NPR News: 12-19-2024 10PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: December 19, 2024

Host: Jack Spear
Reporter: Claudio Grisales, Meg Anderson, Aaron Moselle
Release Date: December 20, 2024

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Government Shutdown Looms as GOP Fails to Pass Funding Bill

Jack Spear opens the episode with urgent news from Washington:

"Congress is getting closer to a government shutdown this weekend." (00:19)

Claudio Grisales elaborates on the political impasse:

"The stopgap bill was crafted after President elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk tanked an earlier bipartisan agreement." (00:32)

Meg Anderson provides detailed analysis of the legislative breakdown:

"The new House Republican bill, drafted without input from Democrats, failed, with 38 Republicans joining Democrats in voting against it." (00:40)

She adds that the measure required a two-thirds majority under an expedited process, emphasizing the gravity of the situation:

"The failure leaves lawmakers back at the drawing board with the shutdown deadline looming at the end of the day." (00:40)

Claudio Grisales summarizes the Republican stance:

"House Republicans who helped tank the new proposal said it violated traditional Republican goals of cutting spending and reducing the deficit." (00:40)

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CEO of UnitedHealthcare Faces Death Penalty Charges

Transitioning to a high-profile criminal case, Jack Spear reports:

"The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is back in New York facing additional federal charges of murder." (01:30)

Claudio Grisales details the accusations against Luigi Mangione:

"Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of gunning down Thompson on a New York City street earlier this month, now faces the possibility of the death penalty." (01:49)

He further explains the legal proceedings:

"Mangione, flown from Pennsylvania where he was being held after his arrest, paraded past the media, through his lawyers, waived extradition with latest charges." (01:47)

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Tragic Shooting at Madison Christian School Claims Two Lives

Jack Spear introduces the heartbreaking incident:

"Authorities have named two people killed in the deadly shooting at a small Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, Monday." (02:01)

Meg Anderson shares poignant details about the victims:

"The victims were a student and a teacher. 42-year-old Erin West was the school substitute coordinator, a mother of three who enjoyed camping and attending her children's sports games." (02:08)

"14-year-old Ruby Vergara was a freshman known for her love of reading, art, singing, and playing the keyboard. She had a special bond with her cat Ginger and her dog Coco." (02:10)

She concludes with the tragic end of the shooter:

"The shooter, also a student, apparently turned the gun on herself that day." (02:10)

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U.S. Economy Shows Signs of Stronger Growth

Claudio Grisales presents the latest economic data:

"The government says total US population now surpasses 340 million people." (04:54)

Jack Spear adds to the economic overview:

"The nation's gross domestic product expanded at a 3.1% annual rate in the July through September quarter." (02:54)

He notes the market response:

"Stocks stabilized somewhat after yesterday's sell-off. The Dow is up 15 points today." (03:13)

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Ireland's Data Centers Strain Local Infrastructure

Claudio Grisales reports on Ireland's burgeoning data center industry:

"With the country making itself something of a computing hub for big firms like Amazon, Google, and Meta, those firms are now consuming more electricity than all of the urban homes there combined." (03:25)

He highlights the resulting concerns:

"It's led to fears of rolling blackouts on the part of Ireland's grid operator and a halt to any new data centers near Dublin until at least 2028." (03:34)

Claudio Grisales adds context on energy consumption:

"The giant buildings housing large numbers of powerful servers last year consumed about 21% of Ireland's electricity." (03:34)

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Philadelphia Approves New 76ers Basketball Arena Amid Community Debate

Claudio Grisales transitions to local U.S. news:

"Philadelphia lawmakers have authorized the 76ers to build a new basketball arena in the heart of the city." (03:56)

Aaron Moselle delves into the project's implications:

"More than two years after the team announced the controversial project, the billion-dollar arena is set to be built on top of a busy train station in a section of the city's downtown that has struggled to thrive for decades." (03:56)

Regina Hairston, leader of the African American Chamber of Commerce, underscores the economic necessity:

"You cannot grow without investment. We all see how this corridor looks. It is empty, it is blighted, and businesses are leaving every day." (04:21)

Aaron Moselle also presents the opposition's perspective:

"Opponents say the arena represents an existential threat for nearby Chinatown. The facility is scheduled to open in 2031." (04:30)

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U.S. Population Growth Hits 23-Year High Driven by Immigration

Claudio Grisales shares significant demographic information:

"The U.S. population this year posted its strongest growth rate in 23 years, much of it driven by immigration." (04:42)

He quantifies the milestone:

"The government's data shows that the total US population now surpasses 340 million people." (04:46)

Jack Spear closes this segment:

"I'm Jack Spear, NPR News, in Washington." (04:54)

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For more updates, visit NPR News Now.

Transcript

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[Jack Spear]

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Congress is getting closer to a government shutdown this weekend. That's after House Republicans failed to pass a GOP led fund.

[Claudio Grisales]

NPR's Claudio Grisales reports. The stopgap bill was crafted after President elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.

[Jack Spear]

Tanked an earlier bipartisan agreement.

[Meg Anderson]

The new House Republican bill, drafted without input from Democrats, failed, with 38 Republicans joining Democrats in voting against it. The Measure needed a 2/3 majority to pass under an expedited process after House GOP leaders crafted the plan in the last day. The failure leaves lawmakers back at the drawing board with the shutdown deadline looming at the end of the day. On Friday, Senate and House Democrats blasted Republicans for reneging on a bipartisan compromise funding plan reached earlier this week. The House Republicans who helped tank the new proposal said it violated traditional Republican goals of cutting spending and reducing the deficit. Claudia Reiselles, NPR News.

[Claudio Grisales]

The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare.

[Jack Spear]

CEO Brian Thompson is back in New.

[Claudio Grisales]

York facing additional federal charges of murder.

[Jack Spear]

By firearm and stalking, along with other.

[Claudio Grisales]

Charges laid out in previous indictments in New York and Pennsylvania. Luigi Mangione, flown from Pennsylvania where he was being held after his arrest, then.

[Jack Spear]

Paraded past the media.

[Claudio Grisales]

Mangione, through his lawyers, waived extradition with latest charges. The 26 year old Mangione, who's accused of gunning down Thompson on a New York City street earlier this month, now faces the of the death penalty.

[Jack Spear]

Authorities have named two people killed in the deadly shooting at a small Christian.

[Claudio Grisales]

School in Madison, Wisconsin, Monday. SENPRE's Meg Anderson reports.

[Jack Spear]

The victims were a student and a teacher.

[Meg Anderson]

According to the Dane County Medical Examiner's office. The two who were killed were both pronounced dead at the scene. 42 year old Erin west was the school substitute coordinator, according to her obituary. She was the mother of three daughters. She's described as enjoying camping with her family and going to sports games at the school. 14 year old Ruby Vergara was a freshman at the school. Her obituary describes her as an avid reader who loved art, singing and playing the keyboard. She's described as having a special bond with her cat Ginger and her dog Coco. The shooter was also a student. She apparently turned the gun on herself that day. Meg Anderson, NPR News.

[Claudio Grisales]

In its latest snapshot of the economy. The government says it appears growth accelerated a bit more in the July through September quarter than initially thought. Government today reporting the nation's gross domestic product. The total output of goods and services within US borders expanded at a 3.1% annual rate. Stocks stabilized somewhat after yesterday's sell off.

[Jack Spear]

The Dow up 15 points today. You're listening to NPR. Dozens of data centers in Ireland may be starting to wear out their welcome with the locals.

[Claudio Grisales]

That's because with the country making itself something of a computing hub for big firms like Amazon, Google and Meta, those firms are now consuming more electricity than.

[Jack Spear]

All of the urban homes there combined.

[Claudio Grisales]

It's led to fears of rolling blackouts on the part of Ireland's grid operator and a halt to any new data centers near Dublin until at least 2028. The giant buildings housing large numbers of powerful servers last year consumed about 21 of Ireland's electricity. Philadelphia lawmakers have authorized the 76ers to build a new basketball arena in the.

[Jack Spear]

Heart of the city.

[Claudio Grisales]

Aaron Moselle, member station whyy, has more.

[Aaron Moselle]

More than two years after the team announced the controversial project, the billion dollar arena is set to be built on top of a busy train station in a section of the city's downtown that has struggled to thrive for decades. Regina Hairston leads the African American Chamber of Commerce. She says the arena is desperately needed to revive Market East.

[Regina Hairston]

You cannot grow without investment. We all see how this corridor looks. It is empty, it is blighted, and businesses are leaving every day.

[Aaron Moselle]

Opponents say the arena represents an existential threat for nearby Chinatown. The facility is scheduled to open in 2031. For NPR News, I'm Aaron Moselle in Philadelphia.

[Claudio Grisales]

The U.S. population this year posted its strongest growth rate in 23 years, much.

[Jack Spear]

Of it driven by immigration.

[Claudio Grisales]

The government says total US population now surpasses 340 million people.

[Jack Spear]

I'm Jack Spear, NPR News, in Washington.

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