NPR News: 11-04-2025 10PM EST

episode

NPR News Now 4 min 5 speakers 6 chapters transcribed

▲ 0

Transcript

jump: chapters · speakers · find in transcript

Transcript

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

Unknown 0:00

Support for NPR and the following message come from the estate of Joan B. Kroc, whose bequest serves as an enduring investment in the future of public radio and seeks to help NPR produce programming that meets the highest standards of public service in journalism and cultural expression.

Ryland Barton 0:18

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton.

What were the results of the recent elections in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia?

Ryland Barton 0:21

Democrats won a trio of high-profile elections in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia today, Zoran Mamdani will be the next mayor of New York City, according to a race call by the Associated Press. He's the first Muslim in person of South Asian descent to hold the position. The 34-year-old Democratic Socialist defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa on Tuesday's election.

Who is Zoran Mamdani and what are his key promises as New York City's mayor?

Ryland Barton 0:46

Mamdani's promises, including making the city's buses fare free, providing universal child care, and lowering the cost of living by raising taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers, More than two million people cast ballots in the race for the first time since 1969. Abigail Spanberger will be the next governor of Virginia, according to a race call by the Associated Press. VPM's Jihad Khalil is out of her victory party in Richmond.

What factors contributed to Abigail Spanberger's victory in Virginia?

Jad Khalil 1:11

Democrat Abigail Spanberger is a former congresswoman and CIA officer. She was elected to Congress in 2018 and chose not to run for re-election in 2024 in order to run for governor. Spanberger is on track to win Virginia by a wider margin than Vice President Kamala Harris. Spanberger's campaign combined a focus on affordability issues with a vow to counter the presidency of President Trump.

What happened in the UPS cargo plane crash near Louisville, Kentucky?

Jad Khalil 1:34

Virginia is often seen as a bellwether following the presidential election, which Spanberger acknowledged.

Maria Aspen 1:39

Tonight, we sent a message.

Jad Khalil 1:44

Her opponent, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earl Sears, ran on the record of current Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin. She also spent a significant amount of airtime attacking policies accommodating transgender students. For NPR News, I'm Jad Khalil in Richmond, Virginia.

Ryland Barton 1:57

Democrat Mikey Sherrill will be the next governor of New Jersey. The sitting congresswoman defeated former Republican Assemblyman Jack Cittarelli, according to a race call by the Associated Press. It's the first time since the 1960s that New Jersey voters have elected a governor from the same party three times in a row. Sherrill will replace Democratic Governor Phil Murphy, who is term limited. At least four people are dead after a UPS cargo plane crashed today near the airport in Louisville, Kentucky. NPR's Joel Rose reports the plane caused a fiery explosion when it crashed shortly after takeoff.

Andy Beshear 2:30

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the UPS cargo plane crashed at about 5.14 p.m. local time.

Unknown 2:37

Anybody who has seen the images and the video know how violent this crash is.

Andy Beshear 2:44

Beshear said the fate of the three UPS crew members was not immediately known. He said the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 was bound for Honolulu with about 38,000 gallons of jet fuel on board. Video footage of the crash appeared to show the left engine on fire as the plane struggled to lift off from the runway, followed by a massive explosion. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington.

Ryland Barton 3:10

Stocks fell on Wall Street today, pulled down by tech companies that have been the main drivers of the market's rally this year. This is NPR News. The COVID-19 vaccine season is starting slowly for Pfizer, with U.S. sales of its Comirnaty shots sinking 25 percent. That's after federal regulators narrowed recommendations on who should get them.

How are recent stock market trends affecting investors' confidence?

Ryland Barton 3:31

Experts say interest in COVID-19 shots has been declining, and that could continue amid confusion about whether the shots are necessary. Investors may be starting to worry that the stock market's fantastic run is a little too good to be true, as NPR's Maria Aspen reports stocks closed down today.

Maria Aspen 3:48

Wall Street has been hitting record highs, despite worsening economic data, ongoing uncertainty about tariffs, and the federal government shutdown. But big companies are reporting big profits, and investors are particularly optimistic about the tech giants powering the AI boom.