NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-13-2025 4AM EDT

Episode Date: October 13, 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, I'm Dale Wilman. Israelis are celebrating the release of hostages from Gaza this morning. The first of 20 living hostages expected to be released today began, just as President Trump arrived in Israel, where he's speaking to the Israeli parliament. M.P.R.'s Kerry Khan reports from Jerusalem.

Hamas turned over the first group of seven hostages early this morning to the International Red Cross, who then turned them over to Israeli troops. The split images of the Israeli military convoy escorting the hostages, just as President Trump arrived in Israel, was broadcast live. Trump was greeted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, as well as his son-in-law, Jared Kirshner, and his daughter Ivanka. A huge crowd has been gathering before dawn at a public plaza in downtown Tel Aviv dubbed Hostage Square. Cheers and applause exploded as the names of the first seven hostages was read out loud. Israel is preparing to release some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees later today. Kerry Conn, NPR News, Jerusalem.

Officials in Tennessee are continuing their search for the cause of the explosion Friday that killed 16 people. On Sunday, families of the victims were comforted by neighbors during services at several churches. Brandon Brake says the community will remain strong. It's going to take time, and it's going to take all of us banding together. But I know with this church family here and the other church families around, we'll come together. and we'll help each other through it. Governor Bill Lee also attended the local church service, and he called the losses to the community staggering.

President Trump is considering using the Insurrection Act after courts blocked his deployments of National Guard troops to Chicago and Portland, Oregon. As NPR's Luke Garrett reports, the rarely used 1807 law is designed to suppress rebellion. Two courts blocked Trump's deployment of National Guard troops last week, one in Oregon and the other in Illinois. When asked on NBC News,

If the Insurrection Act is on the table, Vice President J.D. Vance said, President's looking at all of his options. Right now, he hasn't felt he needed to, but we have to remember why are we talking about this, Kristen, because crime has gotten out of control in our cities. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker tells ABC News, Trump can't use the Insurrection Act because there's no rebellion. If the Constitution means anything, the Insurrection Act cannot be invoked to send them in because they want to fight crime. Violent crime has fallen in Chicago, but the city still averages more than one homicide a day. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. Fears of a renewed trade war between China and the U.S.

caused Asian markets to stumble in Monday trading. In Singapore, stocks were down for the fourth straight day. China, meanwhile, reports that its exports to the U.S. fell 27 percent in September from the year before, but overall growth in its global exports hit a six-month high as the country has shifted its export focus away from the U.S. You're listening to NPR News. A new school to replace Rob Elementary in Uvaldi, Texas is complete.

Its opening on Friday came nearly three and a half years after a mass shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers. Texas Public Radio's Camille Phillips reports. Legacy Elementary is bright, colorful, and full of windows. But those windows are bullet-resistant. And even after you're led in the visitor's entrance, you need a key card to access the classrooms. At the center of the school is a courtyard that looks up into a steel, two-year. story tree, with two big branches and 19 smaller branches, representing the teachers and students who died in the shooting. Javier Casares lost his nine-year-old daughter, Jackie, that day.

It is a great school for these children, sadly, you know, take the lives of our children to make this school. He says it's a bittersweet day, and he just wishes Jackie could have been one of the children to enjoy the school. I'm Camille Phillips and Yuvaldi. Officials in Mexico say the death toll from the massive rains hitting the central part of that country could go higher. So far, 44 people have died from landslides and flooding, but teams are still searching through the wreckage of many villages destroyed by floodwaters. Hundreds of army troops, police, and firefighters, and conducting rescue operations and thousands of people are facing a lack of running water and electricity.

Penn State fired head coach, football coach, James Franklin Sunday, less than 24 hours after a stunning 22-21 home lost to Northwestern. Terry Smith will serve as the interim coach for the rest of the season. The Nittly Lions had started the season as a favorite to win the national title. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News. Taylor Swift is once again taking over the internet. Her new album touches on her relationship with fiancé Travis Kelsey, as well as a simmering beef with a fellow pop star.

We're delving into the life of a showgirl and unpacking all the joyful bangers. Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour on the NPR. app or wherever you get your podcasts.