NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-03-2025 12PM EST

Episode Date: November 3, 2025

NPR News: 11-03-2025 12PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi, saying, food aid for millions of Americans is in jeopardy after the Trump administration stopped making snap payments over the weekend. NPR's Joe Hernandez reports it is unclear when the payments will resume, but two federal judges have ordered the government to tap into emergency funds. In one of those cases, in Rhode Island, a federal judge directed the Trump administration to make full snap payments by Monday or partial payments by Wednesday. Administration officials had previously argued that they could not use emergency funds they said were reserved for natural disasters to pay for regular benefits.

Government lawyers are expected to update the judges in both cases today. Nearly 42 million Americans rely on SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. A number of states have put up their own money to try to help those losing their benefits this week, and some food banks across the country are seeing a spike in December. demand. Joe Hernandez NPR News. The government shut down entered its second month on Saturday. A global hunger research group is confirming famine conditions in Darfur Sudan for the second time in just over a year. Internal fighting is intensified and life-saving supplies are being blocked from reaching tens of thousands of people. The integrated food security phase classification says famine conditions are

marked by collapse in livelihood, starvation, extremely high malnutrition, and death. Virginia is is a day away from electing a governor. Early voting ended Saturday, but campaigning continue through the weekend. VPM news is Jack Khalil reports. Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger is a Democrat's nominee, and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earl Sears is the Republicans. In Norfolk on Saturday, former President Barack Obama campaigned for Spanberger. He spoke about health care challenges and the replacement of the East Wing with a ballroom. So, Virginia, here's the good news. If you can't visit a doctor, don't worry, he will save you a dance. Virginia's gubernatorial race gets attention nationwide as a test of the federal government's policies.

It's something current Republican Governor Glenn Yonkin noted as he stumped for Earl Sears on Sunday. The eyes of the nation are on us once again, once again, saying what's happening in Virginia? Over a million Virginians have voted early. For NPR News, I'm Jad Khalil in Hanover, Virginia. Tylenol and Kleenex could soon be in the same corporate shopping basket. NPR Scott Horsley reports on a proposed merger that would have combined. two big consumer products companies. Kleenex maker Kimberly Clark is offering to buy Tylenol's parent company

in a deal valued at nearly $49 billion. Tylenol maker Kenvue also sells band-aids and the company could use one. Its stock has suffered in recent weeks after unfounded claims from President Trump and his health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. About the pain reliever safety. Kenvue was spun off from the giant health conglomerate Johnson and Johnson two years ago.

Scott Horsley, MPR News, Washington. This is NPR News. As the Pentagon considers changes to the massive U.S. military presence in South Korea, Seoul is hosting Defense Secretary Pete Hegeseth. NPR's Anthony Kuhn says Hegsef has visited the demilitarized zone that separates South Korea from its northern rival. Heg Seth is the first U.S. Defense Secretary to visit the DMZ in eight years. On Tuesday, Hegzth will lead annual bilateral defense talks. The Pentagon wants South Korea to assume more responsibility for defending against North Korea. Korea, while refocusing U.S. forces in South Korea towards other regional missions, including

deterring China. Defense Minister Ahn has pushed back, saying the top priority of U.S. forces in South Korea should still be countering the threat from the north. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul. Sleep scientists say the switch over the weekend to standard time with more morning light can have positive impacts on health, but NPR's Allison Arbery reports a time change also disrupts people's routines and circadian rhythms. Exposure to morning light helps to reset the master clock in your brain and serves as an external cue to wake up. Scientists at the Salk Institute are studying the impacts of time on health and mood. Researcher Emily Manugian says sticking to a consistent bedtime, meal time, and exercise time can be beneficial. Exercise is a stimulatory cue to tell your

body you should be awake. So exercising just before bed is something that will make it hard to fall asleep. By tracking the timing of your daily activities from when you eat, sleep, and exercise, people can tweak daily habits to align with their body clock. Alison Aubrey, NPR News. It's NPR.