NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-01-2024 1PM EST

Episode Date: December 1, 2024

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If you're the kind of person whose idea of a good party conversation starts with, I heard it on NPR, it might be time to take your superfandom seriously. Deck yourself out in sale NPR swag from t-shirts to ball caps to the almighty NPR tote, all at 25% off through November 27th at shop.npr.org. Live from NPR News in Washington. I'm Noor Ram. President-elect Donald Trump has announced his choice to be the director of the FBI. As Cash Patel, who has been a long time critic of the agency, NPR's Marlaiason has more. In his statement nominating Patel, Trump said that Patel would work to bring back fidelity,

bravery and integrity to the FBI. I think the first word there is the most important one, fidelity, because loyalty is the coin of the realm for Trump. And Patel said recently that he would on day one shut down the FBI building and reopen it the next day as a museum of the deep state. And he's actually published a deep state list of specific individuals he wants to fire. NPR's Mara Liason.

Patel can become director only if the Senate agrees, and the current director, Christopher Wray, resigns or is fired. Wray's 10-year term doesn't end until 2027. And Trump plans to nominate his son-in-law's father to be ambassador to France. Trump had pardoned Charles Kushner, who had been convicted of tax evasion,

witness tampering, and campaign finance violations. The UN has paused delivery of humanitarian aid through the main crossing into Gaza, saying it's too dangerous. NPR's Kat Lanzdorf has more. For months, the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel has been the main way for aid to get into Gaza. But the security situation inside Gaza has been deteriorating, for aid to get into Gaza. But the security situation inside Gaza

has been deteriorating, making it difficult to actually deliver. Today, Felipe Lazzarini, Commissioner General of UNRWA, tweeted that UN aid delivery through Kerem Shalom has been paused, citing the breakdown of law and order. In November, he said a large convoy of aid trucks was stolen by armed gangs. He said food trucks on the same route were also overtaken yesterday.

The Israeli agency responsible for aid coordination did not immediately respond for comment. Several other aid organizations have also had to suspend efforts in Gaza recently, as the UN says hunger has reached, quote, critical levels. Kat Lonsdorf, NPR News, Tel Aviv. In South Korea, a UN conference has failed to agree on a treaty to limit plastic pollution, NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports. It was supposed to be the fifth and final meeting of the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution. Many delegates expressed dismay that a week of talks failed

to produce a legally binding treaty. Panamanian delegate Juan Carlos Monterey warned that without a treaty, plastic pollution will continue to damage human health. Microplastics will continue to infiltrate our water, food and bodies. Human bodies will further devolve into toxic waste dumps. Many nations pushed for a reduction or a cap on plastics production and a ban on toxic chemicals in plastics. They were opposed by big oil and petrochemical producing nations and corporations and their lobbyists.

Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul. This is NPR News. The UN is calling for urgent and serious talks to find a political solution in Syria. Russian and Syrian jets struck rebel-held areas of the country today after insurgents gained control of the city of Aleppo last week. The surge in fighting comes as Israel is fighting Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Black women play key roles in immobilizing voters in America after Vice President Kamala Harris lost the election and the chance to become the first black woman president. NPR's

Ashley Lopez reports many of these organizers say they're trying to figure out where to go from here. Many of these political coalitions built by black women include young people, Latinos and low income voters. Ultimately key demographics that swung towards Trump this year and away from the progressive groups a lot of these organizers work for. Alexis Anderson Reed is president and CEO of State Voices, a national network of progressive groups. She says that she and others are exhausted and angry.

I mean, I think in the days, weeks and months to come, there's gonna be a lot of conversations around like the post-mortem from this election. What that means for how we're gonna have to do our work differently. Among other things, organizers say they are taking a second look at what groups they will be fighting with and fighting for in the coming years.

Ashley Lopez and Piernez. The Democratic Party is also doing some soul searching. It's looking for a new head of the Democratic National Committee. Among the candidates are former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and Ken Martin, the state Democratic Party chair in Minnesota. The vote will be held February 1st. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.