NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-05-2025 12AM EST

Episode Date: November 5, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. Former Democratic Congresswoman Abigail Spanbegger is the projected winner of the Virginia governor's race. Spanberger says voters chose Commonwealth over chaos. You all chose leadership that will focus relentlessly on what matters most, lowering costs, keeping our communities safe and strengthening our economy. for every Virginian. Spanberger defeated Republican lieutenant governor, Winsome Earl Sears. I thank you for giving me this very great opportunity,

and it started, of course, when you gave my father the opportunity to come to this great country. The Jamaica-born Earl Sears did not receive a personal endorsement from President Trump. In the close New York City election for mayor, the AP projects socialist Democrat Zoraaumom Donny as the winner. Mamdani defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Democrat who ran as an

independent and Republican Radio Hearst host Curtis Sliwa. More than 1.75 million voters cast ballots as of 6 p.m., the biggest turnout in at least 30 years in New York City, according to the Board of Elections there. In Maine voters rejected a ballot referendum that call for numbers changes to early in mail-in voting. As NPR's Miles Parks reports, the measure also would have required. voters to show photo ID at the polls. Maine routinely has one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country. And this year, voters there chose to keep their election rules just as they are. Had the Republican-backed ballot referendum passed, Maine would have added new photo ID requirements, shortened its early voting period by two days, and added numerous hurdles for voters hoping to vote

by mail. Notably, it would have ended the practice of elderly voters being able to sign up to have ballots mailed to them every election. All of that was a tough sell, and a state were more than 40% of voters voted early or by mail in 2024. Miles Parks, NPR News, Washington. California voters have approved Proposition 50 to allow a mid-decade redistricting. The measure was introduced after Texas lawmakers created five Republican seats in the House. A death toll from a U.S. plane crash near the airport in Louisville, Kentucky, has now risen to at least seven. Morgan Watkins with Louisville Public Media has the latest. At around 5.15 p.m. time, people around the city noticed a huge plume of smoke in the sky. Local officials soon announced

a plane had crashed near Louisville-Mohamed Ali International Airport, instructing residents around the crash site to shelter in place. About an hour later, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed on social media that a UPS flight headed to Honolulu had crashed after takeoff. Louisville is home to the company's massive world port hub. I'm Morgan Watkins in Louisville. This is NPR. Former Vice President Dick Cheney has died at the age of 84. Cheney served as White House Chief of Staff, a defense secretary, and in Congress. He was vice president under the George W. Bush administration and is credited as being the chief architect of the war on terror. Cheney was a hardline conservative and critic of President Trump. He voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024. Firings continue at the Justice Department for FBI special agents who worked on the investigation and to Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election have lost their jobs. More from NPR's Ryan Lucas. Two of the four fired FBI agents are Blair Tolman and David Geist.

Tolman most recently worked in the Bureau of Chicago field office while Geist worked in the Washington, D.C. field office. In a statement, the FBI Agents Association said the four special agents were fired on Monday, only to be quickly reinstated and then fired again 24 hours later. The association says being assigned to an investigation should not be grounds for termination, and it accused FBI director Cash Patel of disregarding the law and conducting a campaign of what it calls erratic and arbitrary retribution. The FBI declined to comment on personnel matters. Ryan Lucas and Pierre News, Washington. The Pentagon says the military has attacked another small boat in the eastern Pacific. Defense Secretary Pete Hanksaf says two people

were killed in the latest strike that brings to at least 66. The number of people killed in U.S. strikes on suspected drug boats in the Pacific. and in the Caribbean. U.S. futures are lower in after-hours training on Wall Street following Tuesday's losses. This is NPR News. This message comes from Wise, the app for using money around the globe. When you manage your money with Wise, you'll always get the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees. Join millions of customers and visit Wise.com.

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