NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-31-2024 1PM EDT

Episode Date: October 31, 2024

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On the Embedded Podcast, every Marine takes an oath to protect the Constitution. Against all enemies, foreign and domestic. This is the story of a Marine in the Capitol on January 6. Did he break his oath? And what does that mean for all of us? Listen to A Good Guy on the Embedded Podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. As the presidential candidates campaign in swing states of the southwestern US for the hearts and minds of undecided registered voters, there's a particular

group that could have an outsized impact on this year's race. Senior voters, those over the age of 50, have high turnout rates, and traditionally they lean Republican, but this year, polling by the AARP shows them to be evenly divided. NPR's Don Gainey reports on the gender gap. Women overwhelmingly back Vice President Harris, men, former President

Donald Trump. Both groups cite the economy is the top concern. Mark Chiketty who is 65 years old was at a Trump rally in Erie, Pennsylvania. Everything you've saved for is gonna just get eaten up by inflation. I feel it right now because I'm not in making an income and my savings is just dwindling. Senior women also see protecting reproductive freedom as vital. Gail Siegel of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania backs Harris. I mean I marched for all the women's rights ERA with my children and it looks like here I am in this year, 2024, doing that again.

Another thing older voters tell pollsters, they feel invisible to the campaigns. Don Gagne, NPR News. Danielle Pletka Elon Musk's million-dollar voter giveaway case is moving to federal court. No ruling was issued at a hearing today in Pennsylvania after lawyers for the billionaire entrepreneur and his pro-Trump super PAC filed to have the case moved on the grounds that the suit against Musk may violate federal law. John Summers, a lawyer for the Philadelphia District Attorney who sued to get Musk's million-dollar giveaway block, describes the next step.

We will proceed to federal court and we will address the issues there and seek to have the matter remanded back to the state court. Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner alleges Musk's giveaway to registered voters in swing states is an illegal lottery scheme to influence votes in Pennsylvania. Musk, who backs Trump, argues any one of any party is eligible for the prize. One of Ukraine's top defense officials says the military is planning to draft another 160,000 men in the country over the next few weeks. Here's NPR's Joanna Gisys.

Alexander Litvinenko, who is the secretary of Ukraine's National Security Council, told parliament about the new conscription drive. He said more than a million Ukrainian men have already been drafted, but units on the front line are understaffed. Ukraine badly needs more troops. Russian forces are breaking through Ukrainian defenses in the east. The Pentagon says North Korea has deployed troops to Russian regions bordering Ukraine. That's NPR's Joanne Kikisis reporting from Kyiv. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down

nearly 200 points or roughly half a percent. This is NPR News. Starbucks is getting a makeover. The company's new CEO is ordering up changes, including faster drinks and fewer upcharges as the coffee giant tries to fix falling sales. NPR's Alina Seljuk reports sales were down 10% in the latest quarter compared to a year ago. The new Starbucks CEO Brian Nicol came from Chipotle about two months ago and quickly zeroed in on trouble. The menu is too long, drinks too complicated, prices too high. The chain that got America hooked on coffee now competes with gourmet shops and nice coffee machines at home stuck in the middle. Too fancy to be basic, too basic to be fancy. Nicol's list of changes is long.

Non-dairy milk will be free. Drinks should take four minutes or less. People who want to stay will get offered ceramic mugs. Stores will get a redesign and new furniture to be cozier. And Nickel plans to limit customizations. Endless Starbucks, syrups, toppings, substitutions that he says complicate ordering both for workers and for shoppers. Alina Seluk, NPR News. Mortgage rates in the U.S. are still going up. The finance giant Freddie Mac reports today that the average fixed rate on a 30-year loan rose for a fifth straight week to 6.72 percent. Borrowing costs on a 15-year fixed rate mortgage, which are popular with homeowners

who want to refinance, is approaching 6%. But in both cases, the rates are still below where they were a year ago, averaging 7 to around 7.5% then. The Dow is down 198 points. The S&P has lost 78 points. And the Nasdaq has fallen 416 points or more than 2%. It's NPR.