NPR News Now – October 25, 2025, 4PM EDT

Host: Nora Ram (A)
Description: Latest national and international news updated hourly.

Episode Overview

This five-minute newscast provides concise updates on global politics, military actions, domestic legal developments, severe weather alerts, arts news, and the passing of a beloved TV actress. The tone is factual and urgent, narrating significant developments of the day.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump's Asia Visit & Regional Peace Efforts

[00:01–01:00]

• President Trump is traveling to Malaysia, commencing a three-nation Asia tour.

• Primary focus: Attendance at the ASEAN Summit, talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and witnessing a peace treaty signing between Thailand and Cambodia.

• Trump credits himself with brokering peace after deadly border skirmishes in July, which resulted in considerable casualties and displacement.

• Regional trade tensions persist, as Trump’s tariffs are set to be discussed.

• The trip continues to Japan and a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.

  Quote:

  "The US Leader has taken credit for ending the conflict, which saw dozens of people killed and hundreds of thousands displaced during border skirmishes in July."
  — Adam Hancock, [00:38]

  Memorable Moment:
  The segment frames Trump as an active player in Southeast Asian diplomacy, lauding his negotiation, while foreshadowing further high-stakes meetings with Asian leaders.

2. U.S. Military Escalation in the Caribbean & Drug Interdiction

[01:00–01:43]

• The Pentagon is sending the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford to the Caribbean to bolster operations against alleged drug vessels.

• Ten strikes carried out already, resulting in over 40 fatalities.

• Pentagon claims action protects U.S. safety and prosperity, but there’s bipartisan concern over the legality and morality (“extrajudicial killings”) of such operations.

  Quote:

  "US forces have already carried out 10 strikes on alleged drug vessels in the region, resulting in more than 40 dead. Democrats and some Republicans have questioned President Trump’s authority to order extrajudicial killings."
  — Tom Bowman, [01:31]

3. Pennsylvania Voter Registration Fraud Charges

[01:43–02:45]

• Six canvassers face criminal charges for submitting fraudulent voter registration forms.

• The motive was not political impact but meeting job quotas for signed forms.

• Election officials successfully detected all fraudulent submissions, ensuring no impact on voting rolls.

• This incident had previously fueled unsubstantiated claims by Trump (when a candidate) about widespread fraud.

  Quote:

  "State prosecutors say they were trying to keep their jobs by meeting a quota with voter registration forms [...] Officials say returned registration forms were not approved unless information could be verified as being linked with the real person."
  — Hansi Luong, [02:19]

  Memorable Moment:
  The report underscores the effectiveness of verification systems and points to the real, non-political motives behind the fraud.

4. Mass Shooting in North Carolina

[02:45–03:00]

• Police are investigating a mass shooting at a party in southeastern North Carolina: two dead, eleven wounded (some critically).
• No suspect or motive detailed at this time.

5. Hurricane Melissa Intensifies

[03:00–03:24]

• National Hurricane Center upgrades Hurricane Melissa: maximum sustained winds at 75 mph, expected to strengthen rapidly.

• Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic could see up to 25 inches of rain, with flooding risks.

  Memorable Moment:
  Listeners are alerted to potentially severe impacts as the storm, the season’s thirteenth, barrels through the Caribbean.

6. Picasso Painting Sets Auction Record in France

[03:24–04:15]

• “Bust of a Woman with a Flowered Hat” (1943) — portrait of Dora Maar — sold for nearly $37 million in Paris.

• The painting, unseen for over 80 years, became France's highest-priced artwork sold this year.

• Auctioneer frames the sale as a moment in the personal history between Picasso and Maar.

  Quote:

  "Auctioneer Christophe Lucien called it a little piece of the story of love between Picasso and Mar."
  — Rebecca Rossman, [04:01]

  Notable Fact:
  The auction price is significant but still far less than the $180 million fetched by Picasso’s “Women of Algiers” in 2015.

7. Passing of June Lockhart

[04:15–04:25]

• June Lockhart, beloved actress from “Lassie” and “Lost in Space,” dies at age 100 of natural causes at her California home.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• President Trump’s Asia Trip: [00:01–01:00]
• Caribbean Military Escalation: [01:00–01:43]
• Voter Registration Fraud, Pennsylvania: [01:43–02:45]
• North Carolina Mass Shooting: [02:45–03:00]
• Hurricane Melissa Warning: [03:00–03:24]
• Picasso Auction in Paris: [03:24–04:15]
• June Lockhart’s Death: [04:15–04:25]

Notable Quotes

• "The US Leader has taken credit for ending the conflict, which saw dozens of people killed and hundreds of thousands displaced during border skirmishes in July."
  — Adam Hancock, [00:38]

• "US forces have already carried out 10 strikes on alleged drug vessels in the region, resulting in more than 40 dead. Democrats and some Republicans have questioned President Trump's authority to order extrajudicial killings."
  — Tom Bowman, [01:31]

• "State prosecutors say they were trying to keep their jobs by meeting a quota with voter registration forms [...] Officials say returned registration forms were not approved unless information could be verified as being linked with the real person."
  — Hansi Luong, [02:19]

• "Auctioneer Christophe Lucien called it a little piece of the story of love between Picasso and Mar."
  — Rebecca Rossman, [04:01]

Tone and Delivery

Consistent with NPR’s journalistic style: neutral, succinct, fact-driven, and serious, focusing on key events with direct attribution and context.

This episode provides essential updates for listeners needing a quick, in-depth overview of major events shaping politics, society, arts, and weather at the close of October 25, 2025.