NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-12-2025 3PM EDT

Episode Date: October 12, 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 Nora Rahm. President Trump leaves for the Middle East this afternoon to celebrate the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. He's to speak to the Israeli parliament tomorrow and to meet with the families of Israelis held hostage in Gaza. The hostages are expected to be released soon.

NPR's Daniel Estrin has more from Tel Aviv. Hamas has until noon local time on Monday to free 20 living hostages and free all the deceased hostages that they can find. They could be freed as early as today, but we're hearing more likely that it would be happening very early in the morning on Monday. And then Israel is expected to free Palestinian prisoners and detainees, nearly 2,000 of them. That will likely happen Monday late at night, just like we've seen in previous releases. NPR's Daniel Estrin reporting from Tel Aviv. The government shutdown is dragging on with no end in sight. Thousands of federal employees have begun receiving reduction in force notices.

The Senate is set to reconvene Tuesday to consider legislation to reopen the governor. NPR's Ava Pukhatch reports, the shutdown is affecting one of the world's biggest museum and research institutions. All 21 Smithsonian Institution Museums, its research centers, and the National Zoo are now closed. The Smithsonian had kept these sites running for the first 11 days of the shutdown using prior year funds. The Institute says animals at the National Zoo, and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute will continue to be fed and cared for, but the popular live animal cams will be turned off.

About 62% of the Smithsonian's budget comes from the federal government. Other popular tourist sites in Washington, D.C., including the open-air Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, remain accessible. Ava Pukatch and PR News, Washington. New Orleans next leader will be Helena Moreno, a city council member and a critic

of Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who is term limit and facing federal criminal charges. Aubrey Yuhaz of Member Station, WWNO, has more in the story. Marino, a Democrat, won outright Saturday with 55% of the vote, avoiding a runoff. She was the first candidate to enter the race almost a year ago, and consistently led in fundraising and polls despite a crowded field. In her victory speech, Marino said the city gives so much of itself to visitors, but gets little in return. Meanwhile, locals are getting priced out. We are losing population fast because of lack of opportunity, lack of affordability, and because it is just too hard to live here.

So bottom line, we cannot afford to fail, and I will not fail you. Moreno and other council members have regularly clashed with Cantrell in her second term, including over the city's finances and her overseas trips. For NPR News, I'm Auburie Hoss in New Orleans. This is NPR News in Washington. A major storm system is expected in the northeastern U.S. over the next few days. Forecasters say it may bring more than three inches of rain from the Carolinas to New England through Tuesday. A state of emergencies effect for all of New Jersey. In New York, Staten Island canceled a half-marathon scheduled for today.

An international study called the Global Burden of Disease finds death rates have been declining, but not for adolescents and young adults in some part. arts of the world. 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 Chatterjee, NPR News. In Major League Baseball, the American League Championship series begins tonight with the Seattle Mariners playing the Toronto Blue Jays. the National League Championship Series opens tomorrow night

with the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers. I'm Nora Rom. NPR News in Washington.