NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-25-2024 3PM EST

Episode Date: November 25, 2024

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Laxmeen Singh, NPR News in Washington. Airport workers at a major U.S. hub walked off the job today as the busy Thanksgiving travel week begins. NPR's Kristen Wright reports some service workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina are on strike. The airport workers are striking for 24 hours over what they call poverty wages and unfair labor practices. They're fighting to unionize for better working conditions.

Laura Kelly escorts wheelchair users and unaccompanied minors. We're tired of having to worry about where we're going to lay our heads and if our kids are going to have food to put in their bellies. For one. Two, we need respect. The Service Employees Union says the workers make between $12.50 and $19 an hour. They're striking against American Airlines contractors Prospect and ABM and hold vital jobs such as cleaning airplane cabins and bathrooms.

According to the Associated Press, the companies say they recognize the seriousness of the timing and plan to limit disruptions. Kristin Wright, NPR News. The executive director of the U.S. Cyber Command spoke at a Washington, D.C. conference about Chinese hackers infiltrating every sector of American industry, including critical infrastructure. Here's NPR's Jenna McLaughlin. Morgan Adamski is the executive director of U.S. Cyber Command, one of the 11 combatant commands within the US military focused on defending US interests in cyberspace.

At a DC area cyber conference, Adamski told the audience about Chinese hackers' broad efforts to infiltrate American companies and industries, from critical infrastructure to home routers to create digital armies of infected devices. She also addressed recent news stories about a Chinese hacking group Salt Typhoon, which the U.S. government says broke into major U.S. telecoms to spy on top politicians and journalists. Adamski said the U.S. government and industry had been warning about China targeting the telecommunication sector for years and continues to be concerned about that activity. Jen McLaughlin, NPR News. The annual global climate summit known as COP29 is over. In Azerbaijan, countries secured

a deal in which wealthy countries, the planet's largest carbon emitters, pledge $300 billion a year by 2035 to poor nations that stand to suffer the most from the effects of climate change even though they contribute the least to it. And Piers Michael Copley reports critics say $300 billion isn't nearly enough. Researchers estimate that developing countries will need more than a trillion dollars a year for climate change. And it's not just the amount of money. It's not due until 2035. And what developing countries had said they need is more grant funding, not loans, so

they don't add to their already high debt burdens. They didn't get any commitment around that. NPR's Michael Copley reporting. The Dow Jones industrial average is up 366 points at 44,663. The S&P is up 9 points. The NASDAQ has climbed 23. You're listening to NPR News. A global campaign is underway to shine a light on violence against women and girls. The United Nations says nearly one in three women has been subjected to physical and or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partnered sexual violence or both at least once in their life.

And the UN says that among the victims of gender-based violence, at least 51,000 women were murdered last year. The international body has launched 16 days of activism concluding on the day commemorating International Human Rights Day. Research shows a constellation of lifestyle choices can significantly reduce the risk of dementia. And PRS Allison Aubrey reports on a tool that helps people assess their risks. A recent Lancet Commission report found that about 40% of dementia cases could be potentially prevented or delayed by addressing 14 risk factors. And Dr. Jonathan Rosen of Massachusetts

General Hospital says this creates an opportunity. You can substantially reduce your risk through the lifestyle choices you make. He and his collaborators created a 21-point index called the Brain Care Score. It asks about diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, the amount of exercise you get, as well as social-emotional factors, such as your sense of purpose

and social connections. Research shows a higher score is linked to a significantly lower risk of dementia, stroke and late-life depression. Alison Aubry, NPR News. I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.