NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-02-2025 4PM EST

Episode Date: November 2, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. Federal food assistance, known as SNAP, ended yesterday after a month-long government shutdown, affecting more than 40 million Americans. Two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to use an emergency fund to make the payments. President Trump said he would once he gets more clarification from the courts. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson said today, the administration does not plan to appeal the court's rulings and that partial payments could begin Wednesday as ordered by one of the courts.

But he said the Democrats should act. It's got to go through the courts. The courts keep jamming up things. Democrats are in the middle of a civil war and they should just open the government. That is the easiest way to do this. He was interviewed this morning on CNN. It's the final weekend of early voting in New Jersey's

closely watched gubernatorial race. Bruce Conweiser reports, the results will likely be seen as something out of a referendum on President Trump's 10 months in office. A recent Fox News poll had Democratic Congresswoman Mikey Cheryl up seven points over her Republican rival state legislator Jack Chittarelli. Other polls have suggested a tighter race. After seven days of in-person early voting, turnout is little more than two-thirds of what it was last year. But that's not a surprise because 2024 featured a presidential election and that always drives voters to the polls. If Cheryl wins, the results will be seen as a rebuke of President Trump's aggressive policy agenda.

If Chittarelli wins, it will show that Trump has support even in a moderately blue state like New Jersey. For NPR news, I'm Bruce Convizer in Greenbrook, New Jersey. Voters in Virginia will also elect a new governor Tuesday. New York City is voting for a new mayor. Out west, California is holding a referendum on whether to redraw the state's congressional map in a way that would favor Democrats. Governor Gavin Newsom called for the referendum after Texas approved a new map to favor Republicans. From rebel leader to global statesmen and now to the White House.

U.S. and Syrian officials say Syria's new president will meet President Trump at the White House this month. NPR's Lauren Freer reports. As a young jihadi fighter, Ahmed al-Shara helped establish an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. He later broke ties with that group presenting himself as a more moderate rebel. leader. Last December, his forces ousted the dictator Bashar al-Assad, ending nearly six decades of repressive rule. As President al-Shara has sought to reverse Syria's global isolation, he met President Trump in May in Saudi Arabia. In September, he became the first Syrian leader in decades to address the UN General Assembly. Syria's foreign minister says this White House meeting will focus

on the lifting of sanctions, the reconstruction of Syria and a quote, opening of a new chapter between the U.S. and Syria. Lauren Freyer, NPR News. This is NPR News. Israeli officials said Hamas released the remains of three people today, believed to have been held hostage in Gaza for more than two years. They'll be transported to Israel for identification. The release is part of the U.S. brokered ceasefire deal that began October 10th.

Israel says Hamas is too slow in releasing the bodies. Hamas says recovering them is complicated. by widespread devastation. Economists say an unprecedented decline in the number of children being born around the world will bring serious challenges as populations age and decline in many countries. But some activists and researchers say the trend

also brings major positives. NPR's Brian Mann reports. The number of young people and workers is already falling in many countries around the world while the population of elderly is surging, setting off a scramble to shore up pension and social safety net programs. John Davis, with a group called the Rewilding Institute,

acknowledges those challenges, but he says fewer people will mean less carbon pollution, more room for wildlife. I have a perhaps unpopular view on human population. I believe that we are too many and that we consume too much. Davis isn't alone in seeing benefits to smaller family size. Some economists say the trend will bring challenges as populations drop, but also means far more freedom and financial opportunity for many women and families.

Brian Mann, NPR News. The New York City Marathon was held today with participants from around the world running through all five New York boroughs. Helen O'Berry of Kenya won the women's course. Benson Caprutu, also from Kenyan, won the men's. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News.