NPR News: 11-11-2025 9PM EST

Summary

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

Host: Ryland Barton
Duration: ~5 minutes

Episode Overview

This episode of NPR News Now offers a concise roundup of the day's most pressing national and international news stories. Covering Veterans Day events at Arlington, government shutdown updates, redistricting battles in Utah, a blackout in the Dominican Republic, NASA’s Escapade Mars mission, and extreme weather in the southeastern U.S., the episode delivers a snapshot of key developments across politics, science, and society.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Veterans Day Commemoration at Arlington National Cemetery

• [00:11–00:59]
  • President Trump laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and addressed military veterans, highlighting the nation’s gratitude.
    • Notable Quote:

      “We want to also say thank you for carrying America's fate on your strong, very broad, proud shoulders. Each of you has earned the respect and the gratitude of our entire nation.”
      — President Trump [00:45]

  • Quick Detour: Trump briefly celebrated a Republican-led deal to reopen the government.
  • Upcoming Vote: The House of Representatives is expected to vote on a short-term funding measure to end the government shutdown.

2. Human Impact of the Government Shutdown

• [01:15–02:03]
  • Personal Story: Joyce Robinson, a furloughed National Guard civilian employee and military veteran in Mississippi, spends her time volunteering during the shutdown.
    • Notable Quote:

      “We have not been working for the last 40 days and I just felt like giving my time back. Doing something that's rewarding to me made me feel like I was at work.”
      — Joyce Robinson [01:36]

    • On financial uncertainty:

      “It's not like I don't have any food in the House. It's just, you know, the unknown not knowing that I haven't received a check in 40 days.”
      — Joyce Robinson [01:55]

  • Joyce stays optimistic about returning to work soon, despite hardships.

3. Redistricting and Gerrymandering in Utah

• [02:08–03:06]
  • Utah Court Ruling: A district now favors Democrats after a lawsuit-driven map redraw; sparking bipartisan reactions.
  • Civic Engagement: Emma Petty Adams, with Mormon Women for Ethical Government, emphasizes cross-partisan momentum.
    • Notable Quote:

      “All over the country, a cross partisan group of Utah citizens are finally seeing the fruits of their persistence and years long commitment to do the opposite [of gerrymandering].”
      — Emma Petty Adams [02:37]

  • Republican Pushback: GOP leaders call the map partisan and contest the court's ruling.

4. International – Blackout in the Dominican Republic

• [03:06–03:45]
  • A massive power failure affects traffic and businesses in the Dominican Republic, with unclear cause and restoration timeline.

5. Mars Science – NASA’s Escapade Mission

• [03:45–04:25]
  • Mission Update: NASA poised to try again to launch its twin Escapade probes to Mars after delays with Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket.
  • Scientific Goal: The mission aims to study how solar particles interact with Mars’ thin atmosphere, advancing understanding of Martian weather and magnetic fields.
    • Notable Details:
      • "The twin probes will let scientists create 3D images of how those particles are deflected around Mars by the planet's magnetic field." — Joe Palka [04:15]

6. Extreme Weather Sweeps the Southeast and Northeast US

• [04:25–04:53]
  • Record Lows: Freeze warning issued for 18 million people in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia; Jacksonville, FL, logs a 28°F record.
  • Snowfall: Great Lakes and Northeast hit by significant snow, creating hazardous travel.

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Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• President Trump’s Veterans Day tribute:

  “We want to also say thank you for carrying America's fate on your strong, very broad, proud shoulders. Each of you has earned the respect and the gratitude of our entire nation.” [00:45]

• Joyce Robinson on volunteerism during the shutdown:

  “Doing something that's rewarding to me made me feel like I was at work.” [01:36]

• Emma Petty Adams on civic engagement fighting gerrymandering:

  “...a cross partisan group of Utah citizens are finally seeing the fruits of their persistence and years long commitment to do the opposite [of gerrymandering].” [02:37]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:11–00:59 – Veterans Day coverage and government shutdown update
• 01:15–02:03 – Impact of the shutdown on federal workers
• 02:08–03:06 – Utah redistricting court decision and responses
• 03:06–03:45 – Dominican Republic blackout
• 03:45–04:25 – NASA Escapade Mars mission update
• 04:25–04:53 – Record freeze in the Southeast U.S. and Northeast snowfall

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This episode delivers quick, essential updates on national and international happenings, blending political, societal, and scientific developments, complete with personal stories and fresh reporting from around the country.

Transcript

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[Ryland Barton]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. Veterans Day commemorated at arlington National Cemetery. NPR's Tamara Keith reports. President Trump paid tribute to the men and women who served in the US Military.

[Tamara Keith]

President Trump laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before delivering remarks thanking America's military veterans for their service.

[President Trump]

We want to also say thank you for carrying America's fate on your strong, very broad, proud shoulders. Each of you has earned the respect and the gratitude of our entire nation.

[Tamara Keith]

Trump did take a quick detour to celebrate what he called a win for Republican leaders in Congress getting a deal to reopen the government. The House of Representatives is set to vote on a short term funding measure as soon as tomorrow. Tamara Keith, NPR News, the White House.

[Ryland Barton]

With the government shutdown likely coming to a close, thousands are still grappling with its effects. Mississippi Public Broadcasting's Elise Gregg spoke with one furloughed federal worker who's been using her free time to volunteer.

[Elise Gregg]

For Joyce Robinson, a veteran and civilian employ with the National Guard, staying busy while she's away from her job isn't an option.

[Joyce Robinson]

We have not been working for the last 40 days and I just felt like giving my time back. Doing something that's rewarding to me made me feel like I was at work.

[Elise Gregg]

She's been volunteering with Mississippi Food Network, which has helped support those who haven't received SNAP benefits this month. In the meantime, she's trying to make ends meet herself.

[Joyce Robinson]

It's not like I don't have any food in the House. It's just, you know, the unknown not knowing that I haven't received a check in 40 days.

[Elise Gregg]

She's optimistic about coming back to work soon, though. For NPR News, I'm Elise Gregg in Jackson.

[Ryland Barton]

As President, Trump has been pushing Republicans to redraw congressional lines before the 2026 midterm elections. Strong reactions are coming in after a court ruling in Utah. Monday went the other way. Martha Harris of member station KUER reports that Republicans say the judge overreached.

[Martha Harris]

One of Utah's four congressional districts now favors Democrats. Emma Petty Adams is with Mormon Women for Ethical Government, which was part of the 2022 lawsuit, prompting the new map.

[Emma Petty Adams]

At a time when politicians are rushing to gerrymander their states for political advantage. All over the country, a cross partisan group of Utah citizens are finally seeing the fruits of their persistence and years long commitment to do the opposite.

[Martha Harris]

But Republican leaders condemned the ruling, calling the map gerrymandered. This court ruling happens to come during a redistricting race to draw maps that could help their party keep control of Congress. For NPR News, I'm Martha Harris in Salt Lake City.

[Ryland Barton]

Stocks closed mixed today. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A blackout has hit the Dominican Republican Republic, rather snarling traffic and paralyzing businesses in the country of nearly 11 million people. Officials are blaming a failure in the grid's transmission system, although it wasn't immediately clear what caused it and it's not immediately clear how long it'll take to restore power. NASA will try again tomorrow to launch a pair of spacecrafts to Mars. As NPR's Joe Palko reports, the twin Escapade spacecraft are designed to study the Martian atmosphere and weather conditions.

[Joe Palka]

It's taken a while to get the Escapade probes started on their journey. They were supposed to be carried into space a year ago by the new Glenn rocket made by Blue Origin. But a variety of factors led NASA to scrub those plans. For a while, it wasn't clear how or whether Escapade would get to Mars, but ultimately NASA decided to put the probes back on the new Glenn rocket. Once at Mars, Escapade will make measurements that will help scientists understand how charged particles from the sun affect the thin martian atmosphere. The twin probes will let scientists create 3D images of how those particles are deflected around Mars by the planet's magnetic field. For NPR News, I'm Joe Palka.

[Ryland Barton]

The southeastern United States is experiencing record low temperatures. A freeze warning is in effect for about 18 million people across Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Some daily records were shattered, including a low of 28 degrees in Jacksonville, Florida. Meanwhile, parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast experienced significant snowfall, causing hazardous driving conditions. I'm Ryland Barton. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.

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