NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-30-2024 8AM EST

Episode Date: November 30, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Joel Snyder. A ceasefire to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon appears to be holding despite both sides accusing the other of violating the truth. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf has more. There has been sporadic violence in Lebanon's south where Israeli troops are still operating as well as Hezbollah militants and members of the Lebanese army. Israel and Hezbollah have 60 days to withdraw from the area, after which the Lebanese army and United Nations peacekeeping forces

will be in charge of securing it. On Friday, the Israeli military says it blew up a Hezbollah rocket launcher and an airstrike in the south, at least the second Israeli airstrike since the ceasefire began. Israel says it's acting to enforce violations of the ceasefire, but Lebanese officials accuse Israel of breaking it, including hitting several villages with artillery fire. Israel has told civilians on both sides of the border to wait before returning home.

Kat Lonsdorf, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Russian warplanes are reported to have bombed the Islamist rebel forces who have taken over much of Aleppo, Syria's second largest city. A monitoring group has told the BBC the city fell without significant resistance. Video footage appears to show the rebels raising their flag in Aleppo's historic citadel. Here's the BBC's Lina Sinjab. This offensive started on Wednesday by the year. We had the rebels sweeping through several towns and cities, including reaching most parts of Aleppo. So it was expected that government forces and Russians to

start some sort of defense and that's what happened overnight with Russians airstrikes against rebel forces and in this time in the city of Aleppo. This is a sign that both the government and the Russians have moved to push the rebels back. Millions of people are packing shopping malls and stores across the nation to take advantage of sales on this holiday weekend. Online shoppers setting records this year, spending almost 9% more this Thanksgiving compared to last year.

And NPR's Alina Siliuk reports that more shoppers also expected to hit the stores. It's a chilly day in suburban Maryland, but this outdoor outlet mall is teeming with cars and pedestrians. In surveys this year, more shoppers said they plan to go to physical stores than they had in recent years. In fact, generally, more people are expected to shop, whether in person or online, during this year's long weekend from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday.

Top items are expected to be classics. Electronics, clothes, Adobe Analytics, which tracks online purchases, predicts that top toys will include Legos, Hot Wheels, Barbies and slime kits for adults, Dice and Hair devices, fitness trackers, gaming consoles and pickleball paddles. Alina Selug and Pierre News, Clarksburg, Maryland. Heading to go out shopping may almost be impossible this weekend in the Great Lakes region. It's getting hit by the first big snowstorm of the season, authorities in western New York warning of treacherous travel conditions.

And you're listening to NPR News. President Biden says his administration is working with the FBI to address bomb threats made against Democratic lawmakers and several of President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet nominees, Biden due back at the White House tonight after spending Thanksgiving in Nantucket, Massachusetts. A second straight night of clashes between police and anti-government demonstrators in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. NPR's Charles Maines reports that authorities detained more than 100 demonstrators who took to the streets of Tbilisi to protest a government

decision to halt European Union accession talks. The ruling Georgia Dream Party suspended the EU talks in response to a European Parliament resolution rejecting the results of Georgia's October parliamentary elections. That vote saw Georgia Dream take about 54 percent of all ballots amid opposition claims of voter fraud. The election had been seen as a choice between a future with Europe or Russia, after the government passed a series of seemingly pro-Russian policies. Georgia's pro-Western president, Salome Zarifashvili, is calling for police to stand with the protesters.

Instead, both accused the other of violence. Even his witness videos repeatedly captured security forces attacking demonstrators. Charles Maynes, NPR News. Voters in Iceland going to the polls today choosing a new parliament in a snap election after the prime minister dissolved his coalition government following disagreements over immigration, energy policy, and the economy. In Ireland, votes are being counted today in the country's national election.

Expo suggests that Ireland is heading toward another coalition government. I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News from Washington.