NPR News: 10-12-2025 12PM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now — October 12, 2025, 12PM EDT

Host: Nora Ramm
Length: 5 minutes

Episode Overview

In this concise news briefing, NPR covers significant global and national events affecting the U.S. and the world as of midday October 12, 2025. Featured stories include emergency funding measures to pay U.S. troops during the ongoing government shutdown, updates on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and U.S. diplomatic involvement, disturbing new health findings for North American youth, escalating tensions in Madagascar and along the Afghan-Pakistan border, a maritime confrontation in the South China Sea, and highlights from Major League Baseball and the Chicago Marathon.

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1. U.S. Government Shutdown: Emergency Military Pay Funding

[00:13–01:12]

• Context: U.S. government remains shut down, risking missed paychecks for active military.
• Key Developments:
  • President Trump claims new funds found to pay soldiers this week.
  • Pentagon locates ~$8 billion in unused research/development funds from prior year.
  • Luke Garrett (NPR): These funds ensure this week’s military pay only, "leaving future soldier pay uncertainty."
  • Congress is deadlocked: Democrats and Republicans unable to agree on broader funding.
  • Standalone troop pay bill proposed but GOP leadership insists only on a party-backed short-term deal.

Notable Quote:

"The recently identified funds would likely only cover military paychecks this week, leaving future soldier pay uncertainty." — Luke Garrett [00:49]

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2. Israel-Hamas Ceasefire and U.S. Involvement

[01:12–01:51]

• Situation: Ceasefire in Gaza enters third day with President Trump traveling to Israel.
• Key Points:
  • Trump to address Knesset and meet families of hostages; scheduled release of hostages expected by midday tomorrow.
  • About 200 U.S. troops deployed in Israel “to help support the ceasefire”; they will not enter Gaza.
  • Vice President J.D. Vance (citing an interview on ABC's "This Week"): U.S. ground troops will not be entering Gaza; instead, Indonesia and other Muslim-majority countries have "offered to send ground troops to Gaza to ensure the necessary peacekeeping."

Notable Moments:

“That’s not something the United States is going to be expected to do... that’s something the Muslim world is going to step up and do.” — Unnamed commentator [01:43]

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3. Troubling Trends in Youth Mortality

[01:51–02:56]

• Study: International Global Burden of Disease study reveals rising adolescent and young adult death rates in North America.
• Reported by: Ritu Chatterjee
• Findings:
  • Death rates rising among 5–19 and 25–39-year-olds in North America, reversing decades of decline.
  • Key causes: Gun violence, road injuries, suicide (5–19) and drug overdoses (25–39).
  • Surge in depression and anxiety among youth.

Notable Quotes:

"In the sort of 5 to 19 range, we’re seeing death rates go up after long periods of decline. So that’s very unusual." — Dr. Christopher Murray [02:27]

“The main drivers are gun violence, road injuries and suicide... The other age group... is 25 to 39 year olds, primarily by drug overdoses.” — Dr. Christopher Murray [02:36]

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4. Global Political and Military Flashpoints

[02:56–04:05]

• Madagascar:

  • President announces an attempted coup amid youth-led protests and some military defections.
  • No further details provided.

• Afghanistan-Pakistan Border:

  • Violent clashes reported overnight.
  • Afghanistan claims 58 Pakistani soldiers killed; Pakistan reports 23 of its troops dead.
  • Both sides claim to have destroyed each other’s border posts.

• South China Sea:

  • Philippines accuses Chinese Coast Guard of ramming and using a water cannon on a Philippine vessel.
  • China alleges Philippine vessels illegally entered Chinese waters; tensions continue to escalate.

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5. Major League Baseball Playoffs Update

[04:05–04:42]

• Milwaukee Brewers defeat Chicago Cubs 3-1 to advance to the National League Championship Series.
  • Series result: Brewers win 3 games to 2.
  • Brewers' manager Pat Murphy highlights team’s resilience:

    "They’ve been doubted all year, everyone. There’s nobody predicting the Brewers playing the Dodgers in the series." — Pat Murphy [04:18]

  • Brewers face Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night.
  • American League Championship: Seattle Mariners vs. Toronto Blue Jays starts Sunday evening.

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6. Sports Highlight: Chicago Marathon Winner

[04:42–04:56]

• Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) wins Chicago Marathon in 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 23 seconds, reinforcing his reputation as a world-class distance runner.

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Memorable Quotes & Summary Highlights

• On Military Pay:
  “The recently identified funds would likely only cover military paychecks this week, leaving future soldier pay uncertainty.” — Luke Garrett [00:49]

• U.S. Stance on Gaza Peacekeeping:
  “That’s not something the United States is going to be expected to do... that’s something the Muslim world is going to step up and do.” — Unnamed analyst/commentator [01:43]

• Youth Mortality:
  “In the sort of 5 to 19 range, we’re seeing death rates go up after long periods of decline. So that’s very unusual.” — Dr. Christopher Murray [02:27]

• Baseball Playoffs:
  “There’s nobody predicting the Brewers playing the Dodgers in the series.” — Pat Murphy [04:18]

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Key Timestamps

• 00:13–01:12 — Military pay and government shutdown update
• 01:12–01:51 — Israel-Hamas ceasefire, U.S. and international responses
• 01:51–02:56 — Global Burden of Disease study: rising North American youth deaths
• 02:56–04:05 — Madagascar coup, Afghan-Pakistan border conflict, South China Sea incident
• 04:05–04:42 — MLB Playoff results and upcoming match-ups
• 04:42–04:56 — Jacob Kiplimo wins the Chicago Marathon

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Transcript

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[Nora Ramm]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Ramm. President Trump says he's identified funds to ensure the active military gets paid this week. The government shutdown meant US Soldiers were at risk to miss their paychecks on Wednesday. NPR's Luke Garrett reports.

[Luke Garrett]

The Pentagon says soldiers will be paid this week. The department says IT found approximately $8 billion in unused research and development funds from last year. A source not authorized to speak publicly says these funds will pay US troops if the government doesn't reopen by October 15th. The recently identified funds would likely only cover military paychecks this week, leaving future soldier pay uncertainty. Democrats and Republicans in Congress remain at loggerheads over government funding. Some lawmakers have proposed a standalone bill that would pay the troops, but Republican leadership insists on a GOP backed short term funding bill as the only way forward. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington.

[Nora Ramm]

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is now in its third day. President Trump heads to the region later today. He's to speak to the Knesset, Israel's parliament, and to meet with families of the hostages. The hostages are expected to be released by midday tomorrow. About 200 U.S. troops are in Israel to help support the ceasefire. Vice President J.D. vance said they will not go into.

[Unnamed Political Analyst or Commentator]

Gaza, Indonesia and a number of other majority Muslim states. They've actually offered to send ground troops to Gaza to ensure the necessary peacekeeping takes place. That's not something the United States is going to be expected to do. They that's something the Muslim world is going to step up and do.

[Nora Ramm]

Vance was interviewed on ABC's this Week. Death rates have been declining across the globe, but not for adolescents and young adults in some parts of the world. That's according to the latest findings of an international study called the Global Burden of disease. As NPR's Ritu Chatterjee reports, the study finds a troubling rise in deaths in younger age groups in North America.

[Christopher Murray]

There are two age groups that are dying younger in recent years in North America. Christopher Murray is director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington and the lead scientist of the new study.

In the sort of 5 to 19 range, we're seeing death rates go up after long periods of decline. So that's very unusual.

The main drivers are gun violence, road injuries and suicide. The other age group that saw deaths rise in North America is 25 to 39 year olds, primarily by drug overdoses. The study, which also found a rise in depression and anxiety in youth, is published in the Lancet. Readu, Chatterjee, NPR News.

[Nora Ramm]

The president of Madagascar issued a statement today that an attempted coup is underway in his country. He did not provide details. Anti government protests led by young people began last month. Yesterday, some members of the armed forces joined the protests. This is NPR News. In Washington, violence erupted along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan overnight. Afghanistan says it killed 58 Pakistani soldiers who had violated Afghan territory. Pakistan says 23 troops were killed. Both sides say they've destroyed border posts of the other. China and the Philippines are blaming each other for a confrontation in the South China Sea today. The Philippines says a Chinese Coast Guard ship used a water cannon and rammed a Philippine government vessel. China says Philippine vessels illegally entered Chinese waters. The teams are now set for the next round of Major League Baseball playoffs after the Milwaukee brewers defeated the Chicago Cubs last night in the remaining National League division Series. Chuck Hornbach has more from Milwaukee.

[Chuck Hornbach]

The brewers held off the Cubs by a score of 3 to 1, winning the team's division series three games to two. Brewers manager Pat Murphy says he's grateful to lead a club that he says has been underestimated.

[Pat Murphy]

They've been doubted all year, everyone. There's nobody predicting the brewers playing the Dodgers in the series.

[Chuck Hornbach]

Milwaukee begins playing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series Monday night. The American League Championship Series gets underway Sunday evening with the Seattle Mariners taking on the Toronto Blue Jays. For NPR News, I'm Chuck Kwambach in Milwaukee.

[Nora Ramm]

Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda won the Chicago Marathon this morning, finishing ahead of the other men in 2 hours, 2 minutes and 23 seconds. He's a world record holder in the half marathon. I'm Nora Ramm, NPR News.

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