NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-03-2025 3PM EST

Episode Date: December 3, 2025

NPR News: 12-03-2025 3PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's podcast, Trump's Terms, is your source for same-day updates on big news about the Trump administration. Short, focused episodes, one topic at a time, about five minutes or so. We carry it reporting from across all of NPR's coverage, so you are always getting the biggest, most urgent stories. Listen to Trump's terms on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Somali is prime minister, is down playing. President Trump's derogatory comments about his country and Somalis living

in the U.S. Trump said yesterday he does not want Somali immigrants in America. Emmanuel Ligunza has more. Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Bari said Mogadishu will not elevate Trump's comments and that it will be best to ignore them as he had recently made similar

remarks against other African countries. Last month, Trump said he will earn temporary protected status for many Somalis living in Minnesota, saying without evidence that Somali gangs were terrorizing the state. The Trump administration this week also announced it was posting immigration applications, such as requests for green cards for people from 19 countries, the majority from African nations, including Somalia, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea,

Eritrea, Libya, Sudan and others. The post follows the shooting of two national guard troops in Washington last week. For NPR news, I'm Emmanuel Ligunza. Democratic lawmakers have released new images and videos from one of Jeffrey Epstein's Islands. NPR's Rachel Treisman reports the images appear to add no new or revealing information about Epstein or the trafficking of underage girls. The footage was taken by U.S. Virgin Island authorities in 2020, the year after Epstein's death. It shows the pool, as well as several bedrooms, bathrooms, and common spaces in one of several estates where Epstein is alleged to have abused and trafficked scores of underage girls. The rooms are furnished with writing and

decor on the walls, but no people inside. Democrats unveiled the photos as they try to keep pressure on the Justice Department to release the full Epstein files. President Trump signed a measure compelling it to do so, with exceptions by mid-December. Rachel Treasman and PR News. Billionaires Michael and Susan Dell have pledged more than $6 billion to encourage U.S. families to claim Trump accounts. The gift is designed to support a portion of the president's tax and spending bill that involves new investments accounts for kids. NPR Stacey Vanek-Smith explains the Trump accounts. It really does function a little bit like a retirement account

where you can make tax-free contributions, the child's family, even an employer can make contributions into these accounts. And then once the child turns 18, they can start withdrawing these accounts for things like a down payment on a house or education, things like that. President Trump has said for babies born during the years 2025 through 2028, the Treasury Department would deposit $1,000 into each child's fund. That would total around $13 billion.

At last check on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up more than 400 points or roughly 1% at 47,922. The SMPs up 26. The NASDAQ was up 58 points. You're listening to NPR News. An antitrust case trial against NASCAR is in its second day in North Carolina. NBA legend Michael Jordan and his 2311 team partner, Daytona 500 champion, Denny Hamlin, sue the nation's leading motorsports series. They argue NASCAR is a monopoly that has caused his team financial harm.

Front row motorsports also brought the lawsuit. NASCAR CEO Jim France denies the racing series. is operating an illegal monopoly. 2311 in Front Row were the only two organizations out of 15 that refused to sign new charter agreements last year. A charter guarantees entry to every race and a defined share of the purse. The federal government shutdown held up funding for a program that offers financial help for heating to millions of people.

Several states are now reopening their applications for the program. Remember station WHYY, Sophia Schmidt reports on the latest one. Pennsylvania opens its low-income. Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, today, a month later than usual. Justina Ray is a preschool teacher and mom of two who lives just north of Philadelphia. She says she's been waiting to turn on her heat until she can get a LIHEAP grant to pay her heating bill. She's relieved that the program is up and running. Not only for my household, but just for so many families that depend on it, it definitely feel

like a week has been lifted. Pennsylvania plans to start sending out its first LIHEAP payments in the coming week. For NPR News, I'm Sophia Schmidt in Philadelphia. The Dow is up 465 points, nearly 1%. I'm Lakshmi Singh. NPR News.