NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-22-2025 5PM EST

Episode Date: November 22, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Hurst. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump's special envoy Steve Whitkoff are heading to Geneva to try to bring an end to Russia's war in Ukraine. MPIRS-Rub-Schmidt reports it's part of the administration's efforts to pressure Ukraine to accept a 28-point peace plan that calls on Kiv to make many concessions to Russia. U.S. officials plan to meet senior Ukrainian officials to discuss Keeves' response to Trump's peace proposal. Ukraine's European allies have criticized the plan, not least because it was negotiated between the U.S. and Russia without Ukraine's involvement. European leaders say they're looking

for a way to make the Trump plan more palatable for Ukraine and its European allies. As it stands, it would require Ukraine to seat control of Eastern Donetsk and Lujansk and would prohibit Ukraine from trying to join NATO. President Trump says he wants a response from Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky by Thursday. If Zelenskyy rejects it, he's He risks losing U.S. support, including crucial intelligence sharing. Rob Schmitz and Pierre News, Berlin. Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green says she will resign her seat in the new year. Taylor Green was once an ardent supporter of Trump, but has split with him on the Epstein files and sending U.S. funds to Argentina, among other issues.

She blames President Trump, the Republican Party, and House leadership for her decision. And Pierre Stephen Fowler has more. Green surprise announcement that she will leave Congress on January 5th spurred many reactions late Friday and early Saturday. President Trump told ABC News it was, quote, great news for the country after the two had a public nasty falling out over the Epstein files and other policy disagreements this year. Other Republicans inside Georgia have said her departure will be a great loss for those who value conservative America First principles. And Democrats, no fan of Green or her policies, are highlighting the rift as signs the GOP is in disarray. Stephen Fowler, in PR News, Atlanta. The United Nations Global Climate Change Conference, known as COP 30, has ended in Brazil.

And Piers Michael Copley reports the talks delivered modest progress on international efforts to cut climate pollution and pay for the costs of adapting to a hotter planet. The final deal doesn't say anything about phasing out fossil fuels, the main driver of global warming. Dozens of countries had demanded a phase-out plan, saying world leaders need to deliver on an earlier commitment to reduce the use of oil and natural gas. Instead, the president of this year's meeting, Andre Aranha Correo de Lago, said in the coming months he'll work on a process and timetable for reducing fossil fuel use. We need roadmaps so that humanity in a just and planned manner can overcome its dependence

on fossil fuels. Countries did agree in Brazil to try to triple funding for things like flood defenses that can help communities adapt to a hotter world. Michael Copley and PR News. This is NPR News. Wicked for Good. The second half of a two-part movie musical about pink and green witches in Oz is raking in a lot of green at the box office. And here's Bob Mandello has more. Wicked for Good had a very good opening day, $68 million.

No! I'm obsessualated. But that figure comes with an asterisk. As with many big films, the studio includes previews in its opening day figure. Usually that means showings the night before. But Wicked for Good had previews on Monday in more than a thousand theaters, and then some more on Wednesday before Thursday when a lot of the previews were actually double features with the first Wicked. That's a serious stretch for an opening day.

Where'd you get that? Still, any way you slice it, more than 5 million people have already seen Wicked, a number that's expected to more than double by the end of the weekend. Bob Mandello, PR News. Organizers for the Eurovision song contest are changing the voting system of the popular musical extravaganza to ensure fairness. This in the wake of allegations of interference by Israel's push for public support for an Israeli contestant in this year's contest. The European Broadcasting Union says the changes are designed to strengthen trust, transparency, and audience engagement. Israel competed in Eurovision for more than 50 years and won four times. The new rules also call for fans to spread their votes across more entries and the

reinstatement and expansion of the role of professional juries. I'm Janine Herbsten PR News.