NPR News: 12-25-2024 7PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: December 26, 2024, 7 PM EST

Hosted by NPR, "NPR News Now" delivers the latest news in five minutes, updated hourly. Below is a detailed summary of the December 26, 2024, episode.

---

1. Japanese Automakers Prepare for Potential US Tariffs

Reporter: Anthony Kuhn
Timestamp: [00:31]

As the Trump administration prepares to implement new trade policies, Japanese automobile manufacturers are bracing for possible tariffs on their exports to the United States. Toyota has announced a significant gesture by pledging to donate $1 million to President-elect Trump's inauguration — a first-time contribution from the company to a US Presidential inauguration. This announcement followed similar moves by Ford and General Motors (GM).

Toyota's Response: "Toyota plans to donate a million dollars to President Elect Trump's inauguration," Kuhn reports. This strategic donation comes amidst Trump's proposal of a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico, a key location where Toyota manufactures pickup trucks for the US market.

Analysts suggest that Trump might exempt car exporters who relocate production to the US, potentially mitigating the impact of these tariffs. Additionally, there is speculation that tariffs could be retracted if they lead to significant domestic inflation. The situation also poses risks for Japan, which could grapple with the repercussions of a potential US-China trade war, given China is Japan's main trading partner.

---

2. Turkey's Action Plan to Rebuild Syria's Infrastructure

Reporter: Fat Matanis
Timestamp: [01:15]

In a significant development for the war-torn region, Turkey has unveiled an action plan aimed at repairing and rebuilding Syria's infrastructure. The Turkish transportation minister highlighted the extensive damage to Syria's airports, bridges, railways, and roads.

Key Findings from Inspections: "A Turkish team recently went to inspect Syria's five airports and found only two of them, the ones in Damascus and Aleppo, were operational, but both needed significant upgrades," reported Matanis. The inspection team discovered critical deficiencies, including the absence of radar systems — with Syrian airport staff resorting to using radar applications on cell phones to manage flights. Additionally, outdated computer systems from the 1990s, lack of metal detectors, and deteriorating runways were among the pressing issues.

The transportation minister emphasized that comprehensive reconstruction is essential for Syria to recover and rebuild from the ground up.

---

3. Holiday Reflections: Pope Francis and Notre Dame's Christmas Celebration

Reporter: Jeanine Herbst
Timestamp: [02:12]

In his traditional Christmas message, Pope Francis called for global unity and peace. He encouraged individuals to "find the courage to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions that plague the world."

Additionally, today marks the commencement of the 2025 holy celebration, with pilgrims gathering early to walk through the holy door at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica.

In a heartwarming event, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris hosted its first Christmas service since the devastating fire in 2019. Thousands of attendees filled the cathedral, expressing awe at the restoration and renovation efforts that have revitalized the centuries-old landmark.

"Merry Christmas," extended Anthony Kuhn and Jeanine Herbst further highlighted the restored beauty and significance of Notre Dame as a beacon of faith and resilience.

---

4. NIH Allocates $300 Million for Long Covid Research

Reporters: Sarah Bowden and Megan Stone
Timestamp: [03:37]

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has committed $300 million over the next four years to study treatments for Long Covid, a condition affecting numerous individuals post-COVID-19 infection. This initiative comes in response to persistent advocacy and pressure from patient activists demanding more robust clinical trials and research funding.

Patient Advocacy Perspective: "People have been suffering for years with Long Covid, and patients say that the pace of the NIH's search for new treatments has been too slow and the $300 million probably isn't enough money to produce a new drug," stated Megan Stone, the executive director of the Long Covid campaign.

Strategic Allocation: Megan Stone emphasized the importance of smart investments given the limited funding relative to the problem's scale. She noted, "What's critical when you have limited funding that doesn't yet match the scale of the problem is that those investments are even smarter, and so that's going to require making good bets on good people. And that includes labs and researchers working on Long Covid that the NIH hasn't traditionally funded."

Despite the funding boost, concerns remain about the sufficiency and speed of the NIH's efforts to develop effective Long Covid treatments. The NIH has acknowledged the urgency, asserting the need for a solid understanding of Long Covid's biological mechanisms before advancing treatment research.

---

5. FDA Recalls Eye Drops Due to Fungal Contamination

Reporter: Jeanine Herbst
Timestamp: [04:22]

A safety alert has been issued for consumers of Sustain Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra Pf after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) detected potential fungal contamination. The recall affects products manufactured by Alcon Labs based in Texas.

Details of the Recall: The recall was initiated voluntarily by Alcon Labs following a customer complaint about foreign material within the sealed, individual-use containers. Upon investigation, the company identified that the foreign substance was fungal in nature, posing a risk of eye infections to users.

Consumers are urged to discontinue use immediately and consult healthcare professionals if any adverse effects are observed.

---

Note: This summary excludes advertisements, sponsorship messages, and non-content segments to focus solely on the newsworthy information presented in the episode.

Transcript

[Jeanine Herbst]

This message is sponsored by Greenlight, the debit card and money app made for families where kids learn how to save, invest and spend wisely with parental controls built in. Sign up this holiday [e-mail] NPR Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. Japanese automakers are getting ready for possible tariffs on their exports under the incoming Trump administration. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports on how at least one company is already responding.

[Anthony Kuhn]

Toyota said Tuesday that it plans to donate a million dollars to President Elect Trump's inauguration, the first time it's contributed to a US Presidential inauguration. It announced the move a day after Ford and GM said they'd make similar donations. Trump has proposed 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico, where Toyota makes pickup trucks for the US Market. But some analysts believe that Trump could skip the tariffs on car exporters who shift production to the US or, they add, Trump might have to back away from tariffs if they cause inflation to spike at home. Japan also faces the risk of fallout from a potential US Trade war with its main trading partner, China. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Turkey says it has an action plan to help repair and rebuild the infrastructure in neighboring war torn Syria. NPR's Fat Matanis has more from Istanbul.

[Fat Matanis]

Turkey's transportation minister said Syria's airports, bridges, railways and roads all needed fixing. The minister said a Turkish team recently went to inspect Syria's five airports and found only two of them, the ones in Damascus and Aleppo, were operational, but both needed significant upgrades. The team discovered there were no radar systems at the airports and that Syrian airport workers had been using radar applications on cell phones to manage flights. They noted that the computers were from the 1990s, there were no metal detector systems and the runways were in bad condition. The transportation minister added that Syria will need everything in order to rebuild itself from scratch. Fat Matanis, NPR News, Istanbul.

[Jeanine Herbst]

In his traditional Christmas message, Pope Francis urged people around the world to find the courage to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions that plague the world. Today also marks the start of the 2025 holy celebration, and pilgrims lined up early to walk through the holy door at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica. Meanwhile, in France, thousands of people filled the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris to celebrate Christmas.

[Anthony Kuhn]

Merry Christmas.

[Jeanine Herbst]

It was the first time the cathedral held a Christmas service since a devastating fire tore through the landmark in 2019. Worshippers and other visitors marveled at the restoration of the recently renovated and reopened centuries old cathedral. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The National Institutes of health is investing $300 million for the study of treatments for Long Covid. The funds will be allocated over the next four years. And as Sarah Bowden reports, the decision from the NIH comes after major efforts by patient activists rather to pressure the agency to fund more clinical trials.

[Sarah Bowden]

People have been suffering for years with Long Covid, and patients say that the pace of the NIH's search for new treatments has been too slow and the $300 million probably isn't enough money to produce a new drug. Megan Stone is the executive director of the Long Covid campaign.

[Megan Stone]

What's critical when you have limited funding that doesn't yet match the scale of the problem is that those investments are even smarter, and so that's going to require making good bets on good people. And that includes labs and researchers working on Long Covid that the NIH hasn't traditionally funded.

[Sarah Bowden]

The NIH says it understands the urgency for Long Covid treatments, but first, scientists needed a solid understanding of Long Covid's biological mechanisms. For NPR News, I'm Sarah Bowden.

[Jeanine Herbst]

A popular eye drop brand is being recalled because of possible fungal contamination. The Food and Drug Administration says Texas based Alcon Labs voluntarily recalled Sustain Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra Pf after a customer complained about foreign material that could be seen inside the sealed individual use containers. The company says it investigated and found out that that material was fungal, which can cause eye infections. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.

[Unknown Sponsor]

This message comes from NPR sponsor Viori A new perspective on performance apparel. Check out the latest Dream Knit collection by visiting viori.com NPR for 20% off your first purchase. Exclusions apply. Visit the website for full terms and conditions.