NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-22-2025 12PM EDT

Episode Date: October 22, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Tasked with keeping a fragile ceasefire in Gaza on track, a high-level U.S. delegation is spending another day in Israel. Vice President J.D. Vance met today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. NPR's Greg Mirey reports on the mission as the Israel-Hama ceasefire brokered by President Trump nears two weeks. Vice President Vance met Prime Minister Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Afterward, Vance told reporters, quote, We have a very, very tough task ahead of us, which is to disarm Hamas but rebuild Gaza. Vance is part of a high-profile U.S. team in Israel this week with the mission of extending the ceasefire to a more challenging second phase.

U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Whitkoff and President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are also in Israel and have also held talks with the prime minister. Netanyahu is universally known in Israel as, BB. The Israeli media is calling the visiting American contingent the BB Sitter's. Greg Myrie, NPR News, Tel Aviv. President Trump is asking the Department of Justice to pay him roughly $230 million for past federal investigations he was the subject of. That, according to reporting from the New York Times. NPR's Elena Moore reports Trump has not explicitly confirmed the complaints. NPR has not independently confirmed the report, but when asked about it by reporters,

Trump stopped short of affirming it. But he did say the Justice Department, quote, probably owes me a lot of money and that he'd give any potential payment to charity or use it to keep restoring the White House. He also acknowledged the unusual nature of any potential payment from the DOJ. That decision would have to go across my desk. And it's awfully strange to make a decision where I'm paying myself. In other words, did you ever have one of those cases where you have to decide how much you're paying yourself in damages? But I was damaged very greatly. The report comes as critics of the White House have voiced concerns that Trump is using the agency for his own political and personal agenda. Elena Moore, NPR News.

Disappointing earnings reports are weighing on the stock market to date. More from NPR, Scott Horsley. Netflix reported lower than expected profits for the first time in more than a year and a half. The streaming giant blames an unexpected tax bill from Brazil. Netflix says its programming is still drawing plenty of viewers and revenues were in line with expectations. It could be a nail-biting holiday season for Mattel. The toymakers says big retailers have been cautious about placing orders this year. Demand for hot wheels and action figures are up, but sales of Barbie and other dolls,

which are usually the company's biggest sellers, are down. Inflation in the U.K. was a little cooler than expected last month. Here in this country, we'll get the latest inflation scorecard on Friday, just in time for the Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision a week from today. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. This is NPR. 4,000 steps to a healthier heart. NPR's Alison Aubrey reports on the results of a new study that followed thousands of women with an average age of 72 as they fought cardiovascular disease literally one step at a time.

Women who were in the habit of walking about two miles a few times a week had a 27% lower risk of heart disease compared to inactive peers and those who hit this target four times a week, reduced the risk of premature death by about 40%. It did not matter if the women took the steps all at once, or sporadic steps throughout the day. Study author Rick Hamillah of Mass General Brigham says people have heard so much about 10,000 steps per day, but among older women, 4,000 was enough. This fits with prior research that shows more is better, but the benefits of physical activity begin with the first step. Allison Aubrey, NPR News. In Paris, the Louves open again three days after falling victim to one of the biggest museum heist in modern history.

Officials are taking a much closer examination of its security system after thieves managed to break in during broad daylight. We stole historic jewels with an estimated value of more than 88 million euros or more than $100 million. The Paris prosecutor says about 100 investigators are involved in the search, for the gems and the thieves who took them about a half hour after the Louvre open on Sunday. U.S. stocks trading lower. The Dow is now down 156 points. I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.