NPR News Now – 11-26-2025, 11AM EST

Main Theme:
A rapid-fire update on top national and international news stories, covering record Thanksgiving travel, diplomatic developments on the Ukraine war, tragic fires in Hong Kong and Bangladesh, new discoveries on Mars, and the ongoing Kilauea volcano eruption.

1. Record Thanksgiving Travel Expected

Key Points:

• AAA forecasts a record-breaking number of Americans traveling for Thanksgiving, with 73 million expected to drive.
• The FAA notes this could be the busiest air travel Thanksgiving in 15 years, now that the government shutdown has ended and air traffic controllers are back.

Insight & Quote:

• “[There are] indications that advanced bookings this year are down a bit compared to last year, off by about 4%, according to data from the aviation analytics company Cirium, which suggests that maybe demand is not quite where the airlines expected it would be coming out of the shutdown. But, you know, in any case, you should expect the airports to be very busy.”
  — Joel Rose (00:47)

Timestamps:

• Intro & travel forecast: 00:17
• Expert analysis on travel bookings: 00:47

2. US-Russia Talks over Ukraine War

Key Points:

• President Trump announces his envoy, Steve Witkoff, will soon travel to Moscow for talks with President Putin.
• The aim is to push forward a negotiated deal to end the Ukraine war.
• The draft peace plan, initially Moscow-friendly, has been revised after feedback from Europe and Ukraine.
• Senior Russian officials warn that recent amendments could make the plan a “non-starter.”
• Witkoff’s upcoming trip follows a leak of a phone call transcript reportedly showing him giving negotiating advice on Trump to a top Putin aide; authenticity not confirmed, and Trump downplays it.

Insight & Quote:

• “Witkoff seeks approval for a draft peace plan that initially offered terms favorable to Moscow but has since been fine tuned with input from Europe and Ukraine. Senior Russian officials have warned those amendments could make the plan a non starter.”
  — Charles Maintes (01:25)

Timestamps:

• Trump’s envoy announcement: 01:05
• Developments and diplomatic context: 01:25

3. Deadly Apartment Fire in Hong Kong

Key Points:

• At least 13 dead, 15 injured, and others possibly trapped after an apartment fire, among Hong Kong’s deadliest in 30 years.
• The fire spread rapidly from one high-rise to at least four others in a public housing complex for around 4,600 residents.
• A firefighter died combating the blaze.
• Suspicion centers on bamboo scaffolding around the buildings, known to be a fire hazard; the government has initiatives to replace it with steel.

Insight & Quote:

• “Residents are being housed in community shelters now, and there is already suspicion that the bamboo scaffolding in encasing the buildings that caught fire played a part in the blaze.”
  — Emily Fang (02:22)

Timestamps:

• Initial report and death toll: 02:07
• On-the-ground details and response: 02:22

4. Major Fire Leaves Thousands Homeless in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Key Points:

• A fire affects a crowded slum in Dhaka, leaving thousands homeless but causing no reported deaths.
• No further details elaborated in the broadcast.

Timestamp:

• Brief mention: 03:04

5. Other Headlines

a. FBI Inquiry into Lawmakers' Military Video

• FBI seeks to interview six Democratic lawmakers over a video reminding military personnel not to obey illegal orders.
• Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, is under additional Pentagon investigation.

b. Mars Lightning Discovery

• NASA’s Perseverance rover has detected evidence of dust devil-induced lightning on Mars.
• Scientists had long suspected such electrical activity but confirm it through sound and electrical interference picked up by the rover’s microphone.
• Researchers seek to determine if this poses risks to future Mars missions.

Insight & Quote:

• “A microphone on NASA's Perseverance rover sometimes did more than just hear wind. Dozens of times. It registered a distinctive pattern of electrical interference followed by the acoustic signal of a shock wave. They say this had to have been from electrical arcs just a few centimeters long.”
  — Nell Greenfield Boyce (03:49)

Timestamps:

• Lawmakers & FBI probe: 03:04 (brief)
• Mars lightning discovery: 03:49

6. Kilauea Volcano Continues to Erupt

Key Points:

• Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, is erupting for the 37th time since last December, sending lava 400 feet in the air.
• No homes are currently threatened.

Timestamps:

• Volcano update: 04:35

Notable Quotes

• “You should expect the airports to be very busy.” — Joel Rose (00:47)
• “Witkoff seeks approval for a draft peace plan … since been fine tuned with input from Europe and Ukraine.” — Charles Maintes (01:25)
• “There is already suspicion that the bamboo scaffolding … played a part in the blaze.” — Emily Fang (02:22)
• “A microphone on NASA's Perseverance rover … registered a distinctive pattern of electrical interference followed by the acoustic signal of a shock wave.” — Nell Greenfield Boyce (03:49)

Useful for:
Anyone seeking a clear rundown of major national and international news stories as of late morning on November 26, 2025. The episode delivers factual reporting, succinct analysis, and updates on ongoing stories, maintaining NPR’s concise and objective tone.