NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-17-2024 11AM EST

Episode Date: November 17, 2024

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Support for this podcast and the following message come from Autograph Collection Hotels, with over 300 independent hotels around the world, each exactly like nothing else. Autograph Collection is part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of hotel brands. Find the unforgettable at autographcollection.com. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. President Biden takes an aerial tour of the Amazon rainforest today, the first sitting U.S. president to visit the world's largest tropical rainforest. He'll also meet with local and indigenous leaders in Brazil.

Yesterday, Biden was in Peru for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. He met separately with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, reminding Xi the two countries worked together in the past four years and while Biden was vice president. We haven't always agreed, but our conversations have always been candid and always been frank. We have never kidded one another. We've been level with one another. After visiting the Amazon rainforest, Biden will fly to Rio de Janeiro for the G20 summit attended by the leaders of the world's largest economies.

Some Americans are concerned about what the incoming administration will mean for Social Security. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports President-elect Donald Trump has put forward an agenda to keep the program solvent, but some experts are skeptical of his proposals. Charles Blathaus specializes in Social Security at George Mason University. He says while Trump's proposals, including eliminating taxation on Social Security benefits, would likely accelerate its insolvency, the program has been facing a funding shortfall for years.

There has been more damage done to Social Security finances by the delay of the last several decades than would be done by a proposal like this. A proposal like that would be damaging to Social Security finances, but not at the same order of magnitude what we're already living with. Trump has promised not to raise the Social Security, retirement age, or reduce benefits. Windsor-Johnston, NPR News, Washington. In Israel, three people were arrested in connection with two flares that were fired at the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last night.

No one was hurt. This comes as the prime minister faces worsening political trouble. NPR's Michael Levitt has more. In a post on social media, Israel's justice minister, Yeriv Levin, described the incident as a, quote, link in a chain of violent and anarchic actions, which he says aim to overthrow the government. Netanyahu's government has been hurting in the face of falling public support. Demonstrations against Netanyahu's war politics have been persistent throughout the country,

and a survey from Israel's Channel 12 shows a strong desire for the war to end, with nearly 70 percent in favor of a hostage deal. Another recent poll showed public trust in the prime minister at under 30 percent, and overall trust in the government at just over 20. Michael Levitt, NPR News, Tel Aviv. An Israeli airstrike in Lebanon reportedly killed the main spokesman for Hezbollah today. The attack struck a building in central Beirut. You're listening to NPR News in Washington. Residents of Belize are being hit by a tropical storm, Sara, which is moving inland over the Yucatan Peninsula.

It's expected to bring flash floods and landslides. Tropical storm warnings are also posted for portions of Guatemala and Mexico. The region could see more than a foot of rain. An empty beach house collapsed in North Carolina's Outer Banks last week. That makes it the sixth house there to fall this year. As NPR's Juliana Kim reports, local officials say this can be attributed in large part to

climate change. Juliana Kim, NPR News Anchor From May to November, six beach houses have crumbled in North Carolina's Outer Banks. The most recent collapse occurred in the overnight hours between Thursday and Friday after a storm triggered powerful waves along Rodanthe. The house was unoccupied and officials have been in contact with the property owner. Less than a mile away, three other homes collapsed in September, and since 2020, 11 houses in the area have been swept away into the ocean.

Local officials say these homes are falling as a result of strong winds, large waves, and rising sea levels, which are fueled by human-caused climate change. Those conditions are causing beaches to wash away. Julianna Kim, NPR News. A gold pocket watch sold for nearly $2 million yesterday. It had belonged to a ship captain who had rescued survivors of the Titanic. Captain Arthur Rostron had diverted his ship to the site where the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank. The watch had been given to him by widows of three wealthy businessmen who went down with the ship.

I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington. This is Ira Glass with This American Life. Each week on our show, we choose a theme, tell different stories on that theme. All right, I'm just gonna stop right there. You're listening to an NPR podcast, chances are you know our show. So instead, I'm gonna tell you, we've just been on a run of really good shows lately.

Some big epic emotional stories, and some weird funny stuff too. Download us, This American Life.