NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-02-2025 4PM EDT

Episode Date: October 2, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. The government shutdown is expected to run through the weekend as talks in Washington remain gridlocked. NPR's Claudia Grisales reports the Senate on Friday will hold another vote on partisan stopgap bills that have repeatedly failed to win enough support. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he'll put the failed stopgap bills on the floor again to keep up pressure on Democrats. But even Thune is skeptical. Anything will change. They'll have a fourth chance tomorrow to vote to open up the government. And if that fails, then we'll get enough weekend to think about it. We'll come back and we'll go again on Monday. Republicans have 53 seats in the Senate, so they'll need support from at least seven Democrats

to reach a required 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster. But the parties are stuck. Democrats are demanding an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, and Republicans say that won't happen in a short-term measure. Claudia Riesales, NBR News, the Capitol. The Department of Energy has canceled more than $7 billion in funding for hundreds of projects. NPR's Michael Copley reports Democrats say the White House is using the funding cuts to punish its political opponents. The Energy Department says it terminated funding for projects that don't address the country. energy needs and aren't economically viable. The announcement came hours after the White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vote posted on X that the administration was

canceling funding for projects in 16 states, all of which voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the last election. DOE hasn't released a list of the projects. Democratic lawmakers called the move an illegal act of political retribution. The White House referred NPR to the Energy Department for comment. DOE didn't respond to messages seeking comment. Michael Copley. NPR News. The White House has placed a hold on $18 billion in funding for major transit projects in New York, including the Hudson Tunnel and 2nd Avenue subway. Officials say there's suspending reimbursements pending reviews, some of which are affected by furloughed staff because of the government shutdown. Police in the United Kingdom have taken two people into custody in connection with a deadly attack on a synagogue today in Manchester. NPR's Lauren Frere reports authorities are calling it an act of terrorism.

Police say the attacker drove a car into a crowd of people outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester. They say he then got out and stabbed at least one person, possibly a security guard, before being shot himself by police. In addition to those killed, police say at least three people are in serious condition. That's MPR's Lauren Frere reporting from. London. This is NPR News. Many people are still having a hard time getting vaccinated against COVID-19 because of an unusual delay by the CDC. NPR's Rob Stein reports. The CDC has yet to issue final guidelines for the COVID vaccines nearly two weeks after receiving the recommendations from the agency's advisors. That's highly unusual. Typically, the CDC

acts within days, sometimes even hours of receiving recommendations from the advisory committee because of the urgency of getting people vaccinated for the winter surge. The delay has prevented a federal program from shipping out free vaccines for kids and has meant that a patchwork of state rules has prevented adults from getting shots in many places too. Federal officials have not explained the delay. Rob Stein in PR News. A skateboard that helped Tony Hawk make history has sold for more than a million dollars. Hawk used the board to land the first ever 900, a two-and-a-half spin mid-air trick at the 1999 X-Games in San Francisco.

The proceeds will go to Hawk's nonprofit that builds skate parks in underserved communities. Pepsi is facing a colorful nude challenge. The company says it's working to keep snacks like Gatorade and Cheetos looking bold, without using synthetic dyes. Some items like Tostitos and Lays chips will start phasing out those dyes later this year. But Pepsi says finding natural alternatives could take years to get just right. This is NPR News in Washington.