NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-15-2025 9AM EDT

Episode Date: October 15, 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, on Kourva Coleman, the Gaza ceasefire is strained. Israel says one of the eight bodies handed over by Hamas this week is not that of a hostage.

Israel has closed the Rafa crossing into Gaza today that will limit aid getting to Palestinians. Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees freed in the ceasefire are sharing details about their treatment while they were held. And Pierre's Daniel Estrin has more. Israeli medical staff say freed hostages are in better health than expected. One suffered an eye injury. Some said they were starved and shackled. Former hostage Jaiyre Horn saw his brother freed now and thanked President Trump. Thanks to you, I'm standing here today, and thanks to you, my little brother is finally home.

One family said the Israeli military bombarded close to where their son was held in the final days of the war. In Gaza, journalist Islam Ahmed was detained in Israel for about 10 months. He told NPR he was beaten and lost about 30 percent. of his body weight. Other freed Palestinians showed signs of abuse and malnutrition. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv. The federal government shutdown is hurting some local businesses that rely on federal workers to stay afloat. From member station KUER, Macy Lipkin reports from Ogden, Utah, the U.S. Treasury Department is the largest employer in that city.

The Department of the Treasury is the largest employer in the city. The majority of its more than 7,000 employees work for the IRS. That agency has furloughed almost half its workforce in the shutdown and sent layoff notices to about 1,500 more. Dan Martinez is legislative coordinator for the local chapter of the Treasury Workers Union. He's been at the IRS for 18 years. These are not millionaires that are making money off of the government. These are folks that have taken a duty to serve the American people, have taken that oath of office. He says uncertainty and Doge cuts have made his colleagues more careful with their spending. For NPR news, I'm Macy Lipkin in Ogden, Utah.

Former Special Counsel Jack Smith has spoken publicly about political attacks on his former team. Smith led the federal prosecutors who twice obtained indictments against Donald Trump. Smith spoke yesterday at the University College, London. These are team players who don't want anything but to do good in the world. They're not interested in politics. And I get very concerned when I see how easy it is to demonize these people for political ends, when these are the very sort of people, I think we should be celebrating. Smith highlighted the U.S. Justice Department's recent indictments of former FBI director James Comey and current New York Attorney General, Letitia James. On Wall Street and pre-market trading, Dow futures are up by more than 200 points.

NASDAQ futures are up by more than 250 points. You're listening to NPR. Puerto Rico's territorial Senate has passed legislation that would significantly slow down the release of information from the local government. A coalition of journalists, free speech activists, and the Puerto Rico Bar Association have strongly objected. They say the bill would double the amount of time Puerto Rican officials have to respond to information requests. They say it would allow Puerto Rico's government to decide what information to disclose. A judge in Texas is blocking key parts of a state bill. It seeks to limit expression on public university campuses after dark.

Houston Public Media's Bianca Seward reports. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge David Allen Ezra said, quote, The First Amendment does not have a bedtime of 10 p.m. The law imposes several restrictions during the last two weeks of a semester, including banning amplified sound, speaker events, and overnight encampments. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, also known as Fire, sued the University of Texas system on behalf of several student organizations. J.T. Morris is a senior supervising attorney with fire. Court applied the principles that should have. The analysis was very sound, so we're pleased with it. Fire is now seeking a permanent injunction. I'm Bianca Seward in Houston.

Conditions in parts of Western Alaska remain dire. The remnants of a typhoon hit the state last weekend. One person was killed and two months. more remain missing. Alaska officials say that some people who survived had to cling to debris as their homes washed away. Hundreds of people fled their homes to shelter. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.