NPR News: 10-24-2025 10PM EDT
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What recent military actions have the U.S. taken against Venezuelan drug smugglers?
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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. The U.S. military blew up another boat in the Caribbean last night that it claims was being driven by Venezuelan drug smugglers It's the 10th such bombing, bringing the known death toll to more than 40. The military has been sending aircraft and warships to the region for weeks, and now it's sending an aircraft carrier. Former top U.S. diplomat to Venezuela James Story tells NPR President Trump is ratcheting up pressure against Venezuela for several reasons.
You also have Iran operating freely inside Venezuela. You have Cuba supporting the Venezuelan regime. And you have strategic competitors, Russia and China, also being engaged in Venezuela. So there's a lot going on here. This is an issue of democracy. It's an issue of human rights. It's an issue of migration.
How is the federal government shutdown affecting Americans?
It's an issue of stability.
Trump says he has the legal authority to launch the attacks in international waters, calling it a national security issue to save American lives. but some legal experts and lawmakers from both parties are expressing concerns. As the federal government shutdown drags on into week four, more Americans are beginning to feel the impacts. As Sophia Schmidt of member station WHYY reports, Pennsylvania is delaying a program that helps families heat their homes in the winter.
More than 300,000 households in Pennsylvania rely on the low-income home energy assistance program to help buy heating oil or pay their energy bills. The program usually opens in November, but without federal funding, the state is pushing it back to December. Liz Marks directs the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project. She says families will be forced to make hard choices.
I think a lot of people are going to sacrifice food, medicine, medical care. other life essentials, I think people will fall behind on their rent.
Pennsylvania officials say once federal funds start flowing again, they'll start up the program as quickly as possible. For NPR News, I'm Sophia Schmidt in Philadelphia.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is accusing the Trump administration of, quote, rigging the state's November special election. As Guy Marzarotti of member station KQED reports, Newsom takes issue with the Department of Justice sending poll monitors to five California counties.
What accusations is California Governor Gavin Newsom making against the Trump administration?
The DOJ is deploying monitors to counties, including Los Angeles, for what the department describes as routine oversight of federal law. But Newsom told KQED the move is meant to sow doubt in election results, including the fate of Proposition 50, the pro-democratic redistricting plan Newsom is asking California voters to approve.
They will then suggest after we win, because we will and we must, that somehow the election was fraudulent.
In a statement, Los Angeles' top elections official says the presence of election observers is, quote, not unusual. For NPR News, I'm Guy Marzarati in San Jose.
From Washington, this is NPR News. Target is eliminating about 1,800 corporate jobs in an effort to rebuild the flagging discount retailer's customer base. The cuts represent about 8% of Target's corporate workforce globally, mostly at the company's Minneapolis headquarters. Target's incoming CEO announced the downsizing in a note to employees. With reports bubbling that Paramount is looking to buy Warner Brothers Discovery, the Writers Guild of America has released a statement stating that such a merger would be, quote, a disaster.
What job cuts is Target planning to implement and why?
While reports of the merger are unconfirmed, Warner Brothers Discovery did announce it was putting itself up for sale earlier this week. NPR's Andrew Limbaugh has more.
To set the stage a bit, Warner Brothers Discovery is currently in the middle of separating itself into two companies. That move has generated unsolicited interest from multiple parties who are open to buying all or parts of the company.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What recent military actions have the U.S. taken against Venezuelan drug smugglers?
0:00–1:07
2
How is the federal government shutdown affecting Americans?
1:07–2:33
3
What accusations is California Governor Gavin Newsom making against the Trump administration?
2:33–3:48
4
What job cuts is Target planning to implement and why?
3:48–4:26
5
What implications do potential media mergers have for consumers and workers?
4:26–4:46
6
What unusual incident involving minks occurred in Iowa?
4:46–4:57