Mideast Ceasefire Continues, Irish Elections, Texas Politics
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Thousands of displaced lebanon citizens return to their homes in the southern .

part of the country as a ceasefire between israel and lebanon continues into its fourth day. Scott and i'm amErica dagons, and this is up first from mp. r. news. In many cases, the homes the refugees are headed to are no longer there.

Have more on that story.

Plus ireland is counting the votes from an election that revolved largely around housing.

It's very difficult to get like the home in art and like all of my mates live a home with our parents, even the ones and good jobs.

And we will check in on texas republicans, who have strengthened their majority in the state.

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Israeli military .

has ordered levee's refugees to keep away from the southern part of the country for now.

but many of them are traveling there anyway despite the security risk.

And here's Lawrence frames in the southern lebanon city of nobility. A Laurence, thanks for being with this.

Thanks for having me. Scott.

What do you see?

I'm in a village called kfar tib, neat on the hill across from a crusader castle. This area has lots of history. Every building has been damaged.

Most of them have no windows. The balconies have been blown off. There's a car that's burned on the road.

Right next to me there is a two hundred fifty year old mosque that was hit by an israeli airstrike. I'm looking at this White stone mineral toppled on its side. Loud speakers that Normally rog has the call to prayer are bent and twisted.

Did I met a man whose home was destroyed in the last israel hezbollah? In two thousand and six, hezbollah paid to rebuild his house. Now it's been destroyed again. He's confident that same hezbollah agent with a clipboard will show up, survey the damage and give him a check. But th Epace o f r ebuilding c ould b e a l ot s lower t his t ime b ecause t he d amage i s j ust o rders o f m agnitude g reater.

What do you hear from people who are heading in show?

There was jubilation when the ceasefire was announced, but a lot of people are still trying to get home because israeli troops have cordoned off huge areas of southern lebanon, they have sixty days to withdraw, and they've published maps with a list of villages where people are not allowed to return. They're under curfew. And so people there are in limbo. That hezbollah ader gave a speech last night declaring this as a divine Victory. But IT doesn't feel like that for people who can get home, israeli troops are still Operating in a sort of area of olive growth between where I am and this crusader l in the distance, it's a strategic .

vantage point. How does the true .

seem to be holding? I mean, both sides say IT is holding, but there have been several israeli airstrikes. There's been artillery fire.

There's been gunfire. Israel says it's detected violations by hezbollah is acting to enforce the ceasefire. Lebanon ese officials accused israel of breaking IT. They say returnees with cars loaded up with belongings are being mistaken for militants. Israeli prime minister of Benjamin that now who gave his one of his first interviews since the ceasefire took effect, he spoke to israeli media saying this ceasefire may well be very short and that israel is prepared for an intensive war if hezbollah oates its terms.

And let me ask you about the renewed friday this week in syria, because the rebels say they now control much of a lippo. What do you know about this?

So this is the latest chapter in fighting that really began with serious civil war in two thousand and eleven, and it's continued on and off ever since opposition forces have been battling their way. Tod, aleppo, serious second largest city for days, and now they entered the city.

And that's the first time that they have attacked aleppo with such strength since two thousand and sixteen, when when opposition forces insurgents were ousted from aleppo by government forces. IT might sound like an unrelated matter, but the syrian government forces are back to by iran, and so is hezbollah. The idea is that while iran and its proxies, hezbollah, been so preoccupied with lebanon and the war here, they've lost real ground elsewhere. There are other interest in the region.

And parlin fire in southern lemon.

And thanks so much. Your welcome, Scott.

Exit polls and ireland show a tight race between the top three political parties.

at least to them will likely have to form a coalition to win a majority in the country's parliament in paris. Thought about all kab joins from double lin, thanks for being with us what we know about the results so far.

So we've got the exit poll, which came out last night just as the polls closed, and that's given us an indication of the vote share. And then vote counting began this morning. The initial suggestion from the exit poll is that chin thane, this is the party that used to be the political wing of the irish republican army.

The I ra, has a narrow lead over the two big center parties that's in a gale and a fall. But IT is pretty tight between all three. Turnout also looks to be down on last time. Yesterday was really quite wet and windy. And from the exit poll data, IT does look like that affected how many people turned out.

And I know you spoken with voters. What are they tell you that was on their minds?

So I spoke to voters yesterday outside a polling station in double in, and they pretty much all said that the biggest for them was housing, no matter their age or background. His valery shields, housing is the the main issue. And there's a lot of families with small children living in guest houses and hotels. And twenty four year old old .

micky el said the same now hope like, I mean, well, not now how but it's it's very difficult together, like the the home in island, like all of my mates basically then yeah live at home with our parents, even the ones in good jobs.

Island is actually a very rich country, is generated a huge income from CoOperation taxes, which has made at one of the richest in europe. But people aren't really feeling IT. The high cost of living was actually the second biggest issue for voters.

according to the exit poll and the parties in particular campaign on lowing housing Prices.

Yeah, housing is the issue that really helped propels in fae. In fact, commentators here this morning was saying we can even look at the voice in vane as a housing vote, a single issue vote. And that's especially true among Young voters.

Champain has a lot of support among Younger voters, and the parties made big gains in recent years because of its promises on housing. What whatever happens in the next couple of days. It's clear that the days of two parties dominating irish politics are over. SHE thane was on the up in the last election in twenty twenty when IT surprised everyone in at one the popular vote. And this time round, IT looks like it's confirmed its place at the top with the two traditional parties.

When do you think we might get a full picture of the vote?

So wearing for a long weekend of of counting votes, it's a system of proportional representation. So IT could take some time. Full results are expected by the end of the weekend, but IT might not be until next week, potentially even in the new year till we get a government formed.

And that's because there needs to be negotiations about forming a coalition and that that can take some time. The most likely scenario is that even if shene wins the most votes, that's what happened last time. The two big parties, these are the traditional parties that have governed islands for over a century in a gale, and for will go into coalition again. Although this time the exit poll suggest that their vote share is down, so IT might actually be harder for them to cobble together.

A majority is thought about old kab from double in. Thanks so much for being with us. good.

Immigration enforcement, private school vouchers in anti abortion measures.

These are some of the priorities protect the state lawmakers for the coming year.

Blaze gaining is the state capital reporter for the texas newsroom and joins us from moston. Good morning in place.

Good morning.

Thanks for having me. sure. So let's start with the big one, border and immigration. One of trumps campaign promises is to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Texas, as a border state, they clearly have to play a part 呢。 How do they plan to do IT?

Well, they already have a program going called Operation loan star. They've spent a eleven billion dollars on that program. IT was created in march of twenty and twenty one by governor greg abbott to respond to the rise and illegal immigration because he said president behind the administration wasn't doing enough.

He's just tens of thousands of migrants to blue states, deployed mouse of razor wire along the border and extended of floating bully barrier in the real grand. And abbott was recently on fox news. Here's what he had to say on immigration.

We just want to make sure that the truth administration understands we are here to help what, whether be to deny illegal entry, where they're be, to arrest those who are here illegally, where the'd be, to assist in the deportation process.

So trump increases border patrols, and that could free up taxes from having to invest so much of its own resources.

okay. What sounds like they're eager to pitch in?

Yeah, exactly. Another way we might see that play out, though, is the state's general land office offered the incoming trump s administration more than fourteen hundred acres of south texas water land, to quote, construct deportation facilities. But but there is already been a lot of push back on mass deportation, not only from immigrant and the kids, but business leaders as well. They say that could be dangerous for the economy and workforce.

Okay, well, another big issue, vouchers that give parents taxpayer money to pay for private schools now. Last month, voters in kentucky, colorado and nebraska rejected ballot questions on this issue, but texas leaders say it's a top priority for this legislative session. Tell us more.

Yeah, I mean, watches have been a big ticket item in several states. There are already sixteen states with the program so far. Texas is not one of them.

The governor has been trying to pass the bills since twenty twenty three. With no luck. He even called three special sessions for IT, but I never got passed.

But this election cycle, he was successful in getting several of the real republicans that voted against the out of office. We'll have to wait and see. But at the time, IT does look like he has the votes.

okay. Well, what else you hearing might be a priority?

yes. So make a return from twenty seventeen session is at the bathroom bill IT restrict the use of public restrooms and locker rooms to be used only by a person whose sex on their birthday certificate matches what's on the sign. And this would only apply to government own buildings. In another bill has been found, focuses on stopping people from getting medications associated with abortions. The goal is to remit people from ordering these pills online.

So blaze, texas lawmakers don't go in the session for another month, but they've already found a lot of bills. Why are they doing this?

Yeah, I mean, we've found nearly two thousand bills so far, but IT should be noted that not a lot of bills actually passed last session, eight thousand bills were found in less than thirty eight hundred of those were passed and signed by the governor. So the lawmakers can brag about introducing legislation or this or that, but those bills probably understand a chance. And you know, the saying Better late than never. Well, with bills is Better early than late because the earlier the bills get found, the more time you have to bring all sides of the table to discuss any issues the bill might have, and then you can get amendments tack on to fix them.

Better early than like sounds like a good model for journalists too. So blaze gaining is the state capital reporter for the texas newsroom. blaze. Thank you so much for joining.

Thank you.

And that's a first for saturday, november thirty, twenty twenty four.

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