NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-06-2025 8AM EST

Episode Date: November 6, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. This is day 37 of the federal government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. It is straining the nation's air traffic system. Tomorrow, the Federal Aviation Administration says it will reduce air traffic by 10%. This move will affect some of the nation's busiest airports to maintain safety during the shutdown. NPR's Joel Rose has more. The FAA is planning to reduce air traffic in 40 high-volume markets beginning on Friday. FAA Administrator Brian Bedford says the agency wants to reduce the pressure at those airports before safety is compromised.

We're not going to wait until we see something flashing red to say, oh, we should take action now. The FAA has already been delaying flights at some airports because of staffing shortages among air traffic controllers. Those controllers are required to work without pay during the shutdown, but some have taken on second jobs and many are calling out sick. Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy say they'll meet with airline leaders. to figure out how to implement the reductions fairly before announcing the details. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington. The shutdown is limiting federal food assistance, but a new study finds that millions of beneficiaries won't receive any help this month at all.

The government shutdown is straining businesses that keep federal agencies running. NPR's Windsor-Johnston reports millions of private contractors are going unpaid, and the ripple effects could outlast the shutdown. While federal employees wait for back pay, many contractors won't see a dime once the shutdown ends. Stephanie Sanik Castro, who heads the Professional Services Council, says the impact stretches across industries, from defense to cybersecurity, and extends deep into civilian agencies. We do have several examples of national security programs that have been hit, but I would hasten to say that the hardest hit sector within government contracting has been helping

human services as well as the civilian side. Castro says the last major shutdown in 2019 erased an estimated $3 billion from the U.S. economy, losses that were never recovered. Windsor Johnston and PR News, Washington. New York City mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani has announced his transition team. He will take office at the beginning of next year. His team includes people who have served in past city administrations. NPR's Sarah Ventry has more. The five-person team is made up entirely of women and includes a former Federal Trade Commission chair, former first deputy mayor, and the president and CEO of United Way of New York City. The team will be responsible for setting the stage for the new administration to enact an ambitious agenda.

Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, campaigned heavily on promises to freeze the rent, make buses free, and create universal child care. Sarah Ventry, NPR News, New York. On Wall Street and pre-market trading, Dow futures are higher. This is NPR. News reports say Typhoon Kalmagi is poised to make landfall on the coast of central Vietnam. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center says its top-sustained winds are more than 120 miles per hour. The typhoon hit the Philippines first, where it killed at least 114 people. The Philippines is under a state of emergency.

Tuberculosis claims more than 3,000 lives a year. It's the world's top infectious disease killer. people with TB live in low-income countries where health care is difficult to access. But NPR's Gabriela Emmanuel reports some countries are now using AI in places where medical specialists are not available. In more than 80 countries, mobile x-ray machines are being combined with AI models to instantly screen people for TB. It's being used for nomadic tribes in Nigeria and refugee camps in Chad. Peter Sands heads the Global Fund. There are no radiologists. So who gets to look at the thing and say, is there a problem here or not?

Well, actually, AI does. It's brilliant. Advocacy groups like StopTB have embraced this approach. But some health experts have cautioned that many low-income countries don't yet have the regulations to make sure the technology has quality control checks. Gabriela Emmanuel and PR News. Shareholders of automaker Tesla are voting today on a pay package for CEO Elon Musk. that package could be over $1 trillion. In order to receive the full amount,

Musk would have to help Tesla reach targets, such as significantly increasing the automakers' market value. This is NPR.