NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-22-2025 9AM EST

Episode Date: November 22, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Green says she's stepping down from her seat in Congress. Her resignation takes effect on January 5th. In a video posted online Friday night, Green said her decision follows months of political infighting and controversy over the release of the Epstein files. Standing up for American women who were raped at 14 years old, trafficked and used. by rich, powerful men should not result in me being called a traitor and threatened by the President of the United States, whom I fought for. Green was elected in 2020 to represent Georgia's 14th District. Her departure is raising new questions about the future of the GOP's hard right wing.

Political analysts say the move could shift the balance inside of the party heading into the 26 midterm elections. Russian President Vladimir Putin is giving his first public comments on a U.S. peace proposal to end the war in Ukraine. Putin says the plan could be an important step toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict, but he also suggested that much remains to be worked out. NPR's Charles Mainz reports from Moscow. At a meeting with his Security Council, Putin was asked to comment on widespread media reports of the U.S. peace plan. The Kremlin leader confirmed Russia had received the U.S. peace plan.

U.S. proposal, adding he thought it could be the basis for a lasting settlement. Yet Putin cautioned that the U.S. had not discussed its ideas substantively with Russia, our unit likely meant the White House had yet to convince Ukraine to accept terms. Putin also insisted Moscow would achieve its objectives in Ukraine either way, pointing to recent Russian gains on the battlefield. Critics of the U.S. plans say it tilts heavily in Russia's favor, with calls for Ukraine to see territory, cap its military, and renounce ambitions to join NATO. Maines, NPR News, Moscow. A federal judge has blocked the Internal Revenue Service from sharing taxpayers' addresses with immigration officials.

NPR's Jew Jofi Block reports the decision is a significant victory for immigrant rights groups. The court order blocks one of the ways the Trump administration has been taking unprecedented steps to share personal data with ICE to boost deportations. Back in August, the IRS turned over the addresses of 47,000 people to, ICE. The judge found that data sharing was unlawful. The order bars Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent from sharing confidential taxpayer information with the Department of Homeland Security or its sub-agencies unless the government is directly engaged in a relevant criminal investigation. The orders a victory for the small businesses, unions, and tax assistance non-profit that brought the suit. It's unclear whether the administration will appeal. Jude Jaffe Block, NPR News.

This is NPR News in Washington. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria has fallen billions of dollars short of its goal. NPR's Jonathan Lambert reports. The Global Fund is a major player in global health. It provides roughly three quarters of all international financing for TB and more than half for malaria. It was hoping to raise $18 billion for its three-year budget, but on, Friday, it announced it only raised a bit more than $11 billion. Part of the shortfall reflects a drop from the U.S., its biggest funder.

Their new pledge is $4.6 billion, down from $6 billion in 2022. But given the Trump administration's foreign aid cuts, advocates had feared a greater decrease. Many countries also shrunk their pledges, though several major contributors, like France and Japan, haven't announced pledges yet. Still, the organization's coffers will likely be less equipped to fight these deadly diseases. Jonathan Lambert, NPR News. Gunmen have attacked a Catholic school in northern Nigeria, kidnapping more than 300 children and about a dozen teachers. Security forces have been sent to the region to rescue the children is the country's second mass abduction in a week.

Authorities announced some federal and state-run schools in northern Nigeria have temporarily closed following Friday's attack. UNICEF says only 37% of schools across conflict had states have early warning systems in place to detect threats. I'm Windsor Johnston, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.