NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-05-2024 5AM EST

Episode Date: November 5, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dave Mattingly. This is Election Day across the U.S. Vice President Harris spent the final day of her Democratic campaign speaking at rallies in the swing state of Pennsylvania. That's where she predicted victory over former President Donald Trump in the race for the White House. As Steve Futterman reports, Harris' final stop was Philadelphia. The last event featured star power, including Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. Harris came on stage just before midnight.

Good evening, Philadelphia! She spoke on the steps in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum, made famous in the film Rocky. A tribute to those who start as the underdog and climb to victory. Harris's speech included familiar themes. We know it is time for a new generation of leadership in America. And she led the crowd in the chant that occurs at every one of her speeches. We are not going back. Harris predicted she will win, but to do that, she may need to win Pennsylvania.

For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Philadelphia. Donald Trump wrapped up his Republican presidential campaign early this morning in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This is it. This is the last one that we're going to have to do. Grand Rapids is where Trump concluded his presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020. Earlier in the day, Trump spoke to supporters in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, where he pledged to bring down inflation in the U.S. economy and crack down on illegal immigration

at the U.S. southern border. With your vote tomorrow, we can fix every single problem our country faces that lead America... and indeed the whole world. That was Trump speaking at a rally in Pittsburgh. Access to abortion is on the ballot in 10 states on this election day. NPR's Alyssa Nadworthy says the results could end up expanding access to abortion.

The measures would add amendments to state constitutions to expand or cement abortion access. In five states, Montana, Colorado, Nevada, New York, and Maryland, abortion is already protected. Initiatives would essentially recognize and protect the right to an abortion. In other places, measures would drastically change abortion access, like in Florida and Missouri. Florida currently has a six-week ban on abortion. In Missouri, the state bans nearly all abortions. Voters in both of those states will weigh in on protecting abortion through the point

of fetal viability, considered to be around 24 weeks in a pregnancy. Arizona, a swing state, is also voting to expand access to abortion up to viability. The state currently has a 15-week ban. Alyson Adwerney, NPR News. This is NPR News from Washington. Union machinists at Boeing have voted to end their strike by accepting the company's latest contract offer. It calls for a 38 percent pay hike over four years. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers says the revised proposal was approved by 59 percent of its members.

They've been off the job for more than seven weeks. The strike shut down aircraft production at Boeing factories in the Pacific Northwest. Japan's defense ministry says North Korea launched at least seven ballistic missiles into the sea today. NPR's Anthony Kuhn in Seoul says analysts believe Pyong Yang was trying to get the attention of the U.S. on election day. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the short-range ballistic missiles were fired from the western province of North Hwanghae and flew eastward around 250 miles into the sea.

Hours before the launch, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong warned of a response to U.S., South Korean, and Japanese joint air force drills on Sunday, which were in turn a response to North Korea's launch last week of its newest intercontinental ballistic missile. Publicly, North Korean leaders have said they're no longer interested in diplomacy with the U.S., regardless of who's in the White House. But some analysts believe they could still return to the negotiating table if they think they could get a good deal. Anthony Kuhn in PR News, Seoul. Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and western Cuba are bracing for Rafael. NPR News, Seoul.