NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-23-2025 4PM EDT

Episode Date: October 23, 2025

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NPR is a special place where music journalism and discovery remains freely accessible. Public Radio Music Day is coming, but you don't have to wait until October 29th to show your support. Amplify the sound of public media today. Visit donate.npr.org. Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The Senate has declined to advance competing measures to pay federal employees during the federal government shutdown, which is now in its 23rd day. More than a million federal workers are set to miss a paycheck Friday. Here's NPR Sam Greenglass.

The Republican-back measure would have paid essential employees working without pay, including troops and TSA agents. Aversion by Democrats called for paying all federal employees and blocking more layoffs by the Trump administration. Democratic Senator Chris Van Holland of Maryland and Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin debated the dueling bills. They're illegally firing people. Again, Senator, I really didn't want to come and argue.

Okay. Well, why don't we sit down? Why don't we sit down together? I have to dispute that. As they prepare to head home for the weekend, lawmakers say they are no closer to an agreement to reopen the government. Sam Greenglass, NPR News, Washington. President Trump has pardoned the billionaire founder of the mega-cry cryptocurrency exchange Binance. Chung Peng Zhao, widely known as C-Z, pleaded guilty in 2023 to enabling money laundering and spent four months in prison. White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt defended the pardon today. I spoke with our great White House counsel about the pardon after it happened.

This was an overly prosecuted case by the Biden administration. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts fired off a statement slamming the pardon. She writes, quote, first Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty to a criminal money laundering charge, then he boosted one of Donald Trump's crypto ventures and lobbied for a pardon. Today, Donald Trump did his part. and pardon him, end quote. President Trump says tech moguls have convinced him not to move

forward with a planned surge in federal agents in San Francisco Saturday. Untruth social, Trump names and video president's CEO, Fencing Wong, and Salesforce CEO Mark Benioff. Mayor Daniel Lurie says he also received assurances. In our conversation, the president told me clearly

that he was calling off any plans for a federal surge in San Francisco. But President Trump has targeted other Democratic-led cities that he says we're doing a poor job fighting crime. Local authorities say their data showed crime rates had actually fallen before National Guard troops were deployed to their jurisdictions. Vice President J.D. Vance criticized hardliners in the Israeli parliament for approving annexation of the occupied West Bank. The preliminary vote this week was symbolic, but Van Gogh. says it's an insult to the Trump administration, which opposes West Bank annexation by Israel.

The Israel Hamas ceasefire in Gaza that Trump brokered is in its, it has nearing two weeks. At last check on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 200 points. You're listening to NPR News. EU leaders in Brussels are welcoming new U.S. sanctions on two Russian oil companies, Here's NPR's Eleanor Beardsley. EU Foreign Affairs and Security Chief Kaya Callis arrived at the summit with a smile on her face. We also are very happy about the signals we get from America regarding Russia. The sanctions, I think it's an important sign of strength that we are aligned here.

Simultaneously, the EU is passing a 19th set of sanctions against Moscow, targeting its financial sector. And for the first time, the EU is weighing using immobilized Russian assets held in Europe, as a reparation loan for Ukraine. Russia is responsible for the damages caused in Ukraine and has to pay for those damages. Kala says everything must be done to deprive Russia of the means to wage its war on Ukraine. Eleanor Beardsley reporting.

At the Vatican, Pope Leo met and prayed with the head of the Church of England, King Charles. NPR's Jason DeRose reports. During a visit to Italy and the Vatican, King Charles and Queen Camilla attended midday prayer in the Sistine Chapel. The Anglican Archbishop of York and Pope Leo co-led the service, with Leo offering a prayer for the care of creation.

Teach us to see your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children. Through Christ, our Lord. Environmental issues have been of special interest to both King Charles and the Vatican in recent years. The Church of England broke from papal authority in the 16th century because then King Henry VIII wanted to divorce and remorse. Mary. That's Jason DeR. It's NPR. On this week's Wildcard podcast, Gray's Anatomy and scandal creator, Shonda Rimes, says she doesn't need people to like her shows. When you believe the good things people say about you, you also then are obligated to believe the bad things.

Watch or listen to that wildcard conversation on the NPR app, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.