From the online trends that dominated 2024. On the spectrum of rat to demure. Where are you right now? To spicy TikTok viral reads. These romance fantasy books about dragons. NPR kept you up to speed on pop culture. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. More than a day after the brazen killing of a health care executive in New York City, the shooter remains at large.
NPR's Quill Lawrence reports police have released a photo of a person of interest. Police have released a security camera photo of a man wearing a hooded coat with his mask down and have offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. the murder as a targeted killing, but they've yet to announce a motive in the death of 50-year-old Brian Thompson, who ran the country's largest health insurer, UnitedHealthcare.
Police say the killer waited for Thompson for a few minutes outside a Midtown hotel before shooting him repeatedly in the back. The shooter paused when his gun jammed, cleared the jam, and then continued firing. Police confirmed to member station WNYC that bullet casings recovered at the scene were inscribed with words like deny, depose, and defend. Quill Lawrence, NPR News, New York.
A bipartisan House task force investigating the July 13th attempt on President-elect Trump's life in Pennsylvania. is hearing from Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe. His predecessor stepped down in the wake of criticism about security missteps that enabled a gunman to have a clear shot at Trump at an outdoor rally.
At one point today, the proceeding erupted in a shouting match. Republican Congressman Matt Fallin accused Roe of inappropriately positioning himself behind President Biden, Vice President Harris, President-elect Trump, and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance at a 9- commemoration this year and Roe pushed back. I actually responded to ground zero. I was there going through the ashes of the World Trade Center.
I was there at Fresh Kills. I'm not asking you that. I'm asking you. Congressman, I was there to show respect for a Secret Service member that died on 9-11. Do not invoke 9-11 for political purposes. The city of Memphis says it will not enter into a consent decree with the federal government to govern its police force.
NPR's Debbie Elliott has details. The Justice Department says Memphis police regularly use excessive force, conduct unlawful stops, searches and arrests, and discriminate against black residents and people with behavioral health disabilities.
The findings come after a 16-month investigation into the practices of Memphis police initiated after the beating death of black motorist Tyree Nichols after a traffic stop. Three fired officers were convicted on federal civil rights charges and two others pleaded guilty, the attorney for Memphis says city officials are not ready to negotiate reforms or enter into a consent decree and implies the federal
was rushed. Debbie Elliott, NPR News. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down more than 100 points. From Washington, this is NPR News. UNICEF says it is, quote, deeply alarmed by reports that the Taliban have banned women in Afghanistan from taking nursing and midwifery courses.
NPR's Dehadid reports Afghanistan already has severe shortage of female health workers. UNICEF says they've received conflicting reports about the ban but say if it's true, it would have far-reaching consequences for all. Afghans. Those nursing courses were only open to women this February, after one analyst says the Taliban's Ministry of Public Health lobbied the group's supreme leader. to ease a ban on most women and girls seeking an education beyond grade six.
This week, some women who attended those courses told NPR they were turned away from their classes and were told that females were no longer allowed to study. Two government officials also confirmed the ban. Human Rights Watch says the ban came from the group's supreme leader and warns it will lead to women needlessly suffering and even dying from a lack of health care. Dear Hadid, NPR News, Mumbai.
There's going to be a strike at Volkswagen factories across Germany Monday. That's what a union has announced today. The work stoppage is time to coincide with the next round of labor talks over layoffs and other cost-cutting measures. Volkswagen defends its actions is critical to remaining competitive against foreign rivals. The Nasdaq is up 34 points, the S&P's risen 5, and the Dow is down 105 points. It's NPR.
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