NPR News Now – 11-24-2025 7AM EST

Host: Windsor Johnston (NPR)
Air Date: November 24, 2025
Duration: ~5 minutes

Episode Overview

This episode presents a concise roundup of overnight global and national news. Major stories include updates on Ukraine peace talks, the outcome of the UN Climate Conference in Brazil, a high-profile meeting between New York City's mayor-elect and President Trump, a mass school kidnapping in Nigeria, a new social media age restriction in Malaysia, and international flight suspensions to Venezuela.

Key Discussion Points

1. Productive Ukraine Peace Talks in Switzerland

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported on Sunday’s ongoing peace discussions aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.
• Quote:
  • "Over the last 96 hours or more, there's been extensive engagement with the Ukrainian side... to further sort of narrow these points." —Marco Rubio (00:30)
• Rubio emphasized any final agreement would require approval from both Russian and Ukrainian presidents.
• The current draft peace plan, originally criticized as too favorable to Moscow, is now being revised to meet Ukraine’s central demands:
  • Firm security guarantees
  • Assurance of no forced NATO exclusion

2. UN Climate Conference In Brazil – No Mention of Fossil Fuels

• The latest UN Climate Conference (COP30) concluded without addressing fossil fuels—the primary driver of global emissions.
• Reporter Julia Simon highlighted:
  • "The final agreement had no mention of fossil fuels, even though they drive about 70% of emissions heating the planet." —Julia Simon (01:31)
• Importance of action post-ambition stressed:
  • Quote from Dutch Climate Minister, Sophie Hermans:
    • "We have this ambition, but after you have said you have the ambition, you also have to come to action. And that's what we are doing now." —Sophie Hermans (01:59)
• Announcement: New conference to focus on fossil fuel phase-out, co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, scheduled for next spring in Colombia.

3. NYC Mayor-Elect Meets President Trump – Shifts in Tone and Policy

• Zoran Mamdani, New York City mayor-elect, described his meeting with President Trump as "productive," reassuring many about future cooperation.
• The meeting surprised observers given Mamdani’s critical stance towards Trump:
  • Quote:
    • "That's something that I've said in the past. I say it today." —Zoran Mamdani on calling Trump a fascist (02:37)
• Despite ideological differences, both found "common ground" on economic and affordability issues.
  • "I found in the meeting that I had with the president a productive one and a meeting that came back again and again to the central themes of the campaign that we ran." —Zoran Mamdani (02:44)
• Kevin Hassett (Trump’s top economic adviser) clarified federal funding for NYC is unlikely to be withheld.
  • "Well, it feels like he doesn't mean it now, and I guess we'll have to wait and see what Mamdani does." —Kevin Hassett (02:59)
• The White House was reassured by Mamdani's decision to retain Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

4. Nigeria School Kidnapping – Partial Escape Amid Crisis

• Fifty of 300+ schoolchildren kidnapped from a Catholic school in Nigeria have escaped.
• 253 students and 12 teachers remain missing.
• No group has claimed responsibility for the Friday attack.
• Ongoing concerns about the safety and rescue efforts were highlighted.

5. Malaysia and Australia Move to Ban Under-16s from Social Media

• Malaysia is preparing to restrict social media registration to those 16 and older, starting next year, citing child safety and mental health concerns.
  • Communications Minister Fahmy Fadzil expects compliance from platforms, but penalties are unclear (03:49).
• Australia to deactivate under-16 social media accounts next month, responding to risks like cyberbullying.
• The global implications are significant, with other countries watching.
  • "It's a move whose implementation is expected to be watched keenly by countries with similar concerns worldwide." —Michael Sullivan (04:36)

6. International Airlines Suspend Flights to Venezuela

• Airlines are suspending Venezuela-bound flights after an FAA warning about increased military activity and security risks.
• Six carriers have indefinitely halted service.
• The situation continues to curtail Venezuela’s already limited international connectivity.

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

| Time | Speaker | Quote | |--------|-------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:30 | Marco Rubio | "Over the last 96 hours... extensive engagement with the Ukrainian side... to further sort of narrow these points." | | 01:31 | Julia Simon | "The final agreement had no mention of fossil fuels, even though they drive about 70% of emissions heating the planet."| | 01:59 | Sophie Hermans | "We have this ambition, but after you have said you have the ambition, you also have to come to action." | | 02:37 | Zoran Mamdani | "That's something that I've said in the past. I say it today." | | 02:44 | Zoran Mamdani | "I found in the meeting that I had with the president a productive one..." | | 02:59 | Kevin Hassett | "Well, it feels like he doesn't mean it now, and I guess we'll have to wait and see what Mamdani does." | | 04:36 | Michael Sullivan | "It's a move whose implementation is expected to be watched keenly by countries with similar concerns worldwide." |

Segment Timestamps

• Ukraine Peace Talks & Secretary Marco Rubio: 00:14–01:11
• UN Climate Conference & Action Announcements: 01:11–02:13
• NYC Mayor-Elect & White House Meeting: 02:13–03:12
• Nigeria School Kidnapping Updates: 03:12–03:49
• Malaysia/Australia Social Media Restrictions: 03:49–04:36
• Venezuela Flight Suspensions: 04:36–04:57

Overall Tone

Straightforward, factual, tightly focused on the most urgent and impactful news stories of the day. Direct speaker quotes provide both authority and insight, while the tone remains objective and urgent.