NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-08-2025 4PM EDT

Episode Date: October 8, 2025

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Before Gwendolyn Christie was cast as Breanne of Tarth on Game of Thrones, she had a hard time finding a good role. The feedback she'd always get was the same, and it wasn't particularly helpful. Because you're too tall and you're too unconventional looking. And I just thought, gosh, I'm limited. Gwendolyn Christie from Game of Thrones, Severance, and more on Bullseye for Maximumfund.org and NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Hurst. Former FBI director James Comey has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges brought by federal prosecutors.

The case has fueled concerns that the Justice Department is being used to go after President Trump's perceived political enemies. And peers Ryan Lucas has more. Comey's attorney entered the not guilty plea at his arraignment in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. The former FBI director faces one false statements count and one count of obstruction of a congressional proceeding. The charges stem from testimony Comey gave to Congress in 2020. the Justice Department charged him just days after President Trump publicly called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to go after Comey and two other political foes. Trump also pushed out the top federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia and replaced him with a former insurance lawyer who once served as Trump's personal attorney, who days later secured the Comey indictment. That has fueled growing concerns that the Justice Department is being weaponized to target Trump's opponents.

Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington. It's the second week of the federal government shutdown with no end in sight. Once again, the Senate vote today on short-term proposals to fund the government failed. The longest shutdown was 35 days in 2019. And Pierce Domenico Montanaro has more on what the path out might look like. Already there are delays at airports around the country as air traffic controllers call out sick, and they haven't even missed a full paycheck yet. That'll happen October 28th.

The White House isn't budging and is trying to blame Democrats. Democrats are holding firm on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies which expire at the end of the year. Right now, it appears to be a game of chicken with the way out likely going to come down to who wins the messaging battle and which side feels the most pressure. Do Democrats fold and agree to a short-term reopening? Do Republicans appear to go too far with attempted firings and cutting off funds to blue states? At this point, it's not clear who has the advantage, and this could go on a while. Domenico Montanaro, NPR News, Washington. After two days of preliminary talks, high-level negotiations took place today in Egypt to try to end the war in Gaza.

And peers Daniel Estrin has more from Tel Aviv. President Trump has sent his envoy Steve Whitkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner. Qatar's prime minister is also taking part, and for the first time, so is Turkey's intelligence chief. Israel and Hamas have senior officials attending. They don't meet face-to-face, but mediators shuttle between the sides. Both sides are voicing optimism. Hamas officials say they seek guarantees from the U.S. and other countries that if they release Israeli hostages, that will put a final end to the war. Hamas says it presented its list of Palestinian prisoners. It wants Israel to release an exchange. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

Wall Street, Immix Territory at the closing bell, the Dowdown one point, the NASDAQ, up 255. S&P 500 up 39. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. This year's MacArthur Fellows have been announced, among them, a cartographer, a novelist, an astrophysicist, and an atmospheric scientist. And peers Elizabeth Blair reports 22 people will receive the so-called genius grants of $800,000 each, no strings attached. This year's MacArthur MacArthur Matt Black, who documents marginalized communities like migrant workers in California. scientist James McClellan, whose work helped quickly develop COVID-19 vaccines, and jazz improviser and composer Craig Taborne. Social justice artist Tanika Lewis Johnson says the $800,000 will allow her to continue her work with stability.

That stability really does unlock new opportunities to envision possibilities. Johnson is focused on raising awareness about the history of segregation and housing. injustice in black neighborhoods in Chicago. Elizabeth Blair, NPR News. The MacArthur Foundation is a financial supporter of NPR. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to three scientists, Richard Robson, Omar Yagi, and Susuma Kitagawa, for the development of molecular building blocks with spaces large enough

that gases and other chemicals can flow through them. The new materials can store energy, harvest water from desert air, and scrub toxins from water, The three will share the $1.1 million prize. The Nobel Prize for Literature will be announced tomorrow the Peace Prize on Friday. I'm Janine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington. Across the country, states and counties are rushing to change their voting rules. Stacey Abrams says these attacks on voting rights are part of the authoritarian playbook.

You may not be into politics, but politics is into you and it is a stalker. Listen to Code Switch in the NPR. or wherever you get your podcast.