NPR News: 10-11-2025 8AM EDT
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Support for NPR comes from NPR member stations and Eric and Wendy Schmidt through the Schmidt Family Foundation, working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. On the web at theschmidt.org.
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jyle Snyder. As investigators in Tennessee work to determine what caused yesterday's explosion that leveled a munitions plant southwest of Nashville, at least 18 people remain missing. The Humphreys County Sheriff is calling the scene one of the worst he's ever seen. Caroline Eggers of member station WPLN spoke with Tennessee State Representative Jody Barrett about the effect on the community.
Barrett says his community has faced multiple disasters in his lifetime. A gas pipeline explosion, a deadly flood, and now a factory explosion.
This county has dealt with a lot of tragic loss like this, more than their fair share.
Four years ago, the community was struck by Tennessee's heaviest recorded single-day rainfall. A flood killed 20 people in the town of Waverly, just a short distance from the explosives plant.
He says the sheriff and deputies responding to this latest incident also managed the flood and are probably still struggling with some of the PTSD of dealing with pulling bodies out of trees.
Barrett says the explosion will leave another mark on the community. For NPR News, I'm Caroline Eggers in Nashville.
The Trump administration is firing more federal workers as the government remains shut down. Budget Director Russ Volt posted on social media Friday that the process has begun. And later in the day, the administration said in a court filing that more than 4,000 have received layoff notices. NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin reports one of the targets is the Department of Health and Human Services.
HHS encompasses all the federal health agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes for Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What caused the explosion at the munitions plant in Tennessee?
Spokesperson Andrew Nixon did not say how many staff were being fired or which agencies were being affected. He said the department had grown bloated during the Biden administration and the cuts are the, quote, consequence of the Democrat-led government shutdown. However, because of the firings and retirements earlier this year, HHS was already smaller than it was under President Biden before this latest round of layoffs. Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR News, Washington.
At the White House, President Trump was asked about the shutdown layoffs. He blamed Democrats and called the job cuts Democrat-oriented. On the Middle East, Trump said he believes a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will hold.
They're all tired of fighting. And this really gives the whole Middle East, this is beyond Gaza. Gaza is very important, but this is beyond Gaza. This is peace in the Middle East, and it is a beautiful thing.
The questions still loom over the deal, and Trump acknowledged that details still need to be worked out, including how Gaza will be governed. and whether Hamas will disarm. As thousands of Palestinians return to devastated northern Gaza, Trump is expected to visit the region on Monday. He is to address Israel's parliament and to meet with leaders in Cairo. You're listening to NPR News. North Korea held a massive military parade last night celebrating the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party. The parade showcased military weapons, including a new intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korean state media said the missile has yet to be tested, but described it as the country's most powerful nuclear strategic weapons system.
Voters in New Orleans heading to the polls today to elect a new mayor. As NPR's Matt Bloom reports, the race has a rather wide field of candidates competing to lead the city.
More than 10 candidates are in the race to replace the city's current Democratic mayor, LaToya Cantrell, whose term limited and faces federal corruption charges for allegedly trying to cover up a romantic relationship with her bodyguard. New Orleans has drawn the national spotlight this year for a major jailbreak and is one of several Democratic-run cities where President Trump has suggested he wants to deploy National Guard troops to fight crime.
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