Transcript
Carvana Representative (0:00)
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Windsor Johnston (0:17)
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. There was sound of celebratory gunfire in Lebanon today. Thousands of people are traveling back to their homes after a agreement was reached between Israel and Hezbollah militants today. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says several steps are being taken to ensure that the deal holds up.
Carvana Representative (0:44)
So over the next 60 days, the Lebanese armed forces, supported by the United States and France and other of our allies, will actually go into southern Lebanon, take up the positions that have previously been occupied by Hezbollah and ensure that no terrorist group returns to that region in force.
Windsor Johnston (1:03)
The Lebanese army says it's deploying forces near the Israeli border as a U S Backed truce between Israel and Hezbollah militants begins to take effect. The State Department has revised its travel advisory for China for the first time since the pandemic. NPR's John Ruich says the move comes after reports of a deal between Washington and Beijing that secured the release of three Americans from a Chinese prison.
John Ruich (1:29)
The travel advisory was lowered to Level 2, which advises Americans to exercise increased caution when traveling to China. It had been one notch higher at level three, advising would be travelers to reconsider trips to China. The level three warning was put in place early in the pandemic when the virus was spreading and China started imposing lockdowns. It was kept in place, though, after Beijing dropped Covid controls in late 2022. The State Department cited arbitrary enforcement of laws and wrongful detentions in China. The Level 2 advisory still says arbitrary enforce of local laws is a problem, including in relation to exit bans. But the change is significant. China had been struggling to attract visitors, and this may make it easier for American students and others to travel to China. John Ruich, NPR News.
Windsor Johnston (2:14)
The Department of Energy has announced major loans this week to support renewable energy and electric vehicles. NPR's Camilla Domonowski reports. The department doesn't have much time to finalize these loans.
Camila Domonowski (2:28)
Loans announced just this week include $6 billion for an EV plant in Georgia and nearly 5 billion for a Midwestern transmission line. Those loans are conditional with financial requirements and the Biden team's environmental and pro union stipulations before companies access funds. But if they're not finalized by President Elect Donald Trump's inauguration, they face an uncertain fate. Vivek Ramaswamy, who will be recommending budget cuts, said on X it was insane to fork over billions of dollars to create thousands of the loan program's office gives loans and charges interest. Overall, the program has made money for the government. Camila Domonoskey, NPR News.