NPR News Now – 11-21-2025 10PM EST

Main Theme:
A concise roundup of key national and international news, highlighting major political shifts, diplomatic tensions, climate negotiations, economic anxieties, and lighter moments from around the globe.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Resignation of Marjorie Taylor Greene

[00:13–01:00]

• News Break: Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene will resign at the beginning of January following clashes with President Trump over the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
• Analysis by Stephen Fowler:
  • The split is “a long time coming.”
  • Greene has openly criticized Republican colleagues who haven't fully aligned with “Trump 2.0” policies.
  • Foreign Policy Disagreements:
    • The bombing of Iran
    • Support for Israel’s war in Gaza
  • Domestic Disputes:
    • Issues over tariff policies and subsequent administration walkbacks

Notable Quote:

"Marjorie Taylor Greene has been at the forefront of criticisms this year of Republicans who haven't always agreed with Trump 2.0 policy planks."
— Stephen Fowler [00:37]

2. Ukraine Pressured on Peace Deal with Russia

[01:00–01:58]

• News Update: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine is at “one of its hardest moments in history.”
• Report by Eleanor Beardsley:
  • Zelensky is under pressure for a peace deal “widely viewed as favoring Russia.”
  • The 28-point plan would:
    • Require Ukraine to cede significant territory
    • Scale down its military
    • Relinquish weapons
    • Was crafted without input from Ukraine or European leaders
  • Zelensky faces a choice: “the loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner.”
  • Ukrainians call the plan “a plan for capitulation.”
  • EU leaders insist a “just peace” requires Ukraine and the EU at the table.

Notable Quote:

"Ukraine may find itself facing a very difficult choice, said Zelensky, either the loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner."
— Eleanor Beardsley [01:15]

3. UN Climate Conference: Contentious Draft Deal

[01:58–02:51]

• News Update: The UN Climate Conference in Brazil faces backlash over a draft deal that omits mention of fossil fuels.
• Field Report by Julia Simon:
  • Over 20 countries, including France, Germany, and Panama, formally reject the draft’s lack of a “roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels.”
  • Juan Carlos Monterey (Panama):
    • Expresses frustration at the continued avoidance of fossil fuel discussions.

Notable Quote:

“It’s really, really stupid. It’s like trying to deal with a patient that has Covid, but not treating the patient for Covid.”
— Juan Carlos Monterey [02:30]

• Negotiations are expected to run overtime as delegates push for stronger language.

4. Fiery Crash of UPS MD-11 Cargo Plane

[02:51–03:45]

• News Brief: A major crash in Louisville, Kentucky, may end the service of the MD-11 cargo plane, which has been in exclusive cargo use for years.
• The final fate of the aircraft model will depend on cost assessments for FAA-mandated repairs.
• The fleet averages over 30 years in age.

5. Government Shutdown: Air Traffic Controller Bonuses

• President Trump plans $10,000 bonuses for air traffic controllers who worked during the shutdown.
• Only a fraction (“776 of the nearly 20,000”) will actually receive them.

6. Economic Sentiment at Historic Low

[03:45–04:26]

• Report by Alina Selyuk:
  • Consumer confidence, measured by the University of Michigan, remains near historic lows.
  • Shutdown Effects:
    • Disrupted access to food aid, air travel, paychecks
    • Marginal improvement in sentiment after shutdown ended
    • Ongoing worries about cost of living, with 3% inflation in September year-over-year
    • Unemployment at 4.4%, a four-year high

Notable Quote:

“People continue to feel down about the cost of living. Inflation had ticked up 3% in September compared to last year, and we don't have any updated data since then because of the shutdown... Unemployment also inched higher to 4.4%. It's the highest level in four years.”
— Alina Selyuk [03:45]

7. Extreme Weather in Southern California

• Heavy rains in Southern California cause flash flood warnings and raise concerns about mudslides, especially in wildfire-affected zones.

8. Lighter Moment: The Pope’s Wordle Strategy

• Pope Leo XIV reveals his strategy for the New York Times game Wordle during an online encounter with American youth:
  • Uses a different start word every day.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Greene Resignation & Republican Discord: 00:13–01:00
• Ukraine Peace Deal Pressure: 01:00–01:58
• UN Climate Conference Tensions: 01:58–02:51
• UPS Plane Crash/MD-11 Fate: 02:51–03:45
• Consumer Confidence & Economic Downturn: 03:45–04:26
• SoCal Heavy Rain & Pope’s Wordle Play: 04:26–04:56

Memorable Quotes

• “It’s really, really stupid. It’s like trying to deal with a patient that has Covid, but not treating the patient for Covid.”
  — Juan Carlos Monterey [02:30]

• “Ukraine may find itself facing a very difficult choice, said Zelensky, either the loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner.”
  — Eleanor Beardsley [01:15]

• “People continue to feel down about the cost of living… Unemployment also inched higher to 4.4%. It's the highest level in four years.”
  — Alina Selyuk [03:45]

Summary

This episode quickly yet thoroughly tracks several high-impact developments: a dramatic resignation in Congress, dire diplomatic moves in Ukraine, tensions at a climate summit, aging cargo planes after a crash, the limited support for air traffic controllers during a shutdown, mounting economic anxiety, severe weather in California, and a playful note from the papacy on Wordle. Each story is delivered with NPR’s signature clarity and succinctness, offering a compact window into the day’s most pressing issues.