NPR News: 11-10-2025 5AM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now – November 10, 2025, 5AM EST

Overview

This episode of NPR News Now, hosted by Dave Mattingly, delivers the latest updates on major U.S. and global news stories in just under five minutes. The centerpiece story is day 41 of the ongoing federal government shutdown and progress in Congress to end it. The episode also covers severe air travel disruptions, organizational turmoil at a prominent NASA facility, developments in Israel regarding a soldier’s remains, the aftermath of a devastating super typhoon in the Philippines, and the passing of former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Government Shutdown: A Breakthrough on Day 41

• Bipartisan Progress: For the first time since the shutdown began, Congress moves toward reopening the government.
  • Eight Senate Democrats crossed party lines to break a stalemate and advance an agreement.
  • The deal does not yet guarantee the extension of federal health care subsidies, which have been a primary Democratic demand.
• Senate Majority Leader John Thune expresses urgency:
  • “I’m hopeful that we can finally bring the shutdown to an end, and I don’t need to go over all the reasons why it’s imperative that we get the government open as soon as possible. From the truly precarious situation we are in with regard to air travel to the fact that our staffs have been working without pay for a full 40 days now. All of us, Republicans and Democrats who support this bill know that the time to act is now.” – John Thune [00:51]
• Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL): One of the Democrats breaking with party leadership. He demands the Senate keep its promise to hold a vote on health care subsidies by mid-December.

Air Travel Chaos Amid Shutdown

• Massive Disruptions: The shutdown leads to thousands of flight cancellations and delays, particularly over the weekend. The FAA diminished flight capacity at 40 major U.S. airports.
• Personal Impact Story: Joe Hernandez reports from Philadelphia, sharing Juliet Montefusco’s family ordeal:
  • “First time on a plane, first time on a big vacation, first time to Disney. And they had to wait in the terminal for like five hours the other day. Which sucks, right, for a bunch of kids that have never been on a plane.” – Juliet Montefusco [02:05]
• Thanksgiving Warning: Officials expect travel headaches could escalate with the upcoming holiday.

NASA Goddard Facility in Disarray

• Organizational Upheaval: At NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, employees describe recent changes as “organized chaos.”
  • Reports of closed labs and buildings, and information being withheld.
• Employee Voice: Astrophysicist Casey McGrath (speaking personally) criticizes upper management:
  • “Like the upper management is pushing fast and hard to shut down buildings on campus without actually telling anybody what they’re doing.” – Casey McGrath (via Katie Ariddle) [02:57]
• No Official Response: The White House and NASA did not comment.

International News Briefs

• Israel: Identification confirmed for the remains of Hadar Goldin, an Israeli soldier killed in Gaza in 2014. His family had pushed for years for the return of his body.
• Philippines: A super typhoon strikes days after another deadly storm, killing at least two people and forcing a mass evacuation.
  • “Phuonghuang came ashore in northeastern Aurora Province with sustained winds of up to 115 miles per hour and gusts of more than 140 miles per hour. It set off floods and landslides and knocked out power to entire provinces even as the country dealt with the devastation left by Typhoon Kalmage, which struck the country on Tuesday, leaving at least 224 dead.” – Michael Sullivan [03:51]
  • Aftermath worsens in Vietnam, which is also hit by flooding.

Sports Note: Passing of Paul Tagliabue

• NFL Legacy: Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue has died at 84.
  • Served from 1989 to 2006, a tenure pivotal to the league’s modern development.
  • Cause of death: heart failure complicated by Parkinson’s disease.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• John Thune calls for urgent bipartisan action to end the shutdown: “All of us, Republicans and Democrats who support this bill know that the time to act is now.” [00:51]
• Personal impact of the shutdown on families traveling: “First time on a plane, first time on a big vacation, first time to Disney. And they had to wait in the terminal for like five hours the other day. Which sucks, right, for a bunch of kids that have never been on a plane.” – Juliet Montefusco [02:05]
• Disarray at a leading NASA center: “Like the upper management is pushing fast and hard to shut down buildings on campus without actually telling anybody what they're doing.” – Casey McGrath [02:57]
• Typhoon devastation in the Philippines: “It set off floods and landslides and knocked out power to entire provinces even as the country dealt with the devastation left by Typhoon Kalmage…” – Michael Sullivan [03:51]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Shutdown breakthrough & Congressional action: 00:17–01:53
• Airline disruptions and traveler stories: 01:53–02:25
• NASA Goddard chaos: 02:25–03:10
• International news including Israel & Philippines typhoon: 03:10–04:36
• Paul Tagliabue’s passing: 04:36–04:56

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This concise, impactful episode captures the urgency and breadth of current world events, emphasizing both political gridlock and its personal, institutional, and international ripple effects.

Transcript

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[Dave Mattingly]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dave Mattingly. This is day 41 of the government shutdown, but for the first time since it began, Congress is a step closer to ending it. Eight members of the Senate Democratic caucus voted with Republicans yesterday to advance an agreement to reopen the government. They did so without a guaranteed extension of federal health care subsidies set to expire at the end of the year. That's been the key demand of Democratic lawmakers since the shutdown began. Here's Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

[John Thune]

I'm hopeful that we can finally bring the shutdown to an end, and I don't need to go over all the reasons why it's imperative that we get the government open as soon as possible. From the truly precarious situation we are in with regard to air travel to the fact that our staffs have been working without pay for a full 40 days now. All of us, Republicans and Democrats who support this bill know that the time to act is now.

[Dave Mattingly]

Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois was among the Democrats who broke ranks with others in his party's leadership. He called on Thune to keep his promise to hold a Senate vote to extend the expiring health care subsidies to by mid December. It's not clear how soon the Senate and House could give final approval to the measure to end the shutdown. The government shutdown resulted in thousands of airline flight cancellations and delays over the weekend. The FAA continues to reduce flight capacity at 40 major airports across the U.S. because of air traffic control staffing shortages. NPR's Joe Hernandez has more from Philadelphia.

[Joe Hernandez]

Juliet Montefusco was flying from Philadelphia to Florida to meet up with her sister and other family members. Her flight was on time, but she said one part of her family got delayed for hours, including five kids.

[Juliet Montefusco]

First time on a plane, first time on a big vacation, first time to Disney. And they had to wait in the terminal for like five hours the other day. Which sucks, right, for a bunch of kids that have never been on a plane.

[Joe Hernandez]

Transportation officials say air travel headaches could get even worse as Thanksgiving approaches. Joe Hernandez, NPR News, Philadelphia.

[Dave Mattingly]

Some employees at a NASA facility in Maryland are describing conditions there as organized chaos amid a change in culture. NPR's Katie Ariddle has more.

[Katie Ariddle]

The Goddard Space Flight center is in Maryland, and it's been a crown jewel of scholarship and innovation for NASA for years. But this year, say employees, they've seen a sharp change in culture and climate. Information withheld from employees, labs closed without reasons and buildings suddenly shut down. Casey McGrath is an astrophysicist there. He spoke in his personal capac capacity.

[Juliet Montefusco]

Like the upper management is pushing fast and hard to shut down buildings on campus without actually telling anybody what they're doing.

[Katie Ariddle]

The White House and NASA both did not respond to requests for comment on this story. Katie Ruddle, NPR News.

[Dave Mattingly]

Wall street futures are higher this morning. This is NPR News from Washington. The Israeli government says remains it perceived from Hamas are that of an Israeli soldier killed in Gaza in 2014. The 23 year old soldier was killed shortly after a ceasefire between the two began 11 years ago. The family of Hadar golden had been publicly seeking his return since then. A super typhoon that hit the Philippines over the weekend has killed at least two people. More than a million people evacuated their homes ahead of the storm, as Michael Sullivan reports. This latest storm follows a deadly typhoon that hit the country last week.

[Michael Sullivan]

Phuonghuang came ashore in northeastern Aurora Province with sustained winds of up to 115 miles per hour and gusts of more than 140 miles per hour. It set off floods and landslides and knocked out power to entire provinces even as the country dealt with the devastation left by Typhoon Kalmage, which struck the country on Tuesday, leaving at least 224dead. At least five more people were killed after Calmagi cleared the Philippines and and slammed into an already storm battered Vietnam. Phong Huang weakened as it traveled across the northern Philippines overnight before blowing into the South China Sea. It's forecast to head to the northwest towards Taiwan. For NPR News, I'm Michael Sullivan in Chiang Rai.

[Dave Mattingly]

Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabu has died at the age of 84. His family in Maryland says Tagliabu died of heart failure complicated by Parkinson's disease. He served as the league's commissioner for 17 years from 1989 to 2006. I'm Dave Mattingly in Washington.

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