NPR News Now – 5PM EDT, October 23, 2025

Host: Ryland Barton
Date: October 23, 2025
Episode: Latest News in Five Minutes

Episode Overview

This concise NPR News Now episode delivers the top headlines of the hour with a focus on major national and international stories, legal drama in sports, evolving geopolitical events, scientific research, and a quirky free-speech lawsuit.

Key Stories and Discussion Points

1. President Trump Calls Off San Francisco Federal Surge

• Reported by: Kat Lonsdorf
• Segment starts: [00:23]

• President Trump decided not to initiate a planned federal surge in San Francisco after conversations with prominent tech leaders and the city’s mayor.
  • "He got calls from Mark Zuckerberg and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, among others, asking him to hold off." – Kat Lonsdorf [00:38]
  • Trump spoke with Mayor Daniel Lurie, who asserted that "crime is down and San Francisco is, quote, on the rise." [00:52]
• Despite these assurances, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have started arriving at Coast Guard facilities, sparking protests.
• Trump has also floated the idea of deploying National Guard troops in San Francisco, as was done in other Democratic-led cities.

Memorable Quote:

• Will Stone (on local response): "But having the military and militarized immigration enforcement in our city will hinder our recovery." [00:57]

2. NBA Gambling Scandal: High-Profile Arrests

• Reported by: Becky Sullivan
• Segment starts: [01:19]

• Major figures, including Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier, were arrested as part of an FBI probe into two illegal gambling operations.
  • "Federal officials, including FBI Director Kash Patel say that NBA insiders such as Rozier passed along confidential info to organized crime operations to place illegal bets on games." – Becky Sullivan [01:35]
  • Will Stone adds: "This is the insider trading saga for the NBA. That's what this is." [01:45]
• Rozier had previously been scrutinized by the NBA in 2023 but was cleared; his attorney now states Rozier "was not a gambler and that he, quote, looks forward to winning this fight." [01:50]
• The second indictment centers on ex-NBA stars allegedly luring victims to high-stakes underground poker games and cheating them out of large sums.

3. U.S. Leaders Criticize Israeli Parliament’s Annexation Vote

• Reported by: Rob Schmitz
• Segment starts: [02:17]

• Both Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have sharply denounced a recent Israeli Knesset vote concerning annexation of the occupied West Bank.
  • Rubio, in meetings with Prime Minister Netanyahu, warned the move could "imperil President Trump's peace plan between Israel and Gaza." [02:36]
  • From Tel Aviv, J.D. Vance condemned the vote:
    • "I mean, look, if it was a political stunt, it was a very stupid political stunt, and I personally take some insult to it. The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel." – J.D. Vance [02:51]
• Netanyahu’s office called the draft laws a "deliberate provocation to sow discord during Vance's visit." [03:00]

4. EU Prepares Defense Against Drones Amid Russian Threats

• Segment starts: [03:16]

• European Union leaders have approved a sweeping defense initiative to protect the continent from potential external attacks, with immediate focus on countering drone intrusions after a recent spate of airspace violations.

5. Landmark Analysis of Antidepressant Side Effects

• Reported by: Will Stone
• Segment starts: [03:59]

• A comprehensive UK study published in The Lancet compared the physical side effects of over 150 antidepressants, using data pooled from clinical trials.
  • Noted side effects include significant variances in weight and heart rate among medications:
    • "In some cases, the impact on weight could vary by as much as eight pounds or 20 heartbeats per minute." – Will Stone [03:59]
• Lead author Dr. Toby Pillenger clarifies:
  • "The good news is that those medications that are most commonly prescribed actually aren't too bad for a number of physical health parameters. So that's reassuring." – Dr. Toby Pillenger [04:18]
• The goal is to help doctors and patients make better-informed decisions, rather than declaring one drug superior to another.

6. Unusual Free Speech Lawsuit in D.C.

• Segment starts: [04:35]

• A man named Sam O'Hara, represented by the ACLU, is suing Washington, D.C., claiming his free speech rights were violated after police detained him for following an Ohio National Guard patrol while playing "Darth Vader’s Theme" from Star Wars on his phone.
• The federal lawsuit, filed today, highlights a creative and high-profile approach to civil liberties advocacy.

Notable Quotes

• Will Stone (on federal surge in San Francisco):
  "But having the military and militarized immigration enforcement in our city will hinder our recovery." [00:57]
• Becky Sullivan (summarizing FBI probe):
  "Federal officials, including FBI Director Kash Patel say that NBA insiders such as Rozier passed along confidential info to organized crime operations to place illegal bets on games." [01:35]
• Will Stone (on NBA scandal):
  "This is the insider trading saga for the NBA. That's what this is." [01:45]
• J.D. Vance (on Israeli Knesset vote):
  "If it was a political stunt, it was a very stupid political stunt, and I personally take some insult to it. The west bank is not going to be annexed by Israel." [02:51]
• Dr. Toby Pillenger (on antidepressant study):
  "The good news is that those medications that are most commonly prescribed actually aren't too bad for a number of physical health parameters. So that's reassuring." [04:18]

Structured Timestamps

• [00:23] President Trump calls off San Francisco action after tech, mayoral talks
• [01:19] Arrests in NBA/FBI gambling scandal
• [02:17] U.S. officials criticize Israeli annexation votes
• [03:16] EU defense plans against drone threats
• [03:59] Landmark antidepressant side effects analysis
• [04:35] D.C. free speech lawsuit over Star Wars-themed protest

This episode delivers rapidly on major developments with succinct, fact-driven reportage and brief expert commentary, maintaining NPR’s concise and authoritative tone throughout.