NPR News: 11-23-2024 2AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: Episode Summary – November 23, 2024

Hosted by Dale Willman

---

1. Surge in White Supremacist Flash Demonstrations

Timestamp: [00:15]

The United States is witnessing a disturbing rise in flash demonstrations orchestrated by white supremacist groups. These sudden, often masked gatherings are characterized by the display of offensive banners, white power flags, and the chanting of hateful rhetoric.

Key Points:

• Nature of Demonstrations: Typically small groups, predominantly composed of masked men, these demonstrations are strategic in their timing and location, often emerging in response to current divisive debates.

• Recruitment Tactics: RN Siegel from the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism explains that these groups exploit videos of their displays to recruit and inspire like-minded individuals on social media platforms. Siegel notes, "These flash demonstrations are a tool for recruitment and spreading extremist ideologies online." [00:57]

• Geographical Spread: Stephen Fowler highlights the national reach of these activities, stating, "Over the past couple of years, they really hit every part of the country. If there is a divisive debate that often can influence where they will show up." [00:57]

• Statistics: Since 2020, there have been over 750 such flash demonstrations across the U.S., with more than half occurring in the last 18 months, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

2. Russell Vogt Appointed to Head the Office of Management and Budget

Timestamp: [01:20]

President-elect Donald Trump has announced the return of Russell Vogt to serve as the head of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), a pivotal position responsible for overseeing the federal budget and managing executive branch agencies.

Key Points:

• Role of OMB: As Stephen Fowler explains, the OMB is crucial in shaping the administration's budgetary priorities and ensuring that executive agencies align with the president's agenda.

• Policy Influence: Vogt is expected to drive Trump's second-term vision for government operations. He is linked to the conservative Policy Playbook Project 2025, which advocates that, "it is the president's agenda that should matter to the departments and agencies and not their own." [01:27]

3. Scott Besant Nominated as Treasury Secretary

Timestamp: [01:55]

In a significant move to bolster his economic team, President-elect Trump has nominated Scott Besant to serve as the Treasury Secretary.

Key Points:

• Background of Besant: Besant is a prominent figure in the financial sector, managing the hedge fund Key Square Group. Despite his professional ties to billionaire Democratic donor George Soros, he enjoys strong support within Trump’s circles, partly due to his long-standing friendship with Vice President-elect J.D. Vance.

• Role and Responsibilities: Scott Horsley reports that as Treasury Secretary, Besant will be instrumental in pushing forward major elements of Trump's economic agenda, including potential tax cuts and tariffs. Horsley describes Besant as, "one of the president elect's biggest cheerleaders in the financial world." [02:04]

• Trump's Endorsement: Trump lauded Besant in a social media post, calling him "widely respected as one of the world's foremost international investors."

4. Matt Gaetz Withdraws from Attorney General Race

Timestamp: [02:38]

Florida Republican Matt Gaetz has decided not to return to Congress, withdrawing his candidacy for Attorney General amidst mounting allegations of sexual misconduct.

Key Points:

• Resignation and Nomination: Gaetz had previously resigned from Congress after Trump announced his intention to appoint him to the Cabinet as Attorney General. However, the emerging controversies led him to step back, stating, "I have no intention of serving another term in the House."

• Impact on Administration: His withdrawal signals a shift in Trump's cabinet plans and underscores the challenges faced in filling key positions amidst personal and political scrutiny.

5. Wall Street Closes on a High Note

Timestamp: [02:38]

Financial markets ended the day robustly, reflecting investor confidence amid political developments.

Key Points:

• Market Performance: The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged by 426 points, the NASDAQ increased by 31 points, and the S&P 500 closed up by 20 points.

• Implications: This positive movement suggests optimism about the incoming administration's economic policies and potential market-friendly initiatives.

6. Björk’s Art Installation Highlights Biodiversity Loss

Timestamp: [03:35]

Renowned pop artist Björk has unveiled a groundbreaking art installation in Paris titled Nature Manifesto, which audaciously incorporates the sounds of endangered and extinct animals to underscore the dire impacts of human-induced climate change.

Key Points:

• Installation Details: Visitors experience an immersive soundscape featuring a diverse array of animal sounds, including those of mutant peacocks, bees, lemurs, orangutans, belugas, and even extinct species like the Hawaiian crow. These sounds are played as visitors ascend the long glass escalator adjacent to the Pompidou Centre.

• Creative Process: The project leverages artificial intelligence to manipulate sound samples, creating a pioneering auditory experience that underscores the fragility of Earth's biodiversity.

• Björk’s Activism: A committed climate activist, Björk uses her platform to advocate for ecological preservation, notably opposing intensive fish farming practices in her native Iceland. Chloe Veltman reports, "Björk's Nature Manifesto serves as a poignant reminder of the irreversible losses faced by our planet's wildlife." [03:47]

7. International Developments

Timestamp: [04:17]

a. Brazil Accuses Former President Jair Bolsonaro of Coup Attempt

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, along with 36 others, has been formally accused of attempting a coup to retain power after losing the 2022 elections. The country's prosecutor general will determine whether to proceed with formal charges against Bolsonaro and his associates.

b. Human Rights Violations in Myanmar

A United Nations human rights investigator has reported severe atrocities committed by Myanmar's military junta, including beheadings, gang rapes, and torture. These brutal tactics aim to suppress opposition and maintain control over various villages in the Southeast Asian nation. Victims notably include children and the elderly, highlighting the junta's disregard for vulnerable populations.

---

This summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the NPR News Now episode released on November 23, 2024. For listeners seeking a comprehensive overview of the latest national and international news, this episode delivers critical updates across a spectrum of pressing issues.

Transcript

[University of Kansas Cancer Center]

This message comes from the University of Kansas Cancer Center. How you receive cancer care is just as important as the care itself. Their experts know this and work to provide leading care with a compassionate human touch at every step.

[Dale Willman]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Flash demonstrations by white supremacist groups are on the rise across the nation. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports that experts are calling these displays a trend that's linked linked to changing demographics and deep political divisions.

[Windsor Johnston]

The flash demonstrations are usually small groups made up of mostly masked men who show up in communities waving offensive banners, white power flags and chanting hateful rhetoric. RN Siegel is with the Anti Defamation League's center on Extremism. He says these groups then use videos of the displays to recruit or inspire others. On social media marches that we've seen.

[Stephen Fowler]

Over the past couple of years, they really hit every part of the country. If there is a divisive debate that often can influence where they will show up.

[Windsor Johnston]

The Anti Defamation League says more than 750 flash demonstrations have taken place in the US since 2020, with more than half of them occurring within the last 18 months. Windsor Johnston, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

President elect Donald Trump is bringing back Russell Vogt to head the Office of management and budget. NPR's Stephen Fowler has more.

[Stephen Fowler]

Vote held the same role in Trump's first term in office. The OMB runs the president's budget and supervised executive branch agencies, so Vote will play a key role in shaping Trump's second term vision for how the government operates. That likely includes plans Vote wrote for the conservative Policy Playbook Project 2025. In that document, Vote wrote that, quote, it is the president's agenda that should matter to the departments and agencies and not their own. Stephen Fowler, NPR News, Atlanta.

[Dale Willman]

President elect Donald Trump also announced several more picks for members of his administration Friday. Among them is Scott Besant, who Trump wants to serve as his treasury sec.

[Scott Horsley]

A.

[Dale Willman]

Treasury treasury secretary NP Scott Horsley says if confirmed, Besant will be tasked with pushing major parts of Trump's agenda, including any tax cuts and tariffs.

[Scott Horsley]

He's one of the president elect's biggest cheerleaders in the financial world. He runs a hedge fund, the Key Square Group. He also works for billionaire Democratic donor George Soros, which generated suspicion of him in some Trump quarters. But he's a longtime friend of Vice President elect J.D. vance. In a social media post this evening, Trump described Besin as widely respected as one of the world's foremost international investors.

[Dale Willman]

And geopolitical and economic strategists that's NPR's Scott Horsley reporting. Matt Gaetz says he will not return to Congress. The Florida Republican withdrew this week as President elect. Donald Trump's nominee is attorney general. He dropped out of the running following growing fallout from allegations against him of sexual misconduct. He had resigned from Congress after Trump announced his intention to appoint Gaetz to his Cabinet Friday. He said he had no intention of serving another term in the House. It was a good day on Wall street on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial average was up 426 points, the NASDAQ up 31, and the S&P 500 closed up 20 points. This is NPR News. The pop star and artist Bjork has created a new art installation in Paris that features the sounds of endangered and extinct animals. NPR's Chloe Velpman reports that Nature Manifesto aims to highlight the effects of human caused climate change on the Earth's shrinking biodiversity.

[Chloe Veltman]

Visitors can hear Bjork's immersive, otherworldly soundscape over the next few weeks as they climb the long glass escalator that hugs the side of the Pompidou Centre in Paris in a pioneering sound strata of.

[Dale Willman]

Mutant peacocks, bees and lemurs.

[Chloe Veltman]

There are orangutan, beluga, whale and mosquito sounds, among others. Also in the mix are the sounds of extinct creatures like the Hawaiian crow, which can no longer be found in the wilderness. The creative team manipulated many of the samples using artificial intelligence. Bjork is a longtime climate activist. She advocates for ecological issues, including her ongoing fight against intensive fish farming in her native Iceland. Chloe Veltman, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

Police in Brazil Friday formally accused former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup to keep the right wing leader in power after losing the 2022 elections there. The country's prosecutor general will now decide whether to charge Bolsonaro or to that investigation. A United nations human rights investigator said Friday the junta controlling Myanmar is using beheadings, gang rape and torture in an attempt to control some of that country's villages. And Thomas Andrews says children and the elderly are among its victims. The military rulers of the country have been facing major opposition to its control over that Southeast Asian country. I'm Dale Willman and PR News.

[NPR Sponsor]

This message comes from NPR sponsor Shopify, the global commerce platform that helps you sell and show up exactly the way you want to customize your online store to your style. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at shopify. Com, NPR.