NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-22-2024 12AM EST

Episode Date: November 22, 2024

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Shea Stevens Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. President-elect Donald Trump has announced a new nominee for U.S. Attorney General. She's former Florida top prosecutor and Trump loyalist, Pam Bondi. Trump tapped Bondi after former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz backed out of the process amid fallout over a sex trafficking investigation. As NPR's Claudia Grisales reports, the future for Gates remains unclear. Claudia Grisales, NPR News Anchor Many were sure he wouldn't survive the Senate

vetting process. They said Gates would drop out because he would become a distraction, in turn become a hero for the hard right, and then leverage all of this oxygen for his nomination into a possible run for Florida governor. His name has been tossed around for that quite a bit. But before then, he could return to his seat in January because that is a completely new term he was elected to and that would force the ethics probe to start again.

The ethics probe ended last week when Gates resigned from his House seat. Mexico says it has a plan in case of possible mass deportations of unauthorized migrants under the Trump administration. KJZZ's Nina Kravinsky reports from the Fronteras desk in Hermosilla. Mexican President Claudia Schoenbaum says her country is prepared to receive deportees if there are mass expulsions next year. But she says her first step is to show the incoming administration that immigrants from our country

are an important part of the US economy, and said that immigrants shouldn't be treated as criminals. President Donald Trump has promised deportations starting at the beginning of his new administration in January. He confirmed this week that he plans to declare a national emergency and use the military to carry out those deportations. According to the Pew Research Center, there are around 4 million unauthorized immigrants

from Mexico and the U.S. For NPR News, I'm Nina Kravinsky in Edmosil, Mexico. The father of a suspected school shooter accused of killing four people in September has ended a not guilty plea. Georgia Public Broadcasting's Chase McGee has the story. Colin Gray pleaded not guilty to 29 charges, including second degree murder. His trial could set precedent in Georgia if prosecutors successfully argue that his providing a rifle to his son amounts to murder. His 14-year-old son, Colt, who is accused of pulling the trigger

and killing four people, has also pleaded not guilty. Meanwhile, part of the Appalachee High School building remains closed more than two months after the shooting, and some students are still attending classes at an off-site location. School leaders are also considering possible safety enhancements, including metal detectors, clear backpacks, and increased security. For NPR News, I'm Chase Magee in Wynder, Georgia. NPR News. U.S. futures are lower in after-hours trading on Wall Street following Thursday's gains when Asia-Pacific market shares are mixed down a fraction in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

This is NPR. A Justice Department investigation into the New Jersey Police Department finds patterns of misconduct, including use of excessive force. For Member Station WHYY, David Mathal has the story. Assistant U.S. Attorney General Kristen Clark says Trenton police escalate encounters and use force when there is no threat of harm to officers or others. This behavior not only violates the Constitution and inflicts serious injuries, but it also sows distrust and undermines law enforcement's mission

to keep the community safe. The report also finds officers routinely violate people's constitutional rights. Clark says the city of Trenton and the Police Department have cooperated fully with the probe and have agreed to work with the Justice Department to remedy the situation. The investigation comes after police shot a black man who fled after officers did not reveal a reason for stopping him. For NPR News, I'm David Mathau in Philadelphia.

There is a new twist in the criminal case of former actor and singer Jussie Smollett. The Illinois Supreme Court has overturned his conviction of staging a hate crime against himself. Smollett was charged with lying to police about the alleged 2019 incident. He accepted a plea deal after a brief stint in jail, prompting a Chicago prosecutor to drop the case. But a special prosecutor retried, and two witnesses testify that Smollett paid them to stage the attack, leading to a conviction.

The Illinois High Court says the special prosecutor should never have intervened. This is NPR News.