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

Episode Date: October 12, 2025

NPR News: 10-12-2025 12PM 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 Nora Rahm. President Trump says he's identity. identified funds to ensure the active military gets paid this week. The government shutdown meant U.S. soldiers were at risk to miss their paychecks on Wednesday. NPR's Luke Garrett reports.

The Pentagon says soldiers will be paid this week. The department says it found approximately $8 billion in unused research and development funds from last year. A source not authorized to speak publicly says these funds will pay U.S. troops if the government doesn't reopen by October 15th. The recently identified funds would likely only cover military paychecks this week, leaving future soldier pay uncertain. Democrats and Republicans in Congress remain at loggerheads over government funding. Some lawmakers have proposed a standalone bill that would pay the troops, but Republican leadership insists on a GOP-back short-term funding bill as the only way forward. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and Gaza is now in its third day. President Trump heads to the region later today. He's to speak to the Knesset, Israel's parliament, and to meet with families of the hostages. The hostages are expected to be released by midday tomorrow. About 200 U.S. troops are in Israel to help support the ceasefire. Vice President J.D. Vance said they will not go into Gaza. Indonesia and a number of other majority Muslim states, they've actually offered to send ground troops to Gaza to ensure the necessary peacekeeping takes place. That's not something the United States is going to be expected to do.

that's something the Muslim world is going to step up and do. Vance was interviewed on ABCs this week. Death rates have been declining across the globe, but not for adolescents and young adults in some parts of the world. That's according to the latest findings of an international study called the Global Burden of Disease. As NPR's Retude Chatterjee reports, the study finds a troubling rise in deaths in younger age groups in North America.

There are two age groups that are dying younger in recent years in North America. Christopher Murray is Director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington and the lead scientist of the new study. In the sort of 5 to 19 range, we're seeing death rates go up after long periods of decline. So that's very unusual. The main drivers are gun violence, road injuries, and suicide. The other age group that saw deaths rise in North America is 25 to 39-year-olds, driven primarily by drug overdoses. The study which also found a rise in depression and anxiety in youth is published in The Lancet.

Rithu Chattagy, NPR News. The president of Madagascar issued a statement today that an attempted coup is underway in his country. He did not provide details. Anti-government protests led by young people began last month. Yesterday, some members of the armed forces joined the protests. This is NPR News in Washington. Violence erupted along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan overnight. Afghanistan says it killed 58 Pakistani soldiers who had violated Afghan territory.

Pakistan says 23 troops were killed. Both sides say they destroyed border posts of the other. China and the Philippines are blaming each other for a confrontation in the South China Sea today. The Philippines says a Chinese Coast Guard ship used a water cannon and rammed, a Philippine government vessel. China says Philippine vessels illegally entered Chinese waters. The teams are now set

for the next round of Major League Baseball playoffs after the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Chicago Cubs last night in the remaining National League Division Series. Chuck Wormbach has more for Milwaukee. The Brewers held off the Cubs by a score of three to one, winning the team's division series three games to two.

Brewer's manager, Pat Murphy, says he's grateful to lead a club that he says has been underestimated. They've been doubted all year, everyone. There's nobody predicting the Brewers playing the Dodgers in the series. Milwaukee begins playing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series Monday night. The American League Championship Series gets underway Sunday evening with the Seattle Mariners taking on the Toronto Blue Jays.

For NPR News, I'm Chuck Khrmbach in Milwaukee. Jacob Caplimo of Uganda won the Chicago Marathon this morning, finishing ahead of the other men in two hours, two minutes, and 23 seconds. He's a world record holder in the half marathon. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News. Listen to this podcast, sponsor-free on Amazon Music, with a prime membership, or any podcast app, by subscribing to NPR NewsNow Plus at plus.npr.org.

That's plus.npr.org.