NPR News Now – October 26, 2025, 11AM EDT

Host: Nora Ramm, NPR
Date: October 26, 2025
Duration: ~5 minutes

Episode Overview

This NPR News Now episode delivers a concise round-up of the most significant global and domestic news stories as of late October 2025. Highlights include U.S.-China trade negotiations, shifting redistricting tactics in American politics, coordinated international efforts in Gaza, a strengthening hurricane in the Caribbean, pivotal elections in Argentina, and arrests made in a major art heist in Paris.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S.–China Trade Agreement Advances

[00:18–01:04]

• U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessen announced a breakthrough framework for a new trade agreement between the U.S. and China, reached during high-level meetings at an Asian summit in Malaysia.

• President Trump is slated to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea to finalize the agreement later in the week.

• Key Takeaways:

  • The deal includes substantial agricultural purchases by China, particularly benefiting U.S. soybean farmers.
  • China has agreed to assist the U.S. in curtailing the import of precursor chemicals linked to the fentanyl epidemic.

  “We also agreed on substantial agriculture purchases for US Farmers. We agreed that the Chinese would begin to help us with the precursor chemicals for this terrible fentanyl epidemic that's ravaging our country. So I would say that it was a very good meeting overall.”
  — Scott Bessen, Treasury Secretary [00:45]

2. Intensified Partisan Redistricting Efforts

[01:04–02:03]

• Special session in Virginia: Lawmakers poised to redraw congressional maps to favor Democrats, following actions in other states.

• Background:

  • Republicans in Texas, North Carolina, and Missouri have recently redrawn maps mid-decade after an appeal from President Trump to create more GOP-leaning districts.
  • In response, California, Illinois, and Maryland (Democratic-controlled states) are considering similar maneuvers to favor Democrats.

• Significance: This “mid-cycle” partisan redistricting represents a break from the typical once-per-decade process.

  “Normally, redistricting happens every 10 years after the census is taken, but that custom appears to be yet another political norm cast aside during the Trump era.”
  — Mara Liasson, NPR Correspondent [01:51]

3. Joint Operations in Gaza: Hostage Recovery

[02:03–02:48]

• Collaborative Mission: Israel and the U.S. have coordinated the entry of specialized Egyptian forces into Hamas-controlled parts of Gaza.

• Mission Scope: The Egyptian team, skilled in search & rescue and explosive disposal, is searching for the bodies of deceased Israeli hostages, believed to be in dangerous, booby-trapped zones.

• Wider Context: There are ongoing discussions about allowing more external teams into Gaza to recover both Israeli and Palestinian remains.

  “The Egyptian team, which specializes in search and rescue operations and in dismantling explosive devices, entered the strip accompanied by engineering vehicles with Israeli approval to help locate the bodies of deceased Israeli hostages.”
  — Rob Schmitz, NPR Correspondent [02:18]

4. Hurricane Melissa: Update on Dangerous Conditions

[02:48–03:41]

• Current Status: Hurricane Melissa has intensified to a Category 4 storm over the Caribbean.
• Threat Level: Forecasters warn of “potentially catastrophic flooding and destructive winds” for Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti.
• Impact Thus Far: Several deaths have already occurred in Haiti and the Dominican Republic due to flooding.

5. Argentina’s High-Stakes Midterm Elections

[03:41–04:22]

• Context: Argentines are voting in consequential midterms, seen as a referendum on President Xavier Milei’s austerity measures.

• Economic Tension: The nation is grappling with a currency crisis and doubts over Milei’s economic approach, even as the U.S. (under Trump) pledges a $20 billion currency swap to stabilize the peso.

• Outlook: Despite Milei’s declining popularity and ongoing scandals, polls suggest an unpredictable outcome.

  “A lot is at stake for President Xavier Milei, a libertarian who imposed a tough program of spending cuts and reforms to curb inflation in a country prone to economic volatility...Many Argentines continue to struggle to make ends meet.”
  — Natalie Alcoba, NPR Correspondent, Buenos Aires [03:41]

6. Arrests Made in Paris Louvre Jewelry Heist

[04:22–04:57]

• Update: Paris prosecutors report arrests related to last week’s $102 million crown jewels theft from the Louvre.
• Details:
  • Number of suspects and jewel recovery status remain undisclosed.
  • One suspect was apprehended attempting to leave the country.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On bipartisan redistricting warfare:

  “That custom appears to be yet another political norm cast aside during the Trump era.”
  — Mara Liasson [01:51]

• On U.S.–China negotiations:

  “Soybean farmers will be pleased with the agreement.”
  — Scott Bessen [00:45]

• On the urgency in Argentina:

  “Half the seats in the lower house of Congress and one third of the Senate are up for grabs in these elections...polls suggest the outcome...is too difficult to predict.”
  — Natalie Alcoba [03:41]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• U.S.–China Trade Deal Breakthrough – [00:18–01:04]
• Partisan Redistricting in the U.S. – [01:04–02:03]
• Hostage Recovery Operations in Gaza – [02:03–02:48]
• Hurricane Melissa Update – [02:48–03:41]
• Argentina Elections & Economic Crisis – [03:41–04:22]
• Louvre Jewel Heist Arrests – [04:22–04:57]

Conclusion

In five brisk minutes, NPR News Now captures a fierce global and domestic news cycle marked by diplomatic breakthroughs, political maneuvering, international crises, and major criminal cases. The tone remains factual, urgent, and clear—delivering essential updates for listeners on the move.