Ceasefire On Track, Pandemic Preparedness, Pepsi Sued

Summary

Up First from NPR – January 18, 2025

NPR's "Up First" delivers the essential news to start your day, bringing you the three biggest stories with comprehensive reporting and analysis. In this episode, hosts Leila Fadel, Steve Inskeep, Michel Martin, and A Martinez delve into the imminent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, assess the United States' preparedness for future pandemics five years after COVID-19, and explore the Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit against Pepsi for alleged discriminatory pricing practices.

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1. Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas: A New Chapter in Gaza

Overview: The episode opens with breaking news on the long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. After over a year of intense conflict, Israel's war cabinet has approved a deal with Hamas, signaling a potential pause in the violence and the release of hostages and prisoners.

Key Points:

• Ceasefire Details: The ceasefire is set to commence at 8:30 AM ET on January 19, 2025, marking only the second such agreement in the ongoing war. Initial phases include the release of 33 Israeli hostages and approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners over the next six weeks.

  Hadil El Shalchi from Tel Aviv explains, "Hamas and Israel have both promised to hold their fire starting at 8:30 tomorrow morning here in Israel..." [02:38]

• Negotiation Dynamics: The agreement incorporates conditions President Biden helped formulate last May. However, geopolitical shifts in the Middle East, including the weakening of Hamas and its allies like Iran and Hezbollah, have influenced the timing and possibility of the deal.

  Hadil El Shalchi notes, "Hamas has lost a lot of its military capabilities over 15 months of war..." [03:06]

• Public Reaction:

  • Palestinian Perspective: Skepticism remains among Gazans, with many awaiting tangible improvements in their living conditions before fully embracing the ceasefire.

    Mohammed Abulqas expresses his doubts, stating, "I'm not really optimistic yet, and I won't be until I will be able to go back to whatever is left of my home." [04:20]

  • Israeli Sentiment: Israelis show relief at the prospect of hostages returning but are concerned about the long-term psychological and physical effects on those released.

    Sivan Yadine voices frustration, "I would have preferred that all hostages return home at the same time because they should be reunited now with their families." [05:02]

• Future Prospects: If the ceasefire holds, the coming days will involve gradual releases of hostages and prisoners, troop withdrawals, increased humanitarian aid, and the resettlement of displaced Palestinians in northern Gaza.

  Hadil El Shalchi anticipates, "Negotiators still need to talk about what the upcoming phases are supposed to look like and hopefully bring an end to the war." [05:05]

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2. U.S. Pandemic Preparedness Five Years After COVID-19

Overview: Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic's five-year anniversary, the discussion shifts to assessing America's readiness for future public health crises. Despite lessons learned, significant challenges remain in the nation's preparedness infrastructure.

Key Points:

• Initial Response and Legacy:

  • The first U.S. COVID-19 case was confirmed in January 2020 in Seattle. Early misjudgments about the virus's transmissibility contributed to delayed community spread awareness.

    Will Stone recounts, "This was a man in his 30s who'd come back from Wuhan, China... it wasn't until the next month that it became clear the virus was spreading in the community." [06:16]

• Current Preparedness Status:

  • Mixed Outcomes: While technological advancements like wastewater surveillance and mRNA vaccine platforms offer hope, systemic issues such as workforce fatigue, declining public trust, and potential funding cuts pose significant threats.

    Dr. Andrew Pavia from the University of Utah states, "We've not done a really good job of changing the things that need to be changed." [06:56]

  • Public Trust: Trust in public health institutions has plummeted from 70% in 2020 to below 50% in 2024, exacerbated by misinformation and polarized responses to pandemic measures.

    A recent Harvard survey highlights, "trust in doctors and hospitals dipped from 70% in 2020 to less than 50% as of early 2024." [07:33]

• Political Influences:

  • The incoming administration under President-elect Donald Trump raises concerns due to his nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has a history of anti-vaccine advocacy. This appointment could undermine efforts to rebuild public trust and secure necessary funding.

    Will Stone warns, "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has an extensive history of making inaccurate and misleading statements on vaccines." [09:07]

• Areas of Progress:

  • Technological Innovations: Advances in diagnostic testing and vaccine development, particularly the mRNA platform, provide robust tools for rapid response to emerging pathogens.

    Caitlin Rivers from Johns Hopkins emphasizes, "Technology really stands out as a realm where we've seen some great successes." [08:19]

  • Proactive Measures: Government initiatives to stockpile vaccines and develop new formulations aim to mitigate future outbreaks, especially concerning avian influenza.

    Will Stone notes, "Public health experts say having vaccines ready to go will be key for bird flu." [08:34]

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3. Federal Trade Commission Sues Pepsi Over Pricing Practices

Overview: The episode concludes with a significant legal battle as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) files a lawsuit against PepsiCo, alleging discriminatory pricing practices that favor large retailers over smaller grocery chains.

Key Points:

• Allegations: The FTC claims that Pepsi offers exclusive discounts and promotions to major retailers like Walmart, which it does not extend to smaller chains such as Kroger. This practice purportedly results in higher prices for consumers shopping at smaller stores.

  Alina Selyuk explains, "The FTC alleges Pepsi offers promotions and special deals to Walmart that it does not offer to smaller chains." [10:43]

• Legal Basis: The lawsuit hinges on the Robinson-Patman Act of 1936, which prohibits price discrimination that lessens competition. While volume discounts are permissible, they must genuinely reflect cost savings and be available to all eligible buyers.

  Alina Selyuk provides context, "The law says you can definitely offer volume discounts... but the FTC alleges Pepsi did not equally offer special promotions." [11:22]

• Pepsi's Response: Pepsi dismisses the allegations as unfounded, asserting that its pricing strategies align with industry standards and that it does not engage in favoritism.

  Alina Selyuk states, "Pepsi says its practices are in line with industry norms, that it does not play favorites." [12:16]

• Political and Historical Context:

  • The Robinson-Patman Act had been largely unenforced since the 1980s but has seen renewed interest from independent grocers and other small businesses seeking greater regulatory support.

    Alina Selyuk notes, "This case hinges on a law that had not been enforced for decades... independent grocers... have called for stepped up enforcement." [12:59]

  • With the forthcoming transition to the Trump administration, there is uncertainty about the lawsuit's trajectory, as the new FTC may reassess ongoing cases initiated by the Biden administration.

    Alina Selyuk highlights, "Republicans argue the lawsuit was rushed out the door without enough evidence... its future is unclear." [13:53]

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Concluding Remarks

This episode of "Up First" provides a comprehensive overview of pivotal events shaping global and domestic landscapes. From the hopeful signs of peace in Gaza to the sobering realities of America's pandemic preparedness, and the intricate legal battles within major corporations, NPR delivers insightful analysis to keep listeners informed.

For more in-depth reporting and daily updates, subscribe to NPR's "Up First" and support local NPR stations at donate.npr.org.

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Notable Quotes:

• "Unless we really spend a lot of time building the trust in public health back, we could build all the systems in the world and they won't work." – Hadil El Shalchi [07:46]

• "Technology really stands out as a realm where we've seen some great successes." – Caitlin Rivers [08:34]

• "Pepsi did not equally offer special promotions... purely because it's biggest. It's the most important, not because Pepsi was actually saving money by doing big business." – Alina Selyuk [12:15]

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Timestamps:

• Ceasefire Announcement: [00:02] – [05:34]
• Pandemic Preparedness: [05:43] – [10:06]
• Pepsi FTC Lawsuit: [10:15] – [14:24]

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This summary captures the essence of the January 18, 2025, episode of NPR's "Up First," providing detailed insights into each major story discussed.

Transcript

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Israel's war cabinet gives the final approval to a deal with Hamas.

[Scott Simon]

The ceasefire, only the second of the ongoing war, officially begins tomorrow. I'm Scott Simon.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

I'm Ayesha Rascoe. And this is up first from NPR News. The latest from the region today on the podcast.

[Scott Simon]

Also, five years after America's first Covid case, is the country better prepared for the next major public health crisis?

[Ayesha Rascoe]

And the case against Pepsi over Alleg. A case of the soda costs different amounts for different shoppers.

[Scott Simon]

So please stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your weekend.

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[Hadil El Shalchi]

After more than a year of war.

[Alina Selyuk]

Between Israel and Hamas, a ceasefire deal has been announced in Gaza. State OF THE World brings you the latest news as the deal is tested and hostages are released.

[Hadil El Shalchi]

Our reporters in the Middle east will provide details, context and reaction from the.

[Scott Simon]

Region and around the world.

[Alina Selyuk]

Listen to the State of the World podcast from npr.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

First up today, the war in Gaza. A ceasefire is imminent. Israel's war cabinet signed off on the deal early this morning and international mediators say it starts tomorrow morning.

[Scott Simon]

It should bring about a pause in fighting as well as the release of dozens of Israeli hostages and many more Palestinian prisoners and detainees over the next six weeks. NPR's Hadil El Shalchi joins us from Tel Aviv. Hadil, thanks so much for being with us.

[Hadil El Shalchi]

Good morning.

[Scott Simon]

What else can you tell us about the agreement?

[Hadil El Shalchi]

Well, we're starting to get a little bit more information about the timing of the ceasefire and what this multi phase deal will look like in the next few weeks. Hamas and Israel have both promised to hold their fire starting at 8:30 tomorrow morning here in Israel and then no earlier than the same afternoon, we should start seeing people be released. 33 hostages freed over this first phase for almost 1900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

[Scott Simon]

Ideal efforts have been underway for months. Why a deal now?

[Hadil El Shalchi]

Well, first of all, let's remember that this deal contains much of the conditions that President Biden actually helped come up with last May, but geopolitically now. Things have changed so much in the Middle east since that time. Hamas has lost a lot of its military capabilities over 15 months of war and suffered serious leadership losses, including its longtime head, Yahya Sinwar. And then Hamas's backers. Also including Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have been weakened significantly by Israel. But then there's something new. They're incoming President of Donald Trump said all hell will break loose in the Middle east if a deal to end the war wasn't reached just before he becomes president. And that's on Monday. And this wasn't just a warning to Hamas. It was also a call to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to get serious about closing a deal.

[Scott Simon]

What's been reaction there so far?

[Hadil El Shalchi]

Well, it is the eve of the ceasefire and Palestinians in Gaza and Israelis are both kind of saying we'll believe it when we see it in Gaza, the past few days have been some of the deadliest in recent weeks. Just last night there were Israeli airstrikes that the military said targeted Hamas weapons sites and fighters. And Gaza health officials said 122 Palestinians were killed in those strikes, including 33 children. Our producer in Gaza, Ennis Baba, talked to Mohammed Abulqas in Deir el Bal in central Gaza. Abu Kass says he's not really optimistic yet, and he won't be until he will be able to go back to whatever is left of his home. And then here in Israel there is relief that some hostages are coming home. But it will also be heartbreaking to see them suffer from psychological physical challenges after being held for 15 months. Sivan Yadine was at a protest in Tel Aviv this week and she said she doesn't like the deal is carried out in phases. Yadine says she would have preferred that all hostages return home at the same time because they should be reunited now with their families.

[Scott Simon]

And if the deal holds, what can we expect in coming days?

[Hadil El Shalchi]

Well, day one, tomorrow the releases begin. Hamas is supposed to free three female hostages and then the Israelis are supposed to release 30 Palestinian prisoners for each of them. And then there should be weekly releases and the beginning of a troop withdrawal, a surge of aid into Gaza and some displaced Palestinians should be able to go back home in the north, but negotiators still need to talk about what the upcoming phases are supposed to look like and hopefully bring an end to the war.

[Scott Simon]

NPR in Tel Aviv, thanks so much.

[Hadil El Shalchi]

You're welcome.

[Scott Simon]

Monday marks five years since the US recorded its first case of COVID 19.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

And we're still learning about the virus, our reaction to it, including some new and concerning information about Trump Cabinet pick Robert Kennedy and how prepared we are for the next pandemic.

[Scott Simon]

NPR's Will Stone has been on the story from the beginning and joins us now. Will, thanks for being with us.

[Will Stone]

Sure thing.

[Scott Simon]

Scott, you were in Seattle when that first Covid case, January 2020 in the US was confirmed, weren't you?

[Will Stone]

I was. This was a man in his 30s who'd come back from Wuhan, China. And at the time the the message from public health was that the risk of human to human spread was low. It wasn't actually until the next month that it became clear the virus was spreading in the community here in Seattle and elsewhere in the country.

[Scott Simon]

And five years later, how well prepared is the US for another crisis like Covid?

[Will Stone]

It's a mixed picture. Certainly there's a lot of disillusionment in public health and medicine. You'd hope that after a big pandemic, the country would be better off. But Dr. Andrew Pavia @ the University of Utah told me it just doesn't look that way to him.

[Scott Simon]

We've not done a really good job.

[Will Stone]

Of changing the things that need to be changed. There's so much fatigue, there's so much trauma from the COVID pandemic. The medical profession saw an exodus of nurses and doctors. The same trend is true in the public health workforce. Meanwhile, trust in public health and government agencies has fallen. Misinformation, fights over masking, school closures, lots of things could have played a role. And a recent survey from Harvard found trust in doctors and hospitals dipped from 70% in 2020 to less than 50% as of early 2024.

[Scott Simon]

And what could some of the consequences of that be?

[Will Stone]

Yeah, it's hard to overstate the implications. Scott. I spoke to Lauren Sauer about this. She's an expert on pandemic preparedness at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

[Hadil El Shalchi]

People have to participate in public health, right? The public is the most important part. Unless we really spend a lot of time building the trust in public health back, we could build all the systems in the world and they won't work.

[Will Stone]

And along with that, funding is under threat. There was an infusion of money during COVID But there have been proposals from House Republicans to slash funding for public health programs, including the cdc, and it's possible that it will gain momentum when President Elect Trump is sworn in on Monday.

[Scott Simon]

Well, are there some notes of hope when it comes to pandemic preparedness?

[Will Stone]

Yes, there are some advances. Our ability to do wastewater surveillance to track the spread of disease. That's one example brought up by Caitlin Rivers. She's at Johns Hopkins and recently authored a book on fighting outbreaks called Crisis Averted.

[Alina Selyuk]

Technology really stands out as a realm where we've seen some great successes. I think there's a lot of emphasis right now on diagnostic testing and also around vaccination. The MRNA platform has been very successful, gives us a new tool to develop vaccines quickly for the next pandemic pathogen.

[Will Stone]

And public health experts say having vaccines ready to go will be key for bird flu. That's why the government is stockpiling existing vaccines and developing new MRNA shots in case the outbreak escalates.

[Scott Simon]

And what has the incoming administration said about bird flu?

[Will Stone]

Well, it's largely been silent. Certainly Trump has the experience of operation warp speed that produced the COVID vaccine. But scientists like Andrew Pavia at the University of Utah are concerned based on the track record of some of Trump's health picks, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Could lead the Department of Health and Human Services. For years, Kennedy led an advocacy group that's a big player in the anti vaccine movement. And Scott, yesterday we learned that in the spring of 2021, Kennedy filed a citizens petition on behalf of that advocacy group to the fda. And in it, he requested the agency revoke the authorizations for the COVID vaccine for all demographic groups. Of course, the FDA denied this request, but Kennedy has an extensive history of making inaccurate and misleading statements on vaccines. And he has already made comments undermining trust in the existing bird flu vaccines. We reached out to the transition team for comment about their plans but did not hear back.

[Scott Simon]

NPR health correspondent Will Stone, thanks so much.

[Will Stone]

Thank you.

[Scott Simon]

Finally today, the U.S. government versus Pepsi.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

The federal Trade Commission accuses Pepsi of giving unfair discounts for its soft drinks to its biggest retailer, discounts that it doesn't offer to smaller rockets.

[Scott Simon]

It's a case that gets to the heart of prices we pay at the grocery store. And it's a case that NPR's Alina Silyuk is following closely. Alina joins us in our studio. Thanks so much for being with us.

[Alina Selyuk]

Hello. Hello.

[Scott Simon]

What's the case the government's trying to.

[Alina Selyuk]

Make so the Federal Trade Commission alleges that Pepsi discriminates against smaller companies when it comes to how much it charges grocery chains for its stuff. A lot of the details are redacted, as you said, at least for now, but it is pretty widely understood that the large big box retailer here is Walmart, which is is the largest retailer in the US and to be clear, Walmart is not being accused of wrongdoing, but Pepsi is. The FTC alleges Pepsi offers promotions and special deals to Walmart that it does not offer to smaller chains, which would be, you know, including like Kroger. And that means FTC alleges higher prices for shoppers who buy Pepsi, not at Walmart.

[Scott Simon]

But I mean, cheaper prices are the whole point of big wholesalers, aren't they? How can it be that they buy more, you pay less is somehow illegal.

[Alina Selyuk]

Yeah, it's a bit. It gets kind of interesting here. Let me walk you through it. So the law says you can definitely offer volume discounts. Like if someone buys a truckload instead of a case of soda, sure they get a discount, but a supplier has to be able to show it is legitimately saving money in that deal. And any discounted offers should be available to everyone. Like if it's a consortium of stores and they are buying by a truckload, just like Walmart, they should get that discount. And the FTC here alleges that Pepsi did not equally offer special promotions that it gave preferential treatment to, well, Walmart purely because it's biggest. It's the most important, not because Pepsi was actually saving money by doing big business at Walmart scale.

[Scott Simon]

And what does Pepsi say?

[Alina Selyuk]

That all of this is wrong on the facts and the law. The company says its practices are in line with industry norms, that it does not play favorites, I should add. Walmart declined comment. And you know, there is the whole timing element to this. Given that the Trump administration is about to take over the ftc, which happens.

[Scott Simon]

At noon on Monday when Donald Trump takes the oath of office, is this case high on the new administration's to do list?

[Alina Selyuk]

So this is interesting. The Biden FTC has actually issued a whole bunch of charges and lawsuits in the past few days at the 11th hour, which the Republican commissioners say has politicized the cases. But with the Pepsi lawsuit, there's actually a little bit of a complication with this one.

[Scott Simon]

And how so?

[Alina Selyuk]

So I have to tell you a little bit of history here. So this case hinges on a law that had not been enforced for decades. It's from 1936. It's called the Robinson Patman Act. It was enforced pretty strictly until the 80s, but then it was kind of shelved because this was the heyday of this idea that bigger companies should not be punished for being more efficient than, say, mom and pop shops. And the law kind of sat there. Dorman but in recent years, independent grocers, pharmacies, farmers have called for stepped up enforcement of the Robinson Patman act, and they have bipartisan support. In fact, the incoming FTC chairman has suggested he's open to the idea. Another Republican Trump has nominated to the FTC has written in favor of it. Still, the Pepsi case was pursued on a party line, with Republicans arguing the lawsuit was rushed out the door without enough evidence. So its future is unclear.

[Scott Simon]

And Pierce Alina Selyuk, thanks so much for being with us.

[Alina Selyuk]

Thank you.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

And that's up first for Saturday, January 18th, 2025. I'm Ayesha Rascoe.

[Scott Simon]

And I'm Scott Simon.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Today's podcast was produced by Andrew Craig with help from Fernando Naro, Gabe O'Connor and Martin Patience. Michael Radcliffe directed.

[Scott Simon]

Ed McNulty is our editor, along with Shannon Rhodes, Jerome Sokolovsky, Jane Greenholsh and Emily Kopp.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Andy Huether is our technical director, with engineering support from Zach Coleman, David Greenberg and Arthur Holiday Laurent.

[Scott Simon]

Evie Stone is our senior supervising editor. Sarah Lucy Oliver is our executive producer. And Jim Cain is our deputy managing editor.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Tomorrow on the Sunday Story, making big changes later in life. More Americans are switching things up as we live longer and healthier.

[Scott Simon]

And for more news, interviews and analysis, you can tune into Weekend Edition on your radio. Go to stations.NPR.org to find your local NPR station.

[Alina Selyuk]

Do it now.

[Ayesha Rascoe]

Do it now. And then you can hear Scott roar like that. That was amazing, Scott. He's grabbing onto.

[Hadil El Shalchi]

Foreign.

[Alina Selyuk]

To hear this podcast without sponsor breaks. Amazon prime members can listen to Up First Sponsor free through Amazon Music. Or you can also support NPR's vital journalism and get up first [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org this message comes from NPR sponsor Saatva, maker of quality handcrafted mattresses. Founder and CEO Ron Rutson shares one of their core values.

[Scott Simon]

At Saatva, we believe sleep does unlock a superpower. When you wake up and you're totally refreshed, you go after things more. And it all starts with being on the right mattress. And that's what Saatva has been inspired by from the day that we started.

[Alina Selyuk]

To learn more, go to saatva.com NPR.

[Hadil El Shalchi]

Wait, wait, don't tell me Fresh Air up first, NPR News. Now Planet Money TED Radio Hour Throughline, the NPR Politics podcast Code Switch Embedded books we love Wild Card are just some of the podcasts you can enjoy. Sponsor free with NPR. Get all sorts of perks across more than 20 podcasts with the bundle option. Learn more at plus.NPR.org.