NPR News Now – November 12, 2025, 3 AM EST

Host: Shea Stevens (NPR News Anchor)
Duration: ~5 minutes

Overview

This NPR News Now episode delivers a concise update on prominent news events across politics, weather, international affairs, public health, and the economy for November 12, 2025. The main focus rests on the imminent resolution of the longest U.S. government shutdown in history, notable judicial rulings on congressional maps, global weather patterns, EU security plans, a Turkish military tragedy, California's new mental health strategy, and market trends.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Government Shutdown Nearing an End

[00:15–01:10]

• Congress is poised to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history (42 days).
• The House is set to vote on a bipartisan measure; President Trump has confirmed he will sign it.
  • Sam Greenglass (NPR Correspondent):
    "The agreement funds most of the government through January 30 and select agencies through the end of next September, as well as guarantees back pay to federal workers and reverses firings carried out by the Trump administration while the government was closed." [00:42]
• The deal promises a future Senate debate on expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, which will ignite partisan health care discussions soon.

2. Election Law & Redistricting

[01:10–01:53]

• Utah’s new congressional map was struck down by Judge Diana Gibson for favoring Republicans; a Democratic-leaning map is installed for the 2026 midterms.
• In Kansas, Republican leaders admit lacking votes for a redistricting special session, despite President Trump's urging for GOP-led states to expand Republican congressional seats.

3. Severe Weather in the Southeast

[01:53–02:17]

• A major cold snap—record low temperatures and early snow—impacts the Southeastern U.S.
  • Giles Snyder (NPR Correspondent):
    "The National Weather Service says the unseasonably cold weather will gradually come to an end. Forecasters say temperatures will moderate toward normal for the second part of the week in the Southeast…" [01:53]
• Icy conditions have caused crashes, particularly in West Virginia.

4. European Union – Intelligence Sharing Proposal

[02:17–03:11]

• The European Commission proposes enhanced intelligence-sharing, suggesting a separate EU-level intelligence cell.
  • European Commission spokesman, Balas Ujvari:
    "The world is changing, and we have to strengthen our security and intelligence capabilities. And it is in this context that we are coming forward with this new initiative." [02:48]
• Previous attempts stalled over nations’ reluctance to share sensitive data widely.

5. Turkish Military Plane Crash

[03:11–03:53]

• All 20 personnel aboard a Turkish C130 cargo plane died in a crash near Georgia’s border.
• The plane was returning from Azerbaijan; Turkey uses C130s for troop and logistics transport.

6. California’s Care Court Mental Health Program

[03:53–04:37]

• April Demboski (NPR Correspondent):
  A two-year-old initiative (Care Court) lets judges order treatment for people with psychotic illnesses but data shows:
  • Only 19 court-orders, 600+ voluntary treatments.
  • State-funded outreach prioritizes trust and persuasion over coercion.
  • Giovanni Figueroa (Orange County Social Worker): "When they see you one time, two times, three times, then they realize like, oh, wow, they really are here to help me. They actually do care and I'm not invisible." [04:15]
• The program’s perceived success is in voluntary engagement, not judicial mandates.

7. Financial Markets Update

[04:37–04:53]

• U.S. futures are flat post-market, following a mixed session in Asia-Pacific; Shanghai slightly down.
• No deep analysis, just a status check for traders and investors.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the government funding deal:
  "The agreement funds most of the government through January 30... and reverses firings carried out by the Trump administration while the government was closed." — Sam Greenglass, [00:42]
• On building trust in mental health outreach:
  "When they see you one time, two times, three times, then they realize like, oh, wow, they really are here to help me. They actually do care and I'm not invisible." — Giovanni Figueroa, [04:15]
• On the imperative for EU security:
  "The world is changing, and we have to strengthen our security and intelligence capabilities. And it is in this context that we are coming forward with this new initiative." — Balas Ujvari, [02:48]

Important Timestamps

• 00:15 — Government shutdown update and deal details
• 01:10 — Redistricting rulings in Utah & Kansas
• 01:53 — Cold snap in the Southeast U.S.
• 02:29 — EU intelligence proposal introduced
• 03:11 — Turkish military plane crash update
• 03:53 — Analysis of California’s Care Court results
• 04:37 — Wall Street and global market check-in

Tone & Language

The episode maintains NPR's signature concise, fact-driven reporting while incorporating empathetic human perspectives (notably in the mental health segment), as well as precise statements from officials and correspondents.

This five-minute news roundup provides a high-level but meaningful glimpse into the day’s top national and global developments, with attention paid to both policy shifts and their human impacts.