Christmas In Bethlehem, Famine In Sudan, The Year In Space

Summary

Up First from NPR: Christmas In Bethlehem, Famine In Sudan, The Year In Space

Release Date: December 25, 2024

NPR's "Up First" delivers a comprehensive overview of the day's most pressing stories in a concise, engaging format. In this Christmas Day episode, host Asma Khalid navigates through three major topics: the subdued celebrations in Bethlehem amidst ongoing conflict, the escalating famine crisis in Sudan, and significant developments in space exploration. This summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions presented during the episode.

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Christmas in Bethlehem: A Somber Holiday Amid Conflict

Overview: Bethlehem, traditionally bustling with festive celebrations, experienced an unusually quiet Christmas due to the ongoing war in neighboring Gaza. The city, sacred to Christian tradition as the birthplace of Jesus, faced significant challenges that dampened the usual holiday spirit.

Key Points:

• Cancelled Celebrations: For the second consecutive year, Bethlehem's official Christmas celebrations were canceled. The war has severely impacted tourism, leading to economic devastation. Asma Khalid emphasizes, "Bethlehem is dependent on tourism. Hotel occupancy is in the single digits. Stores have closed. Unemployment throughout the West Bank is nearly at 50%" (05:40).

• Personal Accounts: NPR international correspondent Carrie Conn, present in Bethlehem, describes the atmosphere as "empty, barren" compared to the vibrant celebrations of previous years (03:34). She highlights the absence of traditional decorations and the significant reduction in tourist presence.

• Local Sentiments: Palestinian leaders express a deep longing for peace. An unnamed Palestinian leader states, “We need to live in peace and dignity in our land” (00:58). Deputy Mayor Hannah Haniya conveys the Palestinians' feeling of abandonment by the international community.

• Midnight Mass and Resilience: Despite the challenges, midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity proceeded, with faithful singing in the grotto. Carrie Conn shares, “the faithful were singing there. It was beautiful. It was so moving” (05:30), showcasing the community's resilience amidst adversity.

• Impact of the Conflict: Following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in over 1,200 Israeli casualties, Israel imposed stringent restrictions on the West Bank. These measures, including new checkpoints and work bans, have exacerbated tensions and economic hardships.

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Famine in Sudan: Escalating Humanitarian Crisis Amid Civil War

Overview: Sudan is grappling with one of the most severe famine crises in modern history, intensified by a protracted civil war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has obstructed humanitarian efforts, leading to widespread starvation and displacement.

Key Points:

• Spread of Famine: Initially declared in the Zamzam refugee camp in Western Darfur in August, famine has now extended to five areas, impacting approximately half a million people (07:30). Nathaniel Raymond of Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab notes that conditions in Zamzam are at IPC Phase 5, the highest level of food insecurity, with "children in particular have been dying from a lack of food” (08:05).

• Blockage of Aid: Both warring factions—Sudanese army and RSF—are accused of obstructing aid distribution. Azadeh Hasani from Relief International explains, "Since the conflict started, north Darfur has been completely cut off, and we lost all our access from inside Sudan" (09:19). The absence of agreed-upon humanitarian corridors has made aid delivery precarious.

• Humanitarian Response: Limited aid is being funneled through the Chad border, but the ongoing conflict hampers these efforts. The RSF's control over Darfur and recent ethnic violence further complicate the situation, leaving millions displaced and isolated.

• Government Accountability: The Sudanese army's inability to prevent famine challenges its legitimacy. The country's withdrawal from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system denies the official recognition of the crisis, making the army accountable for the widespread starvation (10:00).

• Future Projections: Experts predict that the number of famine-affected areas in Sudan could double within the next six months, indicating a dire need for international intervention.

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The Year in Space: Milestones and Setbacks in Space Exploration

Overview: The episode shifts focus to the remarkable and challenging events in space exploration over the past year. From private spacewalks to delays in NASA's lunar missions, significant developments have shaped the trajectory of humanity's journey beyond Earth.

Key Points:

• Private Spacewalks and SpaceX Achievements: SpaceX made headlines with its first private spacewalk and the successful launch of the Starship, the largest rocket ever built (12:20). These milestones underscore the growing role of private companies in space exploration.

• Astronauts' Return Challenges: Astronauts aboard NASA's Starliner spacecraft, launched in June for a test flight, found themselves stranded in the International Space Station after NASA deemed their return vehicle too risky (11:12). SpaceX's ongoing support with their capsule is projected to facilitate the astronauts' return by March next year.

• Leadership Changes at NASA: Jared Isaacman, a private astronaut and entrepreneur supported by SpaceX, has been nominated by former President Donald Trump to lead NASA (12:26). This potential appointment, influenced by financial ties between Isaacman and Elon Musk, could significantly impact NASA's future projects and its relationship with private space entities.

• Delayed Lunar Missions: NASA's plans to send astronauts to orbit the moon have been postponed to 2026, pushing the lunar landing to at least 2027 (13:00). This delay affects the timeline for returning humans to the moon and advancing towards more ambitious missions, such as those targeting Mars.

• Robotic Missions and Future Projects:

  • China's Moon Missions: China successfully returned the first rock samples from the far side of the moon, marking a significant achievement in robotic space exploration (13:22).
  • Europa Probe: NASA launched a probe to Jupiter's moon Europa in October, aiming to explore its subsurface ocean, which may harbor the ingredients for life. However, the spacecraft is not expected to arrive until 2030 (13:22).
  • Sphere X Telescope: Scheduled for 2025, NASA's Sphere X telescope will create a comprehensive 3D map of the universe, offering unprecedented insights into the moments following the Big Bang (13:51).

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Concluding Insights

The December 25, 2024 episode of "Up First" highlights the stark contrasts between humanity's struggles on Earth and its aspirations in space. In Bethlehem and Sudan, enduring conflicts and humanitarian crises underscore the fragility of peace and stability. Meanwhile, advancements in space technology and exploration signal a hopeful yet challenging frontier for the future. NPR effectively ties these narratives together, providing listeners with a nuanced understanding of both terrestrial and extraterrestrial events shaping our world.

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Notable Quotes:

• Unnamed Palestinian Leader (00:58): “Need to live in peace and dignity in our land.”

• Nathaniel Raymond (08:05): “Zamzam is in a condition called IPC 5, or Integrated Phase Classification 5, which is the highest level of food insecurity. And children in particular have been dying from a lack of food. People are eating peanut shells, animal fodder, grasses.”

• Azadeh Hasani (09:19): “To get supplies to north Darfur has been a huge challenge. Since the conflict started, north Darfur has been completely cut off, and we lost all our access from inside Sudan.”

• Unnamed Space Correspondent (11:12): “They are [astronauts] still in orbit, though… NASA decided it was too risky for them to come home in it, so they had to just chill on the International Space Station waiting for a return ride.”

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

Transcript

[Asma Khalid]

Good morning and happy holidays. Thanks for starting your day with us. I'm Asma Khalid. Whether you're squeezing in a quiet moment before the kids wake up or whether today's a work day for you like it is for me, up first is here for you. No matter what your day has in store, we're here to bring you independent reporting, context and analysis about the biggest stories of the day. And you can give back to npr. To support this service you rely on, sign up for NPR today and join our mission of creating a more informed public. You'll also unlock sponsor free listening to up first and get similar perks for more than 25 NPR podcasts. If you're already a Plus supporter, thank you so much. If not, you can sign up right now at plus.npr.org that's plus.npr.org Alrighty. Now onto the news. It's a subdued Christmas in Bethlehem. With the war in neighboring Gaza, we.

[Unnamed Palestinian Leader]

Need to live in peace and dignity in our land.

[Asma Khalid]

What it's like for local Palestinians in the city where Christian tradition says Jesus was born. I'm Asma Khalid, and this is UP first from NPR News. Famine has spread in Sudan, where people are experiencing one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters.

[Nathaniel Raymond]

People are eating peanut shells, animal fodder, grasses.

[Asma Khalid]

Nearly two years into a civil war, the hunger crisis is getting worse. And with so much going on down here on Earth, it's always good to remember to look up at the stars. We look up at the year in space. Stay with us. We'll give you all the news you need to start your day.

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[Asma Khalid]

Where Christian tradition says Jesus was born. For the second year in a row, official celebrations have been canceled. Palestinian leaders say they cannot rejoice as the war wages on in neighboring Gaza. In Bethlehem, which is located in the Israeli occupied West bank, people are also hurting and tourism has plummeted since the war began. We go now to NPR international correspondent Carrie Conn, who is in Bethlehem. Carrie, what is the mood like in Bethlehem this Christmas?

[Carrie Conn]

Well, it's difficult to cancel Christmas, but the mood is very somber. Official ceremonies have been very muted here. Usually Bethlehem is full of lights, these amazing decorations, Asma, a huge tree in the center of Manger Square. And there are crowds, crowds and tourists and pilgrims. This year it is empty, barren. You know, I was here last year and if it's possible, it feels even more empty and more somber. I've heard from so many people, they're all saying the same thing. We just never thought the situation, the war would last till another Christmas.

[Asma Khalid]

So how are people celebrating this year?

[Carrie Conn]

Christmas Eve there was the traditional parade of the Latin patriarch entering Bethlehem. It was quiet, though. There's usually these very cute scout troops that lead the procession in and they were playing drums. No drums this year, no bagpipes. Some held signs reading we want peace. Others held pictures of the destruction in God Gaza. The latest figures from the Ministry of Health in Gaza puts the known death toll there now at more than 45,000 people. But last night, of course, there was midnight mass in the Church of the Nativity. And I want to play you some of the Catholic service for. And I also went to the grotto, the cave like structure inside the church where Christians say Jesus was actually born and the faithful were singing there. It was beautiful. It was so moving. Let's hear a little bit of that. And I think the most amazing thing I just want to tell you is that I was able to go to both of those services so easily. Usually the crowds are so huge, nearly impossible to experience Christmas in Bethlehem that close.

[Asma Khalid]

That singing is really beautiful to listen to. Thanks for sharing, Carrie. Without the crowds and tourists, what are residents? What are officials telling you in Bethlehem? How are they doing?

[Carrie Conn]

The economy here is devastated. Bethlehem is dependent on tourism. Hotel occupancy is in the single digits. Stores have closed. Unemployment throughout the west bank is nearly at 50%. The deputy mayor I spoke with, Hannah Haniya told us Palestinians feel like the world has turned their backs on them.

[Unnamed Palestinian Leader]

And suffering and always we are asking the international community to bring back this message to Bethlehem and to the Holy Land because we need to live in peace and dignity in our land.

[Carrie Conn]

Since the war began after Hamas attacked Israel, killing around 1200 people on October 7th in 2023, Israel has imposed tough restrictions in the west bank, with new checkpoints and barring Palestinians from working in Israel. And we're seeing Palestinian groups fighting each other here, too. The Palestin Authority has launched a rare crackdown on militants in the west bank and is making for a tense and complicated situation here.

[Asma Khalid]

Thanks so much for your reporting, Carrie.

[Carrie Conn]

You're welcome.

[Asma Khalid]

That's NPR's Carrie Khan in Bethlehem. In Sudan, the severity of the famine has worsened. Hunger experts say the country is experiencing one of the worst starvation crises in modern times. Since April of last year, a brutal civil war between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group has fueled a near unprecedented humanitarian crisis. NPR's West Africa correspondent Emmanuel Akonwotu has been covering this and joins us now. Good morning, Emmanuel. Good morning, Asmaa, and a Merry Christmas to you.

[Emmanuel Akonwotu]

Merry Christmas to you.

[Asma Khalid]

So earlier this year, famine was declared in one part of Sudan, but it's now spread to five areas. What do we know so far?

[Emmanuel Akonwotu]

Yes, in August, famine was declared in what's the largest refugee camp in Sudan, in the western region of Darfur. But now it's been confirmed in three other refugee camps in the same proximity. And overall, it's now five areas in Sudan affecting about half a million people and counting. And over the last week, I've spoken to experts about just what this famine looks like on the ground, just to make sense of it. And one of them is Nathaniel Raymond. He's the executive director at Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab, and he talked about Zamzam camp, the first region where famine was declared.

[Nathaniel Raymond]

Zamzam is in a condition called IPC 5, or Integrated Phase Classification 5, which is the highest level of food insecurity. And children in particular have been dying from a lack of food. People are eating peanut shells, animal fodder, grasses.

[Emmanuel Akonwotu]

The level of desperation is unprecedented in Sudan, and the number of areas suffering famine is likely to actually dou over the next six months.

[Asma Khalid]

We were mentioning this ongoing civil war. How has the war made the humanitarian crisis more severe?

[Emmanuel Akonwotu]

Well, both sides of the war have been accused of blocking aid in the areas that they each control, and that's the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, or rsf. For example, the RSF control most of Darfur, and that's the region where there was a genocide 20 years ago. And there's been an outbreak of similar ethnic violence against African ethnic groups since the war started. There are millions of displaced people in this, but they're almost completely isolated. I spoke to Azadeh Hasani. She's a director at Relief International, and they're one of the few aid groups still operating in Darfur, particularly in north Darfur, which is currently under a siege by the rsf.

[Azadeh Hasani]

To get supplies to north Darfur has been a huge challenge. Since the conflict started, north Darfur has been completely cut off, and we lost all our access from inside Sudan.

[Emmanuel Akonwotu]

So there are no official humanitarian corridors that the RSF and the Sudanese army have agreed on. And there's been really small amounts of aid coming in from the border with Chad. But the conflict makes getting that aid in so precarious.

[Asma Khalid]

How have the Sudanese authorities responded?

[Emmanuel Akonwotu]

Well, essentially with denials. The Sudanese army is seen by most people as the de facto government in Sudan, although they've lost control of large parts of the country. But the existence of famine is really a direct challenge to its legitimacy because people will hold them accountable for why this has been allowed to happen. Famine is declared by this independent body called the Integrated Food Security Phase, or ipc, and they rely on countries to support their networks, and Sudan has now pulled out of that system.

[Asma Khalid]

That's NPR's West Africa correspondent, Emmanuel Akinwotu. Thanks so much.

[Emmanuel Akonwotu]

Thank you.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

Here on Earth, a lot of things happened in 2024, but for a couple of minutes, let's leave our planet and consider what happened this year in space. NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfield Boyce is here to remind us of the highlights and the lowlights. Good morning, Nell.

[Unnamed Space Correspondent]

Hey, there.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

So I've got to imagine that a big highlight must have been that solar eclipse back in the spring.

[Unnamed Space Correspondent]

That's right. Millions of people saw the total solar eclipse, or maybe they saw this big solar storm that caused widespread auroras in the night sky. But, you know, there were also low lights. I guess if you wanted to talk about that, the main one would have to be those astronauts, you know, those astronauts that NASA says are definitely not stranded.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

Okay, so they are still in orbit, though, right?

[Unnamed Space Correspondent]

They are. They are. So if you recall, they went up there in June on what was supposed to be this short test flight of spacecraft made by Boeing called Starliner. And then NASA decided it was too risky for them to come home in it, so they had to just chill on the International Space Station waiting for a return ride. And so, you know, they're there and NASA said initially they'd be able to return to Earth in February, but they just said it's going to be longer than that, probably like March.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

That's a bummer for them.

[Unnamed Space Correspondent]

It is, yeah.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

So how are they eventually going to get home?

[Unnamed Space Correspondent]

So, SpaceX. So SpaceX has this capsule that regularly takes astronauts to and from the space station. And this was a big year for SpaceX. Not only did it sort of like take over Boeing's return flight, but it finally got its mega rocket into space. This is SpaceX's Starship. It's the biggest rocket ever built. So that was a big deal. SpaceX also did the first ever private spacewalk. So basically there was this orbiting capsule and two crew members opened the hatch and kind of stuck their heads outside. I mean, until then, like only national space programs had ever tried these so called extravehicular activities. So that was a really big deal.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

And I understand that one of those spacewalkers might become the new head of NASA. What can you tell us about that?

[Unnamed Space Correspondent]

So that's Jared Isaacman. He's this wealthy entrepreneur, he's a private astronaut, and he's Donald Trump's pick to lead the space agency. And you know, Donald Trump has this alliance with Elon Musk of SpaceX, who supported his campaign. And Musk and Isaacman have this financial connection through SpaceX. And so it'll probably be an interesting confirmation process in the Senate. No one knows what all of this might mean for NASA and this expensive rocket that NASA has got to try to get people back to the moon.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

Okay, so speaking of NASA, where do things stand with its efforts to return to the moon?

[Unnamed Space Correspondent]

So NASA had been planning to send astronauts to orbit the moon next year. But a couple weeks ago, officials announced that that trip has been pushed off to 2026 at the earliest. And so that means actually landing on the moon wouldn't happen until like 2027 at the earliest. Right.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

Okay, so we have been talking about people in space. What about robotic missions?

[Unnamed Space Correspondent]

So this year we got the first rock samples returned from the far side of the moon. I mean, that was a robotic mission from China. And then NASA also now has this probe that's going to Europa. That's this moon of Jupiter. It launched in October and you know, seems to have this liquid water ocean underneath a layer of ice. And so that place could have ingredients for life. So it's a cool mission. But Jupiter is so far away, spacecraft won't get there till 20, 2030.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

What about 2025? What will we get to see in the new year in space.

[Unnamed Space Correspondent]

So we can look forward to sphere X. So that's a NASA telescope. It's going to create like a 3D map of the entire sky, mapping hundreds of millions of stars and galaxies. And the information it will gather will tell us more about this really brief but powerful moment just after the Big Bang. That's when the new just like suddenly and dramatically expanded.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

That sounds really interesting. So you're gonna have to come back on the show when that happens and tell us all about it.

[Unnamed Space Correspondent]

Definitely will.

[Asma Khalid]

All right.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

That's NPR's Nell Greenfield Boyce.

[Asma Khalid]

And that's up first for Wednesday, December 25th. I'm Asma Khalid. For your next listen, consider Consider this from npr. Whether you play it on loop or.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

Whether it drives you crazy, there is.

[Asma Khalid]

No question some songs are permanent fixtures in the Christmas canon. What makes a song a holiday hit? Listen to Consider this from npr. Today's episode of up first was edited by Andrew Sussman, Miguel Macias, Giselle Grayson, Lisa Thompson and Ali Schweitzer. It was produced by Ziad Buch, Ya Dumas, Claire Murashima and Anna Perez. We get engineering support from Nisha Hyness, and our technical director is Andy Huether. Join us again tomorrow.

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