NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-26-2025 8PM EDT

Episode Date: October 27, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Skiyvone. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson says the U.S. and China have reached a substantial framework for a deal on rare earth, metals, and tariffs. NPR's Luke Garrett reports Besson says the U.S. will not impose 100 percent tariffs on China for now. Fresh from negotiations in Kuala Limpur, Malaysia, Secretary Besson tells ABC the stage is set for President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to finalize a trade deal. We've reached a substantial framework for the two leaders. At issue, are tightening Chinese restrictions on metals, materials, and magnets needed for U.S. cars, weaponry, and chips. Besson says Trump's threat of hiked levies delayed the new rare earth licensing regime.

The president had given me maximum leverage when he threatened 100% tariffs if the Chinese imposed their rare earth global export controls. So I think we have averted that. Bessent also says he expects. China to revive their buying of U.S. soybeans, but he added nothing is final until Trump and Xi meet on Thursday. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. Israel has approved teams from the Red Cross and Egypt to enter Gaza to search for the bodies of hostages. NPR's Rob Schmitz reports from Tel Aviv.

The Egyptian team, which specializes in search and rescue operations and in dismantling explosive devices, entered the strip accompanied by several engineering vehicles to help locate the bodies of deceased Israeli hostages. Their bodies are believed to be in areas that have been booby-trapped. For days, there have been discussions over allowing teams into Gaza to help recover the remaining 13 deceased Israeli hostages as well as deceased Palestinians under the rubble. In a post on Truth Social, President Trump warned Hamas to return the bodies of hostages or the countries involved in the peace plan will take action.

Among the bodies of hostages remaining in Gaza are two Americans. Rob Schmitz and Pierre News, Tel Aviv. The partisan redistricting effort kicked off by President Trump continues with the Commonwealth of Virginia. Lawmakers there will be holding a special session tomorrow, and PR's Mara Liason has details. Virginia Democrats will discuss redrawing the state's congressional district maps to favor Democrats. This follows an unusual mid-cycle partisan redistricting effort by Republicans in Texas, North Carolina, and Missouri. After President Trump called on red states with trifectas, that is, with Republican governors and state legislatures in the same state,

to create more seats favorable to his party. Three other blue states, California, Illinois, and Maryland have responded in kind and are looking at ways to increase seats favorable to Democrats. Normally, redistricting happens every 10 years after the census is taken, but that custom appears to be yet another political norm cast aside during the Trump era. Mara Liason, NPR News. This is NPR News in Washington. The National Hurricane Center is forecasting that Jamaica could come face to face

with a Category 5 hurricane in the coming 24 to 48 hours. Hurricane Melissa could make landfall in Jamaica by as early as tomorrow night. Torrential rain from a storm of this magnitude is associated with catastrophic flooding and landslides. Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic are also in the storm's path. Wildlife officials say they have euthanized four gray wolves in Northern California after a string of unprecedented attacks on livestock. NPR's Nate Roth reports. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says they did not come to the decision easily. For months, they tried non-lethal methods of deterring the wolves from cattle in the Sierra Valley,

but the wolves had become habituated to livestock as a food source. California's gray wolf population has rebounded over the last decade. as wolves have come into the state naturally from Oregon. The wolves are still listed under the Endangered Species Act, but the rise in their population has also led to an increase in human wolf conflict, particularly in rural areas with a lot of ranching. Nate Rot, NPR News. As the government shut down continues, more flight delays and cancellations are expected at U.S. airports this week,

the Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted earlier today. Due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility, the Transportation Secretary is predicting travelers will see more flights delayed and canceled in the coming days. I'm Louise Giovanni and PR News.