NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-21-2025 7AM EST

Episode Date: November 21, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has met Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelensky in Kiev. Driscoll went over a draft plan that aims to end Russia's war in Ukraine, but it calls on Ukraine to give up all its land in the eastern part of the country to Russia. NPR's Tom Bowman says the plan was devised by President Trump's special envoy, Steve Whitkoff, and his counterpart, a Russian businessman. The proposal appears to give Russia everything they want in more. Right now, the Russians control about 88% of the eastern Donbos region.

And this proposal gives them all that land. Also, Britain and other European nations had planned on sending troops to oversee a peace agreement. That proposal says that will not happen. Those are among the reasons the French farm ministers said peace cannot be a capitulation. And it's likely other European allies will balk at this plan as well. NPR's Tom Bowman reporting. President Trump has lifted tariffs on agricultural imports from Brazil. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports the move highlights how Trump's tariff policy has treated Brazil differently than other countries.

Late last week, when Trump signed an executive order removing tariffs from a long list of agricultural imports, the order did not remove steep tariffs from Brazilian goods. In a new executive order, Trump removed tariffs from Brazil's goods as well. Earlier this year, Trump imposed tariffs totaling 50% on Brazil. goods. A major reason he cited was the prosecution of former far-right Brazilian president Jaire Bolsonaro for his role in attempting to overturn the results of a 2022 election. The tariff reversal comes as many Americans worry about affordability and as Trump's tariffs contribute to inflation. The Brazil tariffs particularly affected coffee. Around 30 percent of

U.S. coffee imports come from Brazil. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News, the White House. President Trump will welcome New York City Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani to the White House today. Both have heavily criticized each other. The National Association of Realtors says that sales of existing homes were up more than 1% in October. NPR Scott Newman reports buyers took advantage of lower mortgage rates. The monthly figures from the National Association of Realtors show a varied picture nationwide, with sales up in the Midwest and South where prices are lowest. sales were flat in the northeast and actually fell in the west the region where homes are most expensive.

Overall, the median price for a home was $415,200 in October, and year-on-year sales of existing homes were up 1.7%. The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage in October was 6.25%. About 9 out of 10 sales in the U.S. are of existing homes, not new builds. So the latest data, which shows a slight slowdown from September, is a key, indicator of where the housing market is heading. Scott Newman, NPR News, Washington. You're listening to NPR. Federal officials say they've seen evidence of cracks in one of the engine mounts aboard a UPS charter plane that crashed two weeks ago in Louisville. 14 people were killed in the fiery crash. The National Transportation Safety Board says the Jets left engine fell off, just as the plane tried to

get airborne. A federal appeals court judge has issued a blistery. dissent. That's after two other judges on the same panel blocked Texas's redistricting map. The case affects whether Republicans can keep control of the House and support President Trump's goals. From Houston Public Radio, Andrew Schneider, reports. U.S. Circuit Judge Jerry E. Smith lost in the two-to-one ruling. In a more than 100-page dissent, Smith wrote the big winners in the case are liberal activists and politicians. At South Texas College of Law, Houston professor Josh Blackman says Smith, argues his fellow judges displayed their own judicial activism.

It's unusual for a judge to talk about politics so much, but the basic claim is this is about politics. And under the controlling precedent of the circuit, gerry manner is permissible for political reasons, even if not for racial reasons. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to weigh in. For NPR News, I'm Andrew Schneider in Houston. A federal judge has ruled that President Trump's deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. is unlawful. The judge ordered a block on their deployment, but she also delayed enforcing her order for three weeks. That's to give Trump time to appeal. About 2,000 troops from several states are in Washington.

President Trump insists they're needed to fight crime. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News.