NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-12-2024 4AM EST

Episode Date: December 12, 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 Dan Ronan. FBI Director Christopher Wray announced Wednesday he is resigning effective at the end of the Biden administration. He had faced the likelihood he would be fired by President-elect Donald Trump once he's

sworn in on January 20th of next year. Wray had three years left on a 10-year term. Wray made the announcement at a town hall for FBI employees, where he praised the work of the law enforcement agency, which has come under harsh criticism from Trump and others. The importance of our mission, the quality of our people, and their dedication to service over self. It's an unshakable foundation that has stood the test of time and cannot be easily moved.

And it, you, the men and women of the FBI, are why the Bureau will endure and remain successful long, long into the future. Trump has nominated loyalist Kosh Patel to be the new FBI director. He's been on Capitol Hill with lawmakers in preparation for his confirmation hearings. U.S. officials say that locating Austin Tice in Syria is a top priority. NPR's Quill Lawrence reports on efforts to find the American reporter and former Marine

who disappeared 12 years ago. Tice had served at war as a Marine. He then studied law at Georgetown University. And in the summer of 2012, he traveled to Syria as a freelance journalist. He was detained at a checkpoint and was last seen a few weeks later in a video blindfolded and held by gunmen.

American officials believe he was held by the Syrian government that collapsed this month. National security spokesman John Kirby said much is still unknown. No indication that he isn't alive, but also no indication about where he is or what his condition is. The FBI is offering a million-dollar reward for information leading to Austin Tice's safe return. Quill Lawrence, NPR News. The Biden administration is shoring up a taxpayer fund to compensate workers who develop black lung disease while working for coal companies that later go bankrupt.

Wyoming Public Radio's Chris Clements reports. Coal companies are supposed to compensate workers who suffer from black lung. But when some of those companies go bankrupt, a government fund kicks in. The fund is more than $6 billion in debt. So now the Department of Labor is requiring coal companies to chip in more money to cover workers' benefits themselves, says Chris Godfrey, director of the Office of Workers' Compensation. First, as a taxpayer, they should want the responsible mining operator to be responsible for their own debts.

He says the rule will stand unless a new U.S. Congress or presidential administration overturns it. For NPR News, I'm Chris Clements in Laramie. Stocks closed mixed on Wednesday. The Dow was down, but the NASDAQ was up. This is NPR. Environmental groups are petitioning the federal government to reconsider how it manages grizzly bears. This, as federal wildlife managers are deciding whether or not to remove the animals from the endangered species list. Montana Public Radio's Ellis Julin has more. 15 wildlife and tribal groups are petitioning the Fish and Wildlife Service to keep grizzly bears listed. They want it to implement a new management plan drafted by

Chris Servine, who led the agency's federal recovery efforts for 30 years. Delisting takes the focus off real recovery and is pushed for political expediency, not to benefit grizzly bears. A record number of grizzly bears have been killed in and around Yellowstone National Park this year. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been court ordered to make a decision on delisting the grizzly bear population around Yellowstone National Park by January 20th. A similar decision is also expected for bears around Glacier National Park in the new year. For NPR News, I'm Ellis Zhu-Lin in Missoula, Montana. With President-elect Donald Trump now threatening 25 percent tariffs against Canadian and Mexican products that

are imported into the United States. A high-ranking Canadian official is now threatening to cut energy exports to the United States in response. Ottawa's premier Doug Ford met with the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Wednesday and Ford later said, quote, We will go to the full extent of cutting off their energy. Canada supplies more oil to the US than any other nation, accounting for 60% of all impoints. Canada's Deputy Prime Minister

is also preparing US tariffs. You're listening to NPR News. Support.