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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing a rebellion from some fellow Republicans over his bill to keep the government funded into the spring. As NPR's Barbara Spunn explains, the bill would avert a government shutdown after funding runs out at the end of the day Friday.
After intense pressure from billionaire advisor Elon Musk, President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance are calling on Republicans to reject the bill. The short-term measure includes over $100 billion towards disaster aid and farm subsidies, among other things. In a statement, Trump and Vance called for a bill they say doesn't include any legislative wins for Democrats.
This leaves Republicans scrambling to keep the government open, right as Congress is also prepping to go home for the holidays. Barbara Sprint, NPR News, the Capitol.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is weighing legislation that would put stricter regulations on sports betting in the U.S. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports wagering on sporting events has grown into a more than $10 billion industry since the Supreme Court legalized it in 2018.
The use of new technology like smartphones has increased the risk for gambling addiction. Keith White is the executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling.
With the digitization of sports and content, You can now bet 24 hours a day on hundreds if not thousands of events per day, and you can do that continuously from your phone.
Senate Democrats have introduced legislation that would implement stricter regulations on sports betting, including so-called affordability checks on large wagers. and deposit limits. Critics of the measure say it undermines the progress that states have made on regulating betting markets. Windsor Johnston, NPR News, Washington.
A group of former students has accused elite universities of secretly favoring applicants who come from wealthy backgrounds. The lawsuit dates back two years, but a new motion was filed this week. NPR's Janaki Mehta reports.
New details have emerged in an ongoing case that accuses schools of cheating students out of millions of dollars in financial aid over two decades. The motion demands $685 million in damages and accuses elite universities, including University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown, and Cornell of participating in, quote, a price-fixing cartel.
The plaintiffs say the universities were meant to use a, quote, need-blind approach to admissions, and that favoring applicants because of their family's donation potential violates the law. The schools deny the allegations and have attempted to get the case dismissed. Janaki Mehta, NPR News.
One of the worst days of the year on Wall Street as investors sold off after the interest rate setting. The Federal Reserve signaled the pace of interest rate cutting in the new year will be slower than previously forecast. Fed cut rates by a quarter point, but signaled only two rate cuts are likely next year. The Dow plunged 1,123 points, a drop of more than 2.5%. The Nasdaq fell 3.5% today.
You're listening to NPR. Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan have stopped short of saying they want to merge, but are confirming they're discussing closer collaboration. Nissan shares soared more than 22 percent after reports of a possible deal, citing unnamed sources, began circulating.
However, shares returned to Earth when the automaker said instead of creating what would be the world's third-largest automaker, they instead will be looking at possibilities for future collaboration. Nissan has an alliance with French automaker Renault and recently announced plans to ax 9,000 jobs.
An ancient tablet inscribed with the Ten Commandments sold at auction today for more than $5 million. As NPR's Jason DeRose reports, the auction house says the object dates from as early as the 4th century.
Sotheby's says an anonymous bidder has acquired the 115-pound white marble slab and plans to donate it to an Israeli institution. The final $5 million price is far more than what the auction house estimated it would go for. According to Sotheby's, the object was discovered in 1913 during construction of a railroad south of Tel Aviv.
It was used as a paving stone in a home for decades until someone figured out that the inscription was of the Ten Commandments. An oddity is that the list is missing the prohibition against taking God's name in vain, but it includes an admonition to worship God on Mount Gerizim rather than in Jerusalem.
Scholars say that means the tablet was likely used by Samaritans rather than Jews or Christians. Jason DeRose, NPR News.
Crude oil futures prices settled modestly higher after a drop in U.S. inventories. Oil up 50 cents a barrel to 70.58 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.
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