NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-16-2025 1PM EST

Episode Date: November 16, 2025

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Latin music has never been bigger, but it's always been big on Alt Latino. 15 years in, we continue celebrating Latinidad through a music lens, transcending borders through Ritmo. Get to know artists from La Cultura on a deeper level and throw some new Latin music wrecks into your rotation. Listen to Alt Latino in the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Amy Held. Aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has arrived in the Northern Caribbean. Some 4,000 sailors are on board, joining thousands of U.S. service members already there. Military exercises are scheduled.

The Trump administration says it is fighting criminal organizations and countering narco-terrorism. U.S. strikes have killed dozens aboard alleged drug-smuggling boats. It is not clear whether the military will be used against Venezuela. Still, Venezuela's leader Nicolas Maduro is readying his military and rallying supporters, accusing the U.S. of pursuing a criminal war. He put his message to music at a rally this weekend, calling for peace and singing John Lennon's Imagine. The U.S. has long pushed for regime change in Venezuela. offering a $50 million award for Maduro's arrest.

This week, the House will vote whether to order the Justice Department to release documents about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. NPR's Mara Liason reports. House Speaker Mike Johnson tried for months to avoid this vote, but he failed when four Republicans joined Democrats to sign a discharge petition. That's a tool that allows rank-and-file House members to circumvent leadership and bring bills to the floor. Last week, the House Oversight Committee released documents that show President Trump may have known more about Epstein than he has said he did.

Trump has lashed out at Republicans who've demanded the documents be released, and he's ordered his Attorney General to investigate Epstein's ties to Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton. Even if the bill passes the House, it faces an uncertain future in the Senate and a potential veto from the president. Mara Liason, NPR News, Washington. In an unusual move, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the State Higher Education Coordination Board. Texas Public Radio's Jerry Clayton has more. The suit argues that three state-funded work study programs violate the First Amendment. The programs, the Texas College Work Study Program, the Works Internship Program,

and the Innovative Adult Career Education Grant Program, bar participants from engaging in sectarian. activities or enrolling in seminary studies. Paxton says the restrictions amount to unconstitutional discrimination against religious students and exclude religious organizations that offer only sectarian work opportunities. Paxton called the rules, quote, anti-Christian. The programs provide more than $8 million in state funding to financially disadvantaged college students with jobs both on and off campus. I'm Jerry Clayton in San Antonio.

This is NPR News. The latest federal immigration operation in a Democrat-led city enters its second day in Charlotte, North Carolina, sometimes masked. Border Patrol agents have made multiple arrests. The Department of Homeland Security calling it Operation Charlotte's Web and says it's surging agents to ensure safety. Brazil's vice president says Brazilian goods like coffee, beef, and fruits will still face a 40% tariff in the U.S. and is calling for more rollbacks. This, after Trump announced Friday, he was removing import taxes on a long list of products, including some grocery items. This summer, Trump imposed that additional 40% tariff on Brazil, partly due to the trial of his ally, former president, Jaya Bolsonaro. Todd Snyder, a singer who's thoughtfully freewheeling tunes and cosmic stoner songwriting, made him a beloved figure in American Roots Music, has died. He was 59.

Ryan Hass has this report. The Nashville-based musician was best known for his influence on the alternative country music scene. Snyder was prolific and spent much of his life on the road performing. He was hospitalized in recent days due to pneumonia, according to his family. Following his death, fans praise Snyder's lyrical prowess and wit. On news of his death, Snyder's son when you're a millionaire, imagine all the fun you're having some old rock and you. On news of his death, Snyder's record label encouraged fans to celebrate his life by turning on one of his records, quote,

loud enough to wake up all of your neighbors. For NPR News, I'm Ryan Hass. It's NPR News.