NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-06-2024 4AM EST

Episode Date: November 6, 2024

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Support for this podcast and the following message come from the NPR Wine Club, which has generated over $1.75 million to support NPR programming. Whether buying a few bottles or joining the club, you can learn more at nprwineclub.org slash podcast. Must be 21 or older to purchase. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Gile Snyder. Former President Donald Trump is claiming victory in the race for the White House. It's a political victory that our country has never seen before, nothing like this.

I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president. Trump spoke to his supporters at a watch party in West Palm Beach, Florida. According to Associated Press race calls, Trump has won Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina, three of the seven key swing states, leaving him just a few electoral votes

shy of winning the presidency. Over at Washington, DC's Howard University, Harris campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond took to the stage, promising to make sure every vote is counted. So thank you. We believe in you. May God bless you. May God keep you and go H.U. and go Harris. Richmond said Vice President Kamala Harris will speak later today. Turning to the Senate, MPR's Winzler Johnston is here in the studio and has an update. Well, Giles, as expected, Republicans have succeeded in flipping the upper chamber.

Republicans gained two seats. Ohio Republican Bernie Moreno defeated Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown. And Republican Jim Justice flipped West Virginia seat back to red, a seat that was once held by Joe Manchin. Republicans tonight also fought off the Democratic challengers in Texas and in Florida. In the coming weeks, Republicans will now have to choose a new Senate majority leader, this after Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced earlier this year that he would retire from the position after the election. Now some leading contenders to replace him could

include South Dakota Senator John Thune, Rick Scott of Florida, and Texas Senator John Cornyn. And also just to note, for the first time in history, the Senate will have two black women serving in the upper chamber. Rick Scott of Florida and South Dakota rejected abortion rights measures, but advocates prevailed in four other states, including in Missouri. St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum reports on the rebuke of Missouri's Republican politicians. Jason Rosenbaum, St. Louis Public Radio, St. Louis, Missouri.

Missourians backed a constitutional amendment legalizing abortion up to fetal viability, usually around 24 weeks. It's a sharp rebuke of Missouri Republicans who implemented a near total ban on abortion with exceptions only for medical emergencies. Tori Schaefer with the ACLU of Missouri says the passage of the abortion legalization initiative should send a strong message to abortion rights opponents. It shows the values of our state. It shows that people want reproductive freedom.

And honestly it says if you can do it in a state like Missouri you can do it anywhere. Missouri was one of 10 states this year with ballot items aimed at protecting abortion rights. For NPR News, I'm Jason Rosenbaum in St. Louis. And you're listening to NPR News. Voters went to the polls on a mostly smooth election day, but there were a series of bomb threats in swing states that authorities say amounted to hoaxes. Threats were made in Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, forcing evacuations and leading some polling places to extend hours. The FBI says many of the threats appeared to originate from Russian email domains. Boeing machinists begin heading back to work today. NPR's Joel Rose reports a union voted Monday

to approve a new contract after a costly strike that lasted more than seven weeks. The contract offer was only modestly better than the last one the union rejected less than two weeks ago, but it was approved by 59% of union members who voted. Boeing mechanic Ariel McKenzie told NPR's Here and Now that she voted yes. For me, it was really about,

I really had to sit down and evaluate, how much more do we realistically have to achieve here? The deal includes a 38% raise over four years, short of the 40% the union wanted, but still an improvement over the company's original offer of 25%. Union leaders had warned the company's original offer of 25%. Union leaders had warned that Boeing's next offer might be worse if members didn't approve the agreement.

Joel Rose, NPR News. Protests erupted in Israel following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Protesters took to the streets calling on Netanyahu to step down and demanding Gallant's successor prioritize a deal to release the remaining hostages in Gaza. Netanyahu and Gallant have repeatedly been at odds over the war. I'm Gile Snyder. This is NPR News. Gail Snyder Support for this podcast and the following message come from Autograph Collection Hotels, with over 300 independent

hotels around the world, each exactly like nothing else. Autograph Collection is part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of hotel brands. Find the unforgettable at autografecollection.com.