NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-21-2024 4AM EST

Episode Date: November 21, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shae Stevens. A U.S. House panel is deadlocked on whether to release its report on former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz. He was the subject of an ethics committee probe into allegations of illegal drug use and sex with minors. Gaetz was asked about the measure after leaving a gathering with U.S. senators who will vote on his confirmation to become the nation's attorney general. I'll be honest with you, I've been focused on

what we got to do to reform the Department of Justice. I've been meeting with senators, I haven't been paying much attention to that. Gates resigned from the U.S. House last week, ending the ethics committee's investigation. Voters in Alaska are narrowly defeating a ballot measure that would have repealed rank choice voting and nonpartisan primaries in the state. Alaska public media's Eric Stone has the story.

Advocates say ranked choice voting and open primaries promote candidates that are more likely to reflect voters' views and work across party lines. Alaska voters approved the system in 2020. But the reforms inspired pushback, largely from conservative Republicans. Lisa McGuire chaired the campaign against the ballot measure and to keep ranked choice voting in place. Our whole team has worked very hard at having conversations with Alaskans all across the state who are passionate about their right to vote for the person

that they believe in. Voters in several states this year rejected ballot measures that would have implemented systems similar to Alaska's organizers of the campaign to repeal person that they believe in. Voters in several states this year rejected ballot measures that would have implemented systems similar to Alaska's. Organizers of the campaign to repeal rank choice voting in Alaska say they'll try again in 2026. For NPR News, I'm Eric Stone in Juneau. The Justice Department is asking a federal judge to force the breakup of Google.

In a 23-page filing last night, DOJ called for the sale or court supervision of the tech giant's Chrome web browser. Regulators say Google should divest from its Android division, but stop short of demanding that it be sold. Last August, a court found that Google maintained a monopoly over the past decade. Hearings on the company's punishment are not scheduled until next spring. Venezuelan immigrant Jose Ibarra has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of nursing student Lakin Reilly. From Georgia Public Broadcasting, Chase McGee has more. Host 2 After a short bench trial, Judge H. Patrick Haggard found Ibarra guilty of multiple charges,

including murder, and sentenced him to life without parole. Prosecutors described to the judge how in February, Jose Ibarra encountered Lakin Riley while she was jogging on campus at the University of Georgia and killed her during a struggle. Riley was a local nursing student at Athens Augusta University College of Nursing campus. Her murder sparked a nationwide debate around immigration after federal authorities revealed Ibarra, a Venezuelan national, had entered the country illegally in 2022. Ibarra had waived his right to a jury trial, leaving the judge to decide the case. For NPR News, I'm Chase McGee in Athens.

You're listening to NPR News. Federal prosecutors in New York have indicted Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and several of his business associates on wire and securities fraud. The defendants are accused of paying over $250 million in bribes to Indian government officials in exchange for solar energy contracts. They're also accused of deceiving investors. Adani is said to be one of the richest people in the world. The prospect of a second Trump administration is causing some foreign-born scientists to

consider leaving the United States. NPR's John Hamilton reports on unexpected changes to certain visas. John Hamilton, NPR Director, NPR During Trump's first term, he issued a series of executive orders designed to restrict or suspend a type of visa known as an H-1B. These visas allow a limited number of highly skilled scientists and engineers to work in the U.S. for up to six years. But they're likely to become scarcer when Trump returns to office. That's bad news for scientists like Leili Murtazavi, who is in the final year of a doctoral program at Stanford University. I really like Stanford. People here are great. But I would have to see what kinds of changes

happen under Trump. Samor Tazavi, who was born in Iran, is looking at jobs in Canada and the UK. John Hamilton, NPR News. Comcast has announced plans to spin off its cable networks, some digital assets, and parts of NBC Universal. The move comes as cable customers turn to streaming services. It also comes weeks after Comcast president Mike Kavanaugh said that the company was exploring

the creation of a new entity. This is NPR News.