William Brangham:
The United Nations says that more than 24,000 people died during 20 months of fighting in Sudan and 14 million people were forced to leave their homes. This is about 30 percent of the population.
Swiss Olympic snowboarder Sophie Hediger died in an avalanche at a mountain resort. The country’s ski federation says the accident occurred yesterday in the resort of Arosa in Switzerland. The 26-year-old competed at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in women’s figure skating and the mixed team version of the same event.
In California, meteorological officials warn of dangerous flooding and waves after a series of violent storms. Some waves today may reach 35 feet. Two people had to be rescued after a partial pier collapsed in Santa Cruz yesterday. A third swam to safety.
In a separate incident, a man was killed by a large wave that trapped him under the rubble. Another is still missing, having likely been pulled into the waves. Californians will get a short break from the wild weather on Christmas Day before more storms hit.
Bill Clinton has been released from a hospital in Washington, D.C., where he was being treated for influenza. The former president was admitted to hospital on Monday afternoon for testing and observation after developing a fever. The 78-year-old man was suffering from health problems. He underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 2004.
Pope Francis officially opened the Holy Year 2025 and with it the Jubilee, which takes place once every 25 years. With a knock from the Pope today, the great holy door of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican opened and he crossed the threshold to begin Christmas Eve Mass. More than 32 million people are expected to make a pilgrimage to Rome on this jubilee, which Pope Francis has dedicated to the theme of hope.
On Wall Street today, stocks rose in a short session on Christmas Eve. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added nearly 400 points during the day. The Nasdaq index jumped by about 1.33 percent, closing again above the level of 20 thousand points. The S&P 500 also finished strongly in positive territory.
A NASA spacecraft is trying to fly closer to the surface of the sun than ever before. The Parker Solar Probe will endure extreme temperatures and radiation as it passes within four million miles of the Sun. This is approximately seven times closer than any previous mission.
Scientists will not know whether the probe survived its fiery flight for a few more days. But, if all goes according to plan, the probe will continue to orbit the Sun until at least September, providing a better understanding of how the Sun actually works.
Still to come on News Hour: New FDA rules aim to redefine what’s considered healthy; Our critics’ take on this year’s must-see Hollywood movies and some lesser-known gems; And on Christmas Eve, a special look at the origins of NORAD’s Santa tracker.
