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The 7

Shutdown layoffs; Voting Rights Act; Pentagon press walkout; fitness tests; and more

The 7

The Washington Post

News, Daily News

4.51.3K Ratings

🗓️ 16 October 2025

⏱️ 11 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Thursday, October 16. The seven stories you need to know today. 


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Transcript

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0:00.0

If you eat too many ultra-processed foods, you could be starving your gut microbes, and they'll get hangary.

0:07.8

That's one of many things I learned after working on a new audio course about the gut microbiome.

0:13.2

You can learn how to keep your gut happy by listening to Try This from the Washington Post.

0:18.1

I'm Christina Quinn. I host Try This. Dig in with me on practical advice

0:22.3

for life's common challenges. Follow Try This right now wherever you're listening. Seriously,

0:27.4

try it.

0:33.1

The Trump administration lost another court ruling.

0:40.3

Reporters cleaned out their desks at the Pentagon.

0:45.0

And an 80-year-old athlete might put your fitness to shame.

0:49.1

That's some of what we'll get to on the 7 from the Washington Post.

0:50.2

I'm Hannah Jewell.

0:52.6

It's Thursday, October 16th.

0:55.3

Let's get you caught up with today's seven stories.

1:04.8

Number one. A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to pause federal layoffs during the government shutdown. It's day 16 of the shutdown. Less than a week ago, eight agencies issued layoff notices to more than 4,100 workers.

1:17.3

And President Donald Trump promised further cuts, targeting what he called Democrat programs.

1:23.7

Here he is on Tuesday.

1:25.3

The Democrats are getting killed on the shutdown. Because we're closing up programs that are Democrat programs that we were opposed to.

1:33.2

So we're being in, and they're never going to come back in many cases.

1:37.5

Yesterday, Trump's plans hit a legal setback when a federal judge ordered the administration to halt the layoffs. Senior U.S.

1:46.0

District Judge Susan Ilston cited with unions, which argued that the dismissals were illegal.

1:52.6

Federal workers reacted with joy to the news of the judge's ruling yesterday. Some of those

1:58.1

already dismissed during the shutdown said it was a cause for tentative optimism that they could get their jobs back.

...

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