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On the next through line from npr, the mother of Thanksgiving. If every state should join in Union Thanksgiving on the 24th of this month, would it not be a renewed pledge of love and loyalty to the Constitution of the United States? Listen to Throughline in the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Ryland Barton
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. Congressional leaders from both parties are scrutinizing Defense Secretary Pete for military strikes on alleged drug running boats in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean. During an Oval Office news conference today, President Trump defended the operations and again threatened a land invasion of Venezuela.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
I think you're going to find that there's a very receptive ear to doing exactly what they're doing, taking out those boats. And very soon we're going to start doing it on land, too, because we know every route, we know every house, we know where they manufacture this crap. We know we know where they put it all together.
Ryland Barton
Some lawmakers have expressed concerns about a double strike in September that killed survivors after an initial attack. Meanwhile today, the Pentagon's inspector general said Hegseth's sharing of secret information on signal about US Airstrikes in Yemen in March could have placed American forces in harm's way. That's according to a person familiar with the investigation not authorized to speak publicly. Hegseth told the inspector general that the investigation was political. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rawlins says her agency will cut off funding to run SNAP food assistance for more than 20 Democratic led states that have not turned over SNAP recipients personal data. As NPR's Jude Joffe block reports, those states have been resisting the demands for months, arguing they violate federal law.
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In October, a federal judge agreed the administration's demand was likely unlawful and blocked USDA from withholding SNAP funds from states that did not turn over their data. But last week, USDA doubled down and sent a new request to those states. Rollins says their administrative SNAP funding is on the line.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
As of next week, we have begun and will begin to stop moving federal funds into those states until they comply.
Podcast Host
The renewed data demand includes SNAP participants, names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, home address, household members, income information and immigration status. Jude Joffe Block, NPR News.
Ryland Barton
Democratic lawmakers have released new images and videos from one of Jeffrey Epstein's island properties. As NPR's Rachel Treisman reports, the images appear to add no new or revealing information about Epstein or the trafficking of underage girls.
Rachel Treisman
The footage was taken by US Virgin island authorities in 2020, the year after Epstein's death. It shows the pool as well as several bedrooms, bathrooms and common spaces in one of several estates where Epstein is alleged to have abused and trafficked scores of underage girls. The rooms are furnished with writing and decor on the walls, but no people inside. Democrats unveiled the photos as they try to keep pressure on the Justice Department to release the full Epstein files. President Trump signed a measure compelling it to do so with with exceptions by mid December. Rachel Treisman, NPR News.
Ryland Barton
U.S. stocks rose near their record levels today. The S&P 500 gained 3/10 of a percent, near its all time high. The Dow climbed 8. 10 of a percent. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.
Malaysia is resuming the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The Boeing 777 disappeared on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board. Texas based Ocean Infinity will conduct the deep sea hunt over under a no find, no fee contract with Malaysia's government. The firm first searched for the plane in 2018 but found nothing. Close to 10,000 people have been evicted from waterfront communities in Lagos, Nigeria. Slum communities in Africa's most populous city have suffered mass evictions that are often illegal, human rights groups say, to make way for luxury developments. As NPR's Emmanuel Akinwotu reports, we've just.
Emmanuel Akinwotu
Been witnessing one of the largest and most violent mass demolitions this year in Lagos. Bulldozers have been crushing thousands of homes and businesses over the last month. At a waterfront community called Uworonshoki, residents have been searching the rubble for the few belongings that they can salvage. This morning, police and armed men came and torched many of the destroyed structures and even burnt heaps of belongings that the residents had scraped together. These residents lived on what the government and a local traditional ruler here considers prime real estate. The community had taken them to court and had won injunctions preventing any demolitions without first being consulted and rehoused. But the demolitions continued regardless. Emmanuel Akimotu, NPR News, Lagos.
Ryland Barton
A raccoon broke into a closed Virginia liquor store and drank alcohol over the weekend. An animal control officer says the thoroughly drunk raccoon was found passed out in the store's bathroom. The officers say the masked bandit sobered up after a few hours. This is NPR News. Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR News Now +@plus.NPR.org that's plus.NPR.org.
This episode delivers a rapid-fire roundup of key news stories from Washington, the United States, and abroad. The coverage includes high-stakes military controversy in the Caribbean and Pacific, a standoff over food assistance data, renewed scrutiny of the Jeffrey Epstein case, stock market news, efforts to locate missing flight MH370, mass evictions in Lagos, and an offbeat animal incident in Virginia.
[00:24–01:20]
“Very soon we’re going to start doing it on land, too, because we know every route, we know every house, we know where they manufacture this crap.”
— Pete Hegseth, [00:44]
[01:21–02:22]
“As of next week, we have begun and will begin to stop moving federal funds into those states until they comply.”
— Pete Hegseth (on behalf of USDA), [02:03]
[02:22–03:10]
“The rooms are furnished with writing and decor on the walls, but no people inside. Democrats unveiled the photos as they try to keep pressure on the Justice Department to release the full Epstein files.”
— Rachel Treisman, [02:36]
[03:10–03:24]
[03:24–03:46]
[03:46–04:49]
“Bulldozers have been crushing thousands of homes and businesses over the last month… This morning police and armed men came and torched many of the destroyed structures and even burnt heaps of belongings that the residents had scraped together.”
— Emmanuel Akinwotu, [04:05]
[04:49–end]
Pete Hegseth (Defense Secretary), reflecting a tough stance:
“Taking out those boats. And very soon we're going to start doing it on land, too, because we know every route, we know every house, we know where they manufacture this crap.”
[00:44]
Rachel Treisman (on Epstein property footage):
“The rooms are furnished with writing and decor on the walls, but no people inside.”
[02:36]
Emmanuel Akinwotu (on Lagos evictions):
“This morning, police and armed men came and torched many of the destroyed structures and even burnt heaps of belongings that the residents had scraped together.”
[04:05]
On the raccoon incident:
“The thoroughly drunk raccoon was found passed out in the store’s bathroom…the masked bandit sobered up after a few hours.”
[04:49]
| Segment | Timestamps | Summary | |------------------------ |-----------------|------------------------------------------------| | Military Strikes, Venezuela | 00:24–01:20 | Biden and Hegseth face scrutiny for strikes, invasion threats, internal leaks. | | SNAP funding standoff | 01:21–02:22 | States, USDA clash over food benefit data-sharing. | | Epstein property images | 02:22–03:10 | Unveiling non-revealing property photos, call for transparency. | | US Stocks Update | 03:10–03:24 | Market indices near record highs. | | MH370 Search | 03:24–03:46 | Malaysia, Ocean Infinity recommence deep-sea hunt. | | Lagos Evictions | 03:46–04:49 | Mass and violent demolitions in Nigeria. | | Drunk Raccoon | 04:49–end | Unusual raccoon escapade in Virginia liquor store. |
This concise yet thorough episode covers domestic controversy, international incidents, ongoing mysteries, human rights issues, and a lighthearted oddity, maintaining NPR’s tone of brisk objectivity and authoritative reporting.