NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-05-2025 6AM EST

Episode Date: November 5, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. Democratic candidates did well in key elections yesterday. The Associated Press has called the New York City mayoral election for Zoran Mamdani, the gubernatorial race in New Jersey for Mikey Sheryl. And in Virginia, the gubernatorial race. From Member Station, WAMU, Margaret Barthel, reports on the Virginia race. Spanberger will be Virginia's first female governor, easily defeating Republican winsome Earl Sears, the current lieutenant governor. 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 previously served three terms in Congress and as a CIA officer. The contest received national attention as one of the first major tests of voter sentiment towards the Trump administration. For NPR News, I'm Margaret. Bartel in Washington. In California, voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure that will let lawmakers redraw the state's congressional maps. The goal is to try to send five more Democrats to Congress.

California Governor Gavin Newsom wants more democratically led states to join the effort. We need the state of Virginia. We need the state of Maryland. We need our friends in New York, in Illinois, in Colorado. We need to see other states with the remarkable leaders. that have been doing remarkable things, meet this moment head on as well. The redistricting efforts started after President Trump pressured Texas lawmakers to redraw Texas districts in hopes of sending more Republicans to the U.S. Congress. The federal government shutdown is now 36 days old, and it is the longest ever on record. Federal government employees are furloughed without pay, or they're required to work,

also without pay, like air traffic controllers. President Trump has said he won't negotiate with Democrats. He is welcoming Republican senators to the White House this morning for breakfast. A UPS cargo plane crashed yesterday near the airport in Louisville, Kentucky. At least seven people have been killed and 11 others are injured. NPR's Joel Rose reports the accident occurred as the plane was taking off, causing a fiery explosion. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the UPS cargo plane crashed at about 5.14 p.m. local time. Anybody who has seen the images in the video know how violent this crash is.

He said the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 was bound for Honolulu with about 38,000 gallons of jet fuel on board. Video footage of the crash appeared to show the left engine on fire as the plane struggled to lift off from the runway, followed by a massive explosion. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington. This is NPR. The U.S. Supreme Court hears a case today testing whether President Trump can impose tariffs on imported goods using a law on emergency economic powers. The law does not specify that it covers tariffs, and tariffs are a power typically reserved for Congress. Trump says he needs this power or the U.S. will be ruined.

The Pentagon has announced another deadly strike on a small boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean. NPR's Quill Lawrence reports the Pentagon says that two men were killed. Secretary of Defense Pete Hakeshath announced on social media that U.S. forces had targeted what he claimed were drug traffickers in the eastern Pacific. The administration maintains it is at war with drug cartels, and that makes it legal for the U.S. military to kill alleged traffickers, even if they're unarmed and not threatening U.S. forces. Critics in Congress from both parties say these orders defy U.S. military and international law and amount to execution without trial. Nearly 70 people have been killed in these type of strikes. This latest is at least the 16th in the Pacific and the Caribbean, where a growing U.S. fleet is gathering off the coast of Venezuela.

The Trump administration has stated a goal of displacing Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and is offering a reward of up to $50 million for information leading to his capture. Quill Lawrence NPR News. The supermoon is coming tonight. It's when the moon gets to its closest point to the Earth. It will also be full. NASA says that means the moon will love. look like it's 14% larger and nearly a third brighter than it usually is.

If you can't catch tonight's celestial event, there will be another supermoon in December. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News.