NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-13-2024 2AM EST

Episode Date: December 13, 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. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal says if evidence can be found that mysterious, believed to be drones are flying over New Jersey and New York, they should be shot down. The White House Thursday said it's reviewed the reported sightings and many of them are

manned aircraft being flown legally. The United States Coast Guard is providing support to the state of New Jersey and has confirmed that there is no evidence of any foreign-based involvement from coastal vessels. That is White House National Security spokesman, Admiral John Kirby. The number of reported sightings has increased recently, but officials say it's possible a single drone or aircraft has been sighted and reported more than once. On Capitol Hill, questions remain in the U.S. Senate one month after President-elect Donald Trump picked Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

NPR's Luke Garrett reports. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska tells NPR she is meeting with R.F.K. Jr. next week. I am from a state where vaccines have saved whole villages. And so I want to talk to him about the issue of vaccines. R.F.K. Jr. ran for president as an independent and spread anti-vaccine messages and conspiracies. Kennedy dropped out of the race and endorsed Trump. Rokowsky says beyond vaccines, she also wants to hear his ideas about pesticide use and

nutrition. I'm curious to talk to him about some of the food issues as well. So it should be a great conversation. Kennedy has been highly critical of big food and pharmaceutical industries. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. Nevada's state attorney general has filed new charges against six fake electors from the 2020 presidential election. NPR's Hansi Lo Wang reports. Six Nevadans are accused of offering to state and federal officials a forged certificate that claimed Donald Trump had won Nevada's electoral votes in 2020. It was one of the documents that became part of a scheme by Trump and his allies to try to overturn those election results. In June, a Nevada judge threw out an earlier indictment against these six Nevadans after

finding the state attorney general's office chose the wrong venue. In a statement, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford says in case that ruling does not get overturned on appeal, his office has filed these new felony charges in a different venue before the statute of limitations expires. Two of these so-called fake electors from 2020 are set to serve as 2024 electors next week when they're expected to help cast Nevada's electoral votes for President-elect Trump. Hansi Luang, NPR News. Luigi Mangione, who New York police say shot and killed health insurance executive Brian Thompson, is due in court on December the

23rd and then again on December the 20th. The court appearances will be in Pennsylvania where he is currently being held without bond as he fights extradition back to New York State to fight those charges. You're listening to NPR News. The National Labor Relations Board has issued a complaint against the producers of the reality TV show Love is Blind. The complaint argues that the dating show's contestants should be classified as employees and not merely as participants. NPR's Andrea Hsu reports this could lead to big changes for retaliatory reality television. The difference between employees and participants is a meaningful one. Employees have rights under federal law to act collectively to improve their wages and working conditions. Participants

do not. The complaint finds that the producers of Love is Blind unlawfully classified contestants as participants, depriving them of basic protections under labor law. Love is Blind offers no cash prize, just a shot at true love. Cast members are paid a modest salary. Several former contestants have complained publicly about long hours and treatment they received while filming the show. A hearing in the case is scheduled for April. Andrea Hsu, NPR News. President-elect Donald Trump is offering to support union dock workers who are engaged in stalled contract talks with management who operate eastern and Gulf Coast ports.

Trump said he met with the union leaders and he believes further automation of the ports would harm workers. The International Longshoremen's Association and Management's Maritime Alliance are facing a January 15 deadline to reach an agreement on working conditions. The wage portion of the contract has already been agreed to. No new talks are scheduled. From Washington, you're listening to NPR News.