NPR News: 11-12-2025 4PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now – November 12, 2025, 4PM EST

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Length: 5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This brief episode of NPR News Now presents the top headlines and significant stories from November 12, 2025. Key topics include the anticipated end of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, developments relating to former President Trump and the Epstein controversy, the UK's intelligence sharing decision, an energy outlook predicting a shift toward electricity, the official farewell to the U.S. penny, and recent sightings of the northern lights. The episode closes with a quick financial markets recap.

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Main News Highlights

1. Government Shutdown: Possible End in Sight

[00:37–01:26]

• The U.S. House of Representatives is preparing for a final vote on a spending bill to reopen government agencies, potentially ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
• Context: Although Republican leaders are confident about passing the bill, many Democrats still oppose it.
• Key quote:
  • Senate Democrat: “They secured a promise for a vote in December on health care and a commitment to negotiate a plan to address those subsidies. Those who broke with the party in the Senate said they got the best deal possible...” [00:56]
• The compromise includes plans for future negotiations on Affordable Care Act subsidies and full-year appropriations negotiated over several months.
• Some Senate Democrats remain dissatisfied, arguing that reopening the government requires more robust action on expiring ACA subsidies.

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2. Trump and the Epstein Controversy

[01:28–02:32]

• President Trump responds to renewed accusations tied to Jeffrey Epstein as Democrats highlight past associations in the context of the shutdown.
• Trump calls the situation the “Epstein hoax,” accusing House Democrats of using it as a distraction.
• White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt defends Trump:
  • “Jeffrey Epstein was a member at Mar a Lago until President Trump kicked him out because Jeffrey Epstein was a pedophile and he was a creep.” [01:59]
  • Levitt states the referenced victim is the late Virginia Giuffrey, who has “repeatedly said President Trump was not involved in any wrongdoing.” [02:12]
• NPR notes the victim’s identity is not independently verified.

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3. UK-US Intelligence Sharing & Military Action in the Caribbean

[02:32–02:41]

• The United Kingdom is reportedly denying certain U.S. intelligence sharing requests, following concerns regarding U.S. military activities in the Caribbean.

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4. World Energy Outlook: The Age of Electricity

[02:41–03:29]

• The International Energy Agency releases its World Energy Outlook, highlighting future global energy trends.
• IEA Director Fatih Birol:
  • “We can comfortably say that the age of electricity has arrived.” [02:59]
• Electricity demand will soar, driven by electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and air conditioning.
• Natural gas usage grows, and oil use either rises or plateaus, depending on EV adoption rates.
• In all scenarios, global warming will surpass the 1.5°C target.
• Summary: The energy transition is significant, but climate targets are being missed in all modeled worlds.

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5. The Final U.S. Penny

[03:34–03:53]

• The U.S. officially bids farewell to the penny; the final one was minted in Philadelphia by order of President Trump.
• The penny’s production cost outstrips its monetary value, prompting its phase-out.
• Billions remain in circulation.

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6. The Northern Lights Extend Southward

[03:53–04:54]

• The northern lights were visible as far south as Texas due to increased solar activity.
• Nell Greenfield Boyce explains:
  • “The sun’s at about the maximum phase of its 11 year activity cycle, belching out bursts of plasma and magnetic fields that can affect the Earth.” [04:07]
• Strong geomagnetic storms pose risks for satellites and the electric grid but offer rare northern lights displays.
• Space weather forecasters predict continued activity; best chance for viewing is in areas with dark skies.
• Tip: Cameras can catch more vivid colors than the naked eye.

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7. Markets Wrap-up

[04:54–05:12]

• U.S. stocks ended the day mixed:
  • Dow Jones up 326 points to 48,254
  • S&P 500 up four points
  • NASDAQ down 61 points

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Fatih Birol: “We can comfortably say that the age of electricity has arrived.” [02:59]
• Senate Democrat (on shutdown deal): “…they got the best deal possible, and that includes those full year appropriations plans…” [00:56]
• Caroline Levitt (on Epstein): “Jeffrey Epstein was a member at Mar a Lago until President Trump kicked him out because Jeffrey Epstein was a pedophile and he was a creep.” [01:59]
• Nell Greenfield Boyce (on auroras): “The sun’s at about the maximum phase of its 11 year activity cycle, belching out bursts of plasma and magnetic fields that can affect the Earth.” [04:07]

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:37: Government shutdown update
• 01:28: Trump-Epstein controversy
• 02:32: UK intelligence sharing & Caribbean military action
• 02:41: World Energy Outlook (IEA report)
• 03:34: U.S. penny discontinued
• 03:53: Northern lights phenomenon
• 04:54: Market wrap

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Transcript

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[Lakshmi Singh]

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

[NPR News Reporter]

The longest government shutdown in US History.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Is a step closer to coming to an end. The US House of Representatives holds a final vote on a spending measure tonight to reopen agencies. NPR's Claudia Grizales reports. Republican leaders are confident they have the votes to approve a bill that many, many Democrats still oppose.

[Senate Democrat]

They secured a promise for a vote in December on health care and a commitment to negotiate a plan to address those subsidies. Those who broke with the party in the Senate said they got the best deal possible, and that includes those full year appropriations plans which were negotiated between the parties over several months. Meanwhile, other Senate Democrats who voted no argued they weren't making good to reopen the government in exchange for addressing these expiring Affordable Care act subsidies.

[Lakshmi Singh]

And NPR's Claudia Grizales reporting.

[NPR News Reporter]

President Trump is accusing U.S. house Democrats.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Of bringing up the Jeffrey Epstein controversy again to try and hurt him. NPR's Franco Ordonez reports on how Trump is defending himself against accusations that he spent hours with one of the late financiers alleged sex trafficking victims.

[NPR Reporter Franco Ordonez]

President Trump accuses Democrats of bringing up the, quote, epstein hoax to try to deflect negative attention from the shutdown fight at the White House. Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said the only thing the emails prove is that Trump did nothing wrong.

[White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt]

And what President Trump has always said is that he was from Palm beach and so was Jeffrey Epstein. Jeffrey Epstein was a member at Mar a Lago until President Trump kicked him out because Jeffrey Epstein was a pedophile and he was a creep.

[NPR Reporter Franco Ordonez]

Levitt says the unnamed victim in the emails is the late Virginia Giuffrey, an Epstein victim who Levitt noted had repeatedly said President Trump was not involved in any wrongdoing. The identity of the unnamed victim has not been independently verified. Franco Ordonez, NPR News. The White House.

[Lakshmi Singh]

NPR confirms the United Kingdom is denying certain intelligence sharing requests the US Made in light of concern about the US Military's action in the Caribbean.

[NPR News Reporter]

The International Energy Agency has released its closely watched World Energy Outlook a data.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Driven look at the planet's future energy use. Here's NPR's Camilla Domonosky.

[NPR Reporter Camilla Domonosky]

The world energy outlook is not a foreign forecast. It lays out several scenarios, but Director Fatibirol says one thing is clear.

[Fatih Birol]

We can comfortably say that the age of electricity has arrived.

[NPR Reporter Camilla Domonosky]

Electricity demand booms in all scenarios, thanks to electric vehicles, AI and air conditioning. Natural gas grows while oil either grows or levels off, based mostly on how quickly electric vehicles take off. The varying scenarios see different degrees of global warming, but in all of them, the world exceeds the globally agreed target of keeping warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

[Lakshmi Singh]

That's Camila Domonosky. It's NPR.

[NPR News Reporter]

The U.S. bids a formal farewell to.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The penny today at President Trump's order, the US Mint in Philadelphia produce the very last $0.01 coin because its value is much less than the cost to make it. But there are still billions of pennies still in circulation and changing hands.

[NPR News Reporter]

The northern lights were seen over much of the last night, extending as far south as Texas.

[Lakshmi Singh]

NPR's Nell Greenfield Boyce reports.

[NPR News Reporter]

More colorful light shows are expected this.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Evening as some dramatic space weather continues.

[NPR Reporter Nell Greenfield Boyce]

The sun's at about the maximum phase of its 11 year activity cycle, belching out bursts of plasma and magnetic fields that can affect the Earth. And while strong geomagnetic storms can be a potential problem for, say, satellites or the electrical grid, for sky gazers, it's an opportunity to see the northern lights in places that usually go bereft. Space weather forecasters are expecting more strong activity, though exactly how strong and how far south the northern lights will be seen is hard to predict. The best bet is finding a spot with dark skies, and consider taking photos with a camera, which can register subtle colors as more vivid compared to the naked eye. Nell Greenfield boyce, NPR News.

[NPR News Reporter]

U.S. stocks have ended the day mix the Dow Jones industrial average up 326 points, or more than half a percent.

[Lakshmi Singh]

To settle at 48,254. The S&P gained four points. The NASDAQ closed down 61. I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.

[Podcast Sponsor/Announcer]

Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR news now at plus.NPR.org that's plus.NPR.