--:-- Amy Held: This message comes from Ritual. What makes Ritual vitamins different? Ritual vitamins are made with bioavailable, clinically studied key ingredients and a patented nutrient delivery system that aims to help your body use the nutrients you're getting. Ritual's essential multivitamins are made with you and your body in mind and backed by scientific research, filled with key ingredients as well as the essence of mint, so you can enjoy taking your vitamins. Get 25% off your first purchase when you visit Ritual.com slash NPR.
--:-- [Amy Held continues speaking as the host of NPR News]
--:-- Amy Held: Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Amy Held. With the prospect of a bipartisan spending agreement looking increasingly remote, the federal government is on track to shut down in a matter of hours. President Trump said last hour he thinks it's looking likely. We don't want it to shut down because we have the greatest period of time ever. I told you, we have $17 trillion being invested. And so the last person that wants to shut down is us.
--:-- [Amy Held pauses for a moment before continuing]
--:-- Amy Held: In a shutdown, most federal workers would not get paid. And the White House has threatened to fire some workers deemed non-essential. Americans who rely on Social Security and Medicare could see delayed payments. NPR's Domenico Montanaro reports new polling from NPR, PBS News and Marist finds one party would get more of the blame. Neither party would get the majority of the blame but Republicans who control both chambers of Congress would get more of it than Democrats by a 38 to 27 percent margin. Another 31 percent say they would blame both parties equally.
--:-- [Amy Held introduces the next segment]
--:-- Amy Held: Across the political spectrum, people are split on whether it's better to compromise to avoid a shutdown or to stand on principle, even if it means one would occur. Democrats and independents lean toward compromise, while Republicans tend toward standing on principle. The survey of more than 1,400 people across the country was conducted over five days last week. It has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, meaning results could be three points higher or lower.
--:-- [Amy Held introduces the next guest]
--:-- Amy Held: Domenico Montanaro, NPR News, Washington.
--:-- Domenico Montanaro: Thank you, Amy.
--:-- Amy Held: Earlier today, Trump spoke to a highly unusual gathering of top U.S. military leaders flown in from all over the world. NPR's Tamara Keith reports he talked about his desire to use military force on U.S. soil.
--:-- [Amy Held introduces the next guest]
--:-- Amy Held: Tamara Keith, NPR News.
--:-- Tamara Keith: At the start of a rambling and often overtly political speech, Trump joked that the uniformed generals and admirals could leave if they didn't like what he was saying. Of course, there goes your rank, there goes your future. Later, he talked about deploying the military to keep domestic order and peace. As president, I will never hesitate to defend our people from threats of violence, from the horrible plague that's taking place from within.
--:-- [Amy Held introduces the next segment]
--:-- Amy Held: There are strict legal limits on when troops can be deployed on U.S. soil.
--:-- Tamara Keith: [continues speaking] Hamas says it still studying a U peace plan put forward yesterday and says it will respond soon. The 20-point plan would have Hamas release all hostages, disarm and turn over power in Gaza. In exchange, Israel would end its offensive. NPR's Aya Batrawi reports.
--:-- [Amy Held introduces the next guest]
--:-- Amy Held: Aya Batrawi, NPR News.
--:-- Aya Batrawi: Arab states and Turkey put out a joint statement welcoming Trump's plan, and this does put pressure on Hamas. This war has been deeply destabilizing for the region. It has left Gaza in ruins with more than 66,000 people killed by Israeli fire there, a third of them children, according to Gaza's health ministry.
--:-- [Amy Held introduces the next segment]
--:-- Amy Held: It was also just this month that Israel bombed Qatar, and reportedly yesterday Netanyahu did have to call the Qatari prime minister and express his regret and apologize for that attack. Israel's war in Gaza is nearing the two-year mark.
--:-- [Amy Held introduces the next guest]
--:-- Amy Held: NPR's Rob Stein has more on a breakthrough in reproductive medicine.
--:-- Rob Stein: Scientists say they've taken a step that could someday help more people have genetically related children. Researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University say they figured out how to replace the DNA in human eggs with genes donated by other women. Scientists then fertilized the newly reconstituted eggs with sperm to make embryos. All the embryos still had genetic abnormalities that would prevent them from producing healthy babies but the scientists say the step is a proof of concept that this could someday help women who are infertile have genetically related children.
--:-- [Amy Held introduces the next segment]
--:-- Amy Held: The research, reported in the journal Nature Communications, could also help same-sex couples have babies genetically related to both partners, but the technique raises tricky ethical, social, and legal issues.
--:-- Rob Stein: [continues speaking] NPR News.
--:-- [Amy Held introduces the next segment]
--:-- Amy Held: At least two people were killed in Cuba yesterday amid flooding and landslides. In the Bahamas, most schools are closed following mandatory evacuations. This as Imelda strengthened into a hurricane this morning while it moves up the Atlantic. Around 450 miles to its east, its twin, Hurricane Umberto, is bringing a double threat with dangerous rip currents expected in the Caribbean and the U.S. east coast through the week.
--:-- [Amy Held introduces the next segment]
--:-- Amy Held: Neither storm is expected to make landfall in the U.S., but rip currents remain a danger. A man drowned out of Florida Beach this week as he was pulled out to sea.
--:-- [Amy Held introduces the final segment]
--:-- Amy Held: As the federal government nears a shutdown at midnight, stocks trading broadly lower, the Dow down 135 points. It's NPR News. That's plus.npr.org.
--:-- [The segment ends with a sponsor message]
--:-- Amy Held: This message comes from Ritual.
