Good morning, I’m Cara Rucker, stepping in for Craig Negrelli. It’s Thursday, December 19th, and here are your updates as we near the end of the holiday shopping season. Amazon employees nationwide are gearing up for a strike. Find out what both parties are saying about this situation impacting the online giant. Additionally, the CDC has reported the first severe human case of bird flu in the U.S. Here’s what you need to know about the case in Louisiana and the growing concerns in California. From the Straight Arrow News Studio, we bring you the stories that matter from across the U.S. and around the globe. These are today’s updates.
This morning, with less than a week to go for holiday shopping, Amazon workers are planning to strike. Thousands of employees are protesting after the International Brotherhood of Teamsters claimed Amazon missed its December 15th deadline for contract negotiations. Representing nearly 10,000 workers at 10 Amazon facilities, the Teamsters account for about 1% of the company’s hourly workforce. In 2022, Amazon’s Staten Island facility became its first unionized warehouse, but workers assert the company has since refused to recognize the union or negotiate a contract. Teamsters President Sean O’Brien stated on X, “If your package is delayed during the holidays, blame Amazon’s greed. We set a clear deadline, which they ignored.” Amazon, however, refutes this, claiming the Teamsters have illegally tried to coerce employees and third-party drivers into joining them. The Seattle-based retailer is challenging the union election results in Staten Island and questioning the constitutionality of the National Labor Relations Board. Although the Teamsters call this the largest strike in Amazon’s history, the company anticipates no disruption to its operations.
In the Middle East, the Israeli military launched airstrikes in Yemen early Thursday, killing at least nine individuals. This followed Israel intercepting a Houthi missile aimed at the country’s central region. The IDF claims it was coincidental and states that the strikes targeting Iran-backed militants had been planned for months. Over the last 14 months, the Iran-backed regime in Yemen has attacked Israel with missiles and UAVs numerous times. Recently, the Houthis launched a drone hitting a southern Israeli apartment block and fired a missile toward central Israel. Israel asserts these attacks violate international law and will defend itself against Houthi aggression. These strikes could escalate the conflict, as Houthi attacks on the Red Sea Corridor have significantly affected global shipping. The Houthis have been attacking since October 7th last year when Hamas, another Iran-backed group, initiated warfare in Gaza.
Congressional leaders face challenges as a stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown hangs in the balance. The 1,500-page measure, which would extend funding through mid-March, faces a Friday night deadline. The bill included aid for farmers, disaster victims, and a congressional pay raise. President-elect Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk oppose the bill. Musk, leading Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency from January, criticized the bill on X, warning that any member supporting it should be voted out. Trump echoed this, suggesting Republicans voting for the bill should be primaried and called for a streamlined version. Trump also proposed pairing the bill with a debt limit suspension. Speaker Johnson’s next steps remain uncertain as he held a late-night meeting with lawmakers. Afterward, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise expressed hope for a resolution, confirming the original bill’s demise.
Authorities have identified the teacher and student killed in a Madison, Wisconsin school shooting earlier this week. The medical examiner named the victims as 42-year-old Aaron M. West and 14-year-old Ruby P. Vergara. Police report the alleged shooter, 15-year-old Natalie Samantha Rupnow, opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, also injuring six others before turning the gun on herself. Two students remain hospitalized with severe injuries, while four others, including three students and a teacher, have been discharged. The investigation continues, with police recovering two guns on site, one used in the shooting, and citing multiple factors as motives.
The CDC has confirmed the first severe U.S. human case of bird flu. A Louisiana patient is hospitalized in critical condition with severe respiratory symptoms. State health officials report the patient, over 65 with underlying health issues, has a strain of the virus spreading among wild birds and poultry in the U.S., also found in Canada and Washington State. It’s different from the strain affecting dairy cows. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency due to bird flu, with California having the highest number of infected cattle. Since April, 61 human cases have been reported in the U.S., 33 in California. Visit our website for more details on California’s situation.
Finally, George Stephanopoulos has renewed his contract with ABC News, remaining a Good Morning America anchor. The Los Angeles Times first reported the deal, though specifics are undisclosed. Stephanopoulos was among TV’s highest earners, making $18 million annually. The agreement follows Disney’s $15 million settlement over comments Stephanopoulos made about Trump in 2024, which inaccurately described a jury verdict. Reports suggest Stephanopoulos was unaware of ABC’s settlement. His new contract comes as Disney seeks to reduce costs amid industry shifts.
Here are your updates for Thursday. We’ll see you tomorrow. From all of us at Straight Arrow News, I’m Cara Rucker. Have a wonderful day.
