NPR News: 11-09-2025 4AM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now: November 9, 2025, 4AM EST

Host: Dale Willman
Length: 5 minutes
Theme: A concise roundup of top national and international news stories, with a focus on ongoing political tensions, international conflict, government data security, and major global events.

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1. Federal Government Shutdown Stalemate

[00:11 – 01:00]

• Senate's Unresolved Session:
  The Senate convened in an unusual Saturday session in a continuing effort to end the 40-day federal government shutdown. Despite the urgency, no agreement was reached, and senators plan to reconvene Sunday afternoon.
• Key Sticking Point:
  The main issue is a Democratic proposal to extend health care tax credits for one year, which Republicans reject as a “non-starter.”
• Public’s Trust Eroding:
  Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) commented on the growing public disillusionment:

  "I always tell my local mayors they are on the front line of trust right now because people have lost trust in a lot of what's going on on the national level... I think the way you do this is you find that common ground on an individual basis."
  —Sen. Amy Klobuchar [00:41]

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2. Travel Disruptions Looming due to Shutdown

[01:00 – 01:55]

• Thanksgiving Flight Cancellations Possible:
  Officials warn that if the shutdown continues, up to 20% of flights may be canceled by Thanksgiving, potentially causing disruptions during one of the busiest travel periods.
• FAA Impact:
  The Federal Aviation Administration has already reduced flights at 40 major airports.
• Travelers Hesitant:
  Aixa Diaz, spokesperson for AAA, described traveler uncertainty:

  "This year has been tricky to predict given the uncertainty around the government shutdown, because anything could happen and things change daily."
  —Aixa Diaz, AAA [01:24]

• Secretary of Transportation’s Warning:
  Secretary Sean Duffy indicated increased cancellations if no resolution is found.

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3. Ukraine Power Crisis Amid Russian Attacks

[01:55 – 02:45]

• Drone Strikes Cause Blackouts:
  Russian drone attacks have damaged Ukrainian energy infrastructure, causing blackouts and civilian casualties, with at least six deaths reported.
• Strategy to Undermine Ukraine:
  James Landale of the BBC reported from Kyiv:

  "There's a clear attempt by Russia now to make living in Ukraine very, very hard... That's not just a question of trying to damage Ukrainian morale, but it's also trying to damage Ukraine's economy."
  —James Landale, BBC [02:12]

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4. Political Shift in Bolivia

[02:45 – 03:31]

• New President Sworn In:
  Rodrigo Paz, a conservative, was inaugurated as Bolivia’s president, promising gradual reforms and closer ties with the U.S.
• Significance:
  This marks the end of nearly 20 years of leftist leadership from the Movement Toward Socialism party.
• Immediate Challenges:
  Bolivia faces severe fuel shortages and high food prices.

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5. U.S. Government Data Security Concerns

[03:31 – 04:11]

• Data Protection Shortcomings:
  Mark Calabria, Chief Statistician at the White House’s OMB, raised alarms about weak data protections compared to private-sector standards:

  "I'm not convinced that we, the government, live up to those same standards on a daily basis that we expect of the private sector... how do we get ourselves there where we can say the federal government is first in class in protecting your data?"
  —Mark Calabria [03:43]

• Ongoing Lawsuits:
  The Trump administration faces lawsuits alleging violations of the Privacy Act by giving DOGE team members access to IRS and other sensitive records.

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6. Gaza Conflict Aftermath and Ceasefire

[04:11 – 04:37]

• Rising Death Toll:
  After over two years of conflict, Gaza’s official death toll surpassed 69,000.
• Ceasefire and Body Exchanges:
  A ceasefire since October 10 holds, with Israel and Hamas exchanging the bodies of the deceased.

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7. Bombing at Indonesian School Mosque

[04:37 – 04:54]

• Police Investigating Revenge Motive:
  Authorities are probing whether bullying led a 17-year-old suspect to bomb a Jakarta high school mosque.
• Casualties:
  54 people were injured in the twin explosions; the suspect is being treated in hospital.

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Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• “People have lost trust in a lot of what's going on on the national level...”
  —Sen. Amy Klobuchar [00:41]
• “This year has been tricky to predict given the uncertainty around the government shutdown, because anything could happen and things change daily.”
  —Aixa Diaz, AAA [01:24]
• “There's a clear attempt by Russia now to make living in Ukraine very, very hard...”
  —James Landale, BBC [02:12]
• "I'm not convinced that we, the government, live up to those same standards on a daily basis that we expect of the private sector."
  —Mark Calabria [03:43]

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Key Takeaways

• No progress was made in ending the US government shutdown, with potential impacts on public trust and upcoming Thanksgiving travel.
• Travelers face uncertainty, with up to 20% of flights at risk of cancellation.
• Ukraine suffers blackouts and casualties from ongoing Russian attacks targeting energy infrastructure.
• Bolivia turns to conservative leadership and grapples with economic challenges.
• Federal data security in the US comes under scrutiny as lawsuits mount.
• Gaza’s humanitarian crisis persists despite a ceasefire.
• Jakarta mourns after a mosque bombing, with authorities exploring revenge as a motive.

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Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. The Senate held a rare Saturday session this weekend in an effort to end the now 40 day long federal government shutdown. But senators went home with no solution and plan to return Sunday afternoon. At issue is a Democratic proposal to extend health care tax credits for one year. Republicans call that a non starter. Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota says the shutdown is causing Americans to lose trust in governments.

[Senator Amy Klobuchar]

I think they see it in some of their local officials. I always tell my local mayors they are on the front line of trust right now because people have lost trust in a lot of what's going on on the national level. I'm well aware of that. And so I think the way you do this is you find that common ground on an individual basis.

[Dale Willman]

Officials, meanwhile, are warning that more flights could end up being canceled if the shutdown persists into the Thanksgiving holiday. As NPR's Liz Baker reports, that possibility is already causing some holiday travelers to reconsider their plans for the busiest travel days of the year.

[Aixa Diaz]

Air travel is often stressful, especially around the holidays.

[Liz Baker]

Aside from the logistics and the money involved, there are a lot of emotions involved in travel.

[Aixa Diaz]

Aixa Diaz is a spokesperson for aaa, which releases a holiday travel forecast before big travel days like the day before. Thanksg. She says this year has been tricky to predict given the uncertainty around the.

[Liz Baker]

Government shutdown, because anything could happen and things change daily.

[Aixa Diaz]

On Friday, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy warned that by Thanksgiving, as many as 20% of flights could be impacted if the shutdown continues, many more than have already been affected since the Federal Aviation Administration announced reduced flights to and from 40 major airports earlier this week. Liz Baker, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

Workers in Ukraine are trying to restore power in several regions. And after Russian drone attacks on energy infrastructure have caused blackouts this weekend, residential areas were also hit, killing at least six people. The BBC's James Landale has more on that story from Kyiv.

[James Landale]

A lot of the targets were energy infrastructure. There's clear attempt by Russia now to make living in Ukraine very, very hard. They want to make it very hard, particularly in the east, for people to get access to electricity and to get heating. And that's not just a question of trying to damage Ukrainian morale, but it's also trying to damage Ukraine's economy. They just want to make it very, very hard to do stuff in Ukraine simply because they think that is a long term strategy that could put some political pressure on the government here in KYIV.

[Dale Willman]

That's the BBC's James Landale with our report. Bolivia has a new president. Rodrigo Paz was sworn in on Saturday and is promising gradual reforms for that country along with a shift closer to the U.S. the conservatives election marks a major shift for the country. After almost 20 years of control by the Movement Toward Socialism party, the country is facing massive fuel shortages and high food prices. You're listening to NPR News. The top Trump administration official overseeing federal statistical agencies is raising concerns about how well the government protects the data it collects from the public. NPR's Hanzi Lo Wang reports on the multiple lawsuits the administration is facing, claiming it has violated data privacy protections.

[Hanzi Lo Wang]

Mark Calabria started in July as the chief statistician at the White House's Office of Management and Budget. Speaking at the think tank center for Strategic and International Studies, Calabria said the federal government is falling short on keeping the data it collects from the public secure.

[Mark Calabria]

I'm not convinced that we, the government, live up to those same standards on a daily basis that we expect of the private sector. And so part of my agenda is how do we get ourselves there where we can say that the federal government is first in class in protecting your data?

[Hanzi Lo Wang]

OMB's press office did not respond to questions about what exactly is sparking Calabria's concern. Multiple lawsuits claim the Trump administration violated the Privacy act when it gave its Doge team members access to records at the IRS and other agencies. Han Zi Le Wang, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

The death toll in Gaza continues to climb as more bodies are removed from the rubble caused by two years of fighting. Gaza health officials say the number of dead has now surpassed 69,000. A ceasefire has been in place since October 10, and both Israel and Hamas are continuing to exchange bodies. Israel returned the bodies 15 Palestinians on Saturday. Police in Indonesia are investigating whether revenge was a motive for a bombing Friday at a high school mosque in Jakarta. They say they found explosives and writings in the home of a 17 year old suspect who had reportedly been bullied. The Suspect was among 54 people who were injured by two explosions. He's now recovering at a city hospital. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

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