NPR News Now – November 21, 2025, 7PM EST

Host: Ryland Barton (NPR)
Duration: ~5 minutes

Overview

This brief NPR News update covers major political, scientific, and global stories of the day, including a federal ruling over National Guard deployment in DC, controversy over vaccine information changes led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the funeral of former Vice President Dick Cheney, the US approach to religious violence in Nigeria, a remarkable experiment involving moss in outer space, and the discovery of artifacts from a legendary Spanish galleon.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. D.C. National Guard Deployment Blocked

[00:20–01:06]

• News: A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Trump’s months-long deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C.
• Details:
  • Judge Gia Cobb ruled the deployment undermined the city's autonomy and caused harm.
  • The block will not take effect until next month, giving the Trump administration time to appeal.
  • Over 2,100 troops from multiple states are currently in D.C.
  • White House insists the deployment is necessary to protect federal assets and aid law enforcement.
• Quote:
  • “President Trump undermined the city's autonomy and presented harms to the nation's capital.” – Juliana Kim ([00:34])

2. CDC Website Changes: Vaccine-Autism Misinfo

[01:06–02:00]

• News: The Trump administration updated the CDC website to contradict the scientific consensus that vaccines do not cause autism.
• Public Response:
  • Outrage from public health and autism experts.
  • Seen as part of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s overhaul of vaccine policy.
• Details:
  • Kennedy has questioned vaccine safety, recently made inaccurate claims during a Texas measles outbreak.
  • Alleges that the measles vaccine causes death and mimics measles symptoms—claims refuted by science.
  • CDC vaccine advisory committee now includes members with "unorthodox views" who promote conspiracy theories.
  • Policy changes have already affected flu and COVID vaccines.
• Quotes:
  • "[Kennedy] went on Fox News and said that the measles vaccines kills people every year, gives them the same symptoms you get from measles. That is not true." – Ping Huang ([01:34])
• Memorable Moment:
  • Highlights the politicization of health information and the institutional reshaping of public-health messaging.

3. Dick Cheney Memorialized in Washington, D.C.

[02:00–02:59]

• Event: Funeral of former Vice President Dick Cheney, attended by several past presidents and vice presidents, both Republicans and Democrats.
• Highlights:
  • George W. Bush credited Cheney as his closest advisor during crises, praised his authenticity.
  • President Trump did not attend.
  • Cheney’s daughter, Liz Cheney, referenced his strong criticism of Trump, emphasizing constitutional principles.
• Quotes:
  • “I wish more Americans got to know Dick Cheney the way the folks in Casper, Cody and Laramie got to know him. Smart and polished, without heirs.” – George W. Bush ([02:33])
  • “For him, a choice between defense of the Constitution and defense of your political party was no choice.” – Liz Cheney ([02:51])
• Memorable Moment:
  • Reflection on character over partisanship, and the presence of political rivals coming together.

4. NYC Mayor-elect Zoran Mandani Plans White House Meeting

[03:02–03:24]

• News: Mayor-elect Mandani to meet with President Trump to discuss New York City's affordability crisis.
• Mandani's Position:
  • Willing to collaborate with the administration despite political differences for the city's benefit.

5. US Considers Military Action in Nigeria

[03:24–03:49]

• News: The US is considering using military force to curb the killings of Christians in Nigeria by militants.
• Official Position:
  • Possible "Department of War engagement" as part of a strategy to prevent religious violence.
  • President Trump previously vowed US intervention “guns a blazing.”
• Context:
  • Heightened rhetoric on social media underscores policy shift.

6. Moss Survival Experiment on the International Space Station

[03:49–04:34]

• Study: Japanese scientists discovered common moss spores survived 283 days outside the ISS.
• Outcomes:
  • Most moss samples successfully germinated back on Earth.
  • Researchers believe moss could survive up to 15 years in space.
  • Points to potential for using moss in constructing extraterrestrial ecosystems.
• Quotes:
  • “They didn’t mind the space condition. They can keep their life for such a long time.” – Tomomichi Fujita, Hokkaido University ([04:10])
• Memorable Moment:
  • Scientific excitement about implications for lunar or Martian colonization.

7. San Jose Galleon Artifacts Recovered

[04:34–04:59]

• Discovery: Colombian scientists retrieved a cannon, coins, and porcelain cup from the Caribbean seabed.
• Background:
  • Site is the wreck of the Spanish galleon San Jose (sank 1708).
  • The US, Colombia, and Spain all lay claim to the 600m-deep treasure trove.
  • Exact location remains secret.
• Significance:
  • International disputes over sunken maritime treasures continue.

Notable Quotes

• “President Trump undermined the city's autonomy and presented harms to the nation's capital.”
  – Juliana Kim ([00:34])

• “[Kennedy] went on Fox News and said that the measles vaccines kills people every year, gives them the same symptoms you get from measles. That is not true.”
  – Ping Huang ([01:34])

• “I wish more Americans got to know Dick Cheney the way the folks in Casper, Cody and Laramie got to know him. Smart and polished, without heirs.”
  – George W. Bush ([02:33])

• “For him, a choice between defense of the Constitution and defense of your political party was no choice.”
  – Liz Cheney ([02:51])

• “They didn’t mind the space condition. They can keep their life for such a long time.”
  – Tomomichi Fujita ([04:10])

Timestamps of Key Segments

• National Guard in D.C.: 00:20–01:06
• CDC Vaccine Policy Controversy: 01:06–02:00
• Dick Cheney Funeral & Tributes: 02:00–02:59
• NYC Affordability Meeting with Trump: 03:02–03:24
• U.S. Military in Nigeria Proposal: 03:24–03:49
• Moss Survival in Space: 03:49–04:34
• San Jose Galleon Artifacts: 04:34–04:59

This NPR News update delivers a snapshot of a turbulent and eventful news cycle, blending breaking legal, scientific, political, and international stories in five brisk minutes, with crisp reporting and thoughtful quotations from those at the center of the news.