NPR News: 12-24-2024 4PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: December 24, 2024, 4PM EST

On December 24, 2024, NPR News Now delivered a comprehensive roundup of the latest developments across various sectors, from aviation disruptions and labor strikes to advancements in scientific research and festive competitions. This summary encapsulates the key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode, providing a thorough overview for those who haven't tuned in.

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American Airlines Resumes Operations After Technical Glitch

[00:20] Windsor Johnston opens the episode with a report on American Airlines' operational hiccup. The airline had grounded all flights amid what was identified as a technical issue on one of the year's busiest travel days.

[00:39] Joel Rose details the incident, explaining that the nationwide ground stop was lifted after an hour-long suspension. Passengers experienced flight boarding halts and witnessed planes returning to gates. The disruption stemmed from a vendor-related technology malfunction affecting weight and balance calculations, crucial for flight safety and planning.

Notable Quote:

“The outage was related to a software issue affecting calculations of weight and balance issues,” Joel Rose reports at [00:39].

The technical glitch caused delays at major hubs including Charlotte, Dallas, and Miami, with potential ripple effects on flights nationwide throughout the day.

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Starbucks Workers Expand Strike for Contract Negotiations

[01:23] The focus shifts to labor movements as Starbucks employees across more than 300 stores in the U.S. continue their strike, demanding contractual agreements with the coffee giant. Stephen Bisaha of the Gulf States Newsroom provides insights into the strike's progression.

[01:46] Bisaha highlights the duration of the strike, noting it's "kind of long by today's standards," with most strikes since 2021 lasting four days or less. This trend is attributed to the financial constraints faced by low-wage workers.

[02:05] John Logan from San Francisco State University emphasizes the economic challenges:

“They’re just not going to be able to afford to go out on an open ended long strike,” John Logan states at [02:05].

[02:14] Bisaha adds that shorter strikes serve to keep workers motivated while negotiations may extend over months or years, diminishing workers' leverage in long-term disputes.

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U.S. Scientific Research Faces Visa Challenges for Foreign Scientists

[02:27] NPR's John Hamilton reports on the reliance of U.S. scientific research on over half a million foreign scientists operating under temporary visas. The issue has intensified as visa acquisition became more stringent during Donald Trump's administration and faces further scrutiny under the current administration.

[02:49] Hamilton highlights the divide in perspectives:

“You have some tech firms like Box... are making the case that H1B visas are good for the US economy,” he explains.

Contrary to the tech industry's stance, major research institutions have remained largely silent on the matter, with several declining to comment when approached by Hamilton.

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Wall Street Ends the Day on a High Note

[03:06] The financial markets saw positive movement as stocks closed higher on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged by 390 points, while the NASDAQ Composite increased by 66 points, signaling investor optimism.

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Christmas Tree Height Rivalry in Northern California

[03:32] In a lighter yet spirited competition, Northern California's coastal communities are vying for the title of having the tallest living Christmas tree. Alice Wolfley of NPR reports from the scene.

[03:39] Jim Campbell Spickler, director of the Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka, shares his expertise in measuring tall trees:

“I would consider the measurements that we've completed to be official,” Jim Campbell Spickler states at [03:39].

His team declared their coast redwood, adorned with lights, as the tallest at 174 feet, 9 inches. However, the historic Skunk Train in Mendocino County contested this claim by presenting evidence of a redwood nearly 50 feet taller.

[03:56] Acknowledging the challenge, Spickler has proposed an official measurement contest before the next Christmas season to settle the rivalry.

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Festive Celebrations and Religious Milestones

[04:21] The episode concludes with coverage of significant religious events marking Christmas Eve:

• Vatican City: Thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square as Pope Francis inaugurated the holy door of the newly restored St. Peter's Basilica. This act signifies the commencement of the 2025 Jubilee, an event denoting reconciliation and renewal for the Catholic Church.

• Bethlehem: Celebrations in the traditional birthplace of Jesus were subdued for the second consecutive year. The downturn in tourist visits is attributed to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, overshadowing the festive spirit.

Notable Quote:

“Marking the start of the 2025 Jubilee... a significant event for the Catholic Church that symbolizes reconciliation,” Windsor Johnston mentions at [04:21].

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This episode of NPR News Now provides listeners with a multifaceted view of current events, blending critical news with human interest stories that reflect both challenges and communal spirit during the holiday season.

Transcript

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[Windsor Johnston]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. American Airlines has resumed operations after grounding all flights this morning. NPR's Joel Rose reports the airline suffered what it's calling a technical issue on one of the busiest travel days of the year.

[Joel Rose]

American Airlines says the nationwide ground stop has been lifted after halting all of the carriers flights for about an hour. Passengers on social media reported that boarding stopped and some planes had to return to their gates. In a statement, American blamed the problem on a vendor technology issue and apologized to customers for the inconvenience. The airline's pilots told passengers the outage was related to a software issue affecting calculations of weight and balance issues. The brief outage also affected flight planning. Hundreds of flights were delayed, particularly at airports in Charlotte, Dallas, Miami and other American Airlines hubs, and those delays could ripple across the country for the rest of the day. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington.

[Windsor Johnston]

Starbucks workers are walking the picket lines in a number of US Cities demanding a contract with the coffee giant. The strike, which is expected to wrap up tonight after five days, has expanded to more than 300 stores across the nation. Stephen Bisaha of the Gulf States Newsroom says temporary work stoppages like these have become the norm.

[Stephen Bisaha]

Five days on strike is actually kind of long by today's standards. Most strikes since at least 2021 have lasted four days or less, according to Cornell University. That's in part because missing more than a few days of pay just isn't realistic for many low wage workers, says John Logan with San Francisco State University.

[John Logan]

They're just not going to be able to afford to go out on an open ended long strike. The employer could easily replace them.

[Stephen Bisaha]

This also means less leverage for workers. Instead, Logan says short strikes are often about keeping workers excited while negotiations drag on for months or years. For NPR News, I'm Stephen Bassarha.

[Windsor Johnston]

Scientific research in the US Relies heavily on scientists from other countries, including more than a half million who are working under temporary visas. NPR's John Hamilton reports. Those visas became harder to get during Donald Trump's first term in office, and they're likely to face new scrutiny the second time around.

[John Hamilton]

You have some tech firms like Box, you know, the cloud computing firm that are making the case that H1B visas are good for the US economy. Universities are saying very little. I contacted at least half a dozen major research institutions over the past few weeks, and they pretty much declined to comment.

[Windsor Johnston]

That's NPR's John Hamilton reporting. Stocks closed higher today on Wall Street. The dow was up 390 points, the NASDAQ composite up to 66. This is NPR. In the remote coastal communities of Northern California, there's a rivalry over who has the tallest living Christmas tree. NPR's Alice Wolfley reports.

[Alice Wolfley]

Jim Campbell Spickler is the director of the Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka and kind of an expert when it comes to measuring tall trees.

[John Hamilton]

I would consider the measurements that we've completed to be official.

[Alice Wolfley]

He says the coast redwood he strung with lights is 174ft, 9 inches tall. The zoo announced that it had the tallest known living decorated tree, but soon after, Campbell Spickler got a call.

[John Hamilton]

Well, hey, the folks down in Mendocino county at the skunk train claim to have a taller tree.

[Alice Wolfley]

The historic railroad in the town of Willits says it decorated a redwood nearly 50ft taller. After seeing video evidence, Campbell Spickler agrees the rivalry is taller. He's offered to do an official measurement before next Christmas. Alice Wolfley, NPR News.

[Windsor Johnston]

Thousands of Christian faithful flocked to St. Peter's Square in Vatican City on this Christmas Eve. Pope Francis opened the holy door in the newly restored St. Peter's Basilica, marking the start of the 2025 Jubilee. The restoration is part of preparations for the Jubilee year, a significant event for the Catholic Church that symbolizes reconciliation and Rene. In Bethlehem, Christmas Eve celebrations were somber for a second straight year. Fewer tourists have visited the traditional birthplace of Jesus since the war in Gaza broke out. This is npr.

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