NPR News: 11-23-2025 9PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now – November 23, 2025 – 9PM EST

Host: Jeanine Herbst
Date: November 24, 2025
Duration: 5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This NPR News Now update delivers concise reports on emerging international tensions, domestic health care changes, entertainment industry highlights, and pre-holiday economic activity. The central focus is diplomatic ambiguity around a proposed Ukraine peace plan, rising alarm over higher health insurance premiums, a global box office update, and pre-Thanksgiving preparations in the U.S.

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Key News Segments & Insights

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1. Ukraine Peace Plan Controversy

[00:16–01:17]

• Summary:
  Secretary of State Marco Rubio expresses optimism after multilateral talks in Geneva regarding a proposed 28-point peace plan for Ukraine. However, there's confusion and pushback over the plan's authorship and provisions.

• Key Details:

  • Plan Provisions:
    • Ukraine required to cede unoccupied land to Russia, reduce its military, and never join NATO.
  • Dispute Over Authorship:
    • Rubio calls it a "U.S. plan" with input from various stakeholders.
    • Some lawmakers and allies suspect strong Russian influence.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Mark Warner (Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair, D):

    "It feels like this was a plan that they took almost entirely from the Russians did. No consultation with Congress, no consultation with the Europeans. Obviously didn't read in Zelenskyy and the Ukrainians and now they're getting ferocious pushback."
    (01:05)

  • Mike McCall (TX Republican Congressman):

    "Rubio did say on the call that this is a United States document with input from Ukraine and from Russia, both."
    (01:09)

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2. Israeli Airstrike in Beirut

[01:17–02:14]

• Summary:
  An Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut killed a senior Hezbollah commander, Haitham Ali Tabatabai, along with four others, and wounded dozens; this follows months without direct strikes in the city and comes amid ongoing regional tension despite a year-old U.S.-brokered ceasefire.

• Key Details:

  • Attack described as hitting a crowded residential area.
  • Lebanese President Joseph Ayoun appeals for international intervention due to ceasefire violations.
  • Hezbollah calls this attack a "new red line" but has refrained from attacking Israel since the ceasefire.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Jane Araf (NPR):

    "Israel has launched almost daily attacks in south Lebanon despite a U.S. brokered ceasefire agreed a year ago. This was Israel's first attack in months on Beirut."
    (01:32)

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3. Health Insurance Premium Increases

[02:14–03:10]

• Summary:
  As open enrollment begins on healthcare.gov, Americans face sharply higher premiums—prompting distress and concern among enrollees as pandemic-era subsidies expire.

• Key Details:

  • Since Congress did not extend enhanced premium subsidies, many families see steep price hikes.
  • Call centers field increasing numbers of desperate calls, including self-harm threats.
  • Uncertainty remains about the scale of the problem; HHS declined to comment.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Audrey Morse Gasteyer (Massachusetts Health Connector):

    "Enrollees are facing steep price hikes and are reaching out to call centers in extreme distress."
    (02:29)

  • Selena Simmons Duffin (NPR):

    "Individuals and families losing the help they depend on to afford to stay covered simply can't believe it. We have even had an uptick in self harm threats by people reaching out to our call centers."
    (02:52)

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4. Entertainment: “Wicked for Good” International Box Office

[03:10–04:10]

• Summary:
  The film Wicked for Good, the second chapter of the Oz origin story, surpasses expectations domestically and internationally with a likely $1 billion global box office in the near future.

• Key Details:

  • U.S. opening weekend estimate: $150 million.
  • Overseas opening: $75 million, despite lesser familiarity with the source material.
  • Major stars (Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo) drove international publicity.

• Notable Quote:

  • Bob Mondello (NPR):

    "The first Wicked film made $758 million worldwide, so their combined box office will reach a billion dollars in the next few days."
    (03:23)

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5. Pre-Holiday Economy: Christmas Tree Auction in Pennsylvania

[04:10–04:53]

• Summary:
  A major Christmas tree auction in central Pennsylvania draws significant buyers ahead of the holidays, signaling economic activity tied to seasonal traditions.

• Key Details:

  • 50,000 trees and other decor sold at the Buffalo Valley Produce Auction.
  • Buyers came from across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
  • The Real Christmas Tree Board emphasizes the appeal of real, farm-grown trees.

• Brief Economic Overview:

  • Asian markets (Hang Seng & Asia Dow) and U.S. futures are trading higher as of air time.

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Memorable Moments

• Senator Warner’s sharp criticism of the Ukraine plan’s origins and lack of allied consultation (01:05).
• Startling statistic on mental health impacts tied to health care premium hikes: “an uptick in self harm threats” (02:52).
• Cultural note on the worldwide impact of an American story through “Wicked for Good” (03:23).

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Ukraine Peace Plan: 00:16–01:17
• Israeli Airstrike in Beirut: 01:17–02:14
• Healthcare Premium Increases: 02:14–03:10
• “Wicked for Good” Box Office: 03:23–04:10
• Christmas Tree Auction/Economic Update: 04:10–04:53

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For listeners seeking a quick yet thorough news update, this episode covers significant geopolitical developments, urgent domestic policy shifts, entertainment industry milestones, and seasonal economic indicators—all in just five minutes.

Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

In Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he's optimistic after talks in Geneva today with Ukraine, European and Russian leaders over a 28 point peace plan. Meanwhile, there's confusion from US lawmakers and allies on what whether the plan was written by Russia or the U.S. rubio says it's a U.S. plan. It includes requirements that Ukraine cede land not already occupied by Russia, reduce its military and never join NATO. Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Democrat Mark Warner says it reads like a list of Russia's demands.

[Mark Warner]

It feels like this was a plan that they took almost entirely from the Russians did. No consultation with Congress, no consultation with the Europeans. Obviously didn't read in Zelenskyy and the Ukrainians and now they're getting ferocious pushback.

[Jeanine Herbst]

But Texas Republican Congressman Mike McCall says both sides gave input.

[Mike McCall]

Rubio did say on the call that this is a United States document with input from Ukraine and from Russia, both.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Speaking there to ABCs this week, Israel killed a senior Hezbollah commander in an airstrike in Beirut that hit a crowded residential area, killing four others and wounding dozens more, according to according to Lebanese health authorities. Jayna Raf has more.

[Jane Araf]

Hezbollah announced that Haitham Ali Tabatabai was killed in an Israeli attack in Beirut's southern suburbs Sunday. The group described him as one of the founders of resistance against Israel. Israel has launched almost daily attacks in south Lebanon despite a U S brokered ceasefire agreed a year ago. This was Israel's first attack in months on Beirut. Lebanese President Joseph Ayoun called on other countries to intervene to stop Israel's ceasefire violations. Hezbollah has refrained from attacking Israel since last year's ceasefire, but a Hezbollah official called Sunday's attack a new red line. For NPR News, I'm Jane Araf. In Beirut.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Open enrollment is underway on healthcare.gov and this year, and royalies are finding their premium costs are much higher than they've been in the past few years. NPR's Selena Simmons Duffin reports. Call centers that help with enrol moment are hearing from people who feel desperate.

[Audrey Morse Gasteyer]

Audrey Morse Gasteyer, who runs Health Connector, the Affordable Care act marketplace in Massachusetts, briefed the board in a public meeting earlier this month. She explained that because Congress has not extended enhanced premium subsidies that have kept costs down for people over the last few years, enrollees are facing steep price hikes and are reaching out to call centers in extreme distress.

[Selena Simmons Duffin]

Individuals and families losing the help they depend on to afford to stay covered simply can't believe it. We have even had an uptick in self harm threats by people reaching out to our call centers.

[Audrey Morse Gasteyer]

It's not clear how widespread this problem is. The federal Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to a request for comment.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Selena Simmons Duffin reporting. This is NPR News. The witches from Oz movie Wicked for Good is casting its spell around the world. NPR's Bob Mondello has more.

[Bob Mondello]

Because the wizard of Oz is a children's classic in the U.S. wicked for good, the second half of the origin story of good witch Glinda and Wicked Witch Elphaba was expected to do well here with what looks like a 150 million dollar opening weekend. It's doing very well, But the story isn't as well known in other countries. So Wicked for Good, opening to more than $75 million overseas, even with stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo doing extensive publicity tours, was not a given. The first wicked film made $758 million worldwide, so their combined box office will reach a billion dollars in the next few days. Bob Mondello, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Just days before Thanksgiving, an auction of Christmas trees took place in Pennsylvania's farm country. Around 50,000 trees and a huge array of other seasonal items with were bought and sold at the Buffalo Valley Produce Auction in Mifflinburg as buyers from across the Northeast and Mid Atlantic drop by to stock garden stores and other retail outlets. The Real Christmas Tree board says the scent of real farm grown trees is a major draw. Asian markets are trading higher at this hour. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong and the Asia Dow both up around 1%. U.S. futures contracts are also trading higher. I'm Jeanine Herbst and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.

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