NPR News Now: December 17, 2024, 11 PM EST Summary

NPR News Now delivered a comprehensive update on significant national and international events in its December 17, 2024 episode. Hosted by Shea Stevens, the episode covered a range of topics from high-profile criminal cases and legislative developments to cultural events and economic indicators. Below is a detailed summary structured into clear sections, highlighting key discussions, insights, and notable quotes.

1. Murder Charges Against Luigi Mangione

Shea Stevens opened the episode with breaking news on the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson. The suspect, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, faces multiple charges including murder in the first and second degrees, terrorism, and various weapons offenses.

• Shea Stevens [00:01]: "The suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is now facing charges of murder as an act of terrorism along with the first and second degree murder charges and various weapons offenses."

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg provided insights into the potential legal consequences:

• Alvin Bragg [00:27]: "The maximum penalty possible for murder in the first degree and murder in the second degree as an act of terrorism is life without parole. The maximum penalty for murder in the second degree is 25 years to life. There are additional counts as well."

Authorities reported that Thompson was killed with an untraceable 9mm handgun while en route to a shareholders meeting in Manhattan. Mangione allegedly fled the scene on an e-bike and was subsequently arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where he remains awaiting extradition to New York.

2. Madison School Shooting Investigation

The episode shifted focus to a tragic school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin, where a 15-year-old female shooter killed two individuals, injured six others, and ultimately took her own life. Authorities are actively seeking motives behind this incident.

Shea Stevens [00:44]: "Investigators say they're seeking a motive for Monday's school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin. Authorities say a 15-year-old girl killed two people and injured six others before taking her own life."

Katia Riddle reported on the rarity and implications of a female shooter in such mass killings:

Katia Riddle [01:08]: "Though there have been hundreds of mass killings with guns in the past few decades, there have been very few female shooters."

Jonathan Metzl, a gun violence researcher at Vanderbilt University, weighed in on the significance of the shooter's gender:

• Jonathan Metzl [01:27]: "On one hand, I think it's notable, but I also think it's, in a way, you know, tragically an expected outcome of what we've done in this country, which is just to make it a lot easier for people to get guns."

Metzl emphasized that increased access to firearms leads to diverse demographics participating in gun violence:

• Jonathan Metzl [01:38]: "The more people who have access to guns, the more demographic types of people can use guns."

3. Congressional Stopgap Budget Plan

Shea Stevens covered the unveiling of a stopgap budget proposal by top Republicans and Democrats in Congress aimed at preventing a government shutdown scheduled for the upcoming weekend. The plan includes over $100 billion in funding allocated to:

• Recovery from Devastating Hurricanes: Supporting states in rebuilding efforts.
• FEMA Funding: Enhancing disaster response capabilities.
• Disaster Relief for Farmers: Assisting agricultural communities affected by natural disasters.

4. TikTok's Legal Battle and Meeting with President-Elect Trump

TikTok is embroiled in a legal tussle over a forthcoming ban in the United States, slated to take effect on January 19th, a day before President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. Bobby Allen provided an in-depth report on the situation.

Shea Stevens [01:46]: "TikTok has met with President-Elect Donald Trump as the company fights a new law that would ban the social media app next month. As NPR's Bobby Allen reports, TikTok is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene."

Bobby Allen [02:16]: "TikTok's chief executive, Sho Chiu, met with Trump as the hit video app's future hangs in the balance. A law that bans TikTok in the US over national security concerns is slated to take effect January 19th. That's a day before Trump will be sworn in, creating serious uncertainty since Trump once against TikTok now says he will save the app."

The legal contention arises from a federal appeals court decision that deemed TikTok's parent company, based in China, a foreign adversary posing security risks. TikTok's legal team has filed an emergency petition to the Supreme Court, arguing that the ban infringes on the free speech rights of its 170 million American users.

• Bobby Allen [02:56]: "Now TikTok's legal team has filed an emergency petition to the Supreme Court arguing that silencing the voices of 170 million American users is a free speech violation."

5. President-Elect Trump Accuses Des Moines Register of Election Interference

In a controversial move, President-Elect Trump has accused the Des Moines Register and its pollster of interfering in the election process. The allegation stems from the publication of a poll indicating that Democrat Kamala Harris was leading by 3 percentage points in Iowa shortly before the general election.

Shea Stevens [02:56]: "President elect Trump is accusing the Des Moines Register newspaper and its pollster of election interference. Trump cites the newspaper's publication of a poll suggesting that Democrat Kamala Harris was leading by 3 percentage points in Iowa just days before the general election."

6. Starbucks Union Workers Authorize Potential Strike

Unionized employees at Starbucks across the United States have voted to authorize a potential strike. Represented by Workers United, the union is negotiating its final round of contract talks, focusing on:

• Increasing Wages: Advocating for higher pay for employees.
• Staffing Improvements: Ensuring adequate staffing levels in stores.
• Enhanced Work Schedules: Seeking better and more predictable scheduling for workers.

Shea Stevens [02:56]: "Unionized workers at Starbucks have voted to authorize a potential strike in the United States ahead of a final round of contract talks this year."

The union represents over 10,000 employees across more than 500 Starbucks stores in the U.S., underlining the significant potential impact of the strike.

7. Academy Awards Preliminary Nominees Announced

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has revealed its preliminary nominees for 10 award categories ahead of the Oscars. Mandalit del Barco provided detailed coverage of the nominees, highlighting contenders such as Wicked and Emilia Perez.

Shea Stevens [02:56]: "The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced its preliminary nominees in 10 awards categories for Oscars. And NPR's Mandalit del Barco reports that the hit films Wicked and Emilia Perez are already on the shortlist."

Mandalit del Barco [03:52]:

• "Emilia Perez is France's entry for international feature film at the Oscars. It's also on the shortlist for makeup and hairstyling, sound, original score, and two original songs."
• "Wicked, a musical about the witches of Oz, is a contender for its visual effects, makeup and hair, sound, and its score."

Other notable films on the shortlist include Dune Part 2, Gladiator 2, and Blitz. The list is expected to narrow down next month, with the Oscars ceremony scheduled for March 2nd.

8. Economic Indicators: U.S. Futures and Wall Street Trading

Concluding the episode, Shea Stevens provided a brief update on the economic front:

• Shea Stevens [04:34]: "U.S. futures are flat and after hours trading on Wall Street."

This indicates a period of relative stability in the stock markets during after-hours trading.

Conclusion

The December 17, 2024 episode of NPR News Now delivered a packed agenda of critical news stories, ranging from high-stakes legal battles and political controversies to significant labor movements and cultural milestones. Through comprehensive reporting and expert insights, listeners were kept informed about the most pressing issues of the day.