NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-02-2025 1AM EST

Episode Date: December 2, 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, I'm Giles Snyder. The investigation into last week's shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members is intensifying. But NPR's Tom Bowman says a motive has yet to emerge. We know the FBI said it sees laptops and phones from his home.

He lived with his wife and five children in Bellingham, Washington, north of Seattle. The U.S. Attorney's Office said as soon as he's medically able, he'll appear in federal court. The suspect was shot and wounded during the attack. He is an Afghan refugee who worked with the CIA. during the war in Afghanistan. He came to the U.S. during President Biden's term in office. There are reports that the suspect had isolated himself and grown distant from family and friends. The White House says the Navy Admiral ordered a second strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean and says the attack in September that has come under bipartisan scrutiny was lawful.

Lawmakers from both parties have announced support, though, for a congressional review. Following a published report last week that said Defense Secretary, Peter Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order for the boat's crew members to all be killed. Pope Leo is visiting Lebanon, meeting with Christian and Muslim religious leaders. He's seeking to promote religious tolerance and a region scarred by conflict. MPR's Ruth Sherlock reports. Pope Leo began the day visiting a hilltop monastery with sweeping views of the sea to pray at the tomb of St. Sharbel Mahloof, a Lebanese maronite revered by both Christians and Muslims.

At another pilgrimage site, high in the mountains, Pope Leo heard testimonies, including from a priest helping refugees, and a Filipino domestic worker about the treatment of migrants in Lebanon. Leo called on church workers to bring hope to their faithful, saying that even among the rubble of a world that has its own painful failures, it's important to offer prospects for rebirth. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News, Beirut. One of the sons of the imprisoned Mexican drug lord known as El Chapman,

Napo has pleaded guilty to U.S. drug trafficking charges in a plea deal, Joaquin Guzman Lopez pleaded guilty Monday in Chicago to two counts of drug trafficking and continuing criminal enterprise. He is expected to avoid life in prison. The death toll from a fire at a large housing complex in Hong Kong is expected to climb higher. At least 151 people have died. Thousands have been left homeless. Reporter Cherise Fam has more. Officials became emotional as they described bodies found in stairwells, hallways, and apartments in the wreckage. Some of the bodies were burned to ash. The fire tore through seven high-rise towers.

Five of the buildings have been searched, and authorities say it could take weeks to go through the remaining two. The government says it has provided housing for more than 2,000 people left homeless by the fire so far. The housing complex was home to more than 4,600. For NPR News, I'm Cherise Pham in Hong Kong. This is NPR. Indiana lawmakers have released a proposed congressional map that could help Republicans win two House seats. That is the only two seats held by Democrats in the state.

The White House has pressured lawmakers around the country to help Republicans retain control of Congress. From Member Station, WFYI, Farah Anderson reports. The proposed map would break up districts in the Democratic-held areas of Marion County, which is home to Indianapolis and the Lake Michigan shoreline. Democratic State Representative Ed Delaney represents portions of Indianapolis. Am I supposed to tell my grandchildren who like politics some of them? You're done. You'll never go to Congress from Indiana because we'll guarantee that no Democrat ever serves

in the Congress from Indiana again. But Republican Governor Mike Braun says the changes would counter gerrymandering by Democrats in other states. The House could take a week before sending a map to the Senate, where Republicans are divided on whether to join Trump's redistricting push. I'm Ferry Anderson, NPR News. Voters in Tennessee are preparing to go to the polls. They'll be voting Tuesday in a special election for a U.S. House seat that is seen as a bellwether for next year's midterms.

Tennessee's 7th Congressional District is usually reliably Republican, and President Trump carried the district by 22 percentage points in 2024. But polls show the race is well within the margin of error. Most Asian financial markets are advancing. in Tuesday trading, but gains are muted following a slide in cryptocurrencies after Bitcoin on Monday fell 30% from its peak back in October. I'm Joel Snyder in PR 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 Cs apply.