NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-16-2024 2PM EST

Episode Date: December 16, 2024

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Hey, it's Peter Sagal, the host of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Now, if you like Wait, Wait, and you're looking for another podcast where the hosts take self-deprecating jabs at themselves and invite important guests on who have no business being there, then you should check out NPR's How to Do Everything. It's hosted by two of the minds behind Wait, Wait, who literally sometimes put words in my mouth. Find the How to Do Everything podcast wherever you are currently listening to me go on about it. Laxmey Sing Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Laxmey Sing. Investigators are on the scene of a mass shooting at a private school in Madison, Wisconsin. Moments ago, police confirmed at least five people are dead and at least five others are injured this morning at Abundant Life Christian

School. Police Chief Sean Barnes says the suspected shooter is among the dead and was believed to be a minor. Sean Barnes, Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New

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York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New Life Christian School, New York City Police Chief, Abundant Life Christian School, New Out of an abundance of caution, investigators are still doing another sweep of the school and nearby vehicles with the help of bomb-sniffing dogs. As a father and a former teacher, Barnes says his heart is heavy. He reflected on the gravity of his community's loss, especially so close to Christmas. We have to come together as a community and figure out what happened here and make sure that it doesn't happen in any other place that should be a refuge for students in our community. Barnes noted that medics who were initially in training a few miles away ended up applying their training in real time at the site of today's attack. President-elect Donald

Trump says he's a believer of the polio vaccine but wants to review the childhood vaccine program. As NPR's Frank Ordonez reports, he sees a problem autism rates and wants to review the childhood vaccine program. As NPR's Frank Ordonez reports, he sees a problem. Autism rates and wants to review the childhood vaccine program. Speaking at his first press conference since winning the election, Trump addressed concerns about his pick to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who's made unsubstantiated claims about scientifically proven vaccines. I think he's going to be much less radical than you would think. I think he's got a very open mind, or I wouldn't have put him there.

He's going to be very much less radical. But there are problems. He spoke for over an hour from his Mar-a-Lago home. Trump also promised to take a look at pesticides impact on mortality rates and threatened to take legal action against the Biden administration over sales of portions of the border wall Franco or Donia's NPR news Palm Beach, Florida a mass rape trial in the south of France has concluded and the verdict is expected later this week and PR's Eleanor Beardsley is covering that story

Giselle Pelico walked out of the courtroom Monday to applause. She's become a hero in France for insisting that the trial of her husband and 50 other men be open to the public and media. Each of the men risks up to 20 years the maximum sentence for aggravated rape in France. But many testified they did not consider they'd raped her because Pellico's husband invited them and told them she was complicit. In his last statement to the court before the verdict, ex-husband Dominique Pelico hailed the courage of his ex-wife and apologized for making her and his family suffer. Eleanor Beardsley in Pierre News, Avignon, France.

The Dow is down 31 points at last check. This is NPR News. The Federal Reserve is widely expected to cut interest rates when policymakers meet this week. NPR's Scott Horsley reports there is less certainty about what will happen to borrowing costs in 2025. Fed policymakers hold their last meeting of the year this week. Another quarter point cut in interest rates is considered a near certainty. But investors will be listening to what Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and his colleagues have to say about

next year. On average, members of the Fed's rate setting committee were projecting back in September that rates would drop by another full percentage point in 2025. Those future rate cuts could be scaled back, however, if inflation turns out to be more stubborn than expected. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. The Food and Drug Administration has been reviewing a petition to ban a petroleum-based food dye called Red Number 3.

And Pierre Zalcinaubri reports the decision could come soon. Red dye 3 has been used for more than 50 years to give foods and drinks bright, flashy coloring. Back in 1990, the FDA banned it from cosmetics after lab studies show it could cause cancer in animals at high doses. And last year, the state of California passed a law to ban the use of red 3 in food. Researchers found evidence that synthetic food dyes may exacerbate behavior problems in children. Thomas Galligan of the Center for Science and the Public Interest, which filed the petition,

says there's no reason to add synthetic dyes to food. It's just there to make food look visually appealing so that consumers want to spend their money on it. He points out Red 3 has been banned or severely restricted in many countries, including Australia, Japan and the European Union. Alison Albury, NPR News. The Nasdaq is up more than 1 percent and the S&P has risen nearly half a percent. This is NPR News.