NPR News Now – November 8, 2025 | 9PM EST

Host: Jeanine Herbst (NPR)
Episode Length: 5 minutes
Main Theme:
A rapid update covering top U.S. news and culture stories: food insecurity amid SNAP delays, Congressional standoff over health insurance subsidies, new developments in gene-editing for cholesterol, arts leadership controversy at the Kennedy Center, and NFL international expansion.

1. SNAP Benefits Delay Causes Food Insecurity Surge

[00:11–01:15]

• Background:
  Millions of Americans have missed the first monthly installment from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), causing hunger nonprofits to ramp up food distributions.

• On the Ground: Tennessee Nonprofit Response:

  • Blake Farmer reports from One Gin Away, a nonprofit serving Tennessee and Alabama, where demand for food far outweighs supply.
  • Peggy Martin, raising three grandchildren, describes scraping by after losing $500 in benefits:

    "If I had not been raised country and knew how to survive, I would really be in a fix. I can bake, I can hunt. I can forage, too. I think we're okay. We'll make it." (Peggy Martin, 00:53)

• Wider Impact:
  Over 40 million Americans rely on SNAP, raising concerns for the less self-sufficient.

2. Congressional Stalemate Over Health Subsidies Amid Shutdown

[01:15–01:52]

• Key Developments:

  • President Trump urges Senate Republicans via social media to send Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies directly to individuals, not insurers.
  • These subsidies are near expiration, risking sharp premium increases.

• Political Standoff:

  • Democrats propose a one-year extension of subsidies to reopen the government; Republicans reject it.
  • Senate Majority Leader John Thune criticizes the proposal:

    "Proposal is just more of the same, masking rising premiums and padding insurance companies' profits with more taxpayer dollars." (John Thune, 01:43)

• Shutdown Update:

  • Senate holds a rare Saturday session but adjourns without action. The government shutdown is now the longest in U.S. history.
  • President Trump repeatedly calls for ending the Senate filibuster; Republicans remain hesitant.

3. Major Breakthrough: One-Time Gene Editing Drug for Cholesterol

[01:52–03:08]

• Scientific News:

  • Rob Stein reports that an experimental gene editing drug, delivered as a single infusion to 15 patients, permanently lowered cholesterol and triglycerides by up to 50%.
  • Method targets gene editing in the liver; results presented at the American Association’s annual scientific meeting.

• Caution & Promise:

  • The findings mirror similar ongoing research, but more studies are needed to confirm long-term safety and efficacy.
  • Could be a "powerful new weapon to fight heart disease, which is the nation's leading killer." (Rob Stein, 02:23)

4. Kennedy Center Denies Washington National Opera Exiting

[03:08–04:21]

• Controversy:

  • Media reports (The Guardian) suggest Washington National Opera (WNO) might leave the Kennedy Center due to declining audiences and institutional upheaval.
  • President Trump declared himself chair of the Kennedy Center earlier in the year, dismissing its board and leadership.

• Official Pushback:

  • Andy Farrow, WNO Board President, via email:

    "The company...has no plans to move out of the Kennedy Center and is proud to be part of America's cultural center." (Chloe Veltman, 03:30)

  • Artistic Director Francesca Zambelo reaffirms this official statement when contacted by NPR, despite earlier comments about possibly leaving.

5. NFL Holds First Regular Season Game in Berlin, Germany

[04:21–04:53]

• Event:
  • NFL’s first regular season game in Berlin: Indianapolis Colts vs. Atlanta Falcons at Olympic Stadium, 09:38 EST kickoff.
  • Aimed at leveraging robust German NFL fanbase as part of the league’s long-term global growth strategy.

Memorable Quotes

• Peggy Martin, on food insecurity:

  "If I had not been raised country and knew how to survive, I would really be in a fix. I can bake, I can hunt. I can forage, too. I think we're okay. We'll make it." (00:53)

• Senate Majority Leader John Thune, on health subsidies:

  "Proposal is just more of the same, masking rising premiums and padding insurance companies' profits with more taxpayer dollars." (01:43)

• WNO Board President Andy Farrow, denying Opera’s departure:

  "[The company] has no plans to move out of the Kennedy Center and is proud to be part of America's cultural center." (03:30)

Key Timestamps

• [00:11] Hunger nonprofits react to SNAP benefit delays
• [00:53] First-hand account of SNAP fallout (Peggy Martin)
• [01:15] Congressional battle over ACA subsidies, longest-ever government shutdown
• [01:43] Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s criticism
• [02:26] Experimental gene-editing drug for cholesterol
• [03:30] Kennedy Center vs. Washington National Opera dispute
• [04:21] NFL’s inaugural Berlin game

Summary Insight:
This episode captures the intersection of daily struggles for millions of Americans facing food insecurity, stark political divisions in Congress over healthcare and governance, cutting-edge advances in biomedical science, culture sector turbulence during controversial leadership, and a major U.S. sports league’s international ambitions — all in under five minutes, offering listeners a brisk tour of the current American moment.