NPR News: 11-24-2025 8AM EST

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Speaker 2 Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. American, Ukrainian, Russian, and European negotiators are heading into another day of talks in Geneva aimed at ending Russia's war in Ukraine.

Speaker 2 NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports: despite a rocky start, the U.S. and Ukraine issued a joint statement saying the discussions so far have been productive.

Speaker 3 Ukraine and its European allies were stunned by the original peace draft, which hugely favored Russia and was drawn up by U.S.

Speaker 3 Mideast Ukraine envoy Steve Witkoff and an envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Europeans are looking to alter it without clashing with the Trump administration.

Speaker 3 Speaking by video, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine never wanted this war and will never be an obstacle to peace.

Speaker 3 But he said, a real peace must guarantee security, respect for our people, and respect for everyone who gave their life defending Ukraine against Russian aggression. Eleanor Beersley, NPR News, Kiev.

Speaker 2 Israel has killed the second-in-command of the militant Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Speaker 2 The attack is raising fears that all-out war could restart, despite a ceasefire that was negotiated between Lebanon and Israel a year ago. Correspondent Jaina Raff reports from Beirut.

Speaker 5 who were injured, including women and children. Hezbollah has not yet said how it's going to respond,

Speaker 5 but an official on Sunday said this strike in the middle of what is supposed to be a ceasefire is a red line. For NPR News, I'm Jane Araff in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

Speaker 2 A task force studying the future of the Federal Emergency Management Agency blew past its deadline last week.

Speaker 2 Instead of scaling the agency back, something President Trump had campaigned on, the White House is now weighing whether to give FEMA more power power as climate disasters grow more frequent.

Speaker 2 Scott Dance with the New York Times says the dispute centers on one main question.

Speaker 6 There is a disagreement between the members of the task force and Christy Noam, who is the Homeland Security Secretary, and she's also the chairwoman of this task force. So,

Speaker 6 you know, they had sent a report to her. that was lengthy and she has edited it down.

Speaker 6 The administration says she has not altered the contents of the report at all, but what we're hearing is there is a disagreement over that idea that FEMA should be a cabinet-level agency.

Speaker 2 That's Scott Dance with the New York Times reporting. This is NPR News in Washington.

Speaker 2 The movie Wicked for Good was number one at the North American box office over the weekend. NPR's Bob Mondello reports.

Speaker 4 Because The Wizard of Oz is a children's classic in the U.S., Wicked for Good, the second half of the origin story of Good Witch Glinda and Wicked Witch Elphaba, was expected to do well here.

Speaker 4 With what looks like a $150 million opening weekend, it's doing very well.

Speaker 4 But the story isn't as well known in other countries, so Wicked for Good opening to more than $75 million overseas, even with stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Arrivo doing extensive publicity tours, was not a given.

Speaker 4 The first wicked film made $758 million worldwide, so their combined box office will reach a billion dollars in the next few days. Bob Mondello, NBR News.

Speaker 2 There's a runaway goat that's been causing chaos in a Detroit neighborhood, and residents say he's only getting bolder.

Speaker 2 His name is Smoke, and he escaped from a backyard enclosure last week, and officials haven't been able to capture him.

Speaker 2 Neighbors say Smoke has chased livery drivers, head-butted trash cans, and startled people taking out the garbage. Animal Control says they're using food, fencing, and patience to bring him in safely.

Speaker 2 Stocks across Asia closed mixed today. Japan's Nikkei average took a sharp dive, losing more than 1,100 points.
Markets in China and Hong Kong closed higher. This is NPR News.

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