NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-24-2024 6PM EST

Episode Date: November 24, 2024

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Winzer Johnston, NPR News. President Biden has approved Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles in Russia. NPR's Lou Garrett reports the escalating tensions come during a delicate transition between Biden and President-elect Donald Trump. Incoming National Security Adviser, Representative Mike Mike Waltz gave a warning on Fox News this Sunday. For our adversaries out there that think this is a time of opportunity, that they can play one administration off the other, they're wrong.

Waltz stressed the cooperation between himself and current National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Despite this, Waltz says he will bring about significant change to American policy under a second Trump presidency. I'm going to conform the system to the best I can, to his style, to his decisions, and to his mandate. And topping his national security list is one, securing the U.S. border, and two, quote, imposing costs on Hamas for holding American hostages. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel today, injuring at least seven people. NPR's Lauren

Frere reports the strikes came a day after Israel attacked Lebanon, killing 84 people. These cross-border attacks have spiked even as Israel and Lebanon negotiate through a U.S. mediator the terms of a possible ceasefire. More than two dozen of those killed in Lebanon were likely in bed when a 4 a.m. airstrike flattened their building. Bulldozers are still combing through debris for more bodies. It was one of the largest Israeli airstrikes to date, and it hit in the heart of the capital Beirut without warning. Among many other attacks, an Israeli strike on the Mediterranean coast killed a soldier from the Lebanese army, which has largely been on the sidelines of this war. Prime Minister Najib Makhati called it a quote direct bloody message. Israel

expressed regret and said it was investigating. Lauren Freyer and PR News, Beirut. If you're shopping for a big Thanksgiving meal this weekend you may find some bargains. And PR Scott Horsley reports that turkey and cranberry prices are down from last year but stuffing costs have gone up. The Farm Bureau says the average cost of a Thanksgiving feast has fallen for the second year in a row thanks in part to a 6% drop in turkey prices. While bird flu cut the size of the turkey flock this year, the cost of feeding those birds was also down. Researchers at Wells Fargo found shoppers who choose store brand products can save up to 19% on their dinner bill. Agricultural

economist Michael Swanson adds it usually pays to shop around. Maybe somebody's featuring something to get you in the store, but is it worth making two trips? What's the savings I could achieve and is it big enough for me to have a second stop?" Overall, grocery prices have jumped about 26% since before the pandemic, while average wages have climbed about 24%. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. This is NPR News. Gladiator 2 plus Wicked Part 1, the combination the film industry calls Glicked, did not rise to the Barbenheimer Heights. But NPR's Bob Mandello says it did power Hollywood to its best pre-Thanksgiving weekend

in 11 years. Gladiator 2 took in a hefty $55 million this weekend in North America. You have something in you. I knew it from the start. Did you now? Spider-2 took in a hefty $55 million this weekend in North America, and Wicked was, as its big song suggests, with $114 million in the till. That is easily the biggest domestic opening ever for an adaptation of a Broadway musical, and enough to make this pre-Thanksgiving weekend for all films the best since 2013, proving that movies and cinemas can still be...

Both films also opened overseas. Worldwide, Wicked has taken in $163 million, while Gladiator 2, which opened in some markets ten days ago, has accumulated $221 million. Bob Mandelo, NPR News. Forecasters say a major storm in parts of the Western U.S. could complicate travel leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday. The National Weather Service says it has issued a winter storm warning for California, Sierra Nevada through Tuesday with heavy snow expected in high elevations.

Another storm is expected to bring rain from parts of the southeast into the northeast later this week. Meanwhile, parts of Seattle are still without power after a storm hit last week. This is NPR News.