NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-04-2025 10AM EDT

Episode Date: October 4, 2025

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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 Jail Snyder. With the government shut down now in its fourth day, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt says some federal workers could be out of a job if the shutdown continues. The Office of Management and Budget is in constant communication and contact right now with our cabinet secretaries and agencies across the board to identify, unfortunately, where layoffs have to be made and where cuts have to happen. Republicans and Democrats remain at odds with Democrats insisting on assurances that health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act will be extended.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Why would we believe that Republicans have any interest in addressing the Affordable Care Act based on their word? When for 15 years, Republicans have been doing everything possible to gut the Affordable Care Act, based on their word. affordable care rack. The shutdown seems likely to continue into next week. The Senate not in session this weekend. Senate Majority Leader John Thune says there has not been any progress. The Allman Security Department says it will begin to offer voluntary stipends to unaccompanied children in the immigration system. Jordan Rining with L.A.S. reports on the new program giving minors an option to self-deport. DHS has already been offering adults' financial incentives to leave the country.

now it's begun offering payments of $2,500 to undocumented teens who arrived in the U.S. without a parent or legal guardian. The agency says the payments will be available to children over 14 years old who agree to waive a standard hearing in front of an immigration judge. If accepted, the minors would receive payment upon returning to their home country. DHS said in a social media post that the offers are strictly voluntary, but organizations representing immigrant children have raised concerns that the offer of money may put children in danger, especially if the decision isn't made with a lawyer. Israel's military says it's curtailing activity in Gaza and preparing to carry out President Trump's plan to end the war there.

The announcement comes, as Trump told Israel last night, to, quote, immediately stop the bombing in Gaza. Here's NPR's Kerry Kahn reporting. A person briefed by an Israeli official told NPR that forces in Gaza were ordered to reduce activity to, quote, a minimum and only for defensive actions. Friday, Hamas agreed to points in Trump's plan, including releasing all hostages and turning power. over to a Palestinian entity, but added other elements need negotiation. Still unclear is how Hamas would disarm and a timetable for Israeli troop withdrawal. In a statement Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said cooperation would be, quote, in accordance with the principles set forth by Israel without specifying details. Gaza's civil defense reported multiple explosions and

injuries overnight. Israel's military warned residents to stay out of active combat zones in Gaza City. Kerry Kahn, NPR News, Tel Aviv. And from Washington, this is NPR News. Ukrainian officials say a Russian drone strike hit at least one passenger train at a station northeast of Kiev. Three children are reported to be among dozens of people who were injured. Russia has been stepping up strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. Earlier, the Ukrainian military said it targeted one of Russia's largest oil refineries near St. Petersburg. Japan's ruling party has elected Sinai Takeichi as its new leader. Her election today makes her likely to become Japan's first woman prime minister. To Britain now, where organizers say pro-Palestinian protests

will go ahead in London, Manchester and elsewhere today, despite calls for them to be postponed. Following Thursday's attack on a synagogue in Manchester, here's Vicki Barker, reporting from London. Activist Jonathan Parrich told the BBC he and his fellow demonstrators feel genuine respect and grief for the victims of Thursday's atrocity. But I don't think that means that we should be asked to give up on our right to stand up for those who are being devastated by an ongoing real-time genocide in Gaza. Prime Minister Kier Starrmer, whose wife is Jewish, was among those pleading for the demonstrations to be suspended. But with the right to peaceful protest enshrined in British law, he does not have the power to stop them. For NPR

News. I'm Vicki Barker in London. In basketball, the Las Vegas ACE has opened the best of seven WMBA finals with a game one victory last night. Las Vegas beat the Phoenix Mercury 89 to 86, game two tomorrow in Vegas.

I'm Giles Snyder, NPR News.