NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-25-2024 9PM EST

Episode Date: November 26, 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 Jack Spear. A judge is dismissing the federal election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump. The move grants a dismissal request from special counsel Jack Smith. NPR's Ryan Lucas says more.

Judge Tonya Chutkin's decision to dismiss the election interference case against Trump without prejudice comes just hours after Smith submitted his request with the court. In that filing, Smith said the government is confident in the strength and merit of the case against Trump, but that department policy prohibits the prosecution of a sitting president. In a separate filing, Smith is also moving to drop the other case he brought against Trump for hoarding classified documents. But prosecutors will continue the prosecution of Trump's two co-defendants in that case. Smith had been known to be winding down the cases following Trump's election win. Smith

himself is expected to leave his post before Trump takes office. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington. President-elect Trump is threatening tariffs on day one of his administration on his social media platform. Trump's saying he'll hit Canada and Mexico with 25% across-the-board tariffs on all goods unless the countries control the flow of illegal drugs, especially fentanyl and illegal migrants across the border. Separately, Trump threatened a 10% tariff on all products from China. Trump has for decades supported the use of tariffs against U.S. trading partners that he views as taking advantage of the U.S. Most economists say

the cost of tariffs will ultimately be borne by U.S. consumers. Macy's says an accounting employee had tens of millions of dollars in expenses that the department store chain that forced the company to delay its quarterly financial report, which is widely watched for clues about consumers spending around the holidays. More from MPR's Alina Salyuk. It's one of the most unusual announcements Macy's has made. The company says it has discovered that a single employee who oversaw expenses from small package delivery had intentionally hid huge sums spent on those expenses.

It was up to $154 million spent over the past three years. Macy says the person is no longer employed by them. The company claims nobody else was involved and it did not say why the employee intentionally made these errors. This means Macy's is delaying its financial forecast for the all-important holiday season. The chain is trying to turn around its slumping sales with a plan that involves closing 150 underperforming stores. Alina Seluk, NPR News. It has become something of a Thanksgiving tradition lately, billionaire investor Warren Buffett says he'll give a billion dollars in Berkshire Hathaway stock to four of his family's foundations. Buffett also offered new details about who will handle his fortune

after his death. Buffett initially said it's three children to be responsible for distributing $147.4 billion, but added successors to them given that his children might not be able to give away all of that money and their lifetimes need to be added. Buffett began giving away much of his vast fortune in 2006. This is NPR. The nation's highest court is declining to hear the case of a challenge to a federal requirement that cigarette packs and advertising for the products include graphic images depicting the effects of smoking. Warnings include pictures of damaged lungs and other effects of cigarette

use. Nearly 120 countries around the world have adopted the warning label, so it's not clear when they might appear in the U.S. Some legal claims still remain with the FDA not planning enforcement until next December. A new study shows HIV infections around the world have dropped significantly over the past 15 years. Imperial's Gabrielle Emanuel knows more. New infections are down more than 20 percent, and much of the progress is in sub-Saharan Africa. Austin Carter is with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and an author on the study. He says this is a testament to national and international efforts.

That includes a U.S. program called PEPFAR. This program has provided a huge amount of treatment and has translated to a lot of the improvements that we're seeing. While much of Africa has made headway, other places are seeing HIV rates go up like Russia, Ukraine, and the Philippines. Gabriella Emanuel and PR News. Well, in 30 pilot whales that stranded themselves on a New Zealand beach have been safely returned to the ocean. Conservation workers and residents helping to refloat the whales by lifting them on sheets. Still at least four of the animals died despite efforts to save them.

New Zealand is known as a hotspot for stranding of whales. New Zealand's conservation agency praised what it called the incredible efforts of those involved. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. Support for this podcast and the following message come from Dignity Memorial. When your celebration of life is prepaid today, your family is protected tomorrow. Planning ahead is truly one of the best gifts you can give your family. For additional information, visit DignityMemorial.ca.