NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-27-2024 3PM EST

Episode Date: November 27, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. The ceasefire agreement that was reached between Israel and Hezbollah militants appears to be holding. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf reports the truce went into effect earlier today. It's been an unusually quiet morning on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border, which for nearly 14 months now have been bombarded as Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire. But Israeli troops are still present

in many towns in southern Lebanon, even as displaced residents there are clamoring to return. The agreement calls for a gradual withdrawal over many weeks. Israel has called on its northern residents to wait to return to their abandoned homes, saying reconstruction is necessary first. Dozens of people were killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon on the eve of the truce

in some of the heaviest bombardment in Beirut during the war. Sirens sounded throughout northern Israel late into the night as Hezbollah fired rockets, most of which were intercepted. Kat Lanzdorf, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Three Americans have been freed from prisons in China in a deal brokered by the Biden administration. Politico reports they were exchanged for Chinese citizens, but there are few details about them.

NPR's Michelle Kellerman has more. A State Department spokesperson says thanks to the Biden administration's diplomacy with China, all wrongfully detained Americans in China are now home. The spokesperson says three are being reunited with their families for the first time in many years. They are Mark Sweedan, an American businessman from Texas who was arrested in 2012 and accused of drug-related offenses. Chinese-American Kai Li had been held since 2016 on espionage charges, and John Leung,

an American who had residency in Hong Kong, was sentenced last year to life in prison on spying charges. The U.S. official would not comment when asked who China is getting in return. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department. Mexico is threatening to retaliate against President-elect Donald Trump's plan to impose sweeping tariffs against the country. The Mexican president warned this week that the tariffs would cause inflation and job losses in both countries, pointing out the number of U.S. auto manufacturers based in

Mexico. Esteban Moctezuma-Barragán is Mexico's ambassador to the U.S. He says the regions need to cooperate to avoid an all-out trade war. The Mexican and U.S. economy is so intertwined that we are producing together. It's not that just we just buy and sell. So inflation is on the horizon if we don't work together as a region. Trump says he plans to impose a 25% tax on imports from Mexico unless the government cracks down on the flow of migrants and illegal drugs. This is NPR.

Australia is one step closer to enacting the world's first social media ban for children. Christina Kugula reports the lower house of parliament passed the legislation today, despite growing concern about how it will be implemented. With support from the opposition coalition, the bill to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media passed the House of Representatives. The Australian government wants to get the law to a Senate vote before the end of the parliamentary year on Thursday. Xmeta and TikTok are among those arguing the law shouldn't be enacted in its current form,

echoing warnings from Australia's Human Rights Commission, Freedom of Expression advocates and technology experts about its implementation and effectiveness. If passed, companies could face heavy fines for breach its undercharges, the government says will protect children from online harm. For NPI News, I'm Christina Kukalja in Melbourne, Australia. A new law in Ohio says transgender men and women must use a multi-person bathroom that corresponds to their sex at birth, not gender identity, on school grounds.

Republican Governor Mike DeWine signed the legislation today. It applies to bathrooms, locker rooms, and overnight accommodations from kindergarten to the college level. Teachers unions and civil rights groups are blasting the law. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio says the measure will make LGBTQ plus residents less safe. On Wall Street the Dow is down 136 points. This is NPR News.