NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-29-2024 11AM EST

Episode Date: November 29, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janene Hurst. This week's start of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon is sparking optimism that a similar deal can be reached between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Empire's Scott Newman in Tel Aviv says the war in Gaza has been going on for more than 13 months. Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Qatar's Prime Minister Abdulrahman al-Thani met on Wednesday in Cairo to discuss a joint approach to getting a truce in Gaza. Meanwhile, Egyptian media report this week that intelligence officials from Cairo traveled

to Israel for meetings on a ceasefire, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has denied this. The Biden administration has said it plans to renew a push on Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, and Israel to get a ceasefire in Gaza and a release of the remaining hostages. Scott Newman, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Voters in Ireland are heading to the polls today in a parliamentary election that will decide the next government. The country's 3.8 million voters will select 174 lawmakers to sit in the lower house of Parliament and decide whether Ireland follows the international trend of ousting incumbents after years of pandemic, rising costs, and immigration questions.

But the economy is the biggest issue. In Piers Fatima, Al-Khalsab has more from Dublin. Ireland is a very rich country. It's generated a huge income from corporation taxes. It's actually one of the wealthiest in Europe. But people don't really feel it. It's got one of the worst housing crises in the EU and everyone I've talked to here, whatever their age or economic background, says that housing and the cost of living is key for them. And Piers Fatima Al-Khaseb. Ireland doesn't have a significant far right party, but the two parties vying for control, Finna Gale and Fina Fall, are center right and are also longtime rivals.

Today's the busiest shopping day for physical stores in the U.S. as Black Friday is expected to launch a record-setting spree this holiday season. The National Retail Federation predicts retail sales this winter will be up to 3.5% higher than last year at around $990 billion. And here's Alina Seljuk has more. Some of the higher spending has to do with inflation. Higher prices mean we spend more to buy less. But that's not the whole story.

A greater share of people also plan to splurge this holiday season, actually planning to spend more. That's according to a survey by Ser holiday season, actually planning to spend more. That's according to a survey by Serkana, a market research firm that closely tracks buying trends. People planning to spend more tend to be wealthier, but also a lot of shoppers say they expect to cash out during the season because they're counting on sales. When budgets get squeezed, days known for discounts become a big draw. Retailers are expecting a record amount of shoppers this long weekend through Monday. Alina Seluk, NPR News. Wall Street is trading higher on a shortened trading session today.

The Dow is up 201 points, NASDAQ up 139. You're listening to NPR News. British lawmakers today gave initial approval to a bill that would legalize assisted dying for terminally ill people in England and Wales. The bill, modeled after an Oregon law, faces months of scrutiny and procedural hurdles, but if it becomes law, it would be a dramatic social change. Supporters say it would give terminally ill adults under strict conditions a choice, along with autonomy and dignity.

Opponents say it could force dying people who feel they may be a burden to pursue it. Assisted dying is legal in a few European countries and in 10 states in the U.S. along with D.C. In France, President Emmanuel Macron gave a tour of the newly renovated Notre Dame Cathedral today that was devastated by fire five years ago. And Piers Eleanor Beersley reports the visit was broadcast live. President Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron, along with the Archbishop and the Mayor of Paris, got a private tour of freshly renovated Notre Dame while the cameras followed. Macron marveled at the soaring lightstone ceilings, now cleansed of soot and centuries And I remember it was yesterday...

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