NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-13-2025 2PM EST

Episode Date: November 13, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. President Trump says he is turning his attention to affordability now that the government shutdown is over. NPR's Tamara Keith reports polls show voters are concerned about the economy and cost of living. A senior administration official not authorized to speak on the record tells NPR Trump will soon travel around the country with a message that while some things have improved, there's still more work to do to help people feeling economic. strain. And that was part of Trump's messaging last night at the White House.

My administration and our partners in Congress will continue our work to lower the cost of living, restore public safety, grow our economy, and make America affordable again. For all Americans, again, costs are way down. Inflation has been persistent so far this year, which has voters in a foul mood about the economy. Tamara Keith, NPR News. Open enrollment for health insurance plans through Obamacare is underway. People like Virginia resident Chris O'Donnell are seeing much higher insurance premiums. With my wife's diabetes and also her being a cancer survivor, not having insurance is just completely out of the question. I do have enough income that by not putting any money aside for retirement next year, I can redirect that money towards the insurance premium. President Trump suggested an alternative to Affordable Care Act health subsidies that would send funds directly to people to buy their own health insurance.

The tax credits under ACA or Obamacare are set to go away at the end of next month. Well, this hour, President Trump is due to sign an executive order to help young Americans leaving foster care. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said the initiative would boost education and job training this afternoon. Trump is scheduled to depart the White House to spend the weekend in Florida. With a ceasefire in Gaza, focus shifts on the Strip's reconstruction. But the United Nations says Israeli troops are still demolishing residential buildings there. NPR's Lauren Flair reports from Tel Aviv. Israel now controls roughly half of Gaza, the eastern side.

And that's where the U.N. says Israeli troops are behind daily detonations of residential buildings. Based on satellite imagery, the BBC says more than 1,500. buildings have been destroyed since a ceasefire more than a month ago. NPR can't independently verify that number. The UN says more than 280,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed since the war began. It also says Palestinians' access to humanitarian aid, public infrastructure, and agricultural land all remain restricted or barred altogether. The Israeli military says it's dismantled underground infrastructure, tunnels used by militants, but did not immediately respond to NPR's request for comment about residential buildings.

Lauren Freyer, NPR News, Tel Aviv. This is NPR News. Missouri National Guard troops are being deployed to assist ICE agents in the state. Missouri's largest black police union is objecting. Members fear the deployment could break trust with communities of color. From St. Louis Public Radio, Andrea Henderson, has details. Early last month, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe authorized troops to help ICE agents with clerical duties as arrests spike under the Trump administration. Donnie Walters leads the Ethical Society of Police, St. Louis's Black Police Union.

He says the heavy-handed tactics from federal agents and troops seen in some cities across the country makes them worry about what happens after they leave. Let's say they come in for six weeks and whatever they're doing, when they leave, we now. are left with the fallout. Walter says sending in more troops and ICE agents doesn't reduce crime. Job training and equal access to education and housing does. For NPR News, I'm Andrea Henderson in St. Louis. After a series of delays, Blue Origin planned to make another go for launch, possibly this afternoon, the website for Jeff Bezos' company,

had said the new Glen Rocket had a 90-minute launch window at Florida's Cape Canaveral just before 3 p.m. local time. The U.S. Space Weather Prediction Center had projected diminished risk to spacecraft and satellites from elevated solar activity today. NASA is using Blue Origins' new Glenn Rocket to carry two satellites designed to measure space weather on Mars. The Dow has fallen now 656 points. It's NPR News.