NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-02-2025 5PM EST

Episode Date: November 2, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Hurst. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson says SNAP benefits could return this week. He tells CNN the administration won't appeal the two court rulings last week, ordering the White House to release billions of dollars in reserve funds to the 42 million Americans who rely on the food assistance program to eat. That benefit ran out yesterday amid the shutdown, but just how fast the money will reach the people in need is uncertain. Elizabeth Kiever is chief resource officer at Harvesters, a food bank in Kansas City, Missouri.

She says the lines are very long. At one of the sites, the cars started lining up as early as four in the morning. By the time 1030 rolled around at Sheffield Family Life Center, we had to start turning cars away. And as I was leaving, we turned down 10 cars. So when the last trunks got full and the pallets ran out of food, It just was really hard to see. Speaking there to NPR's weekend edition, she says it's nearly impossible for food banks to make up the gap that the suspension of SNAP benefits leaves. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the military conducted another lethal strike on an alleged drug smuggler in the Caribbean.

It's the 15th strike of an alleged drug smuggling boat since early September. MPR Sam Greenglass has more from West Palm Beach, Florida. Secretary Hegg Seth wrote on social media that three people were killed on the vessel, which he said was carrying narcotics and was operated by a group the U.S. designates as a terrorist organization. The military has now killed at least 64 people in similar strikes. The administration has justified the attacks using a legal authority president George W. Bush used to declare war on terrorism after 9-11. But some members of Congress have pressed for more information about the attacks and the legal rationale for them. On Saturday, Trump wrote that he's also ordered the Pentagon to begin preparing for potential military action in Nigeria for allegedly failing to restrain the persecution of Christians. Sam Greenglass, NPR News, West Palm Beach, Florida.

Early voting continues in New York City for a new mayor, Gwen Hogan, a reporter with a local site, the city has more. Frontrunner Zohran Mamdani greeted hundreds of volunteers in Queens before they headed out to knock on doors. It's part of the final push of his canvassing operation, made up of more. than 100,000 volunteers, according to the campaign. This is a campaign that believes in the dignity of each and every New Yorker, no matter what of this city you call home. No matter what your religion is. No matter how much money is in your pocket.

We believe in a city for you. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo is running as an independent after losing the primary to Mom Dani. A third candidate, Curtis Lewa, is running on the Republican line. For NPR News, I'm Gwen Hogan. in New York. And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. During the COVID-19 pandemic, K-through-12th grade students started missing a lot more school. But recently, attendance rates in some states have been showing steady signs of improvement.

NPR's Kaden Mill has more on new research that offers insight into why. California, Maryland, and Connecticut are among the states highlighted in a new report on chronic absenteeism. That's when K-12 students missed 10% or more of the school year. The report by the nonprofit Ed Trust credits those states for trying to address the root causes of chronic absenteeism, including by investing in services like mental health supports and at-home visits. Carl Felton III with Ed Trust authored the report. We need to prioritize investments and policies that focus on engaging students and families and making sure that they get the support that they need to show up daily.

Felton says that's the proven way to get student attendance rates back up. Kaden Mills, NPR News. At the weekend box office, it was a near tie for the top spot, with Paramount's regretting you, taking an $8.1 million in ticket sales, and Universal's horror film, Black Phone 2, in a close second place, with $8 million. In third place, Sony Pictures and Crunchyrolls, Chainsaw Man, the movie, Raysay Arc, with $6 million in rounding out the top five,

the dark comedic thriller, Bologna, and the 40th anniversary re-release of Back to the Future. I'm Janine Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.