NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-21-2025 1PM EST

Episode Date: November 21, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. President Trump will meet with New York City Mayor Alexeran Mamdani today at the White House. It's their first in-person meeting, but NPR's Elena Moore reports they've already repeatedly clashed leading up to today's visit. Trump has been a vocal opponent of Mamdani. He argues that the 34-year-old Democratic Socialist is too extreme, falsely calling him a communist. and in the lead-up to election day, even threatened to pull the city's federal funding if Momdani won. It's a narrative that Mom-Dani has pushed back on, vowing to carry out his agenda focused on lowering the cost of living. He spoke about the upcoming White House visit to reporters on Thursday.

My team reached out to the White House to set up this meeting because I will work with anyone to make life more affordable for the more than eight and a half million people who call the city home. Mom, Doni's meeting with Trump comes just over a month before he takes office on January 1st. Elena Moore, NPR News. The Trump administration is expected to direct the Justice Department to challenge artificial intelligence laws in dozens of states. NPR's Bobby Allen reports it's part of a push to undo regulations that the tech industry opposes. A draft White House executive order viewed by NPR aims to override state AI regulations that have passed around the country. States have enacted more than 100 laws reigning in various aspects of AI, while Congress has not passed any. According to the Trump administration's proposed order, not enforcing those state

laws would be a condition of receiving federal funding for broadband investments, and the Justice Department would be instructed to sue states over the laws. The push is being led by AI and Cryptos are David Sachs, a billionaire tech investor who was leading the White House's policy on AI. Legal observers say, if it is signed, the order would likely face a legal challenge for interfering with the democratic process of state legislators. Bobby Allen, NPR News. The United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Lebanon says it has reported about 10,000 Israeli violations of UN resolutions since the two countries agreed to a ceasefire a year ago.

Jane Arraf has more from Beirut. Unifil said this week it had reported to the UN Security Council over 7,500 Israeli air violations and almost 2,500 ground incursions since the two countries signed a ceasefire a year ago. The Israeli attacks have killed more than 300 people, according to the Lebanese government. Unifil says at least one-third were civilians. Israel says it has responded to the military group Hezbollah

attempts to rebuild its military capacity. Unifil has not recorded any cross-border violations by Hezbollah after the ceasefire. For NPR News, I'm Jane Arir. in Beirut. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is now up 636 points. This is NPR News. In a case expected to test the limits of Indiana's stand-your-ground law, a 62-year-old man is fighting voluntary manslaughter charges for fatally shooting a house cleaner who he says he thought was trying to break into his home. At Kurt Anderson's hearing today, a judge set bail to $25,000.

Court documents say, a house cleaning crew went to Anderson's house by mistake earlier this month and attempted to unlock the residence door with a key their company had given them. Anderson says he fired toward the door without warning. A bullet struck and killed Maria Florinda, Rios Perez de Felasquez. Her body is expected to be returned to her home country of Guatemala. The holiday season can often stir up anxiety, but a survey by the American Psychiatric Association finds that to be the case among more people than last year. NPR's Ritu Chatterjee has details. 41% of adults surveyed said they expect more holiday-related stress compared to the year before.

That's significantly higher than the 28% who said the same thing in 2024. The good news is that more people, 44% said that the holidays have a positive impact on their mental health in 2025 compared to 38% last year. Among the reasons for anticipating holiday-related stress, nearly half-sighted grief or missing someone as well as worries about affording holiday gifts. And three-quarters of respondents said the economy is their main source of anxiety. NPR's Ritu Chatterjee reporting, the Dow has climbed more than 1%. This is NPR News.