NPR News: 11-26-2025 3PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: November 26, 2025 – 3PM EST

Overview

This episode of NPR News Now delivers a brisk, five-minute update on the top global and national headlines as of November 26, 2025. Main topics include diplomatic efforts to end the Ukraine war, controversy over U.S. military loyalty, the dismissal of a major election interference case, a new Israeli military operation in the West Bank, deadly violence on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, and an uplifting story about rescue turkeys in Tennessee.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. U.S.-Russia Peace Negotiations on Ukraine (00:18–01:15)

• Summary: President Trump is sending envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow to pursue a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine. The process is fraught, with a draft plan initially favoring Moscow but revised after European and Ukrainian input—leading Russian officials to push back.
• Leaked Transcript Controversy: Witkoff was implicated in a leak, allegedly advising a Putin aide on how to handle Trump. Trump downplayed its significance, calling Witkoff’s actions “standard negotiation.”
• 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.” — Charles Mainz (00:33)

2. Senator Mark Kelly Rebukes Pentagon Investigation (01:15–01:59)

• Summary: Senator Mark Kelly continues to publicly object to a Pentagon investigation targeting him and other Democrats who warned service members against obeying unlawful orders. He argues this investigation threatens free speech and principled military service.
• Presidential Accusations: Trump labeled the lawmakers “traitors,” accusing them of unlawful undermining of his authority as Commander in Chief.
• Quote:
  • “Every one of us has First Amendment speech rights and I think the president is infringing on those and he is sending a pretty strong message. You do not want to cross him and your loyalty should be to him. It should always be to the Constitution.” — Senator Mark Kelly (01:28)

3. Dismissal of Georgia Election Interference Case (01:59–02:12)

• Summary: The landmark legal case accusing Trump and allies of trying to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results has been dismissed by a judge.
• Significance: This decision marks the end of a historically significant attempt to hold former and sitting leaders accountable for election subversion.

4. Israeli Military Operation in West Bank (02:12–03:06)

• Summary: Israel launches a large-scale raid in Tubas, West Bank, following a Gaza ceasefire. Reports from the scene detail injuries and displacement—the most since recent major refugee camp operations.
• Humanitarian Impact: The Palestinian Red Crescent cites brutality and difficulty in accessing medical care.
• Quote:
  • “The Palestinian Red Crescent said its teams were treating 10 people for, quote, brutal beatings and that 30 patients total were transferred to hospitals as a result of the raid.” — Kat Lansdorf (02:27)

5. Violence on Afghanistan-Pakistan Border (03:06–04:16)

• Summary: In Pakistan's Kurram district, a strike kills five children—allegedly originating from the Pakistani military. Meanwhile, tensions escalate amid mutual accusations of cross-border attacks between Pakistan and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
• Local Response: Community protests arise, with small coffins placed at a paramilitary HQ.
• Quote:
  • “Elders were gathered around wooden coffins, some of them small. They had placed them in front of a paramilitary headquarter to protest the deaths of the children, whose ages ranged from 17 to 6.” — Omkar Khandekar (03:32)

6. Thanksgiving Feature: Rescue Turkeys (04:16–04:45)

• Summary: A lighter segment spotlights the Gentle Barn animal sanctuary in Tennessee, where people find solace by cuddling with rescue turkeys. The founder emphasizes the therapeutic value of animals for humans.
• Memorable Moment:
  • “Oh, my goodness, you’re so snuggly.” — Associated Press coverage at Gentle Barn (04:22)
  • “The world has started to recognize that dogs, cats, horses have a therapeutic value to them. It’s a place of refuge for anyone.” — Ellie Lack, founder of Gentle Barn (04:37)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Ukraine Peace Negotiations – 00:18–01:15
• Pentagon Investigation and Senator Kelly – 01:15–01:59
• Georgia Election Interference Case Dismissal – 01:59–02:12
• New West Bank Israeli Operation – 02:12–03:06
• Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Violence – 03:06–04:16
• Rescue Turkeys Feature – 04:16–04:45

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Notable Quotes

• “Every one of us has First Amendment speech rights and I think the president is infringing on those and he is sending a pretty strong message. You do not want to cross him and your loyalty should be to him. It should always be to the Constitution.”
  — Senator Mark Kelly, 01:28

• “The world has started to recognize that dogs, cats, horses have a therapeutic value to them. It’s a place of refuge for anyone.”
  — Ellie Lack, 04:37

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Summary

This news roundup spans sobering coverage of diplomatic, political, and military events shaping the globe, contrasted with a heartwarming Thanksgiving feature highlighting resilience and kindness. The episode maintains a steady, authoritative tone, balancing urgent reports on international conflict with a moment of hope and reflection.

Transcript

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[Lakshmi Singh]

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

[Charles Mainz]

President Trump says his envoy, Steve Witkoff, will soon head to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Trump has said he is closing in on a negotiated deal to end the war in Ukraine. Put from Moscow, NPR's Charles Mainz reports.

[Charles Baines]

A senior Kremlin aide confirmed Witkoff would meet with Putin next week to discuss the latest US Efforts to end the war in Ukraine. 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. Witkoff's trip also comes in the wake of a leaked transcript from a phone call with a senior Putin aide that appears to show Witkoff providing counsel on handling Trump. While the transcript has not been independently verified by npr, Trump is already downplaying its contents, telling reporters Witkoff was engaged in a standard form of negotiation. Charles Baines, NPR News, Moscow, Arizona.

[Lakshmi Singh]

U.S. senator Mark Kelly was on Jimmy.

[Charles Mainz]

Kimmel Live last night as he continues.

[Lakshmi Singh]

To publicly rebuke the Pentagon's investigation into.

[Charles Mainz]

Him and other congressional Democrats for warning service members against following unlawful orders.

[U.S. Senator Mark Kelly]

Every one of us has First Amendment speech rights and I think the president is infringing on those and he is sending a pretty strong message. You do not want to cross him and your loyalty should be to him. It should not. It should always be to the Constitution.

[Charles Mainz]

The congressional members who put out video.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Recently have military or intelligence backgrounds.

[Charles Mainz]

President Trump accused the lawmakers of being.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Traitors and unlawfully undermining his responsibility as commander in chief.

[Charles Mainz]

The historic Georgia election interference case against President Trump and his allies for their efforts to overturn the results of the.

[Lakshmi Singh]

2020 presidential election is no more. Today, a judge granted a motion for dismissal.

[Charles Mainz]

The Israeli military has launched a new major operation in the occupied West Bank. It's the first significant Israeli military deployment since the ceasefire in Gaza went into effect last month.

[Lakshmi Singh]

NPR's Kat Lansdorf has more from the West Bank.

[Kat Lansdorf]

A few hundred Israeli soldiers and several armored vehicles raided the Palestinian town of Tubas outside of Nablus, According to the mayor. Israel said it was part of a, quote, broad counterterrorism operation in the area. The Palestinian Red Crescent said its teams were treating 10 people for, quote, brutal beatings and that 30 patients total were transferred to hospitals as a result of the raid, noting that transportation was difficult due to military incursions. This major raid comes as Israel has been carrying out an extended and destructive military campaign in northern refugee camps of the West bank bank, leading to the longest and largest displacement in the territory in decades. Kat Lahnsdorf, NPR News, Ramola.

[Lakshmi Singh]

At last check on Wall street, the Dow was up nearly 400 points. This is NPR News. Residents of a Pakistani border town say that five children were killed in a strike that they say appear to be fired from a Pakistani military position. Omkar Khandekar reports the Taliban had previously accused the Pakistani military of a bombing that killed 10 civilians in Afghanistan.

[Omkar Khandekar]

A resident of Pakistan's Kurram district sent an NPR producer footage of the aftermath of the strike. Elders were gathered around wooden coffins, some of them small. They had placed them in front of a paramilitary headquarter to protest the deaths of the children, whose ages ranged from 17 to 6. Pakistan's army had no immediate comment regarding that strike, but a spokesman for the military insisted his forces were not behind an earlier strike in Afghanistan that had killed nine children and a woman. The strikes come amidst tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. They have been brewing as extremist groups loyal to the Taliban have been conducting militant attacks inside Pakistan. Omkar Khandekar, NPR News, Mumbai.

[Charles Mainz]

Some people will be celebrating this Thanksgiving snuggling with a rescue turkey.

[Ellie Lack]

Oh, my goodness, you're so snuggly.

[Charles Mainz]

The Associated Press capturing a cuddly moment at the Gentle Barn in Tennessee. Tennessee founder Ellie Lack says turkeys are smart. They're gentle. And like the other rescued animals, they're a calming force for human visitors looking for a little connection.

[Gentle Barn Founder]

The world has started to recognize that dogs, cats, horses have a therapeutic value to them. It's a place of refuge for anyone.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The founder of Gentle Barn on the healing powers of a snuggle. It's NPR News.

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