NPR News Now – November 11, 2025, 9AM EST

Host: Korva Coleman

Episode Overview

This NPR News Now update delivers concise coverage of the morning’s top headlines in U.S. and world affairs. Major topics include efforts to reopen the U.S. federal government after a prolonged shutdown, ongoing legal and humanitarian fallout, a significant court decision on redistricting in Utah, international conflict dynamics in Southeast Asia, a public health setback for Canada, and severe weather events in Asia.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Federal Government Shutdown & Legislative Action

• Senate passes short-term spending plan:

  • The Senate approved a temporary spending measure to end a record-setting 42-day government shutdown. The bill would fund most agencies until January 30, and some even longer ([00:19]).
  • The House must still vote for the shutdown to formally end ([01:00]).

• Federal worker compensation:

  • Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) confirmed the bill includes back pay for federal employees:

    • "We're going to ensure that federal employees, whether they were furloughed or laid off or forced to work without pay, will now receive compensation that they've earned and deserve."
      — Senator Susan Collins [00:41]

2. SNAP Benefits and Food Insecurity

• Supreme Court weighs emergency SNAP funding:

  • The Supreme Court is considering whether the Trump administration must use contingency funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), leaving recipients in limbo.

• Grassroots strain while awaiting resolution:

  • Local news from Charlotte, NC, illustrates the toll:
    • Some SNAP recipients only got partial payments. For example, one man received $16 instead of his usual $100 ([01:27]).
    • Others like Michelle Sands report getting nothing:

      • "I keep looking online and looking at it. I even called my card and it still ain't saying nothing."
        — Michelle Sands [01:45]

    • Food banks are overwhelmed as Thanksgiving approaches ([01:51]).

3. Ongoing Flight Delays Due to Shutdown

• Air travel disruptions continue:
  • Hundreds of delays and cancellations reported in cities like Atlanta, New York, Boston, Dallas, and Chicago on account of absent federal workforce and, in some cases, bad weather ([02:03]).

4. Utah Congressional Redistricting

• Court-ordered map redraw:
  • A Utah judge rejected the Republican-led Legislature’s redistricting map due to partisan bias, instead adopting a Democrat-proposed alternative, creating a potential opportunity for Democrats to win a Utah seat in 2026 ([02:32]).
  • Current House delegation: 4 Republicans, with new map possibly enabling a Democratic flip.

5. International: Thailand-Cambodia Ceasefire Suspension

• Ceasefire announced suspended:
  • Thailand indefinitely suspends its U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Cambodia after four Thai soldiers are injured by a landmine. Cambodia denies responsibility, attributing the mine to past conflicts ([03:15]).

6. Public Health: Measles Status Lost in Canada

• Canada’s measles elimination status revoked:
  • WHO and Pan American Health Org. report Canada has endured more than 5,000 cases in one year, making it the only Americas nation where measles is now endemic ([03:51]).
  • PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barboza notes:

    • "In the past, both Brazil and Venezuela lost measles elimination status and then were able to regain it with vaccination campaigns and active strategies to find cases."
      — Jarbas Barboza [04:15]

  • Canada remains committed to regaining its eliminated status ([04:04]).

7. Severe Weather: Typhoon in Asia

• Super Typhoon Phung Wong downgraded but deadly:
  • Storm nears Taiwan, forcing mass evacuations. It previously caused 18 deaths in the Philippines ([04:32]).
  • The Philippines has faced two storms in as many weeks, with the prior event leading to nearly 200 fatalities.

Notable Quotes

• On federal worker back pay:

  "We're going to ensure that federal employees, whether they were furloughed or laid off or forced to work without pay, will now receive compensation that they've earned and deserve."
  — Senator Susan Collins [00:41]

• On SNAP payment uncertainty:

  "I keep looking online and looking at it. I even called my card and it still ain't saying nothing."
  — Michelle Sands, SNAP recipient [01:45]

• On public health setbacks and outlook:

  "In the past, both Brazil and Venezuela lost measles elimination status and then were able to regain it with vaccination campaigns and active strategies to find cases."
  — Dr. Jarbas Barboza, PAHO [04:15]

Key Segment Timestamps

• [00:19] – Federal government shutdown update
• [00:41] – Sen. Susan Collins on worker compensation
• [01:00] – Supreme Court and SNAP funding
• [01:27] – Food assistance challenges in Charlotte
• [02:03] – U.S. air travel delays
• [02:32] – Utah redistricting court decision
• [03:15] – Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire suspension
• [03:51] – Canada’s measles outbreak and PAHO statement
• [04:32] – Asia typhoon disaster, Taiwan evacuations

Summary Takeaway

This update highlights the ongoing impacts of the prolonged U.S. government shutdown, from political wrangling in Congress to real human consequences felt by federal employees and vulnerable populations relying on government aid. Meanwhile, judicial action in Utah and international crises underscore dynamic shifts in both domestic politics and global health and safety. The episode delivers a brisk, high-impact summary that helps listeners quickly grasp the day’s most urgent news.