Leaked Witkoff call; Ukraine; Thanksgiving travel : NPR

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Tapes recently released by Bloomberg reveal that US special envoy Steve Witkoff coached a Russian adviser on how to present a Ukraine peace deal to President Trump. The transcripts were released as Trump’s peace plan looks to move forward. During the phone call, Witkoff reportedly advised Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, on how to manage Trump. The news outlet says the recording is from a call in mid-October, after Trump sanctioned Russia’s two largest oil companies. NPR has not independently verified the contents of the transcript.

• NPR’s Eleanor Beardsley explains first up He spoke to Ukrainian Parliament member and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Oleksandr MerezhkoJoe says he’s not surprised by the development. Merezhko had sought Witkoff’s replacement six months earlier, citing incompetence and lack of understanding regarding Ukraine and the origins of the war. Merezhko says Ukrainians know they are dealing with people in Trump’s party who favor Russia, but they have to deal with them no matter who they are.
• Trump focuses on ending the war in Ukraine And sending top aides to both Moscow and Kiev to bridge differences over his latest peace plan. NPR’s Franco Ordoñez reports that Ukraine and Russia are no closer to reaching an agreement, even as the two countries are exchanging ideas about ending the war with the U.S. Trump shows genuine interest in the loss of life, especially children, but Ordoñez believes the president’s quest for the Nobel Peace Prize may be a partial motivation for ending the war.

Federal regulators say US aviation system back to normal after government shutdownJust in time for the millions of Americans who are expected to fly for the Thanksgiving holiday. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy this week unveiled a new civility campaign called “The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You”, urging travelers to be respectful of airport and airline staff.

• Critics of the administration say that this campaign puts a lot of pressure on the passengers. While airlines have been allowed to avoid responsibilities making flying less civil. NPR’s Joel Rose says people heading to the airport should expect large crowds. The Federal Aviation Administration says it could be the busiest Thanksgiving celebration in 15 years.

Louisiana’s surgeon general, Dr. Ralph Abraham, who has called COVID vaccines “dangerous,” will become principal deputy director at the CDCMaking him the second highest ranking officer. The post has been vacant since Dr. Nirav Shah, who worked under the Biden administration, left the post in February. Abraham has been a vocal supporter of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and has previously supported investigation into the discredited link between vaccines and autism. The relationship between the two is a topic the CDC has recently revived. Here’s what else we know about him.

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Drug manufacturers have created pill versions of GLP-1 drugs designed to treat obesity, offering a potential alternative to injectable drugs. Although the Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved these drugs, the agency is expected to approve the first pill by the end of the year. Here’s what you need to know about the new drug:

• 💊 The FDA is expected to approve Novo Nordisk’s obesity pill, the first of the oral options. It contains semaglutide, the same ingredient found in Vegovy and Ozempic.
• 💊 The pills should cost less than the injections, whose list price exceeds $1,000 per month. According to Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly’s deal with the Trump administration, if their oral obesity drugs are approved, they will sell them directly to consumers for $149 a month.
• 💊 According to one study, a 25 mg semaglutide pill resulted in an average weight loss of 16.6% over 64 weeks. New England Journal of MedicineIt’s almost the same as Wegovi,

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The powerful Campi Flegrei volcano near Naples, Italy is erupting again, causing ground tremors the likes of which scientists say have not been felt for centuries. Researchers are worried that the volcano may erupt soon. Campi Flegrei’s prehistoric eruptions were so significant that they blocked out the sun, turned summer into winter and covered Europe and Russia in a thick layer of volcanic ash. For everyone to survive a modern eruption, more than half a million people would need to be evacuated from the area around the eight-mile-wide crater of Campi Flegrei, which Italian authorities have designated a “red zone.” See photos of a densely populated area and hear a resident describe what it’s like to live there.

3 things to know before you go

1. It is estimated that Gramma the Galapagos tortoise was born in 1884, a year when there were only 39 states in the US. The “sweet and shy turtle” who lived for a century at the San Diego Zoo died Thursday at the age of 141.
2. According to the company, Thanksgiving is the peak season for Jiffy Corn Muffins, one of the best-selling dry goods in the U.S. grocery market. The iconic, low-cost pastry staple has been around for 75 years. Here’s how Jiffy manages to remain a staple for Americans.
3. NPR’s Word of the Week is examining the history of turkeys just in time for the holidays. According to historians and etymologists, the history of this bird is full of uncertainties.

Who edited this newspaper? Suzanne Nuyen,