NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-28-2024 5AM EST

Episode Date: November 28, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dave Mattingly. The ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon appears largely to be holding on Day 2 of the truce. The deal was brokered by the Biden administration along with the French government. Thousands of people displaced by the fighting have begun returning home, though residents are being warned by Israel and Lebanon to avoid some areas. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen retired three-star General Keith Kellogg to be his special envoy to Russia and Ukraine.

Kellogg served as national security adviser to then Vice President Mike Pence during Trump's first term in office. Winter storm warnings are in effect from New York State to Maine on this Thanksgiving holiday. The National Weather Service says several inches of snow are likely across much of New England by tonight. Some places could see up to 10 inches of accumulation. As NPR's Tovia Smith reports, the winter-like weather will slow those traveling on the holiday. Snow is coming down on a wide swath of northern and western New England and upstate New York creating challenges getting to holiday dinner for many and National Weather Service meteorologist Brett Rathbun says it may be as tricky

getting back home even after the snow tapers off. Certainly you know give yourself some extra time to reach your destination especially given the potential for some snow covered and slippery travel with temperatures falling below freezing there could be some icy spots or some black ice to form on roadways, especially if they are untreated. On the upside, those with plans to ski this holiday weekend are thankful for the fresh snowfall. Killington Resort in Vermont is among several saying today's snow is making for a great

start to the season and enabling more trails to open over the weekend. Tovia Smith, NPR News. Some airline flight delays and cancellations are being reported this morning, especially on the West Coast, including Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Francisco. Ohio's Governor Mike DeWine has signed legislation requiring students in the state's public and private schools, kindergarten through the university level, to use bathrooms and locker rooms that match the gender on their birth certificate. Karen Kassler with Ohio Public Radio says the law likely faces legal challenges. Republican State Representative Adam Bird said the bill was needed because of a directive from

the Biden administration allowing trans students to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity. It's time for the legislative branch in Ohio to make law on an issue that is very important to the parents in Ohio. That bill was attached to legislation making changes to a program for high schoolers earning college credit. Democrats in the House and Senate voted against the measure, saying it's a threat to trans students' mental and physical health. The law covers K-12 schools and colleges

and universities, both public and private. DeWine signed it without comment. A legal challenge is expected. For NPR News, I'm Karen Kastler in Columbus. This is NPR News from Washington. Before the end of the day, lawmakers in Australia's Senate are expected to pass legislation banning children younger than 16 from accessing social media. Lawmakers in the House passed the bill overwhelmingly. Some online platform companies are describing the ban as unworkable and question how they can achieve successful compliance with the law if it's enacted.

Companies would have one year to implement the changes before facing potential penalties for noncompliance. The federal student aid loan application for prospective college students in the U.S. is now open. NPR's Janaki Mehta says this year's FAFSA, as it's known, has been revised following the last cycle's problematic rollout. JANAKI MEHTA Maybe if you you're sitting around digesting your Thanksgiving meal, you can take a few minutes to fill out the new and improved FAFSA.

The Federal Financial Aid form is a lifeline for more than 17 million college hopefuls every year in this country. Last cycle, the system failed miserably with dozens of glitches and many delays. This time, things are going more smoothly. The U.S. Department of Education says more than 500,000 students have successfully submitted their FAFSAs. Here's Maura Lee Keller of the National College Attainment Network. Hopefully students being able to now start their FAFSAs is going to result in things like earlier award letters, more time to make decisions. Decisions informed by where students can afford to go.

Janaki Mehta, NPR News. There's no trading today on Wall Street because of the Thanksgiving holiday. The markets closed lower yesterday. I'm Dave Mattingly, NPR News in Washington.