NPR News: 11-26-2025 2PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now – November 26, 2025, 2PM EST

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Duration: 5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This NPR News Now episode delivers a brisk and tightly packed update on significant national and international events as of November 26, 2025. The stories include a major lawsuit over federal housing policy, the dismissal of a high-profile criminal case against President Trump, new "America First" fees for international visitors to U.S. national parks, a corruption sentence for former Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra, a legal challenge to Australian internet restrictions for minors, and new research on the severe impacts of climate change on Africa.

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Key Stories and Insights

1. States Sue Trump Administration Over Homeless Funding Changes

[00:19–01:20]

• Core Issue:
  Twenty mostly Democratic states have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after HUD proposed shifting funds from permanent to transitional housing and adding new eligibility restrictions, which states allege are unlawful.

• Details:

  • HUD will deny funding to programs supporting diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), acknowledgment of transgender/nonbinary individuals, or non-cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
  • The states argue homelessness funding “must be distributed based solely on need,” as mandated by Congress.
  • HUD Secretary Scott Turner defends the changes, saying they aim to “promote self-sufficiency.”
  • Homelessness advocates warn the changes could force 170,000 people back onto the streets.

• Notable Quote:

  • Jennifer Ludden: “Advocates for ending homelessness said the overhaul could push 170,000 people back onto the streets.” [01:10]

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2. Georgia Trump Prosecution Dismissed

[01:20–02:25]

• Core Issue:
  The Georgia election interference case against President Trump and allies has been dismissed, marking the end of all criminal proceedings related to his 2020 election efforts.

• Details:

  • The dismissal followed a motion from the special prosecutor, Pete Scandalakis, after the original district attorney, Fani Willis, was disqualified due to a conflict of interest.
  • The conduct being prosecuted was found to have been “conceived in Washington, D.C.,” making the federal courts the appropriate venue.
  • This Georgia case had been the last outstanding criminal charge against Trump after earlier federal cases were dropped.

• Notable Quote:

  • Sam Greenglass: “Scandalakis found that the alleged criminal conduct was conceived in Washington, D.C., writing the federal government is the appropriate venue for this prosecution.” [02:08]

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3. National Park Service Implements ‘America First’ Fees for International Visitors

[02:25–03:14]

• Core Issue:
  International tourists visiting U.S. national parks will face significantly higher fees starting soon.

• Details:

  • New $100 entry fee for non-citizens, in addition to existing park entry costs.
  • Annual park passes for international visitors rise from $80 to $250.
  • Free admission days on certain U.S. holidays now restricted to U.S. residents.
  • The Department claims the increased revenue will address maintenance backlogs and budget shortfalls, some stemming from previous government shutdowns.

• Notable Quote:

  • Kristen Wright: “The Interior Department is also more than tripling the cost of an annual park pass for international visitors to $250 instead of $80, which is what U.S. residents [pay] … Free days on several patriotic holidays will only be free for U.S. residents.” [02:55]

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4. International Briefs

[03:14–04:03]

• Peru:
  Former President Martín Vizcarra sentenced to 14 years in prison for taking over $600,000 in bribes during his tenure as a regional governor.

• Australia:
  Two teenagers, supported by the Digital Freedom Project, are suing to block a law that bans minors under 16 from using social media, calling it an unconstitutional restriction on free communication.

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5. Climate Change and African Health

[04:03–04:52]

• Core Issue:
  Growing scientific evidence details how Africa is suffering disproportionate health consequences as global climate change intensifies.

• Details:

  • Africa produces relatively little global pollution but is heavily impacted by climate-driven disease (e.g., malaria, dengue) and disasters (e.g., 2023 Libyan floods).
  • Lancet: Increased threat from insect-borne diseases and displacement/deaths from climate disasters.
  • Science Advances: Nighttime heat is rising across the continent, impeding people’s ability to recover physically during sleep and causing a 20% increase in heat deaths since 2010.

• Notable Quote:

  • Alejandra Barunda: “Extra warm nights are a hallmark of climate change, and they’re particularly unhealthy since people’s bodies usually recover during nights… Increased night heat in Africa… has driven a nearly 20% increase in heat deaths since 2010.” [04:34]

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Highlight | |-----------|----------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:10 | Jennifer Ludden | “Advocates for ending homelessness said the overhaul could push 170,000 people back onto the streets.”| | 02:08 | Sam Greenglass | “Scandalakis found that the alleged criminal conduct was conceived in Washington, D.C., writing the federal government is the appropriate venue for this prosecution.”| | 02:55 | Kristen Wright | “… annual park pass for international visitors to $250 instead of $80 … Free days on several patriotic holidays will only be free for U.S. residents.”| | 04:34 | Alejandra Barunda | “Extra warm nights are a hallmark of climate change … driven a nearly 20% increase in heat deaths since 2010.” |

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Segment Timestamps

• [00:19] States sue over homeless funding changes
• [01:20] Georgia drops Trump prosecution
• [02:25] New U.S. national park fees for foreigners
• [03:14] Quick international updates (Peru, Australia)
• [04:03] African health impacts of climate change

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Tone and Delivery

The episode employs NPR’s signature concise, authoritative tone—delivering unfolding developments with clarity, a focus on factual reporting, and succinct quotes from expert reporters. Each story is prioritized for relevance and immediacy, offering listeners a snapshot of the most pressing news.

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Transcript

[Announcer]

This message comes from Capital One with the Venture X card. Earn unlimited double miles, a $300 annual capital one travel credit and access to airport lounges. Capital One what's in your wallet? Terms apply [e-mail] live from NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

I'm Lakshmi Singh. 20 states are suing the Trump administration over cuts to long term housing for people without permanent homes. NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports. A funding shift comes with new restrictions that states say are illegal.

[Jennifer Ludden]

The federal housing agency HUD wants to shift billions of dollars away from permanent housing toward transitional housing, and it says it will deny funding to programs that promote dei, acknowledge people who are transgender or non binary or don't cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. The lawsuit by the mostly Democratic led states says those conditions are unlawful, and it says Congress mandated that homelessness funding be distributed based solely on need. HUD Secretary Scott Turner has said the funding changes are about promoting self sufficiency. Advocates for ending homelessness said the overhaul could push 170,000 people back onto the streets. Jennifer Ludden, NPR News, Washington.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The Georgia criminal case against President Trump and more than a dozen of his allies for their efforts to try to overturn the 2020 election result is officially over. A judge has dismissed the case in its entirety after a special prosecutor moved to drop all charges. Here's NPR's Sam Greenglass.

[Sam Greenglass]

The prosecution was the last outstanding criminal case against the president after a pair of federal prosecutions were dropped earlier this year. In 2023, a grand jury in Fulton county charged Trump and 18 others in a sweeping racketeering case, spurred in part by Trump's call to Georgia's secretary of state asking him to. Pete Scandalakis, director of the State Prosecuting Attorneys Council, took over the case after a court disqualified Fulton County District Attorney Fawney Willis over an alleged conflict of interest stemming from an improper relationship with a special prosecutor. Scandalakis found that the alleged criminal conduct was conceived in Washington, D.C. writing the federal government is the appropriate venue for this prosecution. Sam Greenglass, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The National Park Service is hiking fees for international tourists. The Interior Department says a new America first fees will be in place at 11 parks. NPR's Kristen Wright reports.

[Announcer]

The affected parks include some of the most visited, like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite. Tourists from other countries will have to pay a new $100 fee to enter, plus the regular entrance charge. The Interior Department is also more than tripling the cost of an annual park pass for international visitors to $250 instead of $80, which is what US residents and now fee free days on several patriotic holidays will only be free for U.S. residents. The Department says the fees will help cover upgrades to visitor facilities and maintenance. The National Park Service has been dealing with budget cuts and staff reductions, plus money lost during the government shutdown.

[Lakshmi Singh]

It's NPR News. Former Peruvian President Martin Vizcara has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption. The the court rendered its decision today after concluding that Vizcara accepted more than $600,000 in bribes in exchange for government contracts when he was a local governor. Two teenagers backed by the Digital Freedom Project are suing to block the Australian government from enforcing a social media ban on minors under the age of 16. They argue the landmark law unconstitutionally denies them the right to free communication. New research highlights the cost climate change is having on Africans health. The studies come on the heels of the UN's international climate negotiations, where many African countries push for stronger commitments to clean up climate pollution. NPR's Alejandra Barunda reports.

[Alejandra Barunda]

Countries across Africa are responsible for a tiny fraction of climate pollution, but the bad outcomes from climate change are far higher, according to a new report in the medical journal the Lancet. It says climate change is increasing the risks from things like insect spread diseases like dengue fever or malaria. And climate fueled disasters like Libya's 2023 floods are displacing or killing thousands of people. Another study in the journal Science Advances focuses on the growing danger of nighttime heat. Extra warm nights are a hallmark of climate change, and they're particularly unhealthy since people's bodies usually recover during nights. Increased night heat in Africa, where few people have air conditioning, has driven a nearly 20% increase in heat deaths since 2010. Alejandra Barunda, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.

[Announcer]

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