NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-02-2024 1PM EDT

Episode Date: November 2, 2024

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Jim Ewing had to get his foot amputated after a climbing accident. Thanks to a new procedure, his prosthetic feels like it's his real foot. Your brain recognizes this piece of equipment as being part of you. It just adopts it and starts using it as if it belongs there. How technology is augmenting humans. That's on the TED Radio Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. On this last weekend before Election Day, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump

is campaigning in the key state of North Carolina today. More than four million people have already voted in the state, but there are still plenty of eligible voters left to turn out. NPR's Eric McDaniel reports. Trump's closing message is the same as it's been for months, even years now. High tariffs, widespread deportations, and leveraging his power as president and commander-in-chief to prosecute his personal foes. It's a message aimed not at habitual voters, deciding between him and his opponent, but

engaging potential supporters who might not be engaged enough to vote right now. He's taking that message to events across North Carolina today, a state that's gone for Republicans pretty consistently for decades, despite a surprise win by President Obama in 2008. But now, the state looks to be a toss-up, with a large number of non-white and college-educated voters, groups both more likely to support Vice President Harris. Eric McDaniel, NPR News. Democrat Kamala Harris is also in North Carolina today.

She'll hold a get out the vote rally in Charlotte tonight. She started the day in Wisconsin and told reporters that economic experts support her plans for the economy. Leading economists in our country from Goldman Sachs to 32 Nobel laureates, all whom have said that my economic plan actually will strengthen America's economy. They've reviewed Donald Trump's plan and have determined he will weaken America's economy, he will ignite inflation, and he will bring on a recession by the middle of next year.

Election Day is Tuesday. Nationwide, it's estimated that more than 73 million people already have voted, either in early voting in person or by mail-in ballots. The Supreme Court has left in place a lower court ruling that for now allows Pennsylvania voters to cast provisional ballots if their mail-in ballots have been invalidated. NPR's Nina Totenberg has more. Pennsylvania allows all voters to cast mail-in ballots and requires voters to place their ballots into a secrecy sleeve before placing it in the mailing envelope. Without the secrecy sleeve, the ballot is considered naked and will not be counted. But state law also says that voters whose naked

ballots have been voided may then cast a provisional ballot at the polls. Faced with that conflict, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that voters can cast provisional ballots when notified their mail-in ballots have been invalidated. The Republican National Committee asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block that ruling, but the justices left it in place, at least for now. Nina Totenberg, NPR News, Washington. The Justice Department says it will send monitors to 86 jurisdictions in 27 states next week to ensure that federal voting rights laws are followed.

Texas says it won't allow federal workers at its polling places. You're listening to NPR News in Washington. At least 211 people are dead and dozens are missing after floodwaters swept through eastern Spain this week. NPR's Julia Simon reports climate scientists see a connection to human-caused global warming. Climate change made this week's intense rainfall in Spain about 12 percent heavier and twice as likely, according to a rapid analysis by World Weather Attribution, an international network of scientists.

A hotter atmosphere can hold more water vapor, which can make downpours more intense. In a town near Valencia, a year's worth of rain fell in just eight hours. Spain's floods also have a likely climate connection to super hot oceans. Global warming likely increased temperatures in the part of the Atlantic where most of the moisture contained in the storm originated. Global warming is mostly caused by humans burning oil, gas, and coal. Scientists say using solar and wind energy plus big batteries can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Julia Simon, NPR News. TGI Fridays filed for bankruptcy protection today. The casual dining chain began with a restaurant in Manhattan in 1965. Its executive chairman released a statement partially blaming the company's financial problems on COVID-19. Many people turned to food delivery during the pandemic. Daylight saving time ends this weekend. It officially changes to standard time at the pandemic. Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend. It officially changes to Standard Time at 2 a.m. tomorrow, local time, requiring residents to set their clocks back one hour,

except in Arizona and Hawaii who remain on Standard Time all year round. For the rest of the U.S., Daylight Saving Time returns on March 9. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News.