NPR’s ‘Fresh Air’ Host Terry Gross Receives Peabody’s Institutional Award, Presented by Stephen Colbert

AFP
South Korean president faces second impeachment vote as thousands rally
South Korean lawmakers on Saturday formally kicked off deliberations on whether to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law bid, as hundreds of thousands took to the streets of Seoul in rival rallies for and against him.South Korea's parliament began deliberations just after 4:00 pm (0700 GMT) on an impeachment resolution -- a week after a first attempt to remove Yoon for the martial law debacle failed.
NBC News
U.S. and China renew science and technology pact amid growing rivalry
The United States and China have renewed a decades-old agreement on science and technology cooperation, officials from both countries said Friday.
TODAY
Cracker Barrel fires 3 employees who refused service to students with disabilities
A Cracker Barrel in Waldorf, Maryland refused service to students with disabilities, leading to a planned protest by parents and the firing of three employees.
TODAY
Stanley recalls 2.6 million mugs due to lid defect after several dozen suffer burn injuries
Stanley has issued a recall on 2.6 million mugs, both of its Switchback and Trigger Action products, due to its lids that can shrink when exposed to heat and cause burn injuries.
TODAY
I’m an orthopedist. 7 things I never do to keep my muscle and bones healthy
Orthopedists and trauma surgeons reveal which common but dangerous activities they avoid due to the risk of injury and share tips to stay safe.
NBC News
James Kennedy lawyers say 'no injuries' in 'Vanderpump Rules' star's domestic violence arrest
Attorneys for "Vanderpump Rules" star James Kennedy said there were no injuries in the incident that led to his arrest on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence earlier this week.
AFP
Japan space firm postpones second attempt at orbit
A company aiming to become Japan's first private firm to put a satellite into orbit postponed its rocket launch on Saturday, after its first try ended in a mid-air explosion.The company is hoping to establish itself in a competitive international field by launching small rockets, quickly, for businesses seeking to put satellites into space.
Associated Press
UN talks fail to reach agreement on dealing with rising risk of global drought
Despite two weeks of U.N.-sponsored talks in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh, the participating 197 nations failed to agree early Saturday on a plan to deal with global droughts, made longer and more severe by a warming climate. The biennial talks, known as COP 16 and organized by a UN body that deals with combating desertification and droughts, attempted to create strong global mandates to legally bind and require nations to fund early warning systems and build resilient infrastructure in poorer countries, particularly Africa, which is worst affected by the changes. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification released a report earlier this week warning that if global warming trends continue, nearly five billion people — including in most of Europe, parts of the western U.S., Brazil, eastern Asia and central Africa — will be affected by the drying of Earth’s lands by the end of the century, up from a quarter of the world’s population today.
NBC News
He faked his own death in 2020. A trail of rape and fraud allegations finally caught up to him.
Authorities set on a worldwide chase to find Nicholas Alahverdian, once praised for his work as a child advocate, who has been accused of rape, abuse and fraud.
CNN
‘The donkey is gone’: Syrians hit the streets to mark a momentous week
“The donkey is gone! Donkey! Donkey!” the crowd chanted at one point, with many still in disbelief that the deposed president’s pejorative nickname can be shouted out loud in the open, rather than whispered in secrecy.
NBC News
Nancy Pelosi hospitalized during congressional visit to Luxembourg
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was injured and admitted to a hospital in Luxembourg while on a congressional delegation trip to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, a Pelosi spokesperson said.
Associated Press
Thai police detain 2 suspects after a bomb in a border province killed 3 and injured scores
Thai police on Saturday said two suspects were in custody as authorities investigated a bombing in the north that killed at least three people and injured dozens of others. An explosive device was thrown into a crowd during an outdoor performance at an annual festival in Umphang town in Tak province, which borders Myanmar, on Friday just before midnight, according to the Association of the Umphang Rescue Groups. Local police said at least 48 people were injured and that police have not yet pressed charges against the suspects as the investigation is ongoing.
TODAY
Easy meal-prep meals: avocado cream pasta, sheet-pan shrimp fajitas and more
Try our weekly Start TODAY meal plan for the week of December 16. Get dietitian-created, healthy meal and recipe ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
Associated Press
Young activists take on a government agency in a Florida climate lawsuit
A group of young people in Florida say they believe the state’s continued reliance on fossil fuels is a violation of their constitutional rights and are suing the state agency that regulates public utilities in the hopes of forcing the energy companies to transition toward renewable energy sources. The case is one in a string of lawsuits filed by kids and teenagers across the U.S. in recent years as climate activists turn to the courts for action. Additional plaintiffs joined the lawsuit against the Florida Public Service Commission this week after it was initially filed in October.
Associated Press
The Detroit area's many Syrians are celebrating Assad's overthrow and planning long-delayed visits
Nizam Abazid is gleefully planning his first trip in decades to Syria, where he grew up. Rama Alhoussaini was only 6 years old when her family moved to the U.S., but she's excited about the prospect of introducing her three kids to relatives they've never met in person. “As of Saturday night, the Assad regime is no longer in power,” Alhoussaini, 31, said through tears Tuesday at one of the Detroit-area school and day care facilities her family operates.
Associated Press
A diminished Hezbollah is made even weaker by the toppling of Assad in Syria
A severely hobbled Hezbollah was in no position to help defend former Syrian President Bashar Assad, a longtime ally, from the lightning-fast insurgency that toppled him. With Assad gone, the militant group based in Lebanon is even weaker. Hezbollah was dealt a major blow during 14 months of war with Israel.
CNN
Why Israel captured Syria’s tallest mountain just hours after Assad fell
Israel wasted no time after Bashar al-Assad’s fall to bomb all the Syrian military assets it wanted to keep out of the rebels’ hands – striking nearly 500 targets, destroying the navy, and taking out, it claims, 90% of Syria’s known surface-to-air missiles.
NBC News
What we know about the drones spotted in New Jersey and other states
Mysterious drones have been showing up in the skies above New Jersey and other states for weeks, confounding residents and prompting lawmakers to call for more answers as to what exactly is going on.
AFP
Georgia ruling party set to install loyalist president amid constitutional crisis
Georgia's ruling party is set to appoint a far-right loyalist as president on Saturday in a controversial election process, as thousands of people again prepared to take to the streets in pro-EU protests.Rallies are scheduled for Saturday morning, when Georgian Dream is set to install former footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili as president in a controversial election process.
AFP
South Korean president faces second impeachment vote
South Korean lawmakers vote Saturday on whether to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law bid, in a second parliamentary showdown that remains too close to call.And should the vote fail, Yoon can still face "legal responsibility" for the martial law bid, Kim Hyun-jung, a researcher at the Korea University Institute of Law, told AFP. "This is clearly an act of insurrection," she said.

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