NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-20-2024 9AM EST

Episode Date: December 20, 2024

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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.

Your life stories, really good ones. This American Life. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korova Coleman. President-elect Trump says if the federal government is facing a partial shutdown, he wants it to start now, while President Biden is still in office. He issued the call on his social media account this morning. Congress needs to pass government spending legislation quickly or the partial shutdown will start late tonight.

And Pierce Georgia Walsh says last evening, the House rejected a spending bill backed by Speaker Mike Johnson. It failed because a significant block of the Speaker's own Republican colleagues joined most Democrats and tanked it, even after President-elect Trump endorsed the deal, this Republican deal, and threatened any Republican lawmaker who voted no. Most House conservatives who voted against this criticized the decision at Trump's insistence to add a two-year increase to the country's borrowing authority without any spending cuts. And Pierce-Georgia Walls reporting. Earlier this week, congressional leaders had unveiled

a bipartisan spending plan for the government, but that was also tanked by Trump and his billionaire ally, Elon Musk. The man charged with killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO, Brian Thompson, is now in New York facing federal charges. From member station WNYC, Samantha Maxx reports. Federal prosecutors charged Luigi Mangione with murder, firearm, and stalking charges. They say he took a bus to New York City and waited outside a hotel where CEO Brian Thompson was staying for an investor conference. Then, prosecutors say Mangione shot the CEO with an untraceable ghost gun and fled to Pennsylvania.

A new criminal complaint cites a letter addressed, quote, to the feds that police found after Mangione's arrest. It also quotes from a notebook where officials say he wrote about his plans to target the insurance industry. Mangione was already facing state charges in New York and Pennsylvania, including for murder as an act of terrorism. For NPR News, I'm Samantha Maxx in New York. Amazon drivers nationwide are joining

strikes against the online retailer. For Member Station KVCR, Anthony Victoria has more from a picket line in Los Angeles County. The Teamsters' decision to strike follows what it calls Amazon's refusal to negotiate labor contracts and working condition. Vanessa Valdez has worked as a driver at the company's facility in the city of industry for six years. She says she's striking because while her workload is increasing, her pay isn't. I would love to have job security to know that I have a place here in another six years and not be let go as I age. An Amazon spokesperson accused the Teamsters of misleading the public and using illegal tactics to pressure workers. Randy Corgan, the director of the Teamsters of misleading the public and using illegal tactics to pressure workers.

Randy Corgan, the director of the Teamsters Amazon division, says the union isn't doing anything illegal. For NPR News, I'm Anthony Victoria in the City of Industry. Amazon is among NPR's financial supporters. On Wall Street and pre-market trading, stock futures are lower. It's NPR. in pre-market trading, stock futures are lower. It's NPR. Workers at Starbucks stores across the country say they're planning to launch a five-day strike today. They'll start the strike in cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle. The union that represents the workers says Starbucks has failed to honor a commitment

it made to settle a new labor agreement this year. Starbucks says the union walked away from the table this week. Rock climbers are expressing pleasure after Congress unanimously passed legislation to improve access to wilderness areas. From Wyoming public radio Hannah Merzbach reports, this includes helping rock climbers get down from heights. After scaling big walls or mountains,

there often isn't a safe way to walk down. So climbers use what's known as fixed anchors, metal bolts drilled into walls that they repel off of. That includes Charlie Thomas and the Tetons. I think people are just relieved that they're not going to have to worry about getting to the top of a climb and having no way to get off. Last year, the National Park and Forest Services proposed banning most anchors, saying they violate the Wilderness Act. But now, both chambers of Congress have unanimously supported allowing the hardware. The legislation is headed for President Biden's desk.

For NPR News, I'm Hannah Merzbach in Jackson, Wyoming. The White House says President Biden is moving to forgive more student loan debt. It's worth well over $4 billion. About 55,000 borrowers are eligible who are enrolled in an existing program called Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This is intended to support teachers, nurses, law enforcement officials and more. It's NPR.