NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-14-2024 9PM EST

Episode Date: November 15, 2024

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This message comes from Indiana University. Indiana University is committed to moving the world forward, working to tackle some of society's biggest challenges, nine campuses, one purpose, creating tomorrow today. More at iu.edu. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is President-elect Donald Trump's pick

to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. As NPR's Stephen Fowler explains, Kennedy is a vaccine skeptic, who's espoused conspiracy theories about healthcare. In the announcement on his True Social platform, Trump says that public health has seen, quote, deception, misinformation, and disinformation from drug and food companies.

In recent years, Kennedy himself has shared conspiracy theories about health, falsely claiming Wi-Fi causes cancer and that chemicals in water can make children transgender. If confirmed by the Senate, Kennedy would oversee nearly $2 trillion in mandatory spending. HHS also oversees the CDC, the FDA and the National Institutes of Health. Stephen Fowler, NPR News, Atlanta. In Pennsylvania, the Republican National Committee is asking the state Supreme Court to order local election officials

not to count certain mail-in ballots from the recent election. As NPR's Hansi Luong reports, Republicans are making the request in the middle of a statewide recount of ballots for Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race. There's a long-running legal debate over whether to count Pennsylvania mail-in ballots

that arrive on time, but in envelopes without the current date handwritten by the voter. State law requires a date, but it's an open question whether rejecting ballots for not having one violates Pennsylvania's Constitution. Officials in Bucks County, a Philadelphia suburb, decided to count some 400 of what are often called undated or misdated ballots. The Republican National Committee sued and asked the state's Supreme Court to weigh in.

Joining in the lawsuit is David McCormick, the Republican whom the Associated Press has declared the winner of Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race. Two years ago, during a primary recount, McCormick took the opposite position in court, arguing that undated and misstated ballots should be counted. Hansi Luong, NPR News. Fire crews say a dangerous wildfire on the New York-New Jersey border is slowly coming under control, but drought conditions have brought a rash of new wildfires, including some in New York City.

NPR's Brian Mann is more. Crews have surrounded the Jennings Creek blaze with fire lines that appear to be holding, but there's still been no significant rain. That means fire departments across the entire northeast are scrambling to respond to hundreds of smaller brush and forest fires. New York City alone has seen more than 200 brush fires break out over the last two weeks in public parks and woodlands. Posting on social media, City Fire Department Commissioner Robert Tucker described the danger from wildfires as unprecedented. We need the public to remain vigilant, Tucker said.

Outdoor fires have been banned in much of the Northeast because of dry weather and fire risk. Brian Mann, NPR News, New York. Wholesale inflation ticked up slightly last month. The government reporting the producer price index, which measures the price of goods before they head down the pipeline to consumers, rose two-tenths of a percent from the previous month. Compared to a year ago, prices are up about 2.4 percent, slightly above the Fed's target. Stocks fell on Wall Street the Dow's down 207 points. This is NPR.

New rules are forthcoming that would require drug makers to be more upfront in terms of explaining the risks and side effects of prescription medications. Under the new rules from the FDA, pharmaceutical companies would be required to do away with practices that either downplay or distract viewers' attention from risk information. The new rules would apply to both TV and radio ads. The British Museum has acquired a huge collection of Chinese ceramics worth more than $1.3 billion. Embarrassed Chloe Veltman reports the gift from the Sir Percival David Foundation is the highest value donation ever made to a UK museum. In a 2021 public lecture, University of London Chinese arts scholar Stacey Pearson described

the collection in this way. It is acknowledged as and admired as the finest collection of Chinese ceramics bar none. The late British financier Percival David started buying up Chinese ceramics in the early 20th century. The collection features about 1,700 objects, including a famous pair of blue and white vases from 1351 known as the David Vases and examples of rare roux ware pottery dating back to the 11th century. The British Museum has long had one of the West's largest holdings of Chinese antiquities. Chinese officials have called for the repatriation of some of these objects in recent years.

Chloe Veltman, NPR News. Well the rising cost of some food items was high on President-elect Donald Trump's campaign agenda. Many economists note in most cases there's not much a president can do about day-to-day prices at the grocery store. Also, some worry Trump's proposed policies, including hiking tariffs, could ramp up inflation. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from Deal. Deal has helped over 35,000 businesses simplify global hiring, onboarding, payroll, and compliance.

Visit deal.com to learn more. That's D-E-E-L dot com.