NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-25-2025 12PM EDT

Episode Date: October 25, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. The Pentagon is again building up its military presence in the Caribbean region, as it continues to attack vessels it alleges are carrying drugs. The U.S. military is sending the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford. NPR's Tom Bowman reports. The Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the Ford will, quote, bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt, elicit actors and activities.

it compromises safety and prosperity of the United States. U.S. forces have already carried out 10 strikes on alleged drug vessels in the region, resulting in more than 40 dead. Democrats and some Republicans have questioned President Trump's authority to order extrajudicial killings. NPR's Tom Bowman reporting, farmers and ranchers from several states have joined in a campaign

to raise awareness about labor shortages, they say, are hurting family farms. Brad Bird of Member Station KTTZ reports the campaign highlights an issue that has producers and economists concerned about higher food prices. Zach Rutledge is an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Food and Resource Economics at Michigan State University who spoke for the Grow It Here campaign. He says about half of U.S. farmers face some kind of labor shortage. This issue of the domestic labor supply has implications for U.S. consumers and also affects the trade balance in the U.S. Farmers say lowering costs for employing temporary foreign workers could help, but some say they still rely on immigrants who can work year-round. The U.S. Labor Department has warned that a worker shortage is, quote, threatening the stability of domestic food production and prices.

For NPR news, I'm Brad Burt. Early voting began today in New York City to elect a new mayor. Early voting also got underway today in New Jersey as that state selects a new governor. Election day is November 4th. The other governor's race this year is in Virginia, which began early voting September 19th. California governor Gavin Newsman is accusing the Trump administration of, quote, rigging the state's November special election by sending poll monitors to five California counties. Guy Marzarotti of member station KQED reports.

The DOJ is deploying monitors to counties, including. including Los Angeles, for what the department describes as routine oversight of federal law. But Newsom told KQED the move is meant to sow doubt in election results, including the fate of Proposition 50, the pro-democratic redistricting plan, Newsom is asking California voters to approve. They will then suggest after we win, because we will and we must, that somehow the election was fraudulent. In a statement, Los Angeles's top elections officials, the presence of election observers is, quote, not unusual. For NPR News, I'm Guy Marzarotti in San Jose.

This is NPR News in Washington. Early results suggest Ireland's next president will be Catherine Connolly, who's on the far left of the Irish political spectrum. The center-right candidate, Heather Humphreys, has conceded and congratulated Connolly. The president is a largely ceremonial position in Ireland without the power to shape laws or policies. A presidential election is underway in Ivory Coast.

The 83-year-old incumbent, Alison Wartara, is seeking a fourth term. He says the changes made to the Constitution during his time in office allow him to run again. There are four challengers, but the major candidates were prevented from running. Thousands of security personnel were deployed in advance of the vote. In baseball, game one of the World Series goes to the Toronto Blue Jays. They beat the L.A. Dodgers 11-4 last night. We hear more from Steve Futterman in Toronto. The heavily favored L.A. Dodgers got a wake-up calling game one,

as they were pounded by the Toronto Blue Jays. The game was close, tied two to two until the sixth inning. That's when the Blue Jays exploded for nine runs. Four of the runs came on the first pinch-hit Grand Slam home run in World Series history by Addison Barger. After the game, he said, he could hardly remember rounding the bases. I don't even know how to describe it. I mean, I couldn't feel my legs. I just kind of blacked out.

Before the blowout in Toronto, the Dodgers had allowed just four runs and four games of the National League Championship Series. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman at the World Series in Toronto. Game two of the series will be tonight also in Toronto. I'm Nora Rahm. NPR News in Washington.