NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-03-2025 12PM EDT

Episode Date: October 3, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. The Senate remains deadlocked over a short-term funding bill as the government shut down stretches into day three. Just a short time ago, House Speaker Mike Johnson took aim at the Democratic holdouts in the upper chamber. And all the Democrats who are voting against it in the Senate right now, every single one of them have given impassioned speeches about how you must pass continued resolutions, you must pass CRs, you should never shut. down the government because it's dangerous and destructive and selfish and wrong. Well, suddenly

they've changed their tune. Democrats are demanding that a stopgap bill includes an extension of federal health care subsidies under Obamacare. Republicans argue that can be worked out in future negotiations. The Senate is expected to vote next hour on rival plans to reopen the government. Both measures have failed repeatedly in recent weeks. The Trump administration is withholding more than $2 billion for infrastructure projects in Chicago. NPR's Joel Rose reports it's part of a broader funding fight targeting Democratic areas during the shutdown. White House budget director Russ vote says the Department of Transportation has put on hold more than $2 billion to improve Chicago's transit system. Vote said the pause is intended to, quote, ensure funding is not flowing via

race-based contracting, unquote. Earlier, the Trump administration said it would withhold $18 billion in federal funds from major rail and subway projects in New York on similar grounds. That appears to be targeting New York congressional leaders, including Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, whom the White House is trying to blame for the government shutdown. Schumer called the tactics, quote, stupid and counterproductive. Joel Rose and PR News, Washington. President Trump is giving Hamas a deadline, signed the U.S. Brokered Peace Plan by 6 p.m. Sunday, or face what he calls consequences like no one has ever seen

before. And a post on social media, Trump warned that all hell will break out if Hamas refuses the deal, which was outlined by the U.S. and accepted by Israel. Flights were briefly suspended at Munich Airport in Germany after drone sightings last night. NPR's Rob Schmidt's reports. The airport said in a statement that at least 17 flights were grounded overnight impacting 3,000 passengers, while airport officials diverted 15 additional flights to other airports in the region. The airport reopened at 5 in the morning local time when arrivals and departures were again deemed safe. Munich is not alone.

Last week, several airports in Denmark were forced to close for the same reason. Denmark later banned all civil drones as it hosted a summit of European leaders to discuss support for Ukraine as well as a potential drone wall initiative, a layered network of interception systems. Europe has been on alert due to a string of sightings and incursions by Russian drones into NATO airspace. Rob Schmidt and Pierre News. Brilliant. This is NPR News in Washington. The Supreme Court will take up a challenge as to where people can carry guns in Hawaii. The Trump administration is urging the justices to hear the case, saying the law conflicts with a 22 ruling that affirmed the right to carry firearms in public under the Second Amendment.

Hawaii's law bans guns on private property unless the owner allows them. It also prohibits firearms and places. like beaches, parks, bars, and restaurants that serve alcohol. The WNBA finals begin tonight. The Best of Seven Series between the Las Vegas Aces and the Phoenix Mercury caps off another year of record attendance and ratings for the league. And PR's Becky Sullivan has more. The Las Vegas Aces are no stranger to this stage. They won the title in 2022 and 23.

This year, though, the Aces were slow off the block and needed half the season to find their footing. then they went on a 16-game winning streak to end the regular season. Star Center, in the league's leading score, Asia Wilson, was named MVP for a record fourth time. The Mercury have a new look this season, with the arrival of all stars, Alyssa Thomas, and Satu Sabaoli. They're looking for their first title since 2014. This is the first year the finals will be a Best of Seven series. That's up from Best of Five. That's one of the ways the league is trying to cash in on the dramatic increase in attendance and ratings over the past two years.

Becky Sullivan and PR News. Stocks are trading higher on Wall Street at the sour. The Dow Jones Industrial average is up 377 points. The NASDA composite up 42. The S&P 500, also trading higher, up 25. I'm Windsor Johnston, NPR News, in Washington.