NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-01-2025 7AM EST

Episode Date: December 1, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. President Trump is doubling down on his plan to block asylum claims from people living in countries on the U.S. travel ban list. This comes after last week's attack on two National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. One soldier died, the other remains in critical condition. The suspect is from Afghanistan, and now Trump has stopped all immigration requests from Afghan nationals. Speaking last night, he says he'd go a step further. Trump says he would like to strip. naturalized Americans of their citizenship if he wants. If I have the power to do it, I'm not sure that I do, but if I do, I would denaturalize absolutely. Separately, each group of National Guard troops patrolling in Washington, D.C. will now be joined by at least one city police officer. The House and Senate Armed Services Committee are opening inquiries into the Pentagon's deadly attacks on boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. This comes after a Washington Post report a follow-up strike on survivors of

and initial strike was done, following Defense Secretary Pete Hegg says order to kill everyone on the boats. The Pentagon has denied this. New changes to SNAP food assistance programs could be coming this week. NPR's Jude Jaffe Block reports, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rawlins, promised an announcement the week after Thanksgiving. Snap, also known as food stamps, helps almost 42 million Americans get groceries, though enrollment is expected to dip because states are implementing new eligibility and work requirements that Republicans in Congress passed over the summer. Rollins says more changes to SNAP are needed. She alleges there are widespread problems with SNAP households receiving benefits fraudulently, but has not released detailed data, and many

food policy experts say such cases have historically been rare. Rollins sparked a flurry of confusion last month when she said everyone in SNAP would have to reapply, since SNAP applicants already go through a recertification process typically every year or six months. Jude Jaffe Block, NPR News. Indiana lawmakers are expected to convene today to discuss new congressional maps. These maps are aimed at helping Republicans win two more seats in Congress. From member station WFYI, Ben Thorpe reports. Republicans last week appeared to cave to months of pressure from President Donald Trump

to draw maps that could eliminate the two Democratic congressional seats in Indiana. Senators initially rejected calls to vote on the issue with Senate leadership saying he would not call lawmakers to the Capitol because there weren't enough votes. But following that decision, both Trump and Indiana Governor Mike Braun said they would support primary challenges against lawmakers who were not supportive of the new maps. Lawmakers also faced anonymous threats to their families, homes, and businesses that seemed connected to the ongoing debate. The Indiana House will gather this week to discuss new maps. Next week, the Indiana Senate will meet to vote on whatever proposals come from the House.

For NPR News, I'm Ben Thorpe in Indianapolis. You're listening to NPR News. from Washington. Officials in Hong Kong have increased the death toll from last week's apartment fire. It's now 151 people. Authorities say that some of the netting surrounding the buildings that burned did not meet codes for fire resistance. Thousands of people are now homeless after the immense blaze burned for two days. The death toll from flooding and landslides in several Southeast Asian nations could be as high

as 1,000 people. Hundreds have died in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. This follows tropical storms that have recently hit the region. Thousands of people have been displaced. Children who get their own smartphones

early in adolescents have an increased risk of depression, obesity, and losing sleep. That's according to a new study, published in the journal Pediatrics. NPR's Maria Godoy has more. About half of all children in the U.S. have their own smartphone by age 11. To find out how this might affect health outcomes in early

adolescents, researchers looked at data from more than 10,000 youth in more than 21 states who'd been tracked since late childhood. They found that tweens who had their own smartphone at age 12 were more likely to have obesity, symptoms of depression, and report insufficient sleep compared to their peers without phones. And the younger they got their phones, the higher their risk for some of these conditions. The researchers say they hope their findings will help inform the creation of guidelines on the appropriate age at which kids should first get their own smartphones. Maria Godoy, NPR News. You're listening to NPR.