NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-17-2024 6AM EST

Episode Date: November 17, 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 Giles Snyder. With President Biden on the way out and Donald Trump gearing up for a return to the White House, Chinese leader Xi Jinping is warning the U.S. not to test China's red lines. Xi and Biden met this weekend on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific

leader summit in Lima, Peru. With Trump looming over the meeting, Xi told Biden that Beijing is willing to continue to work with the U.S. and expand cooperation into the future. As NPR's John Ruach reports. Xi and Biden met on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Leaders Summit in Lima, Peru. It's likely to be their last official meeting, but Xi came with a clear message. Taiwan, democracy, human rights, and the right to development are red lines for China, and they are not to be challenged by the U.S. On trade, Xi said barriers, decoupling and the destruction of supply chains was not the

way forward. Instead, he said the two countries should find ways to deepen cooperation. That goes for other areas too, like public health and law enforcement. Relations between Beijing and Washington are at an inflection point though. Trump promised high tariffs on all US imports made in China, and he's nominated several people for key cabinet posts who are seen as hawkish on China. John Ruch, NPR News, Shanghai.

President-elect Trump facing questions about his choices for top cabinet positions, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health secretary. Kennedy is expected to focus on a make America healthy again agenda, focusing on chronic diseases and corruption. NPR's Will Stone. It's certainly a strange, almost dizzying moment for the public health field. Kennedy is well known for questioning the scientific consensus, pushing inaccurate information about vaccines. He's founded an anti-vaccine advocacy group and is generally antagonistic toward mainstream medicine.

As NPR has covered, he's promoted unproven treatments for COVID and made other baseless claims related to health. At the same time, there's no denying that on chronic disease prevention, there is some real overlap between what he talks about as his priorities and what you hear from scientists who work in this field.

A wildfire on the New York-New Jersey border that had been nearly contained is on the move again. Officials say roughly 165 homes were voluntarily evacuated in the town of Warwick, New York. NPR's Brian Mann reports. More than 300 volunteer crew members led by New York State Forest Rangers battled the blaze Saturday. An official said it appeared to be under control until heavy winds caused the fire to escape

containment. Local law enforcement helped evacuate homes in the threatened neighborhood of Warwick. In a statement, New York State officials said units will continue fighting the fire near the homes into Sunday morning. Crews from as far away as Montana, along with National Guard are helping with the effort. The Northeast is experiencing a historic drought with only a smattering of rain in recent weeks. Many states have instituted outdoor burning bans.

Brian Mann, NPR News, New York. And from Washington, this is NPR News. With President-elect Trump preparing to take office in January, a couple of Democratic senators are seeking to reassure those attending the COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan about U.S. moves toward clean energy. Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey. We're not going to allow COP to stand for courting oil profits. We're here to tell you that COP really stands for climate outlast presidents.

Norke spoke at a panel event alongside fellow Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. Russia staged what's being described as a massive missile and drone attack on energy facilities in Ukraine early today. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky separately is laying out his vision for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. From Kyiv, NPR's Hanna Palomarenko reports. In an interview with a Ukrainian public broadcaster, Vladimir Zelensky said he believes the war will end faster under the administration of President-elect Donald Trump, citing unspecified policies.

And Zelensky added, the war should end through diplomatic means. Zelensky said Saturday he and Trump had a constructive interaction in September, and the Ukrainian side had the opportunity to present its position on the vision of peace. A just peace is important for us so that there is no feeling that we have lost the best for the sake of injustice that was imposed on us," Zelensky said.

Hanna Polomarenko, NPR News, Kyiv.