NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-30-2024 11PM EST

Episode Date: December 1, 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, I'm Dale Willman. President-elect Donald Trump has selected Attorney Kash Patel to serve as the next director of the FBI. As NPR's Windsor Johnston reports, if confirmed by the Senate, Patel could implement significant

changes at the Bureau. Patel has been an outspoken critic of the FBI. The former prosecutor and public defender has called for shutting down the agency's Washington, D.C. headquarters and firing its top leadership. During the end of Trump's first term in office, Patel served in a number of administration positions, including on the National Security Council and in the Pentagon. His nomination could draw scrutiny from lawmakers in the Senate, possibly setting up contentious

confirmation hearings. In a post on social media, Trump called Patel a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and quote, America first fighter. Windsor-Johnston, NPR News, Washington. Syrian opposition forces have taken control of much of that country's second largest city of Aleppo. And as NPR's Ruth Sherlock reports, rebel forces say they're also closing in on the government's stronghold city of Hama. Thousands of Syrian opposition rebels have moved into Aleppo, Syria's second most populous city.

Videos show them at the old citadel, burning posters of Syrian President Bashar Assad. It's a sudden and stunning development in Syria's 14- at the old citadel, burning posters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It's a sudden and stunning development in Syria's 14-year civil war. The Syrian regime, backed by Russia and Iran, was heralded as having largely won the conflict, with opposition militias pushed to rural areas along the border with Turkey. There, they were funded and received military training by Turkey. And now, in just three days, these rebels have stormed deep into Syria and are now targeting the government's stronghold of Hamma in the center of the country. The Syrian military says it's regrouping to launch

a counteroffensive. One reason for the regime's sudden loss may be intensified Israeli airstrikes on the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah in Syria who were helping the regime control the country. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News. One of the deadliest and most costly hurricane seasons ever seen in the Atlantic officially ended today. For Miami, NPR's Greg Allen reports that the season brought 11 hurricanes, five of which made landfall in the U.S. Ocean temperatures in the Atlantic were two to three degrees above normal this season. In early July, Hurricane Barrel became a Category 5 storm, the earliest in the season a hurricane had ever grown that intense. In late September, Hurricane Helene left a path of destruction from Florida to North Carolina. More than 200 people died, about half of them in North

Carolina from the severe flooding. Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Milton strengthened to a category 5 storm but weakened before making landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast. A recent study found that because of climate change, hurricanes are now a full category higher than they would have been in earlier decades. Greg Allen, NPR News, Miami. I'm Dale Willman and you're listening to NPR News. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in Thailand and Malaysia

this weekend because of massive flooding throughout that area. The floods have affected more than 500,000 homes in southern Thailand and at least 12 people have died across the two countries. The rapper Drake has taken another shot in his rap battle with Kendrick Lamar. This time it's aimed at his music label. Drake has taken legal action against Universal Music Group. NPR's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento reports. Kendrick Lamar's song, Not Like Us, came out in May. ["Not Like Us," by Kendrick Lamar playing on radio.] The diss track topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart twice

and was widely believed to trump Lamar's ongoing beef with Drake. But now, Drake has filed two petitions against UMG, the label he shares with Lamar. The first petition alleges that UMG and Spotify illegally boosted Lamar's song. The second petition accuses UMG of engaging in a pay to play scheme with iHeartMedia to increase the radio play for Not Like Us.

The filing also takes issue with some of the lyrics from Lamar's song, which refer to Drake as a quote certified pedophile and predator. According to Drake's attorneys, UMG knew such accusations were false, but chose to release the track anyway. Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, NPR News. Michigan shocked Ohio State today in Columbus. The Wolverines scored a field goal with 45 seconds left to beat the Buckeyes 13 to 10, knocking the Bucs out of contention

for the Big Ten Championship. Number four Penn State, meanwhile, easily handled Maryland 44 to 7. Notre Dame had difficulty with USC but won 49 to 35. Tennessee beat Vanderbilt, Syracuse surprised Miami and Valdosta State beat miles by a score of 33 to 17. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.