NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-13-2024 1PM EST

Episode Date: December 13, 2024

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When it came out in 1843, a Christmas carol was a sensation, and Charles Dickens became a legend. Some people would consider him the originator of Christmas or the inventor of Christmas. The past, present, and future of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Listen to Thulein wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Winzer Johnston. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has made an unannounced stop in Iraq today. His trip to Baghdad comes amid a push to support a peaceful political transition in Syria.

It's very significant that Iraq, along with many other countries in the region and beyond, will make best efforts to support the Syrian people as they emerge from the Assad years. This is Blinken's first trip to the Middle East since the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Syrians gathered in the country's capital today for the first Friday prayer since rebel insurgents drove out the authoritarian president. And PR's Hadil al-Shalchi reports the mood was joyful at the mosque, considered to be the most famous shrine in Damascus. Standing in the middle of the courtyard of Al-Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, it's not only

a day for Friday prayers, it's also a day of celebration. Thousands of Syrian men and women have gathered here today. Some of them say for security reasons they could never even enter it before the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, and this is their first time. The imam calls on people to celebrate and to leave the mosque in a calm and orderly fashion. That's NPR's Hadil al-Shalchi reporting from Damascus. An American citizen who was among thousands of prisoners freed from Syrian prisons after

the fall of the Assad regime has been handed over to U.S. forces. The 29-year-old man from Missouri was held for seven months in Damascus after being arrested for illegally entering the country. Some colleges in the United States are quietly preparing for President-elect Donald Trump's second term. A handful of schools are advising international students who are planning to leave the U.S. for the holidays

to get back to campus by the middle of January. Kurt Carapazza from Member Station GBH in Boston reports. Most colleges aren't saying much, but since the election, some have reached out to international students, urging them to return to campus before January 20th to avoid being disrupted or delayed by any new immigration restrictions. Harvard contacted its international students this week suggesting those traveling overseas for the holidays budget time ahead of Martin Luther King Day, which coincidentally is also Inauguration Day. In his first term

Trump issued a travel ban targeting several majority Muslim countries and heightened visa scrutiny. There are no new proposals yet, but on the campaign trail, Trump promised even stricter policies. For NPR News, I'm Kirk Carrapezza in Boston. Stocks are trading lower on Wall Street at this hour. The Dow was down 99 points. This is NPR News in Washington. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is News in Washington. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is hospitalized in Europe.

The California Democrats suffered an unspecified injury while traveling with a bipartisan delegation to Luxembourg. Pelosi and other lawmakers were there to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. It's Friday the 13th. This day can be considered as unlucky, but not in the world of tattoos. Colorado Public Radio's Stina Sieg reports it's become a tradition for tattoo shops all across the nation to offer cheap designs on these days. Some call it the Black Friday of tattoos.

In Grand Junction, Colorado, a long line stretched out the door at First Street Tattoo Parlor on the last Friday the 13th in September. Evan Linko got the first tat of the day, the cartoon Felix the Cat on his calf. Oh, it looks so cool. Artist Tobias Peltier vowed to stay until everyone who wanted a tattoo got one.

Until the sun comes up. He ended up working until nearly 4 a.m. The next Friday the 13th is in June. For NPR News, I'm Steena Sieg. Emergency crews say a massive wildfire burning in Southern California is about 30% contained. Officials say cooler temperatures and calmer winds have helped firefighters get the flames under

control. The fire broke out on Monday night forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes in the Malibu area. I'm Windsor Johnston, NPR News in Washington.