NPR News: 10-19-2025 12AM EDT

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman.

No Kings protesters took to the streets nationwide Saturday in Saratoga, Florida, Sarasota, Florida.

Many of the protesters were over 50, as Carrie Sheridan from member station WUSF reports.

I say no, you say way.

No, way!

At a morning protest in a park near downtown, Connie Newman carried a handwritten sign.

It says, just an unpaid grandma fighting fascism.

Nearby, Susanna Hammersley says she worries about the country her five grandchildren will inherit.

I'm 70, so I was a child in the 70s, and if something is wrong, you stand up and you try and fight for it.

Gene Jones is an Air Force veteran.

If all of us as citizens stand up, we can really stop this consolidation of a dictatorship, which is what's happening right now.

Protesters also sang the event wrapped up by midday.

For NPR News, I'm Carrie Sheridan in Sarasota.

The Trump administration marked the 250th anniversary of the U.S.

Marine Corps on Saturday.

Vice President J.D.

Vance spoke to the thousands of people at the Corps' West Coast training facility.

At times during his speech, Vance turned political as he talked about the government shutdown that's continuing with no end in sight.

As I told the President just a couple of days ago, I said, sir, we have got to figure out how to pay these Marines, both for their sake, but also, of course, because if we don't pay our enlisted Marines, every bar in Southern California is going to go out of business, and we don't want that.

Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire after more than a week of clashes, including strikes on the capital of Kabul and an attack that killed Afghan cricket players.

MPRS Dia Hadid has more.

Pakistan's defense minister announced a ceasefire that was mediated by Qatar and Turkey.

Pakistan accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering militant groups that have been targeting their security forces.

Those attacks dramatically surged since the Taliban seized power of Afghanistan in 2021.

Adding to Pakistan's concerns, the Taliban are also strengthening their relations with India, Pakistan's chief rival.

The fighting included Pakistani strikes on Saturday in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province, targeting a militant group.

But Afghan officials said the strikes killed civilians, including three local cricketers who'd been playing a match nearby.

Cricket's global governing body, the International Cricket Council, said it was saddened and appalled by the deaths of the three men.

Dear Hadid, NPR News, Sealim.

Hamas handed over two coffins containing deceased hostages on Saturday.

The bodies are now in Israel for identification.

Hamas has now handed over the remains of 12 of the 28 dead hostages that were being held in Gaza.

That's a key step in the week-old ceasefire process.

Israel, meanwhile, announced that the Rafah border crossing that connects Gaza with Egypt and the rest of the world will remain closed until further notice.

You're listening to NPR News.

The federal government shutdown is continuing this week, and with no end in sight, it will soon become the second longest shutdown on record, and some lawmakers predict it could surpass the 35-day shutdown from President Trump's first term.

Hundreds of thousands of federal civilian employees have been furloughed without pay, and many are facing financial stress.

A strike of Broadway actors and stage managers has been avoided after a deal has been reached over health care.

NPR's Chandeliest Duster has more.

The Actors Equity Association, which represents more than 51,000 actors and stage managers, says a tentative agreement has been reached with the Broadway League, representing theater owners and producers, to extend a health equity fund.

The union's executive director, Al Vincent Jr., says that the three-year agreement saves the health fund.

It also makes progress toward, quote, our other priorities, including scheduling and physical therapy access.

The Broadway League says the health fund receives millions of dollars each year from Broadway production grosses.

That adds to the total benefits contributions of the health fund.

The union says it will bring the deal to its members for ratification.

Broadway musicians are also in talks over wage increases, work rules, and health care.

Chandalee Duster and PR News.

Work has begun to repair the damaged power supply to Ukraine's Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

The plant has not been connected to the energy grid for four weeks.

Generators have been used to keep stores of nuclear material there cool.

Both Russia and Ukraine established special ceasefire zones to allow that work to be completed.

I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.