NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-02-2025 7AM EDT

Episode Date: October 2, 2025

NPR News: 10-02-2025 7AM EDTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from daily life. Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors on our new show, Sources and Methods. NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people, helping you understand why distant events matter here at home. Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. The government shutdown is now in its second day, and it's already having an impact on the real estate industry, especially in Florida, and states where many lenders require homeowners to have flood insurance. And Pierce Greg Allen reports the National Flood Insurance Program has stopped issuing new policies. More than 4.5 million homes in the U.S. are covered under the Federal Flood Insurance Program with the largest number of them in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas.

The program's authorization lapsed with the government's shutdown. which means no new or revised policies can be issued. Tim Weisheir, the president of the Florida Association of Realtors, says it's already holding up sales. People that are right now, maybe we're planning to close on their property tomorrow or next week, they will be delayed, and there's a risk that they're delayed. And in truth, it can have a ripple effect across the country. In the spring of 2010, when Congress allowed the program's authorization to lapse, the National Association of Realtors says it affected some 1,400 home sales every day.

Greg Allen, NPR News, Miami. moms in America say they are dissatisfied with their health care. And here's Katie Riddle reports that's according to a new report that exposes deficits in maternal care for women in the U.S. The report is from the Harris poll who surveyed more than 2,000 women and explored disparities across prenatal birth and postpartum care in the United States. Among other findings, the researchers reported that over three and five respondents said they needed to fight for medical care, especially black, Hispanic, and younger women. Mental health issues are increasingly reported during pregnancy in the postpartum period, and most women who are or have been pregnant also believe that maternity leave in the United States is insufficient.

Currently, the U.S. does not have any federally mandated maternity leave. Researchers say their findings show that the current system is, quote, gravely failing to meet the needs of expectant mothers. Katie Riddell in PR News. Israel has intercepted an aid flotilla of dozens of boats bound for Gaza as it got close to the enclave, boarding the vessels and detaining activists including Greta Toonberg. The flotilla is trying to deliver much-needed aid to Gaza. UN spokesperson Stefan Dujarak says the UN is closely monitoring the situation and that the group welcomes advocacy in the humanitarian crisis. We're obviously following the flotilla very closely. We do not want anyone to get hurt, and we want people's rights to be respected.

At least one of the three vessels taking part in the flotilla appeared to still be sailing just off Gaza's coast this morning, according to the flotilla's online tracker. In a post on X, Israel's foreign ministry says several vessels were stopped, and those on board were transferred to an Israeli port, saying they are all safe and healthy. U.S. futures contracts are trading in mixed territory this morning. You're listening to NPR News.

More than 100 people gathered in a park in Grand Blank last night for a vigil to remember victims of Sunday's deadly attack on a Mormon church in Michigan. Michigan Public's Steve Carmody has more. Many people in Grand Blank are still coming to terms with the attack that left four people dead and the church a smoldering ruin. Pastor Eric Stewart is the leader of a local Southern Baptist church. He told those that last night's vigil. that the Lord is close to the broken-hearted. It's very heartbreaking to think about evil and that transpired here, but let's turn our attention to the Lord, the one that can heal us, the one that can comfort us.

The investigation continues into the motives of the gunman, who was shot and killed by responding police officers after he set the Mormon chapel on fire. For NPR News, I'm Steve Carmody in Flint, Michigan. A marine scientist from Mexico says a shark had his entire higher head in its mouth off the coast of Costa Rica. It happened last weekend as Maurizio Oyos says he was tagging sharks for scientific research 123 feet below the surface when he spotted the shark and using a pole released a tag that hit the shark's dorsal fin. But the 48-year-old says the shark then rushed toward him mouth open. He says as soon as the shark's teeth hit his skull,

it released him and swam away, his scuba mask filled with blood. Oios rose to the surface and was hospitalized. He's awaiting jaw surgery, but he says he doesn't blame the shark. I'm Janine Hurst. NPR News in Washington.