On today’s show: Lawmakers scrambled to reach a deal to fund the government and avert a shutdown. They were ultimately unsuccessful, the Wall Street Journal reports. Malala Yousafzai and Sahra Mani join Apple News In Conversation to talk about the bravery of women in the face of Taliban rule and the urgent need for the international community to act. Releasing Hollywood blockbusters is still a messy business, years after the COVID-19 pandemic and labor strikes upended the industry. Los Angeles Times reporter Ryan Faughnder has more. Plus, the suspected shooter of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson is extradited to New York, Amazon workers go on strike, and the summer camp where wannabe Santas train.
Full Episode
Hey there, it's Shamita here. Just want to let you know, after today's show, our team is taking a good long end of the year break. We are human, we need to recharge, and we'll be back for the first full week in January. Okay, let's do the news. Good morning. It's Friday, December 20th. I'm Shamita Basu. This is Apple News Today.
On today's show, how some women in Afghanistan are risking their lives to protest Taliban rule, why releasing a holiday blockbuster is still tricky business, and the summer camp where wannabe Santas go to train. But first, it's been a roller coaster couple of days for lawmakers trying to avert a government shutdown before the holidays.
After a bill negotiated by Republican Speaker Mike Johnson was effectively killed by President-elect Donald Trump before it even came to the floor on Wednesday, the GOP, with no apparent backup plan, scrambled yesterday to pass an extension of current funding.
The new Trump-approved bill cut out a good chunk of provisions that were included in the previous version, but kept money for farmers, about $10 billion, and $100 billion in disaster aid. The bill made it to the floor, but not any farther.
On this vote, the yeas are 174, the nays are 235, one voting present, two-thirds not being in the affirmative, the rules are not suspended, and the bill is not passed.
So lawmakers went home with no deal last night. Trump was demanding spending be tied to a two-year debt limit suspension. Dozens of Republicans voted against the bill, balking at that idea without spending cuts. Texas Representative Chip Roy was one of the nay votes, and he had some strong words for his fellow Republicans.
To take this bill yesterday and congratulate yourself because it's shorter in pages but increases the debt by $5 trillion is asinine. And that's precisely what Republicans are doing. I am absolutely sickened by a party that campaigns on fiscal responsibility and has the temerity to go forward to the American people and say, you think this is fiscally responsible.
As he's promised to do with Republicans who go against him, Trump threatened Roy with a primary challenge in online posts. This was the first major test of how Congress is preparing to act under a second Trump presidency, and it revealed a willingness from some Republicans to defy the president-elect.
It also casts a harsh spotlight on Speaker Johnson, who will need to figure out how he wants to balance Trump's demands with congressional realities. A slim Republican majority in the House means Johnson will likely need the support of Democrats to pass any bill, something Dems are not keen to do now after their initial contributions to the bill were axed.
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