NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-01-2024 4PM 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 Nora Rahm. President-elect Donald Trump has announced his choice to be the director of the FBI. It's Cash Patel, who has been a longtime critic of the agency. NPR's Marla Elyason 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. Danielle Pletka NPR's Mara Lyonson. Patel can become director only if the Senate agrees, and the current director Christopher Wray resigns or is fired. Wray was appointed by Trump and his 10-year term doesn't end until 2027. Trump is also picking the fathers-in-law of both his daughters to join his administration. Ivanka's father-in-law, Charles Kushner, has been tapped

to be ambassador to France. Tiffany's father-in-law, Lebanese-American businessman, Massad Boulos, was chosen to be senior advisor on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. Sheriffs in North Carolina are now required to keep arrested non-citizens in jail longer when asked to do so by immigration and customs enforcement. NPR's Martin Costee reports. North Carolina sheriffs generally cooperate with ICE, but a few had stopped honoring detainers. Those are the requests ICE makes for jails to hold on to people who are arrested on criminal charges but are also found to be in the country illegally.

Sheriffs now have to hold those people an extra 48 hours so ICE can pick them up. In Charlotte, Sheriff Gary McFadden says he'll comply, but it won't be cheap. Right now it is $181 a day for a person to stay in Mecklenburg County Detention Center. That bill is going to be footed by the citizen of Mecklenburg County. He says his jail gets 280 detainer requests a year, which he'll now have to honor. ICE officials say it's safer to pick up potential deportees from jails than to have agents go look for them in the community. Martin Kosty, NPR News. In Syria, rebels are still in control of the city of Aleppo after a surprise offensive last week. It's been a focal point of the Syrian

civil war. Doreen Khalifa with the International Crisis Group has been following the war. She says the rebels are now reaching out to the community. Doreen Khalifa, International Crisis Group, Islamist What we've seen so far is that these rebels who are honestly different shades of Islamists at this point are trying to signal comforting messages to the local population, saying that they're going to respect all civilians, they're going to respect the diversity, background, sects of local citizens living in these areas. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed since the civil war began in 2011.

This is NPR News. The UN agency of Palestinian refugees said today it's suspending aid deliveries through the main crossing into Gaza. It says it's too dangerous because armed gangs have looted recent convoys. Gaza is already in a humanitarian crisis as another cold, rainy winter begins. Taiwan's president visited Hawaii today, one of the stopovers in his first international trip since taking office. His stops in U.S. territory have been heavily criticized by China.

NPR's Emily Fang reports. William Lai, the president of Taiwan, landed in Honolulu on Saturday local time and went to present a signed wreath at a memorial at Pearl Harbor commemorating U.S. servicemen who died in World War II. And while seemingly routine, this visit from the president of the Democratic Island of Taiwan is being closely monitored by China, which opposes any Taiwanese state visits because it sees Taiwan as its territory. That has not stopped previous Taiwanese presidents from

making frequent visits to U.S. cities, though they almost always avoid the continental U.S. to avoid angering Beijing too much. Still, Taiwan's military has been preparing for potential Chinese military drills in response to Lai's trip this month. Emily Fang and Peer News, Taipei, Taiwan. The Supreme Court hears arguments tomorrow on whether the Food and Drug Administration has the authority to ban certain types of e-cigarettes.

The FDA approves vaped products that are tobacco or menthol-flavored, but bans flavors more likely to appeal to children with names such as peachy strawberry and pink lemonade. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.