NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-25-2024 12PM EST

Episode Date: November 25, 2024

NPR News: 11-25-2024 12PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Hey, it's Aisha Harris from Pop Culture Happy Hour. If you love NPR podcasts, you'll want the new NPR Plus podcast bundle. Enjoy an all-you-can-eat selection of NPR Plus podcasts with sponsor-free listening and bonus episodes. Plus, you'll be supporting public radio. Check it out at plus.npr.org. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Israeli officials say they're moving closer to a ceasefire deal in Lebanon, but they want to make sure that Hezbollah pulls back from the border with Israel and stops firing rockets. NPR's Michelle Kellerman has the latest.

Israel's ambassador to the UN says a ceasefire agreement has not yet been finalized, but Denny Donan says Israel's cabinet will discuss it soon. For us it's important what will happen after, that Hezbollah will not be allowed to come back to the fence and we will do whatever is necessary to guarantee it. We learned the lessons from 2006. That was the last conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. At the time the UN Security Council demanded that Hezbollah pull back from the border, Denon says if the Lebanese army can't control southern Lebanon again, Israel wants the option to go back

into, in his words, neutralize the threat. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department. The annual Global Climate Summit known as COP29 is over in Azerbaijan. International delegations secured a deal in which wealthy countries, the planet's largest carbon emitters, pledge $300 billion a year by 2035 to poorer nations that stand to suffer the most from the effects of climate change, even though they contribute the least to it. As NPR's Michael Copley reports, critics say $300 billion isn't nearly enough. Researchers estimate that developing countries will need more than a trillion dollars a year

for climate change. And it's not just the amount of money. You know, it's not due until 2035. And what developing countries had said they need is more grant funding, not loans, so they don't add to their already high debt burdens. They didn't get any commitment around that. NPR's Michael Copley reporting, business forecasters are projecting slightly stronger economic growth next year when they were a few months ago.

And PRS Scott Horsley reports on the latest survey from the National Association for Business Economics. On average, the forecasters surveyed expect the US economy to grow about 2% next year, slightly faster than they were projecting back in September. Forecasters expect employers to keep adding jobs every month, albeit at a slower pace, while the unemployment rate is projected to inch up, from 4.1 to 4.3 percent. Most of those surveyed think the economy will avoid a recession next year. They expect Congress to extend the 2017 tax cuts and perhaps cut taxes even further. About a third of the forecasters cited widening geopolitical conflicts as the biggest risk

to the economy. About half pointed to stronger productivity as offering the best chance for a positive surprise. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. The Menendez brothers are waiting to see if a court approves a re-examination of their convictions for fatally shooting their parents in their Beverly Hills home more than 30 years ago. A hearing is being held today for a habeas corpus petition attorneys for Lyle and Eric Menendez filed last May. The Dow is up 326 points. This is NPR News. A global campaign is underway to shine a light on violence against women and girls.

The United Nations says nearly one in three women has been subjected to physical and or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their life. And the UN says that among the victims of gender-based violence, at least 51,000 women were murdered last year. The international body has launched 16 days of activism, concluding on the day commemorating International Human Rights Day.

There is new research out on the benefits that come when childcare workers are paid better. NPR's Andrea Shue reports the data come from a program that aims to pay child care workers wages comparable to public school teachers. Through a tax hike on the wealthy, the District of Columbia has been supplementing the wages of early childhood educators. On average, child care teachers got a pay raise of $10,000 last year. Owen Chauchet, a researcher at Mathematica, found the program led to a nearly 7% increase in child care employment. More teachers mean more slots, more children served,

and the quality of care has improved as turnover has fallen and experienced teachers have stayed on the job. The considerable benefits to society. Shoshay acknowledges the cost of the program is high at $54 million last year, but working with an economist, he found the return on investment was also high at 23 percent. Andrea Hsu, NPR News. I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.