NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-02-2024 10AM EST

Episode Date: December 2, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. President-elect Donald Trump's decision to nominate Cash Patel as the next director of the FBI continues to send shockwaves through the bureau. The current director of the agency, Christopher Wray, has three years remaining in his 10-year term. NPR's Carrie Johnson reports that Wray's next steps are unclear. It's been rare to fire an FBI director with time left on his term, but it has happened NPR's Kari Johnson reports that Ray's next steps are unclear. It's been rare to fire an FBI director with time left on his term, but it has happened

before. And now it's not clear whether Ray would stick around to be fired in January or whether he might resign first. Over the weekend, the FBI said Chris Ray, the director, is focused on the FBI workforce and on protecting the American people from threats. That's NPR's Carrie Johnson reporting. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to weigh in today on the Food and Drug Administration's regulation of vaping.

NPR's Nina Totenberg reports e-cigarettes are supposed to help people quit smoking, but vaping has become popular with teenagers. In 2009, Congress enacted a new regulatory regime aimed at curbing cigarette use and most particularly cigarette use by underage children. The FDA in carrying out that mandate ultimately concluded that it would not approve most flavored e-cigarettes with names like Pink Lemonade and Rainbow Road because those products contain nicotine and amount to a gateway product to lure kids to more dangerous tobacco use. The agency, however, did approve tobacco and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes because they

were a functional aid to breaking the more dangerous tobacco habit for adults. The vaping industry contends that the FDA did not fairly evaluate the vaping products. Nina Totenberg, NPR News, Washington. NINA TOTENBERG. Stocks on Wall Street open mix this morning as the CEO of Chrysler's parent company steps down. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones Industrial Leverage slipped by 156 points in early trading. SCOTT HORSLEY. Chrysler parents, parent Stellantis has been struggling with weak sales. The company said last month it plans to lay off about 1,100 workers at a Jeep factory

in Toledo next year. Stellantis CEO Carlos Taveras submitted his resignation over the weekend. Volkswagen workers in Germany are staging two-hour strikes to protest planned pay cuts and factory closures. VW says the cuts are necessary in the face of sluggish European sales. Turkey Stuff families flocked to the movie theater over the holiday weekend. Moana 2 debuted with $221 million in ticket sales. Wicked and Gladiator 2 combined for another $160 million in their second week of release.

Scott Horsley in NPR News, Washington. Stocks continue to trade mixed on Wall Street this morning. The Dow is down 170 points. The Nasdaq composite up 150. This is NPR News in Washington. Severe weather is crippling parts of the Great Lakes region. The storm has brought significant snowfall to parts of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania,

and New York, stranding hundreds of vehicles on roads this weekend. Forecasters say the storm is expected to dump additional snow in the region this week. Some areas could see up to six feet by tomorrow. At least 56 people have died in Guinea after a stampede at a soccer stadium. NPR's Jule Bright reports authorities in the West African nation say the incident was triggered by soccer fans who were angry over a controversial refereeing decision. Guinean officials say panic broke out in the stadium and people started rushing for the exits after angry soccer fans started throwing stones at game officials. The incident happened in Guinea's second largest city, in Zerikore, and the death toll is expected to rise.

A local official says most of the victims are minors who were caught up in the chaos after police started firing tear gas. Videos have been shared online showing parents retrieving the bodies of their children. The match was part of a soccer tournament being played in honor of Guinness military ruler who seized power in 2021. Opposition groups have blamed the deaths on the junta. Jo Bright, NPR News Lagos both are being counted for a third day in Ireland's parliamentary election. Exit polling suggests the country's two main center-right parties have performed well enough to enter coalition talks. I'm Windsor Johnston, NPR News in Washington.