NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-17-2024 9PM EST

Episode Date: November 18, 2024

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Hey, it's Peter Sagal, the host of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Now, if you like Wait, Wait, and you're looking for another podcast where the hosts take self-deprecating jabs at themselves and invite important guests on who have no business being there, then you should check out NPR's How to Do Everything. It's hosted by two of the minds behind Wait, Wait, who literally sometimes put words in my mouth. Find the How to Do Everything podcast wherever you are currently listening to me, go on about it. Janine Herbst Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.

President-elect Donald Trump has picked Brendan Carr, a veteran Republican member of the Federal Communications Commission, to lead the agency that regulates broadcasting, telecommunications, broadband, and other related industries. The FCC mostly stays out of the public spotlight, but it does roar back into public view with controversies over TV and radio broadcasts. While it's an independent agency overseen by Congress, Trump has made clear he would like to bring it under tighter White House control and use it to punish TV networks that have fact-checked him or otherwise covered him in a way that

sparks his ire. President Biden, for the first time, is allowing Ukraine to fire U.S.-made long-range missiles into Russia. A U.S. official tells NPR the change in policy was spurred by thousands of North Korean troops sent to help Russia in its war against Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia launched a missile drone barrage into Ukraine today, targeting power plants and energy infrastructures, killing at least seven people. And Piers Polina Latvinova has more. The strikes caused emergency power cuts in several Ukrainian regions, including the capital Kyiv.

Some trains were delayed because of power outages on the railway. According to Ukraine's energy company, the tech Russian forces hit thermal power plants across the country. Some of the equipment was seriously damaged. The energy attacks and power shortages come as Ukraine prepares for cold winter weather. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sibyga called the attack Putin's true response to all those who called and visited him recently, referring to a phone call of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Russia's President Vladimir Putin this week, which was criticized by Ukrainian

leadership. We need peace through strength, not appeasement, Sebiha wrote on X. Polina Litvinova, NPR News. Kyiv. Some Americans are concerned about what the incoming administration will mean for Social Security. If here's Windsor-Johnston reports, President-elect Trump has put forward an agenda to keep the program solvent, but some experts are skeptical.

Charles Blathaus specializes in Social Security at George Mason University. He says while Trump's proposals, including eliminating taxation on Social Security benefits, would likely accelerate its insolvency, the program has been facing a funding shortfall for years. There has been more damage done to Social Security finances by the delay of the last several decades than would be done by a proposal like this. A proposal like that would be damaging to Social Security finances, but not at the same order of magnitude what we're already living with. Trump has promised not to raise the Social Security retirement age or reduce benefits.

Windsor-Johnston, NPR News, Washington. U.S. futures contracts are trading higher at this hour. Dow futures up a fraction. NASDAQ futures up more than a half percent. This is NPR News. futures up a fraction, NASDAQ futures up more than a half percent. This is NPR News. Healthcare workers who were on the job when COVID ripped through nursing homes and hospitals are still struggling. Many have symptoms of PTSD and long COVID. They've asked for assistance, but employers and the government have offered little support. Amy Maxman with our partner KFF Health News has more. Deborah Ragunanan is a nursing assistant.

She has panic attacks, brain fog, and recently suffered an aneurysm. She traces the problems back to a COVID outbreak in 2020 when she was caring for veterans at a long-term nursing facility. Ragunanan still works there today. All of us have to go right back where the COVID started. So that's a double whammy. That's a double kick. At work, she relives the trauma of the outbreak. She and other nursing assistants have asked for help and compensation. As low-wage caretakers, they can't easily change jobs or

take time off to heal. Amy Maximum with NPR's partner KFF Health News. Lola Carolli, the charismatic, if polarizing, gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the U.S. into an international power in the sport, has died. He was 82 years old. No cause of death was given. Carolli and his wife trained multiple Olympic gold medalists and world champions in the U.S. and Romania, including Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton. It trained multiple Olympic gold medalists and world champions in the U.S. and Romania,

including Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton. But a strict method sometimes came under fire. As several former gymnasts blamed them for creating a culture that allowed for the Larry Nassar scandal, the Corollies denied responsibility. I'm Janene Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.