News, the Capitol.

[Korva Coleman]

This is npr. There are reports that six people were killed in Yemen's capital yesterday after the Israeli military struck the Yemeni airport. Dozens of others were injured. Houthi rebels in Yemen have been firing missiles at Israel. The Food and Drug Administration says there's no longer a shortage of popular obesity and type 2 diabetes medications. NPR's Sidney Lufkin reports. The FDA re evaluated the status of Zepbound and Manjaro almost exactly two years.

[Sidney Lupkin]

After the shortage of Eli Lilly's Zepbound and Manjaro began. The FDA has declared the shortage to be resolved. The FDA has heard that some patients have had a hard time filling prescriptions recently, but but it doesn't think that means the shortage is ongoing. The agency says it took many factors into account, including the drug manufacturer's inventory data and projected demand. It says it also spoke to patients, healthcare providers and compounding pharmacies, which had been temporarily allowed to make essentially copies of these drugs during the shortage. Compounding pharmacies will need to stop making copies in the coming months. Sidney Lupkin, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

Financial company Lazard says business turnaround specialist Richard Parsons has died at the age of 76. He helped steer big companies such as Citigroup and was Time Warner's president and CEO. Parsons was also one of the business world's most prominent black leaders. He co founded a group that invested in business ventures led by women and people of color. Parsons also guided the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers for a time after the team's then owner made racist remarks. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington.

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