NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-20-2025 2AM EST

Episode Date: November 20, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. Secretary of State Markle Rubio has removed diversity from performance evaluations and is promoting State Department workers who were passed over. NPR's Michelle Kellerman has the story. Under a Biden administration role, State Department promotion boards had to consider a staffer's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggett calls that an ideological litmus test that penalize competent and deserving government officials.

And he says the Trump administration rewards excellence. According to a cable seen by NPR, close to 300 State Department employees will be receiving pay increases and retroactive promotions, having been denied that under the Biden-era DEI rules. Rubio State Department replaced DEI with fidelity in its list of what to consider for promotions. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department. U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is in Ukraine, along with Army Chief of Staff, General Randy George. They're expected to meet with Ukraine's president, as NPR's Tom Boomin reports. Driscoll and General George had already planned a trip to Ukraine to talk about drone technology

and lessons learned from the Ukrainian battlefield. Then the White House last week passed the Army delegation to also help kickstart peace negotiations with Trump envoy Steve Whitkoff. A U.S. official tells NPR. The official was not authorized to speak publicly. Since Driscoll is an Army combat veteran, the sense was this delegation could more easily relate to the Ukrainian officers. The news of their trip comes amid reports of a new U.S. Russia peace plan that calls for Ukraine to give up the rest of the Donbos area to Russia and also accept a smaller army. NPR has not confirmed the plan, first reported by the Financial Times. Tom Bowman, NPR News.

U.S. Border Patrol agents have arrested more than 250 people in Charlotte, North Carolina as part of a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration. As Nick Delacanal from Member Station, WFAE reports, many immigrant families are on lockdown. Inside one East Charlotte apartment. A 14-year-old girl, Paloma, filmed herself hiding with family after spotting Border Patrol agents outside. NPR isn't using her full name because members of her family are undocumented. My aunt called me and she was like, it's ice here, tell you a dad, because my dad is him again. So I was very scared.

So I ran downstairs and I closed door. Then I went to my mom's room. Her dad isn't working this week and her brother isn't going to school. Officials say 44 people detained in Charlotte have criminal backgrounds. Two are suspected gang members. Others have no criminal history. For NPR News, I'm Nick Della Canal and Charlotte. This is NPR.

President Trump says he supports the idea of having immigrants train American workers in high-tech fields. Trump says that such an arrangement would be in line with his pledge to make America great again. Speaking at the U.S.-S.-S.-Saudi Investment Forum, the President cited the recent example of South Korean workers brought to Georgia to work at a Hyundai plant. Some of those workers were arrested and deported in an immigration raid but allowed to return to the U.S. In Brazil at the UN conference, more than 80 countries are calling for a clear roadmap to move the world off of fossil fuels. NPR's Julia Simon has more from Balaim, Brazil. Climate ministers and envoys are calling for a clear roadmap to move the world away from planet heating, oil, gas, and coal. The U.S. is not participating in this conference.

The U.S. is the biggest producer of oil and gas in the world. Ralph Regan Vanu is Minister of Climate Change of Vanuatu, an island nation threatened by rising seas. Reagan Vanu says the absence of the U.S. isn't a bad thing. Generally, it's a good thing they're not here because we have less recalcitrance to deal with. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told NPR, President Trump will not jeopardize our country's economic and national security to pursue vague climate goals. Julia Simon, NPR News, Belain, Brazil. Leaders and delegates from over 40 nations are gathering in South Africa

for the annual group of 20 summit this weekend. President Trump says the U.S. is boycotting the event this year. This is NPR News. This message comes from Wise, the app for using money around the globe. When you manage your money with Wise, you'll always get the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees. Join millions of customers and visit Wise.com. Tease and Cs apply. Thank you.