NPR News Now: December 3, 2024, 7 PM EST
Hosted by NPR, "NPR News Now" delivers the latest news in five minutes, updated hourly. In the December 3, 2024, episode released on December 4, NPR covers a range of topics from political transitions to economic challenges and international cultural repatriations.
Trump Transition Secures Agreement with Justice Department
[00:19] Jack Speier introduces the segment on the Trump administration's transition process. Tamara Keith reports on the recently signed agreement between the Trump transition team and the U.S. Justice Department.
"This agreement will ensure President Elect Trump and his team will be ready on day one to begin enacting the America first agenda," said Susie Wiles, the incoming White House Chief of Staff (00:35).
Despite President Elect Donald Trump's expressed distrust of the Justice Department and the FBI, the collaboration is pivotal for conducting the necessary background checks and security clearances essential for the incoming administration's officials and nominees.
Record High in Unaffordable Housing Costs
[01:16] Jack Speier transitions to economic concerns as Jennifer Ludden delves into the alarming rise in unaffordable housing costs affecting millions of Americans.
"Nearly 43 million households paid more than a third of their income for housing last year, and for about half of them, it was more than 50%," Jennifer Ludden reports, citing Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies (01:26).
The analysis highlights that both renters and homeowners are under significant financial strain due to escalating housing prices. Notably, there has been a pronounced increase among homeowners, attributed to rising insurance and property taxes even for those who have paid off their mortgages. Additionally, wage growth has not kept pace with the surge in housing costs, exacerbating the affordability crisis.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Targets Data Brokers
[02:09] Jack Speier introduces a critical development in financial privacy. Laurel Walmsley explains the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) proposed rule aimed at safeguarding Americans' financial data.
"Data brokers are making this data available to anyone willing to pay a price," Jennifer Ludden adds, emphasizing the ease with which sensitive information can be accessed without the need for hacking (02:45).
The proposed rule seeks to extend the protections of the Fair Credit Reporting Act to data brokers who have historically operated outside its regulatory scope. CFPB Director Rohit Chopra stated that the rule "will help protect Americans' personal information" (02:17). However, the future of this rule remains uncertain with the impending Trump administration, leaving the support of the administration in question (02:54).
Wall Street’s Mixed Trading Day
A quiet day prevailed on Wall Street as major indices saw mixed performances. Jack Speier reports that blue-chip stocks ended the day lower, with the Dow and Nasdaq each falling by 76 points, while the S&P managed a slight gain of 2 points. Despite the downturn in specific sectors, the broader market continued to reach new highs, reflecting ongoing volatility and investor uncertainty.
Return of Historical Artifact to Turkey
Elizabeth Blair covers an important cultural restitution case involving the repatriation of a bronze head of Roman Emperor Septimius Severus to Turkey.
"Artifacts with shady provenance," stated Turkey's ambassador to Denmark, highlighting the significance of the museum’s decision to return the artifact (03:26).
Originally looted and subsequently sold to an art smuggler, the artifact had been housed at the Glyptotek Museum in Copenhagen. Scientific documentation and strong arguments led to the museum agreeing to restitute the bronze head, following a similar case where a statue seized by the Manhattan DA's Antiquities Trafficking Unit was returned to Turkey from New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Sentencing in the Black Swan Murder Case
In a high-profile legal outcome, Jack Speier reports on the sentencing of 32-year-old Ashley Benefield, a former Florida ballerina, who has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
"Benefield contended she shot and killed her 58-year-old estranged husband, Doug Benefield, in self-defense," as Jack Speier details the case from Manatee County (04:10).
Despite Benefield’s claims of self-defense, a judge rejected her request for a new trial based on alleged juror misconduct. The case garnered significant attention due to the Benefields' status as co-founders of the American National Ballet.
Oil Prices Surge Amid Middle East Tensions
The episode also touches on the volatile energy markets, noting that crude oil prices experienced a sharp increase.
"Prices took a sharp bump up today amid threats from Israel to attack the Lebanese state if a truce with Hezbollah collapses," Jack Speier reports, highlighting oil's rise by $1.84 per barrel to $69.94 (04:10).
Heightened tensions in the Middle East, particularly between Israel and Hezbollah, have fueled uncertainty in the oil markets, contributing to the spike in prices.
For more updates, tune into "NPR News Now" for concise and comprehensive coverage of the day's most pressing stories.