NPR News Now – October 21, 2025, 9AM EDT

Main Theme:
A concise five-minute roundup of major national and international news stories: updates on U.S. diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, the ongoing government shutdown, legal developments involving James Comey, the gender wage gap, Japan's new prime minister, White House renovations, and the death of a prominent chess grandmaster.

1. U.S. Diplomatic Efforts in Middle East Ceasefire

[00:19–01:16]

• Vice President Vance in Israel:
  • Effort by the Trump administration to support an unstable ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
  • VP Vance joins U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who have already met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
  • Recent conflict: Heavy exchanges of fire on Sunday, with calm prevailing since.
  • Terms of the ceasefire:
    • Formation of a new government in Gaza
    • Israeli troop pullback
    • Disarmament of Hamas
  • No concrete plans for implementing these steps yet.

“Vance arrived a day after Middle east envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump's son in law Jared Kushner landed here as part of the same mission. They've already held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.”
— Greg Myre [00:36]

2. Federal Government Shutdown Enters Day 21

[01:16–01:49]

• Current status:
  • Shutdown continues for a third week.
  • Senate remains unable to pass a spending bill to end the impasse.
  • President Trump is expected to host GOP senators at the White House.
  • Senate Majority Leader John Thune may bring forward a bill to pay some federal employees.

3. James Comey Seeks Dismissal of DOJ Charges

[01:16–02:30]

• Legal challenge:
  • Former FBI Director James Comey requests dismissal of DOJ case alleging he made false statements to Congress.
  • Comey argues prosecution is “vindictive or selective,” driven by President Trump’s personal animus.
  • Reference to Comey’s firing by Trump in 2017 and Trump’s public attacks on Comey.
  • Claims inconsistency: Other officials allegedly lied to Congress but weren’t charged.
  • DOJ also recently fired Comey’s daughter without public explanation.

“Comey says it's a vindictive or selective prosecution. He says at least four top officials during President Trump's first term allegedly lied to Congress and none of them was charged with any crimes.”
— Kerry Johnson [02:14]

4. Gender Wage Gap and Return-to-Office Impact

[02:30–03:09]

• Statistics:
  • U.S. Census Bureau reports women earned 81 cents for every dollar earned by men in the previous year.
• Workforce trend:
  • High child care costs and corporate return-to-office mandates have increased the number of women leaving the workforce.
  • Taylor Tedford (Washington Post corporate reporter) notes women are about three times as likely as men to leave their jobs after RTO mandates.

“It looks like women are about three times as likely as men to leave after RTO mandates are put in place— that's return to office.”
— Taylor Tedford [02:57]

5. Japan’s First Female Prime Minister

[03:09–04:16]

• Historic election:
  • Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan’s first female PM, following the LDP’s recent electoral losses and coalition reshuffle.
  • Faces challenge: Strengthening the party and preparing for an imminent visit by President Trump.
  • Takaichi is inspired by Margaret Thatcher but holds traditional conservative views on gender.
  • Seen as a rightward move even within her conservative party.

“While Takaichi is a fan of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and has broken Japan's glass ceiling, she takes a traditional view of gender roles.”
— Anthony Kuhn [03:55]

6. White House Renovation: New Ballroom

[04:16–04:40]

• Project announcement:
  • East wing demolition underway to build a new, privately funded White House ballroom.
  • President Trump originally promised not to alter the mansion for this project.
  • The planned ballroom will accommodate nearly 1,000 guests.

7. Chess Grandmaster Daniel Narditsky Dies

[04:41–04:58]

• Obituary:
  • American chess grandmaster Daniel Narditsky has died at age 29; cause of death not released, described as unexpected by family.
  • Narditsky was a former world youth champion and respected for his online presence and chess education.

Notable Quotes Recap:

• “Vance arrived a day after Middle east envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner landed here...” (Greg Myre, [00:36])
• “Comey says it's a vindictive or selective prosecution.” (Kerry Johnson, [02:14])
• “It looks like women are about three times as likely as men to leave after RTO mandates...” (Taylor Tedford, [02:57])
• “While Takaichi is a fan of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher... she takes a traditional view of gender roles.” (Anthony Kuhn, [03:55])

For listeners:
This episode delivers quick, critical updates about U.S. politics, international diplomacy, societal trends, and notable figures. Each topic is covered with direct reporting, expert input, and succinct analysis, embodying NPR’s factual, composed tone.