NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-19-2024 4AM EST

Episode Date: December 19, 2024

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Support for this podcast and the following message come from Autograph Collection Hotels, with over 300 independent hotels around the world, each exactly like nothing else. Autograph Collection is part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of hotel brands. Find the unforgettable at autographcollection.com. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shae Stevens. Congressional Republicans are sounding mostly optimistic about reaching a new agreement on a government funding proposal. A bipartisan plan unveiled on Tuesday has been set aside at the request of President-elect

Donald Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk. GOP Senator Mitt Romney says Republican lawmakers are awaiting further instruction. The Republicans are, I think, understandably anxious to follow the direction of the new president, but he hasn't indicated what he wants us to do, either to shut down government or to vote for the CR, one or the other. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffrey says the ball is now in the GOP's court. House Republicans will now own any harm that is visited upon the American people that results from a government shutdown or worse. Current government spending for most federal agencies runs out at midnight Friday.

The U.S. Supreme Court is stepping into the TikTok debate. As NPR's Bobby Allen reports, the high court has agreed to review whether a law that could ban the app next month is constitutional. The Supreme Court has accepted TikTok's emergency motion to review a law President Biden signed in April. The law bans TikTok nationwide unless it is sold to a non-Chinese company. It is meant to address lawmakers' national security concerns over possible Chinese influence. Earlier this month, the Federal Appeals Court affirmed the ban law, saying it actually protects free speech by preventing an adversarial government from censoring content. But lawyers for TikTok say singling out an

app for shutdown used by roughly half of America is an unprecedented violation of the First Amendment. The High Court will hear arguments on January 10th, nine days before the law is set to take effect. Bobby Allen, NPR News. A leading human rights group accuses Israel of deliberately depriving Palestinians in Gaza of water. Human Rights Watch is calling on nations around the world to pressure Israel to abide by international law.

As NPR's Michelle Kalanin reports, Israel denies the allegations, calling them appalling lies and blood libel. In a lengthy report, Human Rights Watch describes how Israel, in its words, decimated the health care system in Gaza and badly damaged the water and sanitation infrastructure in the 14-month war. The group studied satellite imagery as well as videos of Israeli soldiers demolishing a key water reservoir, says Lama Faki, director of the Middle East Division at Human Rights Watch.

What we have found is that the Israeli government is intentionally killing Palestinians in Gaza by denying them the water that they need to survive. She says this may amount to acts of genocide. Israel has rejected such accusations and says it's in a war against Hamas in Gaza and not its residents. Michelle Kelliman, NPR News Tel Aviv. You're listening to NPR News.

A French court has convicted the ex-husband of Gisele Pelico of rape and other charges. NPR's Eleanor Beersley is outside a courthouse in Avignon following the trial of more than 50 men convicted of raping Pelico after her husband drugged her and invited the defendants into the couple's bedroom. Eleanor Beersley, NPR's Eleanor Beersley, Jr. Avignon is a beautiful old town with a wall around it and there's a big sign across from the courthouse on a giant sheet that says, Giselle, thank you Giselle. She's become

a hero to women and even beyond in France because she demanded that this trial be open to the public to see what happened to her and France has just woken up with this trial. It is causing all kinds of debate within society about the role of men, about violent culture, machismo society. There's a huge billboard, a huge placard above the crowd that says the shame must change sides. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley in Avignon, France. Unionized workers at Amazon facilities in New York, Illinois, Georgia, and California are preparing to walk off their jobs this morning.

The Teamsters Union says the online retailer failed to meet a deadline for reaching an agreement on better pay and working conditions. Amazon says the strike will not affect business during the holiday season. The Teamsters Union represents roughly 10,000 Amazon workers in the U.S. Legislation to designate the iconic bald eagle as the official national bird is heading to President Biden's desk.

A bill was passed with bipartisan support in the House and Senate. This is NPR News. This is Eric Glass. On This American Life, we like stories that surprise you. For instance, imagine finding a new hobby and realizing... To do this hobby right, according to the ways of the masters,

there's a pretty good chance that you're going to have to bend the law to get the materials that you need. If not break it. Yeah. To break international laws. Real life stories, really good ones. This American Life.