NPR News: 11-26-2025 10AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now — Summary

Podcast: NPR News Now
Episode: 10AM EST, November 26, 2025
Host: Nora Ram

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Episode Overview

This concise NPR News Now update covers major international and domestic stories in under five minutes. Key topics include White House diplomacy with Russia, new U.S. National Park fees for international visitors, the state of the American economy leading into Thanksgiving, food insecurity in Nigeria, an alarming report on antibiotic resistance, and the holiday travel weather forecast.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S.-Russia Diplomacy Over Ukraine

[00:16–01:19]

• Envoy Visit: White House envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the Ukraine conflict.
• Controversial Transcripts: Ukrainian officials aren't surprised by leaked transcripts in which Witkoff allegedly expressed “deep respect” for Putin.
• Peace Plan Controversy: The transcript, reported by Bloomberg, reveals Witkoff urged a Putin adviser to have Putin call President Trump and praise him for his mideast peace deal, hoping to jumpstart Russia-Ukraine talks.
• Effect on Ukraine: The Putin call to Trump reportedly undermined Ukrainian President Zelensky's hopes for U.S. Tomahawk missiles during his White House visit.
• Russian-Backed Peace Plan: A second transcript suggests a recent 28-point peace plan, officially a U.S.-Russia proposal, was likely “entirely concocted by Russia.” This plan, which heavily favored Russian interests, has since been amended with input from Ukraine and European nations.

Eleanor Beardsley ([00:36]): “The plan, which favored Russia, has since been heavily amended by the Ukrainians and Europeans.”

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2. National Park Service Fee Hikes for International Visitors

[01:19–02:12]

• New Fees: The U.S. is introducing “America First” entrance fees at 11 major national parks, like Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite, for international tourists.
• Fee Details: Non-U.S. visitors must pay a $100 supplemental entrance fee, plus standard fees. The annual pass for international tourists is raised from $80 to $250.
• Fee-Free Days: On certain holidays, free entry will now be for U.S. residents only.
• Reason: The fee increases aim to fund facility upgrades and maintenance after budget cuts and lost revenue from the government shutdown.

Kristen Wright ([01:32]): “The Department says the fees will help cover upgrades to visitor facilities and maintenance.”

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3. Economic Update Before Thanksgiving

[02:12–03:04]

• Stocks: The Dow Jones opened up 140 points; later, Nora Ram updates with it up 181 points, and the S&P up 28 points.
• Gas Prices: 70 million Americans are expected to travel for the holiday. AAA reports gas prices down to $3.04 per gallon—cheaper than last week and last year.
• Durable Goods Orders: Orders rose 0.5% in September, mainly due to defense products.
• Jobless Claims: New unemployment claims dipped to 216,000, with roughly 1.7 million receiving benefits.

Scott Horsley ([02:22]): “The more than 70 million Americans expected to take road trips … will find some good prices on gasoline.”

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4. Severe Food Insecurity in Nigeria Amid Instability

[03:04–03:50]

• UN Report: The World Food Program estimates nearly 35 million Nigerians could face severe food insecurity in 2026.
• Context: Political instability is rising, marked by attacks from armed groups, including a recent kidnapping of over 300 girls from a Catholic school, with more than 250 still missing.

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5. Growing Problem of Antibiotic Resistance

[03:50–04:36]

• Public Knowledge Gaps: A study in Clinical Microbiology and Infection finds that, while three-quarters globally know antibiotics treat bacterial infections, only 42% know they don’t work against viruses.
• Impact: Misuse leads to antibiotic resistance—where bacteria evolve to evade drugs—a growing global health threat.

Jonathan Lambert ([03:50]): “Globally, roughly three quarters of people knew that the drugs are effective against bacterial infections, but less than half knew that antibiotics don't work against viral colds or flu.”

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6. Thanksgiving Holiday Weather Update

[04:36–04:54]

• Snow and Cold: Snow is forecast for Midwest and Great Lakes, potentially affecting millions of holiday travelers.
• New York Parade Weather: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC is expected to be dry but cold.

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Notable Quotes

• Eleanor Beardsley ([00:36]): “The plan, which favored Russia, has since been heavily amended by the Ukrainians and Europeans.”
• Kristen Wright ([01:32]): “The Department says the fees will help cover upgrades to visitor facilities and maintenance.”
• Scott Horsley ([02:22]): “The more than 70 million Americans expected to take road trips … will find some good prices on gasoline.”
• Jonathan Lambert ([03:50]): “Globally, roughly three quarters of people knew that the drugs are effective against bacterial infections, but less than half knew that antibiotics don't work against viral colds or flu.”

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Key Timestamps

• [00:16] White House envoy to Russia and Ukraine peace talks
• [01:19] National Park Service international fee hikes
• [02:12] Stock market and gasoline prices
• [03:04] Nigerian food insecurity and school kidnapping update
• [03:50] Antibiotic resistance and public understanding
• [04:36] Thanksgiving weather forecast

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This episode delivers a rapid-fire, essential rundown of major national and global events as Americans head into the Thanksgiving holiday.

Transcript

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[Nora Ram]

In Washington, I'm Nora Ram. White House envoy Steve Witkoff is to go to Moscow next week to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine. Some Ukrainian officials say they're not surprised by leaked transcripts of a conversation in which Witkoff said he had deep respect for Putin. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

NPR has not been able to independently confirm the transcripts released by Bloomberg. In one call, Witkoff encourages the Putin adviser to have Putin call President Trump and flatter him over his recent Mideast peace deal in order to get the ball rolling on a similar deal between Russia and Ukraine. The Putin call came a day ahead of a White House visit by Volodymyr Zelensky in October and likely dashed the Ukrainian president's hopes for Tomahawk missiles. A second release conversation between two Putin advisers confirms a recent 28 point peace plan released by Russia and the US was likely entirely concocted by Russia. That plan, which favored Russia, has since been heavily amended by the Ukrainians and Europeans. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Kyiv.

[Nora Ram]

The National Park Service is hiking fees for international tourists. The Interior Department says the new America first fees will be in place at 11 parks. NPR's Kristen Wright reports.

[Kristen Wright]

The affected parks include some of the most visited, like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite. Tourists from other countries will have to pay a new $100 fee to enter, plus the regular entrance charge. The Interior Department is also more than tripling the cost of an annual park pass for international visitors to $250 instead of $80, which is what US residents will still pay. And now fee free days on several holidays will only be free for U.S. residents. The Department says the fees will help cover upgrades to visitor facilities and maintenance. The National Park Service has been dealing with budget cuts and staff reductions, plus money lost during the government shutdown. Kristen Wright, NPR News.

[Nora Ram]

Stocks opened higher on this last trading day before Thanksgiving. NPR's Scott Horsley reports. The Dow Jones industrial average rose about 140 points in early trading.

[Scott Horsley]

The more than 70 million Americans expected to take road trips over the holiday weekend will find some good prices on gasoline. AAA reports the average price of regular gas nationwide is $3.04 a gallon. That's about a nickel cheaper than a week ago and 2 cents less than this time last year. Orders for long lasting manufactured goods rose by half a percent in September, with defense products leading the charge. Orders for durable goods other than defense products rose just one tenth of a percent. New applications for unemployment benefits dipped last week as 216,000 people applied for aid as of early November, about 1.7 million receiving some form of jobless assistance. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

[Nora Ram]

The Dow is now up 181 points. The S&P is up 28 points. This is NPR News in Washington. The U.N. world Food Program estimates nearly 35 million people in Nigeria will face severe food insecurity next year. This comes at a time of political instability in Nigeria, with increased attacks by armed groups and Islamist militants. Gunmen attacked a Catholic school last week and kidnapped more than 300 girls. More than 250 are still missing. Many people don't understand which kinds of infections can be treated with antibiotics. According to new research, only about 42% know they don't work against viruses. NPR's Jonathan Lambert reports.

[Jonathan Lambert]

Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria evolve to work around existing drugs, and it's on the rise worldwide. Major knowledge gaps about what antibiotics can and can't do could be contributing to that rise, according to a study published recently in Clinical Microbiology and Infection. Researchers analyzed over 200 studies from dozens of countries that asked people about antibiotics. Globally, roughly three quarters of people knew that the drugs are effective against bacterial infections, but less than half knew that antibiotics don't work against viral colds or flu. Understanding was much lower in some countries, including Myanmar and Bangladesh. Those knowledge gaps could mean more people take antibiotics when they aren't warranted, which can stoke the spread of resistance. Jonathan Lambert, NPR News.

[Nora Ram]

The weather may be a factor for millions of Americans who are traveling this week for Thanksgiving. Snow is expected in parts of the Midwest and the Great Lakes region. The forecast for New York City is dry but cold for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Hi, I'm Nora Ramm, NPR News.

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