NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-15-2024 12AM EST

Episode Date: November 15, 2024

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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 autographcollection.com. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shae Stevens. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is being tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services under the incoming Trump administration. As NPR Stephen Fowler reports, Kennedy is a vaccine skeptic who's promoted conspiracy

theories about mainstream health care policies. If he's confirmed by the Senate, the role gives Kennedy the chance to actualize a vision that's often at odds with mainstream health and science, likely through a combination of scaling back existing programs and refocusing others to align with his quote, make America healthy again goals. He told NPR that the government isn't going to take away vaccines from anybody, but said the science on vaccine safety has huge deficits. Now,

vaccine experts disagree with that assessment. NPR's Stephen Fowler. President-elect Donald Trump says he plans to nominate North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum to become Secretary of the Interior. If confirmed, NPR's Kirk Siegler reports that Burgum will likely usher in a dramatic shift in energy policy on U.S. public lands. A billionaire software developer, Governor Burgum, mounted usher in a dramatic shift in energy policy on U.S. public lands. A billionaire software developer, Governor Burgum mounted a brief campaign for president before dropping out of the primary and throwing his support behind Trump. Burgum is known as a big booster of oil and gas drilling, though his state's boom has

mostly occurred on private land. Historically, Interior Secretaries have generally come from western states with large tracks of federal public land. North Dakota is only about 4% federally owned. If confirmed, Burgum is expected to push for more oil and gas and coal development on public lands while likely moving to reverse the more conservation and renewable energy focus of the Biden administration and his current interior secretary, Deb Haaland, the nation's first indigenous cabinet member. Kirk Ziegler, NPR News, Boise. Tropical Storm Sarah has formed in the Caribbean with 40-mile-per-hour winds off the coast

of Honduras. As NPR's Debbie Elliott reports, Sarah threatens to cause flooding in Central America. Forecasters say some strengthening is possible as the system meanders near the Honduran coast over the next few days. National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan says tropical storm Sarah could dump more than two feet of rain. That has the potential to cause life-threatening flash flooding, potentially catastrophic impacts, landslides across much of this area.

So it's going to be a very dangerous situation all the way through the weekend. Heavy rain is also expected for Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua. The storm is forecast to move over Mexico's Yucatan and enter the Gulf of Mexico early next week on an uncertain path. Forecasters say it's too soon to determine if Sarah is a threat to the U.S. Gulf Coast. Debbie Elliott, NPR News. The Federal Reserve Board is expected to cut its key interest rate once again before the end of the year.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell says that inflation is still inching toward the central bank's 2 percent target. You're listening to NPR. Satirical News publication The Onion has won an auction to acquire Infowars. Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was forced to sell the company as part of a $1 billion judgment. Jones was convicted of defamation and causing harm by calling the massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School a hoax.

A court ordered Jones to pay more than a billion dollars to the families of the children and teachers killed in the December 2012 attack. Jones calls the sale of his company an attack on free speech. The British Museum has acquired a huge collection of Chinese ceramics worth more than $1.3 billion. As NPR's 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 art 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. U.S. futures are lower in after-hours trading on Wall Street. You're listening to NPR News.