NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-23-2025 6AM EDT

Episode Date: October 23, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Krova Coleman. This is the 23rd day of the federal government shutdown. It comes as Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley completed one of the longest floor speeches in the history of the U.S. Senate yesterday. He criticized the Trump administration. NPR Sam Greenglass reports the speech lasted for more than 22 hours. Senator Merkley did not break the record set earlier this year by fellow Democrat Cory Booker. But the Senate press gallery says the remarks are the fourth longest in Senate history.

in the most perilous moment, the biggest threat to our republic since the Civil War. The stunt comes as lawmakers are at an impasse on ending the government shutdown. Republican Senator John Barrasso chastised Merkley for keeping staff overnight as they go without pay. I come to the floor today to ask a simple question. What did Democrats actually accomplish? After the speech, Merkley chugged a Gatorade, then the Senate failed to advance a funding measure for the 12th time. Sam Gringlass, NPR News, Washington. Several states are warning the

federal government shutdown means that millions of Americans across the country are going to lose food assistance. That cutoff comes in a little more than a week. Heather Williams lives in Houston and says her family's choices are dire. We'd have to choose between paying our rent or getting food. We'd have to choose between paying our car insurance and getting food. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has written the agricultural Department to plead for stopgap funding, millions of American children rely on the food assistance. President Trump is imposing sanctions on two major Russian oil companies. NPR's Mara Liason reports this is the first time this term Trump has acted against Russia instead of making a threat.

At a meeting with the Secretary General of NATO, Trump said the new sanctions on Russia were tremendous and that he hoped they would help settle the war with Ukraine. But in a move that will disappoint the Ukrainian government, Trump also ruled out sending that country long-range tomahawk missiles. It'll take a minimum of six months, usually a year, to learn how to use them. They're highly complex. So the only way of tomahawk is going to be shot is if we shot it, and we're not going to do that. Ukraine has been lobbying the White House to provide tomahawks, but Trump seems to have closed that door for good. Mara Liason, NPR News, the White House. The Trump administration has also announced two more U.S. attacks on boats in the Central American region that killed five people.

This time the attacks were in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The defense secretary says the U.S. attacked two boats in two days in international waters. He alleges the boats were carrying illegal drugs. Previous attacks by the U.S. have happened in the Caribbean Sea. President Trump and his administration claim all the attacks were related to drug trafficking but have provided no evidence. About 40 people have been killed in the U.S. attacks. You're listening to NPR. New York City's mayoral candidates met last night for their final debate. A key topic was leading candidate Zoran Mamdani's longtime support for Palestinian rights.

NPR's Brian Mann reports that position has drawn criticism from many Jewish leaders. More than 700 rabbis across the U.S. have signed a letter accusing Zoran Mamdani of denying Israel's legitimacy and accusing the Jewish state of genocide during the war in Gaza. On the debate stage, Mamdani, who would be the city's first Muslim mayor, promised to fight anti-Semitism. I will be the mayor who doesn't just protect Jewish New Yorkers, but also celebrates and cherishes them. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who's trailing in the polls, responded this way.

You're the savior of the Jewish people? You won't denounce globalize the Intifada, which means kill Jews. There's unprecedented fear in New York. New York is home to the largest Jewish community outside Israel. Momdani has won endorsements from some Jewish leaders in the city. Brian Mennon, NPR News, New York. Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwatt also participated in the debate. Automaker Tesla says it lost 37% of its net income in the third quarter of this year.

That's even though the automaker delivered nearly half a million cars in that quarter. But Tesla has now reported a drop in profits for the third quarter in a row. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the league is keeping bad bunny. as the Super Bowl halftime performer. Conservative activists have criticized the American star from Puerto Rico who performs in Spanish. Goodell says the NFL always gets criticism for its choice of Super Bowl artists. He says it's hard to avoid when hundreds of millions of people are watching. This is NPR.