NPR News: 10-23-2025 5PM EDT

Summary

---

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.

Transcript

[Terry Gross]

Hi, it's Terry Gross, host of FRESH AIR. Hey, take a break from the 24 hour news cycle with us and listen to long form interviews with your favorite authors, actors, filmmakers, comedians and musicians, the people making the art that nourishes us and speaks to our times. So listen to the FRESH AIR podcast from NPR and WHYY Live from NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

In Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. President Trump says he's calling off a federal surge in San Francisco that he planned to start this weekend. Trump said on social media that he made the decision after talking with several tech leaders in the city. As NPR's Kat Lonsdorf reports, Trump says.

[Kat Lonsdorf]

He got calls from Mark Zuckerberg and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, among others, asking him to hold off. The president also posted that he had a phone call with San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, a Democrat, about crime in the city. Lurie has confirmed that call and says that he told Trump that crime is down and San Francisco is, quote, on the rise.

[Will Stone]

But having the military and militarized immigration enforcement in our city will hinder our recovery.

[Kat Lonsdorf]

U.S. customs and Border Protection agents began arriving at Coast Guard facilities in the area this week with protesters gathering outside. Trump has also said he wants to send National Guard troops into San Francisco, something he's done in several other Democratic led cities. Kat Wansdorf, NPR news, Washington.

[Ryland Barton]

The NBA's Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier are among dozens of people arrested by federal agents today. As NPR's Becky Sulliv reports, it's in connection with an FBI investigation into two illegal gambling schemes.

[Becky Sullivan]

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.

[Will Stone]

This is the insider trading saga for the NBA. That's what this is.

[Becky Sullivan]

Rozier was previously investigated by the NBA back in 2023 after the league was alerted to suspicious bets on a game of his that year. The league had cleared him of wrongdoing. And in a statement, npr, Rozier's lawyer said Rozier was not a gambler and that he, quote, looks forward to winning this fight. The second indictment alleges that crime groups used former NBA stars like Billups to lure unsuspecting victims into high roller underground poker games, then cheated victims out of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Becky Sullivan, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

The NBA has placed those on leave from their teams and says it will cooperate with authorities. Both Vice President J.D. vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have sharply criticized the Israeli parliament's vote on Annexing the occupied. NPR's Rob Schmitz reports. Rubio meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today.

[Rob Schmitz]

Rubio said the vote in Israel's Knesset could imperil President Trump's peace plan between Israel and Gaza. Vice President Vance voiced his concern more bluntly on the tarmac of Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport as he was about to depart Israel.

[J.D. Vance]

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.

[Rob Schmitz]

The Israeli Knesset voted on two draft laws that aim to establish Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank. In a statement, Netanyahu's office blasted the vote as a deliberate provocation to sow discord during Vance's visit to Israel. Rob Schmitz, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

[Ryland Barton]

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. European Union leaders have endorsed a plan to ensure the continent can defend itself against an outside attack by the end of the decade. Concern is mounting that Russia is already probing Europe's defenses. A top priority will be to erect drone defenses to detect, track and disable drones after a series of airspace violations over the last month. Doctors have long known antidepressants come with side effects for cardiovascular and metabolic health. But a major analysis from researchers in the UK has for the first time pulled together data from more than 150 drug trials to compare the physical side effects of dozens of antidepressants. NPR's Will Stone reports.

[Will Stone]

The study in the Lancet this week details how each medication can affect weight, blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol and other areas of health. In some cases, the impact on weight could vary by as much as eight pounds or 20 heartbeats per minute. Dr. Toby Pillenger is a psychiatrist at King's College London and was the lead author of the study.

[Dr. Toby Pillenger]

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.

[Will Stone]

Pillenger says the point is not to single out certain antidepressants as better than others, just to help doctors and patients pick the best medications. Will Stone, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

A man is suing the District of Columbia saying police officers violated his free speech rights when they detained him for following an Ohio National Guard patrol while playing Darth Vader's theme song from Star wars on his phone. The American Civil Liberties Union filed Sam o' Hara's federal lawsuit today. I'm Ryland Barton. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.

[NPR News Sponsor Announcer]

Listen to this podcast sponsor, free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR NewsNow +@ +npr.org. that's +npr.org.