NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-07-2024 4PM EST

Episode Date: November 7, 2024

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Hey, it's Aisha Harris from Pop Culture Happy Hour. If you love NPR podcasts, you'll want the new NPR Plus podcast bundle. Enjoy an all-you-can-eat selection of NPR Plus podcasts with sponsor-free listening and bonus episodes. Plus, you'll be supporting public radio. Check it out at plus.npr.org. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. President Biden struck a conciliatory tone in his first remarks since former President Trump won election. NPR's Tamara Keith reports, Biden says he wants a smooth transition of power.

Speaking from the Rose Garden, President Biden said the will of the people has prevailed and then repeated a line he has delivered often in criticism of the former president, but with new meaning now. You can't love your country only when you win. You can't love your neighbor only when you agree. Something I hope we can do no matter who you voted for is You see each other not as adversaries, but as fellow Americans. Bring down the temperature. He directed his entire administration

to work with Trump's team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition. Tamara Keith, NPR News, The White House. Consumers will start seeing further relief in their borrowing costs. The Federal Reserve has again lowered its key interest rate by a quarter percentage point. Fed Chair Jerome Powell says the areas that should be cooling are doing just that and the overall economy is strong.

The labor market has cooled from its formerly overheated state and remains solid. Inflation has eased substantially from a peak of 7 percent to 2.1 percent as of September. But while data show a relatively strong economy, many voters, especially those who voted for Trump, complain they're not feeling it whenever they go for groceries or unable to find affordable housing. Montana was among the 10 states where voters weighed in on abortion access, the ballot initiative they're passed enshrining abortion access, the ballot initiative there passed, enshrining abortion access in the state constitution. Montana Public Radio's Erin Bolton reports it's given one clinic

enough certainty to expand services. Abortion care in Montana has long been protected by state Supreme Court precedent, spurring battles to elect justices that would overturn it. Blue Mountain Clinic in Missoula has been spread thin as more people from neighboring states with abortion bans seek care. Tess Fields says her staff hasn't turned patients away but says care has been delayed. We are going to be increasing our operations,

hiring additional providers to manage the surge in patients. She says constitutional protection for abortion care makes that a less risky investment. But she still worries about the potential for federal restrictions. For NPR News, I'm Aaron Bolton in Columbia Falls, Montana. Well, the U.S. House remains uncertain. Votes are still being counted in many precincts. Final tallies may not be available for days or weeks. But the Associated Press is reporting that Democratic Representative Suzy Lee won re-election to a U.S. House seat representing Nevada. Lee first won this Clark County seat in 2018. From Washington, this is NPR News. German police have arrested a U.S. citizen on suspicion of offering to spy for China.

NPR's Rob Schmitz reports an arraignment hearing was scheduled for this afternoon. The suspect, an American man whom prosecutors have identified simply as Martin D., keeping the German tradition of withholding a suspect's surname, had worked for the US military in Germany up until recently. Prosecutors say that earlier this year, he contacted Chinese officials and offered to give them sensitive information belonging to the US military. An investigation into the suspects' activities was conducted in close coordination with Germany's domestic intelligence agency, and the man was arrested

in the city of Frankfurt while authorities searched his apartment. Rob Schmitz and Pear News, Berlin. Strong winds fan the out of control mountain fire burning through a region northwest of Los Angeles for a second day. It's already destroyed dozens of homes. Thousands of people in Ventura County evacuated. The National Weather Service says a red flag warning indicating high fire danger will remain in effect until 6 p.m. local time. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is being ordered to turn over personal property to two election workers he defamed connected to the 2020 vote. Today Giuliani was reprimanded by a federal court judge after he missed a deadline to

turn over assets, including a vintage Mercedes that he was seen driving in Florida. Last year, a jury awarded the election workers $148 million in punitive damages. The Dow closed down slightly, the S&P was up 44 points, and the Nasdaq was up 285 points, or 1.5%. It's NPR News.