NPR News Now – October 16, 2025, 3AM EDT

Host: Shea Stevens (NPR)
Length: 5 minutes

Episode Overview

This episode delivers a concise roundup of major national and international stories, focusing on the U.S. government shutdown, escalating tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, legal developments in a deadly California wildfire, Pentagon press restrictions, CIA activity in Venezuela, and a new study on ancient lead exposure.

1. Congressional Stalemate: Government Shutdown

[00:18–01:13]

• Persistent Deadlock:
  No progress in Congress on ending the government shutdown.
  • Senate Majority Leader John Thune (GOP) urges Democrats to accept a "clean, short-term, nonpartisan funding resolution".
    • Quote: "So what the Democrats need to do is to vote for a clean, short term, nonpartisan funding resolution sitting at the desk right now in the Senate." – John Thune [00:36]
  • Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat) states Democrats are focused on extending health care subsidies about to expire.
    • Quote:
      "Cost is the number one issue facing American people, how they're going to pay each week, their bills and because of Trump's tariffs, because of what they did on electric rates, because food costs are going up so much and healthcare is the tip of the spear of that cost increase." – Chuck Schumer [00:55]
  • Schumer criticizes Republicans for lack of effort on reducing health care costs and notes inactivity in the GOP-led House.

2. Rising U.S.–Venezuela Tensions

[01:13–02:19]

• Military Movements & Presidential Statements:
  President Trump suggests considering ground strikes in Venezuela, deploying U.S. warships and 10,000 troops to the Caribbean, officially to counter drug trafficking.
  • Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro gives a speech in Caracas accusing the U.S. of "vilifying Venezuela" and seeking regime change. He appeals to "the American public to reject aggression."
    • Quote (Maduro, in Spanish):
      "No alager en Suramerica, si a la Paz." [02:05]
    • Translation: "Say no to war in the Caribbean and in South America. Say yes to peace." – Nicolás Maduro (as translated by NPR's Ada Peralta) [02:10]
• Regional Sentiment: Maduro warns against a return of "a swashbuckling American empire."

3. Federal Indictment in Deadly California Wildfire

[02:19–03:07]

• Suspect Charged:
  A federal grand jury indicts Jonathan Rindernacht for arson in the Palisades fire (January).
  • Details of Indictment (Steve Futterman, Los Angeles):
    • Rindernacht, an Uber driver, allegedly started the fire just after midnight on January 1.
    • The initial blaze was controlled but smoldered underground and reignited, causing massive destruction:
      • 6,800 structures destroyed
      • 12 fatalities
    • Quote:
      "Fire crews put out the flames, but the fire continued to smolder underground. A week later, it came to life again." – Steve Futterman [02:40]

4. Pentagon Press Restrictions

[03:07–03:59]

• Journalists Lose Access:
  Reporters at the Pentagon turned in their press credentials after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth mandated a pledge to cover only sanctioned issues.
  • Consequences:
    • Those who did not sign the pledge lost Pentagon access.
    • Challenges ongoing transparency and press freedom.

5. CIA Operations & Casualties in Venezuela

[03:34–03:59]

• Covert U.S. Actions:
  President Trump authorizes CIA ground operations in Venezuela.
  • At least 5 strikes conducted on suspected drug boats, resulting in 27 deaths.

6. Ancient Lead Exposure and Evolutionary Genetics

[03:59–04:48]

• New Study Highlights:
  Fossilized teeth show Neanderthals and early humans were exposed to toxic lead 2 million years ago.
  • Researcher: Alison Muotri (UC San Diego)
  • Genetic Link:
    • Modern humans have a brain gene variation providing more protection against lead toxicity than Neanderthals.
    • Quote (Muotri):
      "The question was why we modern humans acquire that mutation. There must be a strong selective pressure." [04:22]
  • Implication: Lead exposure may have shaped human evolution.

7. Economic Update

[03:07, 04:48]

• Market Status:
  • U.S. futures flat after hours.
  • Asia-Pacific markets mixed (Tokyo up 1%).

Notable Quotes by Segment

• John Thune (Senate Majority Leader, GOP):
  "So what the Democrats need to do is to vote for a clean, short term, nonpartisan funding resolution sitting at the desk right now in the Senate." [00:36]

• Chuck Schumer (Senate Minority Leader, DEM):
  "Cost is the number one issue facing American people...healthcare is the tip of the spear of that cost increase." [00:55]

• Nicolás Maduro (Venezuela President):
  "No alager en Suramerica, si a la Paz." [02:05]
  Translation: "Say no to war in the Caribbean and in South America. Say yes to peace." – [02:10]

• Alison Muotri (UC San Diego):
  "The question was why we modern humans acquire that mutation. There must be a strong selective pressure." [04:22]

Memorable Moments

• Maduro’s impassioned, bilingual plea for peace, urging Americans to oppose war.
• The striking figure of the Palisades fire: 6,800 structures lost, 12 dead—resulting from an arson that smoldered for a week after being "put out."
• Pentagon’s move to restrict press access, signaling heightened tensions between government and media.

Summary Timeline

• 00:18 – Government shutdown stalemate: Thune & Schumer exchange
• 01:13 – U.S.–Venezuela conflict ratchets up: Maduro’s response
• 02:19 – Palisades fire indictment details
• 03:07 – Pentagon press restrictions and economic update
• 03:34 – CIA operations in Venezuela, 27 killed
• 03:59 – Ancient lead exposure research and its evolutionary implications
• 04:48 – Market wrap-up

This episode provides a rapid, information-dense briefing on the hour’s most urgent national, global, and scientific news, centering on political impasses, foreign interventions, and new discoveries shaping our understanding of human history.