NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-25-2024 12AM EST

Episode Date: November 25, 2024

NPR News: 11-25-2024 12AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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, I'm Dale Willman. The incoming Trump administration is continuing to take shape. The president-elect has announced a flurry of nominations since Friday. As NPR's Mar Lysen reports, now that former Congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name

from consideration to be the next attorney general, attention is turning to Trump's two other controversial cabinet nominees. It's very common for new presidents to withdraw one or more nominations. Now the question is whether withdrawing Gates makes it easier or harder to get Trump's other nominees confirmed. Republican senators may be less inclined to reject Fox News host Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for defense secretary. Hegseth was the subject of a sexual assault investigation. He has denied the allegations. And there's Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for director of national intelligence.

In the past, Gabbard has been sympathetic to Vladimir Putin and Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. She has repeated Russian talking points, blaming Ukraine and NATO for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Senators on the Intelligence Committee will want to question her about that. Mara Liason, NPR News. Hezbollah fired about 250 rockets and other projectiles into northern and central Israel on Sunday.

It was one of the militant group's biggest attacks in months. At least seven people were wounded in that attack. Lebanon's military, meanwhile, says an Israeli strike on an army center in southern Lebanon killed one soldier and wounded 18 others. As the fighting continues in Lebanon, efforts are also continuing to try and arrange a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. And European Union Foreign Policy Chief Joseph Borel says a potential ceasefire deal is now close at hand.

The Israeli government maintain the pressure in Hezbollah to accept the U.S. proposal for a ceasefire. This was agreed. This proposal is pending with the final agreement with the Israeli government. Investors will be watching to see whether a record-setting rally will continue on Wall Street this week. NPR's Rafael Naam says all eyes will be on a key inflation report which is expected before Thanksgiving.

It will be a shorter trading week because of the Thanksgiving holiday, but for investors there will be plenty to digest. The key economic data will be the Federal Reserve's favorite inflation gauge out on Wednesday. It's called the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index, and investors are hoping it will show inflation continuing to ease. Also this week, the Fed will release minutes from its meeting earlier this month. Policymakers lowered interest rates for a second time this year at that meeting, and will get new home

sales data as well. Meanwhile, companies continue to report earnings, including Macy's this week. Rafael Nam, NPR News. And you're listening to NPR News. A final round of talks aimed at addressing the global problem of plastics pollution has gotten underway in South Korea. One issue negotiators are struggling with is whether a limit will be placed on how much plastic companies are allowed to produce.

The goal of the talks is to reach an agreement that would be legally binding on member nations. An infant has died and at least 10 other people have gotten sick in a listeria outbreak in the U.S. that has been linked to ready-to-eat meat. MPR's Julianna Kim has more on that story. Yusheng food recalled over 72,000 pounds of its ready-to-eat pork belly, duck, and beef shank after concerns of a possible listeria contamination. Federal health officials say among those affected were a mother and her baby who later died. Cases have so far been reported in California, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York. The recall expands on one from the beginning of November, which involved only about

4,000 pounds of Yusheng food products. It comes just weeks after the company Bruce Pack recalled more than 11 million pounds of its ready-to-eat meat due to Listeria concerns. Julianna Kim, NPR News. The movies Wicked and Gladiator 2 brought in the combined 270 million dollars in ticket sales during their debut weekend. That was good news for theaters that have been struggling this year with very few major hits. Wicked was the big winner, bringing in $114 million in North American ticket sales. While the Gladiator sequel launched with $55.5 million, Mona 2 is being released on Wednesday.

I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.