NPR News Now: 5AM EST, November 29, 2025 – Episode Summary

Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now episode, hosted by Luis Schiavone, delivers essential national and international updates. Major stories include the fatal shooting of a National Guardswoman in Washington D.C., a leadership shakeup at FEMA, the latest attacks and peace plans in Ukraine, a deadly fire in Hong Kong, President Trump's plans to pardon a controversial former Honduran president, and the effects of mild weather on Colorado’s ski season.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. National Guard Shooting in Washington D.C. (00:18–01:01)

• Incident: The charge has been upgraded to first-degree murder after Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, critically injured in the downtown Washington, D.C. ambush, died. Suspected shooter, Ramanula Lockinwall, is an Afghan refugee.
• Victim Tribute: West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrissey honors Beckstrom's service:
  • Quote:

    "She was a courageous young woman. She's only 20 and yet she was so dedicated to West Virginia and to our country. The most recent mission she volunteered for."
    — Patrick Morrissey (00:49)

2. FEMA Leadership Changes & Political Pressure (01:01–01:57)

• Leadership Transition: Karen Evans replaces David Richardson as FEMA's acting administrator after less than a year of turmoil at the agency.
• Background: FEMA has faced instability with multiple acting heads and political calls for elimination.
• Upcoming: A review council appointed by President Trump will soon present recommendations on FEMA’s future.
• Reporting by: Michael Copley

3. Renewed Violence & Peace Talks in Ukraine (01:57–03:03)

• Russian Attacks: Kyiv faces drone and missile strikes; at least two dead, dozens injured.
• Diplomacy: Ukraine signals readiness for ceasefire negotiations based on a revised U.S.-backed plan, though Russia hasn’t agreed.
• International Dynamics:
  • Ukrainian MP Roman Kostenko emphasizes the conflict’s wider implications:
    • Quote:

      "We're fighting with the Russian Federation, but at the same time we're trying to explain to the US that Ukraine is a victim of and Russia is the aggressor ... this is not just a war between Ukraine and Russia. It's a war against the civilized world."
      — Roman Kostenko, via Eleanor Beardsley (02:43)

• Reporting by: Eleanor Beardsley from Kyiv

4. Hong Kong Apartment Fire Tragedy (03:03–03:24)

• Death Toll: rises to 128 after more bodies are found in a fire where alarms failed to sound.

5. Trump’s Planned Pardon of Former Honduran President (03:24–03:55)

• Announcement: President Trump says he will pardon Juan Orlando Hernandez, ex-president of Honduras, currently imprisoned for drug trafficking and weapons charges.
• Rationale (via Trump social media):
  • Quote (paraphrased):

    “According to many people I greatly respect, Hernandez was treated harshly and unfairly.”

6. Colorado’s Delayed Ski Season and Mild Weather (03:55–04:35)

• Details: Beaver Creek Resort, among others, delays opening due to warm temperatures—about 10°F above normal.
  • Expert Insight:

    "But we do start to see temperatures start to fall into the 20s and teens as the week progresses, which will certainly bring some relief to the snowmaking efforts."
    — Kate Abbott, National Weather Service (04:15)

• Colorado snowpack: Below normal for this time of year.
• Reporting by: Stina Sieg in Grand Junction, CO

7. Weather Outlook: Regional Impacts (04:35–04:56)

• Current Snow: Some New England ski trails open after early snow.
• Forecast: Heavy lake-effect snow predicted near the Great Lakes; a winter storm is set to impact regions from the eastern Plains to the western Great Lakes.

Notable Quotes

• Patrick Morrissey on Sarah Beckstrom’s service:
  "She was a courageous young woman. She's only 20 and yet she was so dedicated to West Virginia and to our country. The most recent mission she volunteered for." (00:49)

• Roman Kostenko on Ukraine’s struggle:
  "We're fighting with the Russian Federation, but at the same time we're trying to explain to the US that Ukraine is a victim of and Russia is the aggressor ... this is not just a war between Ukraine and Russia. It's a war against the civilized world." (02:43)

• Kate Abbott on weather relief:
  "But we do start to see temperatures start to fall into the 20s and teens as the week progresses, which will certainly bring some relief to the snowmaking efforts." (04:15)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Start Time | |---------------------------------------------|--------------| | D.C. National Guard shooting, Beckstrom update | 00:18 | | FEMA leadership shakeup & political backdrop | 01:01 | | Russian attacks and Ukraine peace talks | 01:57 | | Hong Kong fire death toll rises | 03:03 | | Trump’s planned pardon for Juan Orlando Hernandez | 03:24 | | Colorado’s delayed ski season/weather outlook | 03:55 | | National winter weather forecast | 04:35 |

This concise and factual episode conveys major breaking news while maintaining NPR’s signature clear and measured reporting tone.