NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-03-2025 9PM EST

Episode Date: December 4, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton. For the second day in a row, President Trump denigrated Somali immigrants and the entire nation of Somalia. NPR's Mara Liason reports those remarks got more personal today. In the past, President Trump has often attacked Minnesota Congresswoman Elon Omar, an American citizen who emigrated to the U.S. from Somalia as a child. But his recent comments have been harsh, even by Trump's standards. On Tuesday, he called Omar garbage. he says she should not be allowed to be a congresswoman. I'm sure people are looking at that, and she should be thrown the hell out of our country.

Trump also attacked Somalia itself, saying it isn't even a nation. It's just a people walking around killing each other. Mara Liason, NPR News, the White House. 50 years ago, Congress passed, and President Gerald Ford signed the landmark law that created special education as we know it. NPR's Corey Turner reports on the impact of the Individuals with Disabilities Act, or IDEA. In 1970, public schools educated just one in five children with a disability. Ed Martin, now 94, helped write the law that changed that.

There was one mother who told us a story about the school bus stopping at the foot of her driveway. And her daughter is standing in the window, crying, saying, why can't I go with the other kids? IDEA requires schools to provide accommodations for kids with disabilities. The Trump administration has made cuts at the Department of Education, including staff who oversee IDEA, saying it wants to end bureaucracy and empower states. But critics warn federal oversight is an important safeguard for families who depend on the landmark law. Corey Turner, NPR News. A doctor who supplied the drug ketamine to actor Matthew Perry in the weeks before his death has been sentenced to prison in Los Angeles.

Steve Futterman reports. Dr. Salvador Placencia was sentenced to two and a half years. in prison, the judge accusing him of putting Matthew Perry on the road that eventually killed him. Before the sentencing, the court heard emotional statements from Perry's family. His mother, Suzanne Morrison, told Placencia, I want you to see his mother. She accused him of putting aside his oath to protect people in order to make money. When it was his turn to speak, Placencia turned to address Perry's family and said, I should have protected him. Placencia, who pleaded guilty in July, was immediately taken into custody.

Other defendants in the case are set to be sentenced in the next few weeks. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman at the federal courthouse in Los Angeles. Tech billionaire Jared Isaacman is again being considered for NASA's top job. He was removed from consideration and then re-nominated by President Trump. He appeared before the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee today as NASA prepares to send astronauts back to the moon. You are listening to NPR News from Washington. Ukraine and its European leaders and European allies are accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin

of feigning interest in peace efforts. Talks with U.S. envoys at the Kremlin have produced no breakthroughs this week. Ukraine's foreign minister urged Putin to stop wasting the world's time. Putin has accused Europeans of sabotaging the peace efforts and warned that Russia would be ready for war with Europe. Atlanta-based Delta Airlines says the longest government shutdown in history cost it $200 million in losses. Melissa Fato from Member Station W.A.B.E. has more. The 43-day shutdown caused delays and cancellations in major airports as unpaid air traffic

controllers missed work, ultimately leading the Federal Aviation Administration to order airlines to cancel up to 6% of their domestic flights at 40 airports. Delta is the first U.S. airline to disclose the exact financial impacts of the shutdown. CEO Ed Bastian told investors that refunds grew significantly and booking slowed during that period. Bastion also said comments from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over-controller shortages and travel safety led more customers to hold off on booking tickets. More than 10,000 flights were cut nationwide between November 7th and November 16th. For NPR News, I'm Melissa Fato in Atlanta. Talapot palms in a Rio de Janeiro park are flowering for the first and only time in their lives.

The palms are native to southern Asia and can grow to almost 100 feet tall and produce millions of flowers before the end of their 40 to 80 year lifespan. They were introduced by a landscape architect in the 1960s. This is NPR News from Washington. 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.

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