NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-15-2025 8PM EST

Episode Date: November 16, 2025

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Support for NPR comes from NPR member stations and Eric and Wendy Schmidt through the Schmidt Family Foundation, working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. On the web at theshmit.org. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Skiavone. The world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, will arrive in the Northern Caribbean tomorrow, according to a U.S. military official. NPR's Laura Sullivan has more. The USS Gerald Ford will be joining some 15,000 soldiers and sailors already in the region. A U.S. military official told NPR, the U.S. is gearing up for possible military action, saying, quote, the table is being set. High-level meetings with members of Congress and foreign leaders are continuing, along with ongoing military exercises. It remains unclear, however, if President Trump will use military force against the country.

The U.S. has conducted multiple strikes on boats in the region. and Trump has also repeatedly called on Venezuelan leader Nicholas Maduro to resign. Officials told NPR the arrival of the USS, Gerald Ford, could be just another pressure tactic on Maduro who has put his own forces on high alert. Laura Sullivan, NPR News. Border Patrol agents have begun carrying out an immigration enforcement operation in Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city and a Democratic Party stronghold in the state. Agents have been seen making arrest today throughout the city's immigrant corridors.

Los Angeles is experiencing a strong seasonal storm with several inches of rain due through tomorrow. Daniel Martinez of LAist has more. In Malibu, local officials advised residents to seek higher ground and avoid moving water. Above the Palisades, burn, scar reports of rock slides and mud had people fearing the worst. Flash flood warning stretched from the far northwest of L.A. County to its eastern edges Saturday. Streets flooded in Compton and Camarillo, and in the city of L.A., dozens of trees were knocked down by high winds. Forecasters say the worst is over, and showers will taper off into the week as a new storm approaches. For NPR News, I'm Danielle Martinez in Pasadena.

The U.S. Postal Service says it is planning to make changes after ending another fiscal year with a net loss in the billions. As NPR's Hansi Lowe-Wong reports, the Postal Service, is proposing to increase shipping prices next year to help stabilize finances. Even though it's a government agency, the U.S. Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars and relies on stamp and service fees to keep running. In the past fiscal year, USPS had a net loss of $9 billion. That's down about a half billion dollars compared to the previous year, in part because of drops in transportation and workers' compensation expenses.

Postmaster General David Steiner says in the new year, he hopes to increase shipping services, especially in rural areas, that private companies don't serve and improve delivery times. Service is still not where we expect it to be, nor is it what our customers deserve. Starting in mid-January, the cost of shipping with USB may go up between 5 and 8 percent, but a first-class forever stamp is staying at 78 cents, at least for a few more months. Hansi Luong, NPR News. This is NPR.

Researchers believe they've documented the first known death from Alpha Gale Syndrome, a red-mead allergy caused by tick bites. NPR's Ava Pouca. Tells us more about the tick-borne illness. In 2024, a 47-year-old man in New Jersey died hours after he ate a hamburger at a barbecue. Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine now say they believe the man likely had alpha-gal syndrome. Transmitted primarily by lone star ticks, it results in an allergic reaction hours after a person eats meat. Saravanen Bangamani directs the SUNY Center for Vector-Born Diseases at upstate

medical university. It's a foreign body, but basically, you know, as a result of that we have this anaphylactic shock or, you know, due to allergy. People who regularly spend time outside are advised to proactively prevent tick bites by using repellents, wearing protective clothing, and avoiding tick habitats. Eva Puket and PR News. With the shutdown now over and more air traffic controllers returning to work, the Department of Transportation is easing restrictions on commercial flights at 40 major airports over the course of this weekend. They've been in place since last week. Federal aviation officials say the reductions in air traffic at dozens of major airports have been lowered from 6% to 3% of flights. Airlines are saying that they're

confident they can ramp up quickly and they expect they should be able to return to their full schedules before Thanksgiving holiday travel begins. I'm Louise Skiavoni and PR News, Washington. 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 C's Apply.