NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-16-2024 5PM EST

Episode Date: December 16, 2024

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For every headline, there's also another story about the people living those headlines. On weekdays, Up First brings you the day's biggest news. On Sundays, we bring you closer with a single story about the people, places, and moments reshaping our world. Your news made personal. Every Sunday on the Up First podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Hurst. A shooting at a private Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin today left three people

dead, a teacher, a teenager, and the teenaged gunman, who police say was a student at the school. Six others were transported to area hospitals, and two have life-threatening injuries. Sarah Lear of Wisconsin Public Radio has more. Officers responded to a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School shortly before 11 a.m. Monday. Madison Police Chief Sean Barnes says officers did not fire their weapons, and the shooter appears to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. We're still going through collecting evidence, collecting information, making sure that our community is safe from what is a sad day for our community and for our country.

Officials have not yet released the names of the victims or the suspected shooter. For NPR News, I'm Sarah Lear in Madison. suspected shooter. For NPR News, I'm Sarah Lear in Madison. President-elect Donald Trump says the government knows more than it's saying about reported drone sightings in New Jersey and beyond. NPR's Joel Rose reports those comments were part of a wide ranging press conference today at his home in Florida. There have been thousands of reported sightings of unexplained drones in New Jersey and elsewhere in recent weeks.

The Biden administration says there is no evidence of a threat to the public and that many of the unexplained sightings are likely manned aircraft. Still, President-elect Trump is accusing the administration of keeping Americans in the dark about what the drones are. Our military knows and our president knows, and for some reason they want to keep people in suspense. Trump declined to say whether he has received an intelligence briefing on the drones. U.S. military officials have said publicly they do not know where they are coming from,

but say there's no indication that they're being controlled by a foreign power. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington. TikTok and its parent company ByteD, have asked the Supreme Court in an emergency request to block a law requiring the China-based company to sell the social video app or shutdown by January 19th. The White House and Congress say the owners present a national security concern to the U.S. because of the data on American consumers that the app scoops up. The Fed is widely expected to cut interest rates when policymakers meet this

week and Piers Scott Horsley has more. 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.

Wall Street in mixed territory by the closing bell, the Dow down 110 points. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Democratic organizer David Hogg says he's running to be the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee. Hogg first became a national political figure six years ago when he and his classmates launched the youth-led gun violence prevention group March for Our Lives after a mass shooting at their high school. As Impir's Lena Moore reports, leadership elections are set for February 1st. Hogue is vying for one of three at-large vice chair roles within the DNC.

In a press release, he said the party needs to improve on its youth outreach and come up with a plan to address issues like rising housing prices and crime. He argued those things are possible if, quote, we take a hard look in the mirror and commit to addressing our mistakes. His announcement comes as party leaders reassess their post-election game plan after losing ground on issues like the economy and with key voting blocks, including young voters. Hogg has made this key to his campaign. If elected at 24, he says he would be the

youngest to hold the position. Elena Moore, NPR News, Washington. In the French territory of Mayotte, hundreds are feared dead after tropical cyclone Chito swept through the islands in the Indian Ocean at the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. The storm severely damaged or destroyed critical infrastructure, including the island's hospital and airport. And roads are blocked by downed trees. That's making access tough for rescuers trying to get in. Officials say aid is being delivered by boat as crews work to clear those roads.

I'm Janene Herbst, NPR News in Washington.