--:-- Rob Schmitz: Hi, it's Rob Schmitz. A quick word this Thanksgiving morning.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: First off, thank you for spending it with us. Listeners like you make up first in everything you hear from NPR possible. NPR is public media. That means we're here to serve you and we're here because of you.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: But we also know it takes time and energy to follow the news. That's why we work hard every day to make up first as smart and as brief as we can. To help you understand the world's biggest stories, fact check information and provide context.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: And an extra special thank you if you support our work either with a donation to your local station or through NPR+. Your generosity fuels one of the most trusted news sources in America today.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: And if you haven't made the leap to contributing yet, it's easier and more rewarding now than it's ever been. With the new NPR Plus bundle, you can support us and get perks like sponsor-free listening and bonus episodes across more than 25 NPR podcasts.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Join us at plus.npr.org. That's plus.npr.org. That link is in our episode notes. Okay, on to the show.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: As a ceasefire to suspend fighting between Israel and Hezbollah appears to be holding, thousands of displaced Lebanese are returning home. But after months of devastating attacks, will they recognize what they find?
--:-- Rob Schmitz: I'm Rob Schmitz, and this is Up First from NPR News.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Chances are you've heard this before. This will be the busiest Thanksgiving ever in terms of air travel. Between new rules for airlines and long security lines, we've got you covered with what to keep in mind if you're heading to the airport.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: And whether or not you'll be hitting the pavement for a turkey trot, don't forget to also take a little post-turkey walk. When we move our muscles, they become sponges for the blood glucose that our gut is absorbing into the bloodstream.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: More on the science behind the after-meal constitutional. Stay with us.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: We'll give you the news you need to start your day.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: This message comes from BetterHelp.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: President Fernando Madeira describes how BetterHelp Online Therapy has helped him.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: For me, sometimes I just need to go and talk to somebody that is not going to judge me, right? is going to be there and they're going to listen to me.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: And I can start just saying, look, I'm not feeling right today. And it feels natural. I love it.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: To get matched with a therapist, visit betterhelp.com slash NPR for 10% off your first month.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: This message comes from Paka.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Everyone's got that one hoodie they practically live in. But the Paka hoodie, it's on another level.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Softer than cashmere, warmer than wool, and still breathable, This alpaca fiber hoodie goes from airport to mountain trail to couch without missing a beat.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Right now, grab a pack of hoodie and score a free pair of alpaca cruise socks. Moisture wicking, odor resistant, and guaranteed for life.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Level up your hoodie game at go.pakaapparel.com slash NPR code NPR.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Support for this podcast and the following message come from Arm.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: In the latest episode of their podcast, Tech Unheard, Arm CEO Rene Haas talks with Carnegie Mellon University President Farnam Jahanian about AI and the future of education and innovation.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Available on all podcast platforms.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Tens of thousands of Lebanese are returning to the country's south, where they're discovering entire villages that have been destroyed by the fighting with Israel.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: A ceasefire has halted the fighting between Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah militants.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: And under the agreement, both sides now have 60 days to withdraw to their respective borders.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: So civilians are being warned to stay away from certain areas to avoid possible confrontations.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: With me now is NPR's Lauren Frayer, who visited some of those border areas yesterday and is now in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Good morning, Lauren.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: Good morning.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: So first, we're a day into this ceasefire. I'm curious, were there any confrontations yet?
--:-- Lauren Frayer: There have been. Today the Israeli military issued a map of 10 border villages where it says civilians are prohibited from going even if they're residents going home.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: But people have been going home nevertheless and posting video of themselves with Israeli tanks in their villages.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: The Israeli military confirms it has fired on people who have gone into this zone.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: It accuses them of violating the conditions of this ceasefire.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: A handful of people have been wounded by either tank or gunfire in different areas and different incidents, including journalists who say they too were shot at by Israeli soldiers.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: Incidentally, there's also been a lot of celebratory gunfire, which in itself is dangerous and could certainly lead to misunderstandings.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: So there have been several incidents, but so far they don't appear to be jeopardizing the wider ceasefire agreement.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Okay, so remind us of what that agreement actually says. What are the terms of the ceasefire?
--:-- Lauren Frayer: So this is a 60-day truce. Within that time, Israeli troops have to withdraw from Lebanon, and Hezbollah has to withdraw its fighters and weapons from a zone close to the Israeli border.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: The Lebanese army is moving in alongside UN peacekeepers, and those movements are underway.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: At one point yesterday, I was at a gas station in southern Lebanon, and someone told me, take a right, not a left up here, because Hezbollah is moving some of its weapons around the corner.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: Well, I mean, what else did you see in southern Lebanon? This is an area that journalists have had difficulty reaching until yesterday because of Israeli airstrikes and ground fighting with Hezbollah.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: Yeah, so I drove south from Beirut where the mood has been jubilant here.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: People celebrating the ceasefire, piling into cars, heading home, singing victory songs.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: And as I drove south, the destruction became more and more apparent and the mood became more somber.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: I saw a lot of buildings burned, destroyed.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: I saw a crater the size of a swimming pool on a promenade along the Mediterranean coast.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: And then I headed inland to the city of Nabatea where not a single building is still standing on the main street in town.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: I met a business owner named Hamada Mansour.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: He showed me what's left of his store called Mansour Nuts.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: He sells nuts and dried fruit.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: Here he is taking me through the destruction.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: Glasses broken here.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: Did a strike hit here?
--:-- Lauren Frayer: He said an Israeli airstrike hit right across the street from his shop and destroyed everything for a block in either direction.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: I also saw a funeral underway in a cemetery in Nabatia, presumably for what we hope will be one of the last victims of fighting there.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: What's the situation on the Israeli side of the border?
--:-- Lauren Frayer: So while there's been this rush back to homes on the Lebanese side, there has been no similar rush on the Israeli side.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: The Israeli government says there will be a one or two month period of rebuilding before people will return.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: Many local mayors on the Israeli side opposed this ceasefire agreement.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: They thought it was a bad deal.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: They still feel unsafe.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: They're worried about the resumption of Hezbollah rocket fire or worse.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: So finally, Lauren, what does a ceasefire with Lebanon mean for the other war that Israel is fighting in Gaza?
--:-- Lauren Frayer: I mean, the hope is that all efforts now can go toward getting a similar truce with Hamas in Gaza.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: Israel is staying hush about reports today that an Egyptian delegation is there trying to kickstart ceasefire talks for Gaza.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: And we'll be watching those.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: That's NPR's Lauren Frayer in Beirut. Thanks, Lauren.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: You're welcome.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Happy Thanksgiving.
--:-- Lauren Frayer: Happy Thanksgiving to you.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: This Thanksgiving holiday is expected to be the busiest ever for air travel, and that's not all that's different this year.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: There are also new rules in place about how airlines have to treat their customers, But it's not clear if those rules will survive or if the incoming Trump administration will try to roll them back.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Joel Rose is NPR's transportation correspondent. He joins us now with more.
--:-- Joel Rose: Hey, Rob.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: So, Joel, I feel like we say busiest ever every year around this time of year. You know, put these numbers into context for us. How big is the Thanksgiving rush this year?
--:-- Joel Rose: Well, the TSA, the Transportation Security Administration, is forecasting that 18 million people will pass through its checkpoints this week.
--:-- Joel Rose: That is a 6 percent increase over last year.
--:-- Joel Rose: And that on top of what has already been a record year for the TSA.
--:-- Joel Rose: Here Administrator David Pekoski at a recent press conference This will be the busiest Thanksgiving ever in terms of air travel
--:-- Joel Rose: That's not a surprise, given the incredible recovery in air travel in the United States since the pandemic.
--:-- Joel Rose: Pekoski says the 10 busiest days ever in the history of the TSA have happened this year.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Oh, wow.
--:-- Joel Rose: And I think it's easy to forget, you know, how precarious things were just a couple of years ago.
--:-- Joel Rose: There were questions about how quickly the airline industry would rebound from the pandemic.
--:-- Joel Rose: Clearly, that demand to fly is back.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: So at the same time, there are some new rules that airlines have to follow. What are they?
--:-- Joel Rose: Yeah, there's been a real push at the Department of Transportation, with Secretary Pete Buttigieg at the helm, to pass new rules that are aimed at protecting consumers, particularly after the big winter holiday meltdown back in 2022.
--:-- Joel Rose: The department issued a record fine to Southwest airlines over that incident.
--:-- Joel Rose: And since then, it has pushed for other rules about how airlines have to treat their customers.
--:-- Joel Rose: For example, requiring airlines to automatically provide cash refunds instead of travel vouchers for flights that are canceled or seriously delayed.
--:-- Joel Rose: And Buttigieg argues that these rules are popular.
--:-- Joel Rose: The passenger protections we have put in place deservedly enjoy broad public bipartisan support.
--:-- Joel Rose: The feedback we've gotten from the public has been universally supportive.
--:-- Joel Rose: I just don't run into a lot of people who are against the idea that you ought to get an automatic refund without any hassle.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: And Buttigieg says, you know, he hopes that these rules will be durable.
--:-- Joel Rose: So what about the airlines? What are they saying?
--:-- Joel Rose: The industry has already fought some of these new rules in court, and it has had some success.
--:-- Joel Rose: For example, suing to block a rule that would have required greater transparency from the airlines about the fees that they charge.
--:-- Joel Rose: Several airline CEOs have already expressed the hope that DOT will be more pro-business when President-elect Trump returns to office next year.
--:-- Joel Rose: Here's Ed Bastian, the head of Delta, speaking to Bloomberg earlier this month.
--:-- Joel Rose: We were quite frustrated with the amount of regulatory overreach that we saw continuously through the last four years.
--:-- Joel Rose: And we hope there's a new sentiment that's pro-employee, pro-consumer, pro-business, and a good balance between the three.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: It's not clear exactly what kind of regulatory overreach Bastion is talking about here.
--:-- Joel Rose: But we should note the DOT is conducting an investigation of Delta, which canceled more than 5,000 flights after a technology outage back in July.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: So Joel, I'm curious, how is the aviation system keeping up with this record demand?
--:-- Joel Rose: There are signs of strain.
--:-- Joel Rose: I mean, there is still a shortage of air traffic controllers.
--:-- Joel Rose: It is so acute in some places that it is causing delays in the system.
--:-- Joel Rose: Newark, New Jersey, for example.
--:-- Joel Rose: United Airlines, which has a hub there, has complained about significant delays this month.
--:-- Joel Rose: Federal Aviation Administration has acknowledged that problem and says it's working to hire more controllers, but that's going to take a while.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: And airlines will likely continue to push on this as a priority during the Trump administration.
--:-- Joel Rose: NPR's Joel Rose, thank you.
--:-- Joel Rose: You're welcome.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: It is Thanksgiving, which probably means a very big meal is in your immediate future.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: But when you've finished feasting, instead of rolling from the table to the television, consider taking a walk.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: NPR health correspondent Maria Godoy is here to explain why.
--:-- Maria Godoy: Good morning, Rob, and happy Thanksgiving.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Happy Thanksgiving to you.
--:-- Maria Godoy: So a lot of people do the turkey trot before the big meal.
--:-- Maria Godoy: So are you telling me we should be doing one after the big meal as well?
--:-- Maria Godoy: Yeah, so exercise is always a good idea.
--:-- Maria Godoy: But we're talking specifically about walking after meals, which has specific benefits for your gut and your blood sugar.
--:-- Maria Godoy: And it's actually something people have done for centuries.
--:-- Maria Godoy: They were once called constitutionals.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: I assume that refers to inner constitution, these constitutionals.
--:-- Maria Godoy: What are the specific benefits of a constitutional?
--:-- Maria Godoy: So for starters, when you walk, you jumpstart digestion, and basically it gets things moving in your gut.
--:-- Maria Godoy: And, you know, it can help clear the air.
--:-- Maria Godoy: And this is actually one reason why we're talking about it now.
--:-- Maria Godoy: The idea has gone viral recently on TikTok as a fart walk.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: [laughs]
--:-- Maria Godoy: But really, there's a lot more to it than that.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: You just said fart walk on NPR.
--:-- Maria Godoy: In the spirit of moving this conversation forward, I'm going to ask you to tell us more.
--:-- Maria Godoy: So actually the big benefit is for your blood sugar when you eat your body converts food into glucose and that sugar is going to flood your bloodstream.
--:-- Maria Godoy: But when you walk, it can blunt that sugar spike.
--:-- Maria Godoy: Here's Dr. Chris Damon. He's a gastroenterologist and professor at the University of Washington.
--:-- Maria Godoy: When we move our muscles, they become sponges for the blood glucose that our gut is absorbing into the bloodstream.
--:-- Maria Godoy: And so it basically just pulls all that glucose out of the blood and into the muscles.
--:-- Maria Godoy: And you know, that means your body doesn't have to make as much insulin to clear that sugar, which is good because then your pancreas doesn't have to work as hard to make insulin.
--:-- Maria Godoy: And over time, that can lower your risk of diabetes.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: That's interesting.
--:-- Maria Godoy: So how long do I have to walk before I can watch the big game?
--:-- Maria Godoy: Not long at all.
--:-- Maria Godoy: Research shows just two to five minutes can help regulate your blood sugar, although longer is better.
--:-- Maria Godoy: You want to head out within about a half hour after eating.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: So as you're digesting and that sugar is hitting your bloodstream, your muscles can use it up right away.
--:-- Maria Godoy: And this is great to do after any meal, but especially after dinner, it tends to be our biggest meal and our bodies produce less insulin at night.
--:-- Maria Godoy: So it's kind of a double whammy of more sugar hitting your bloodstream and less insulin to help clear it.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: A walk can counteract that.
--:-- Maria Godoy: Okay, I am reminded here that it is November, and in a lot of places it's cold, dark, maybe even wet or snowy.
--:-- Maria Godoy: Yeah, well, you don't actually have to go outside.
--:-- Maria Godoy: You don't even have to pause Netflix.
--:-- Maria Godoy: Loretta DiPietro is an exercise researcher at George Washington University, and she says just move at home.
--:-- Maria Godoy: When you're watching television, stand up during commercials and march in place.
--:-- Maria Godoy: Wave your arms and legs.
--:-- Maria Godoy: Walk upstairs.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Walk, those muscle contractions will help store the glucose.
--:-- Maria Godoy: Yeah, because who doesn't march in place and wave their arms during commercials, right?
--:-- Rob Schmitz: I literally do this.
--:-- Maria Godoy: You do.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Well, that is NPR's health correspondent, Maria Godoy.
--:-- Maria Godoy: Thanks, Maria, and happy Thanksgiving.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Happy Thanksgiving, and my pleasure.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: And that's up first for Thursday, November 28th.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: I'm Rob Schmitz.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: While I still have you, don't forget there's still time to take our audience survey.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Your feedback will help us make this podcast better for you.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: It gives you a chance to tell us more about what you like or don't like.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Go to npr.org slash upfirstsurvey.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Today's episode of Up First was edited by Diedrich Skanky, Russell Lewis, Jane Greenhalgh, Lisa Thompson, and Mohamed Elbardisi.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: It was produced by Adam Bearn, Ziad Batch, Nia Dumas, and Lily Quiroz.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: We get engineering support from Ted Meebane, and our technical director is Carly Strange.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Join us again tomorrow, and happy Thanksgiving.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Gobble, gobble.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: This message comes from Mint Mobile.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: If you're tired of spending hundreds on big wireless bills, bogus fees, and free perks, Mint Mobile might be right for you with plans starting from $15 a month.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Shop plans today at mintmobile.com slash switch.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Upfront payment of $45 for a three-month 5-gigabyte plan required.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: New customer offer for first three months only.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Then full price plan options available.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Taxes and fees extra.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: See Mint Mobile for details.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: This message comes from NetSuite.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: What does the future hold for business?
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Can someone invent a crystal ball?
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Until then, over 42,000 businesses have future-proofed their business with NetSuite by Oracle.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: The number one AI cloud ERP.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR into one platform.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: With real-time insights and forecasting, you're able to peer into the future and seize new opportunities.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at netsuite.com slash story.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: This message comes from Mint Mobile.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: If you're tired of spending hundreds on big wireless bills, bogus fees, and free perks, Mint Mobile might be right for you with plans starting from $15 a month.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Shop plans today at mintmobile.com slash switch.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Upfront payment of $45 for a three-month 5-gigabyte plan required.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: New customer offer for first three months only.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Then full price plan options available.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: Taxes and fees extra.
--:-- Rob Schmitz: See Mint Mobile for details.
