NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-14-2025 6AM EST

Episode Date: November 14, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Watchdog groups led by former Park Service employees say the government shutdown has worsened the funding and environmental crisis at national parks. NPR's Kirk Sigler reports the Trump administration ordered most national parks to stay open with a skeleton's death. Thousands of furloughed National Park Service employees are now returning to work after the 43-day shutdown. Many entrance gates at parks remained open but unstaffed. One estimate by watchdog groups predicts the service may have lost upwards of $40 million in entrance fee revenue. This is a big deal because it follows cuts to the agency ordered by President Trump and his Doge team. Since January, the Park Service lost a quarter of its entire staff, from scientists to janitors to Rangers.

Meanwhile, the return of the remaining staff is seen as a relief following reports of vandalism of artifacts at Arches National Park in Utah. Utah, base jumpers off El Capitan at Yosemite and damage to a stone wall at historic Gettysburg. Kirk Sigler, NPR News. The House is moving ahead with a vote to release all files from the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Republican leaders have agreed to bring it to the floor after a petition reached the required 218 signatures. The push comes as new documents revive questions about Epstein and his associates. including emails mentioning President Trump. The White House accuses Democrats of leaking emails to smear him.

New research links high consumption of ultra-processed foods to early-onset colorectal cancer. NPR's Alison Aubrey reports the research suggests diet is one factor behind the increase in calling cancer among young adults. Doctors at Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute analyzed data from nearly 30,000 female nurses under the age of 50. They found those who ate more ultra-processed foods, including salty, high-fat snacks, such as chips and sugary drinks, had a significantly higher risk of developing precancerous

polyps. Dr. Andrew Chan is an author of the study. If you have a family history, certainly if you have a history of polyps, trying to kind of adjust what you eat is one step you can take. Not all processed foods are unhealthy, but increasingly research shows a diet high and saturated fat, sodium, and sugar, as is found in many packaged foods, increases the risk of chronic disease. Alison Aubrey, NPR News. Blue Origin launched its Glenn rocket on Thursday with a pair of NASA spacecraft destined for Mars. The company recovered the booster following its separation from the upper stage and the Mars orbiters, an essential step to recycle and slash costs similar to SpaceX.

This is NPR. The American Psychological Association has released a health advisory about AI chatbots to address mental health needs. NPR's RETU Chatterjee reports. A recent U.S. survey found that nearly 50% of people with a mental health condition who use AI chatbots use them for psychological support. But the new advisory notes that most AI chatbots were not designed to treat psychological disorders. And so consumers should not use them to replace mental health care from a train provider. AI apps and chatbots can create a false sense of therapeutic relationship with some chatbots falsely claiming that they are licensed therapists.

The report also points out that several AI chatbots have engaged vulnerable youth in harmful interactions, encouraging them to self-harm and even attempt suicide. Read the Chatterjee and PR News. More than 1,000 unionized Starbucks workers walked off the job at dozens of stores in more than 40 cities on Thursday. Michelle Eisen is a barista and spokesperson for the Union Starbucks Workers United. She says they're protesting pay and working conditions. In terms of how long we're willing to go and what workers are willing to do, I can tell you that workers are committed to escalating as needed if the company does not come back with

some solutions. Starbucks says that fewer than 4% of its workers in its 10,000 company-owned stores are unionized. On Wall Street, Dow Futures are trading lower at this hour. 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. T's and sees a place. apply.