NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-15-2024 11PM EST

Episode Date: November 16, 2024

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Support for NPR comes from NPR member stations and Eric and Wendy Schmidt through the Schmidt Family Foundation Working toward a healthy resilient secure world for all on the web at the Schmidt org Live from NPR news I'm Dale Willman president-elect Donald Trump has put forth a number of proposals that could alter social security in the coming years put forth a number of proposals that could alter Social Security in the coming years. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports that some Americans are concerned that Trump's agenda could put their monthly checks at risk. Social Security is already headed for a shortfall. Trump's proposals to make it more solvent include eliminating taxes on tips and imposing

more tariffs. Charles Blahhouse specializes in Social Security at George Mason University. He says Trump's plan to end taxation on Social Security benefits would hurt the program the most. It would worsen it, but if you weren't worried before, you shouldn't be that much worried about this because the incremental worsening of program finances would be small relative to the whole that we've already been living with. Any changes to Social Security's tax structure would require 60 votes in the Senate, meaning that Republicans would need at least some Democrats on board. Windsor-Johnston, NPR News. A federal judge in Texas has blocked a Biden administration rule that expanded the right to

earn overtime to millions of workers. As NPR's Andrea Hsu reports, the rule was already partially phased in. The overtime rule took effect in July. It required employers to pay time and a half to salaried workers earning less than $44,000 a year when they worked more than 40 hours a week. On January 1st, the threshold was set to rise again to $58,600 a year. The Labor Department estimated the rule would have made some four million more workers eligible to earn overtime. The ruling came in a case brought by the state of Texas and the coalition of business groups who argued that the rule was unworkable and would have had negative ripple effects across the workforce. The Biden Labor Department could appeal

the decision, but the incoming Trump administration would likely drop that appeal. Andrea Hsu, NPR News. Democratic lawmakers are at the United Nations Climate Conference asking world leaders to push ahead with efforts to rein in global warming following Donald Trump's re-election. As NPR's Michael Compley reports, the prospect of a major shift in U.S. climate policy is hanging over the negotiations. Senator Ed Markey says one president can't stop global efforts to limit climate change and deal with its impacts. But Trump's reelection has rattled leaders at the climate meeting in Azerbaijan. Trump's expected to once again pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement. Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis says the world can't afford sharp swings in policy.

The climate crisis does not pause for elections or to accommodate the sway of changing political ideas or ties. It demands continuity. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse says states like New York and California will double down on climate efforts if there isn't leadership in Washington. Michael Copley, NPR News. Stocks closed down across the board today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 305 points.

The Nasdaq closed down 427 points while the S&P 500 was down 78 points. You're listening to NPR News. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says the Fed will act slowly and deliberately as it continues to consider interest rate cuts in the coming months. Speaking in Dallas today, he said that's needed because inflation continues to show signs of persistence, but he added that the economy remains strong. New research finds that acute stress reduces a mouse's ability to form precise memories, and Piers John-Hamilton has more on a study in the journal Cell.

Usually, mice are very good at learning that one tone means a mild shock while another poses no threat. But researchers found that stressed mice had trouble remembering which tone was which. In an experiment, mice were physically restrained for 30 minutes, something that causes acute stress. Then they were exposed to both the harmless tone and the tone paired with the shock. Afterward these mice would freeze in response to either tone. That suggests stress had impaired their ability to form precise memories.

Instead, they had formed a generalized memory that associated any tone with a threat. The finding could explain why people with post-traumatic stress disorder tend to mistake harmless signals in the environment for signals that indicate danger. John Hamilton, NPR News. tend to mistake harmless signals in the environment for signals that indicate danger. John Hamilton, NPR News. Yukon coach Gino Ariema has tied the NCAA Division I win record for men's or women's basketball today with a 69-58 win over North Carolina. The 70-year-old is now in his 40th season at Yukon.

He's matched Tara Vanderveer of Stanford and he can break the record on Wednesday when the Huskies host Fairleigh Dickinson He has an 88.2 percent win record over his career I'm Dale Willman NPR news Support for this podcast and the following message come from dignity memorial when your celebration of life is pre-paid today Your family is protected tomorrow planning ahead is truly one of the best prepaid today, your family is protected tomorrow. Planning ahead is truly one of the best gifts you can give your family. For additional information, visit dignitymemorial.ca.