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Right now’s prime tales
Newly launched transcripts by Bloomberg present U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff coached a Russian adviser on methods to pitch a Ukraine peace deal to President Trump. The transcripts have been launched simply as Trump’s peace plan seems to be making headway. In the course of the cellphone name, Witkoff allegedly advises Yuri Ushakov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s international coverage adviser, on methods to handle Trump. The information outlet says the recording is from a name in mid-October, proper after Trump sanctioned Russia’s two greatest oil corporations. NPR has not independently verified the contents of the transcript.
U.S. Particular Envoy to the Center East Steve Witkoff appears to be like on throughout a gathering with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Trump and members of his Cupboard on the White Home on Oct. 17, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Photos
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Andrew Harnik/Getty Photos
- 🎧 NPR’s Eleanor Beardsley tells Up First she spoke with Ukrainian parliament member and chair of the international affairs committee Oleksandr Merezhko, who says he isn’t stunned by this growth. Merezhko known as for Witkoff’s substitute six months in the past, citing incompetence and lack of knowledge relating to Ukraine and the origins of the battle. Merezhko says that Ukrainians know they’re coping with folks in Trump’s entourage who take Russia’s aspect, however they should take care of them no matter who they’re.
- 🎧 Trump stays centered on ending the battle in Ukraine and is sending prime aides to each Moscow and Kyiv to work by way of variations in his newest peace plan. NPR’s Franco Ordoñez stories that Ukraine and Russia are not essentially nearer to reaching a deal, despite the fact that the 2 nations are exchanging concepts on methods to finish the battle with the U.S. Trump appears to point out real curiosity within the lack of life, particularly youngsters, however Ordoñez believes that the president’s quest for a Nobel Peace Prize might be a partial motivation for ending the battle.
Federal regulators say the U.S. aviation system is again to regular after the federal government shutdown, simply in time for the tens of millions of Individuals who’re anticipated to fly for the Thanksgiving vacation. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed a brand new civility marketing campaign this week known as “The Golden Age of Journey Begins with You,” urging vacationers to respect airport and airline workers.
- 🎧 Critics of the administration say the marketing campaign locations a number of strain on passengers whereas permitting airways to evade tasks for making flying much less civil. NPR’s Joel Rose says folks heading to the airport ought to count on large crowds. The Federal Aviation Administration says this might be the busiest Thanksgiving in 15 years.
Louisiana’s surgeon common, Dr. Ralph Abraham, who has known as COVID vaccines “harmful,” will turn out to be the principal deputy director on the CDC, making him the second-highest-ranking official. The place has been vacant since Dr. Nirav Shah, who served below the Biden administration, stepped down in February. Abraham has been a vocal supporter of Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and has even beforehand supported investigating the debunked hyperlink between vaccines and autism. The hyperlink between the 2 is a subject the CDC just lately revived. This is what else we learn about him.
Deep dive
White spherical capsules in orange bottle on blue background banner shut up with copy area
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neirfy/iStockphoto/Getty Photos
Drugmakers have created tablet variations of GLP-1 medicines designed to deal with weight problems, providing a possible various to injectable medication. Whereas the Meals and Drug Administration has not but accepted these medicines, the company is predicted to approve the primary tablet by the tip of the yr. This is what you need to learn about the brand new remedy:
- 💊 The FDA is predicted to approve Novo Nordisk’s weight problems tablet first out of the oral choices. It incorporates semaglutide, the identical ingredient present in Wegovy and Ozempic.
- 💊 The capsules ought to value lower than injectables, which have listing costs of over $1,000 a month. In keeping with Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly’s offers with the Trump administration, if their oral weight problems medicines are accepted, they may promote them on to shoppers for $149 a month.
- 💊 A 25 mg semaglutide tablet resulted in a median weight lack of 16.6% over 64 weeks, in keeping with a examine within the New England Journal of Medication. That is about the identical as Wegovy.
Image present
Aerial view of the densely inhabited space of Pozzuoli, situated throughout the Campi Flegrei volcanic caldera. Over half one million folks stay on this area, which is repeatedly monitored because of the ongoing volcanic exercise and the chance of floor uplift, earthquakes, and gasoline emissions related to bradyseism
Valerio Muscella for NPR
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Valerio Muscella for NPR
The highly effective Campi Flegrei volcano, situated close to Naples, Italy, is stirring as soon as once more, inflicting floor tremors that scientists say haven’t been felt for hundreds of years. Researchers are involved that the volcano might erupt quickly. Campi Flegrei’s prehistoric eruptions have been so important that they blocked out the solar, remodeling summer season into winter and coating Europe and Russia in a thick layer of volcanic ash. For everybody to outlive a modern-day eruption, greater than half one million folks would must be evacuated from an space surrounding Campi Flegrei’s eight-mile-wide crater, which Italian authorities have designated the “purple zone.” See pictures of the densely populated space and take heed to a resident describe what it’s prefer to stay there.
3 issues to know earlier than you go
Gramma’s 138th birthday was celebrated on the San Diego Zoo in 2022.
San Diego Zoo/YouTube/Screenshot by NPR
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San Diego Zoo/YouTube/Screenshot by NPR
- It is estimated that Gramma the Galápagos tortoise was born in 1884, a yr when the U.S. had solely 39 states. The “candy and shy tortoise,” who lived for a century on the San Diego Zoo, died Thursday at 141.
- Thanksgiving is peak season for Jiffy corn muffins, that are one of many top-selling dry items within the U.S. grocery market, in keeping with the corporate. The enduring, low-cost pastry staple has been round for 75 years. This is how Jiffy manages to stay a staple for Individuals.
- NPR’s Phrase of the Week is analyzing the historical past of turkey, simply in time for the vacations. The hen has a historical past stuffed with uncertainty, in keeping with historians and etymologists.
This text was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
