NPR News Now – November 14, 2025, 12PM EST

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Episode Theme:
A concise update on the latest U.S. legal, immigration, education, international, and entertainment news.

Main News Highlights

1. Georgia 2020 Election Interference Case

(00:04 - 00:54)

• New Prosecutor:
  Peter Skandalakis replaces Fani Willis as lead in the Georgia case against former President Trump. Willis was disqualified due to an "appearance of impropriety" involving a relationship with a prosecutor.

• Skandalakis’s Statement:
  He commits to reviewing evidence thoroughly before deciding how to proceed on the charges that Trump "unlawfully led others in a conspiracy to overturn the Georgia results of the 2020 presidential vote."

• Trump's Response:
  Trump continues to frame legal cases against him as “Democratic and media fueled witch hunts.”

  Notable Quote:

  • "Skandelakis...says he decided to assume responsibility for the case rather than allow it to be dismissed. The new prosecutor says he’s going through mounds of evidence..." (00:18)

2. Border Enforcement in North Carolina

(00:59 - 01:52)

• CBP Agents Deployed:
  Border Protection agents to be sent to Charlotte Mecklenburg County. Local officials, including Sheriff Gary McFadden, expect agents by Saturday.

• Local Opposition:
  State Rep. Aisha Dew questions the necessity, expressing concern over federal presence.

  Memorable Quote:

  • “We do not want ICE here. We do not need to have border patrol. As I’ve already said, I’m not quite sure what border we’re patrolling here.” — State Rep. Aisha Dew (01:16)

• School District’s Reassurance:
  Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools clarify federal law protects student rights, including "not asking about a student’s immigration status and not giving law enforcement access...without a valid search warrant or subpoena." (01:33)

3. Texas A&M University Curriculum Policy

(01:56 - 02:52)

• Policy Change:
  Board of Regents grants campus presidents veto power over race and gender courses.

• Concerns Over Academic Freedom:
  Robert Shibley of FIRE warns this could lead to censorship and increased political pressure.

  Notable Quote:

  • “This is really a prescription for a huge amount of interference. It makes one-stop shopping for people who would like to put political pressure on these colleges to change what they are willing to teach.” — Robert Shibley (02:22)

• University’s Response:
  Vice Chancellor James Hallmark insists the intent is to "reinforce balance between academic freedom and responsibility."

4. U.S.–South Korea Economic and Military Agreement

(03:13 - 03:37)

• Key Provisions:

  • U.S. receives $350 billion in South Korean investment, major arms deals, and increased financial support for U.S. military bases.
  • South Korea gains lower tariffs, nuclear fuel reprocessing rights, and can build nuclear submarines.

  Notable Quote:

  • “The U.S. gets $350 billion in South Korean investment, big purchases of U.S. weapons and more money to host the U.S. military... Seoul gets lower tariffs, plus the right to enrich uranium, reprocess nuclear fuel and build nuclear submarines...” — Anthony Kuhn (03:13)

5. Latin Grammy Awards

(03:39 - 04:37)

• Album of the Year:
  Bad Bunny wins for "Deviti Ramas Fotos," dedicates the award to “all the young people of Latin America and Puerto Rico in particular.”

  Other Winners:

  • Song of the Year: Karol G, "Sientes Tuiera Conocido"
  • Record of the Year: Alejandro Sanz, "Palmeras Eng El Jardin"
  • Best New Artist: Paloma Murphy

  Memorable Moment:

  • "Bad Bunny won five awards... but he seemed most moved by Album of the Year for Deviti Ramas Fotos, an homage to his home island. He dedicated the award to all the young people of Latin America and Puerto Rico in particular." — Isabella Gomez Sarmiento (03:52)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Election Interference Case Update: 00:04 – 00:54
• Border Enforcement and School District Response: 00:59 – 01:52
• Texas A&M University Policy Changes: 01:56 – 02:52
• U.S.–South Korea Agreement: 03:13 – 03:37
• Latin Grammys Recap: 03:39 – 04:37

Tone & Language

• Factual, concise, “straight news” delivery
• Occasional direct quotes for clarity and emphasis, especially from public officials and sources

For more updates, check NPR News Now on the hour.