NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-29-2025 11AM EDT

Episode Date: October 29, 2025

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On the ThruLine podcast from NPR, the story of the undersea cables that run the internet. Other historians have compared it to the Apollo missions of going to the moon. Listen to ThruLine in the NPR app, or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, on Corva Coleman, Israel says the ceasefire has resumed in Gaza after a deadly wave of attacks, and peers Anas Baba reports from a hospital in Gaza City. It was one of the deadliest nights since the war in Gaza began. Over 100 Palestinians were killed, including 66 women and children, according to Gaza's health ministry.

Hospital morgues were overwhelmed, and families searched for loved ones, and they mourned their children bold from the rubble. Halima Abu Hanna held her 10-year-old son Fadi's body in her arms. He was killed in the strikes. She says, why didn't they take my soul away from me? Till the world enough. Israel says it was targeting militants retaliating for the killing of a soldier.

Anasbaba and Pure News Gazdae. The U.S. and South Korea say they've agreed on the details of a trade deal amidst President Trump's trip to the country. South Korea is to invest up to $350 billion in the U.S. South Korean officials say that in exchange, Washington confirmed a reduction in tariffs on South Korean goods from 25% to 15%. President Trump says he does not know if the Democratic Island of Taiwan will come up during his meeting tomorrow with China's president. Taiwan has been resisting Chinese claims that it's Chinese territory.

NPR's Emily Fang reports China has not ruled out military force to control the island one day. China's spokesperson on Taiwan affairs said Beijing would, quote, absolutely not roll out using force on Taiwan. And on Wednesday, local time China flew and sailed 25 military sororities around Taiwan. That's a big increase from the usual single-digit flyovers that Beijing now mounts almost daily to intimidate the island. This show of force comes ahead of a meeting between President Trump and China's Xi Jinping. It's a meeting that Taiwan is watching nervously. Trump has waffled before on the extent of U.S. political support for Taiwan, which is a departure from previous Republican leaders who historically, staunchly opposed China's claims on the island.

Emily Fang and Pierre News. A $40 million civil trial brought by a Virginia teacher shot by a first grader has begun. The teacher accuses the school's former assistant principal of failing to act after the assistant principal was warned the child had a gun. NPR's Christian Wright reports. Abby's Warner's attorney argues Ebony Parker, who was assistant principal of Rich Neck Elementary, was told multiple times on the day of the shooting that the six-year-old boy had a gun, but had no one search him and didn't call police. Zwerner was sitting in her classroom in Newport News when she was shot in the hand two years ago.

The bullet also went into her chest. It's still there, and Zwerner doesn't have full use of her hand. Parker's defense attorney says she couldn't possibly have foreseen what happened. She also faces criminal charges. The child got the gun from home. His mother was sentenced to time in prison. Kristen Wright, NPR News, Washington. You're listening to NPR.

The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Melissa is storming across Cuba. It has top-sustained winds of 100 miles per hour. That's a lot weaker than when it hit Jamaica yesterday. Top winds then were 185 miles per hour. In Georgia, the Port of Brunswick is one of the busiest in the country for auto imports and exports. Officials at the port say they saw a 30% drop in volume last month compared to the same time last year. From member station W.A.B.E. in Atlanta, Alex Helmick reports officials say tariffs are the main reason.

Tariffs are hitting the auto industry and Georgia ports officials say in a statement, last month's decline was due to automakers reducing production and shipments in the state, while car companies consider location changes for manufacturing their vehicles. And luxury vehicle exports to Asia are down, port officials say as Asian automakers become more desirable there. meantime, the Port of Savannah, which handles mostly container cargo, saw an increase last month as retailers gear up for the holiday shopping season. For NPR News, I'm Alex Helmick. Officials at the University of California, San Diego, say that a new manuscript has come to light by late children's author, Dr. Seuss. It's called Sing the 50 United States. Dr. Seuss's

book will be published next year in time for the country's 250th birthday. The manuscript was found in the archives at UC San Diego, along with a cover sketch by Dr. Seuss. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News, from Washington.