Celebrating Diwali, Too Many Meows, and Baseball!
10 Things You Need to Know: Episode 610
1. The Festival of Lights 🏮
2. The World's Tallest Bridge 🌁
3. Alaska Weathers Major Storm 🚁
4. Chicago's Rat Hole Debunked 🐀
5. Too Many Meows? 🙀
6. A Gen Z Revolution 🏴☠️
7. Connecticut's Kid Governor 🏛️
8. TSwitft 🤝 Sea Otters
9. A Royal Robbery 💎
10. World Series Preview ⚾️
RESOURCES
https://newsforkids.net/articles/2025/10/15/china-opens-worlds-tallest-bridge/
https://www.nbcnews.com/world/africa/madagascar-gen-z-protesters-united-anime-pirate-flag-rcna235106
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/connecticuts-kid-governor-reflects-term-123012815.html
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/sports/mlb/world-series-schedule-start-date-format-2025/3791265/
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TRANSCRIPT
INT. TEN NEWS STUDIO
<SFX Midnight Meow> and then <SFX Rigby Meow>
RYAN: –but you’ve already had three treats–
<SFX Midnight Meow> and then <SFX Rigby Meow>
RYAN: Okay, fine! <SFX treat box shake> <SFX Cats crunching treats> But when Pam comes in I need you to give her a proper greeting…
<SFX Door Opens>
PAM: Hey Ry, whoa, it’s cold today…oh! Hey Midnight! Hi Mr. Rigby!
<SFX Cats Meow and then…>
RYAN: UNLEASH THE CUTENESS!!!
<SFX Cats ZOOM and run amok, things crashing about>
PAM: What. In the Zoomies. Is. Happening. <SFX cat madness continues>
RYAN: I was just trying to make the studio like Cyrprus, the nation island of cats.
PAM: You’re gonna have to fill me in. I’m Pamela Kirkland.
RYAN: And I’m Ryan Willard, it’s Thursday, October 23rd.
PAM: This is Ten Things You Need to Know.
PAM: The first thing you need to know is that Diwali, India’s biggest festival of lights, ran from Saturday, October 18th to Wednesday, October 22nd! The holiday has five days: Each of these five days is celebrated differently.
Day 1- people clean their homes to bring good fortune, Day 2 - time to decorate your homes with clay lamps and design patterns known as “rangoli” on the floor
Day 3 - the main day of the festival is when families gather in prayer and end the day with big meals and fireworks
Day 4 - the first day of the new year, and
Day 5 - brothers visit their married sisters who welcome them with love and a hearty meal. Diwali is India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year, and its evolved into a national festival enjoyed by non-Hindu communities, too!
RYAN: I’ve celebrated Diwali and it. Is. AWESOME. And speaking of countries that I think are cool but do not live in… China has broken its own record once again! Already home to the world’s tallest bridge, the country has taken things to the next level, literally. The new Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge spans 1.8 miles long and soars 2,051 feet above the Beipen River. This massive suspension bridge cost nearly $295 million and took three years to build. The Guizhou province is known for its rugged landscape, featuring mountains, river valleys, rock towers, and sinkholes, as well as the Huajiang Grand Canyon, which is so deep and long that it’s sometimes referred to as “Earth’s Crack.” And yes, it took everything for me NOT to make a butt joke there.
PAM: From record-breaking bridges to record-setting rescues, one Alaska town saw a mission unlike any before. A storm brought on by the remnants of Typhoon Halong prompted one of the largest air evacuations in Juneau, Alaska. Hundreds of people were transported by helicopter and military transport plane from their coastal villages that were taken over by high surf and strong winds. Some communities saw water levels more than 6 feet above the highest normal tide, and in a village of about 700 people, nearly 121 homes were destroyed. What makes this rescue mission even more unique is that the region is only reachable by air or water this time of year. We’re sending our love to the Alaskans and first responders who faced incredible challenges.
RYAN: Have you ever heard about Chicago’s infamous “rat hole”? It’s a sidewalk imprint of what appears to be some sort of critter with outlines of tiny claws, itty-bitty arms and legs, and even a tail that got trapped in wet cement on a sidewalk in the city’s Roscoe Village neighborhood about 20-30 years ago.
PAM: But it might not actually be a rat…! Researchers from the University of Tennessee, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, AND the University of Calgary have been hard at work to find out. Based on limb and paw measurements and other factors, they concluded that the “rat hole” is not actually a rodent, but most likely a squirrel or muskrat, with the Eastern Gray Squirrel being the top suspect. The study also noted that other researchers had suggested a squirrel may be responsible, possibly misjudging a leap or falling from a branch, especially since no tracks were found around it.
RYAN: Speaking of critters, I will say, I would NOT want to be a rodent on the small island nation of Cyprus, located in the eastern corner of the Mediterranean, which is facing a feline frenzy… It is, in fact, known as the island of cats, but it seems things have gotten a little out of hand. Cyprus has 1 million residents, and there are at least 1 million cats on the island and activists believe the actual number is hundreds of thousands of cats higher. While there is an existing cat sterilization program in place that spays or neuters about 2,000 felines a year, Environmental Minister Maria Panayiotou recently announced the government will raise the program's funding, a decision that was praised as a significant step forward. Too many cats may sound like a good problem to have, but given their predatory nature, a population like this has the potential to damage the island’s ecosystem and could actually harm the cats themselves, as they roam busy streets and search for food and shelter.
PAM: So maybe we’re good with just 2 cats, Rigby and Midnight are more than enough cats…
RYAN: You can never have too many furry friends!
PAM: Hmmmm, lemme have a think on it. And let’s take a quick break while I do. Hey Ten’ers, we are SUPER excited about Halloween, obviously. But we’re curious, what are YOU dressing up as for Halloween? I THINK… I’m gonna be Spiderman, or maybe I’ll be a hippopotamus. But what about you?! Leave us a review or comment, or send us an email: hello@thetennews.com and let us know, and we might shout you out on the show! Speaking of, back to it!
RYAN: Aaaaand we’re back. The anime One Piece started as a manga, and then became a live action series... but now it’s a protest? Gen Z protestors across the world, from Indonesia to Peru, are waving the Straw Hat Pirates flag to unite against corruption. Last month, Gen Z protests led to the resignation of the prime minister of Nepal brought on by frustration over a social media ban. And more recently, the president of Madagascar was ousted in a military coup following a weekslong uproar from Gen Z protestors.
RYAN: And the one thing that’s been seen at all these protests: A flag with a Jolly Roger skull and crossbones, in a straw hat, the flag flown by the Straw Hat Pirates, the protagonists of the hit show, One Piece. Also I gotta shout out my boy Camrus Johnson, who’s going to be on Season 2 of the live action series!
PAM: From rebellion to representation, the next generation is paving the way. 12-year-old Keudy Martinez is wrapping up his term as Connecticut’s 10th Kid Governor! In fifth grade, Martinez centered his campaign around bullying prevention, maintaining safe schools, and supporting student’s mental health. Now, as a sixth grader and for the grande finale of his time in office, he got to discuss mental health, bullying, and national politics with Governor Ned Lamont and Waterbury Mayor Pail Pernerewski. Martinez is feeling grateful for a year of traveling around the state to different libraries, the chance to meet with government officials, and most importantly, the opportunity to help kids his own age.
PAM: The next thing you need to know is that Taylor Swift just helped raise more than two million dollars for sea otters — all by wearing a T-shirt!
RYAN: Yup! She wore a vintage Monterey Bay Aquarium tee at her album release party, and fans went wild trying to find it. The aquarium decided to bring the shirt back as part of a fundraiser for sea otter conservation.
PAM: Their goal was $1.3 million — Taylor’s favorite number — and they hit it in eight hours and overall raised more than $2 million.
RYAN: The best part? The shirts are eco-friendly and help real otters who’ve been hurt or orphaned. So, thanks to Taylor, the otters are officially swimming in success!
PAM: I’d totally wear one of those shirts.
RYAN: Same — anything for the otters... and maybe a little Taylor magic.
RYAN: Up next, a daring daylight heist. The Louvre, one of the most visited museums in the entire world was robbed… in just 7 minutes. Four individuals were able to get their hands on a truck mounted with a basket lift to hoist themselves up and slice through a window with cutting tools to get inside the museum, this all happening while the museum was open. The thieves held off members of the staff while smashing through two displays stealing necklaces, tiaras and brooches that belonged to previous royal families of France. Experts warn that because these items are so unique, they cannot be sold, meaning the thieves will likely try to melt the metals and separate the gems leaving investigators with less than a week to recover the treasures before they could be lost forever.
PAM: And for the last thing you need to know, let’s go to our Trivia Master, Owen.
OWEN: Thanks, Pam! The World Series is finally here…but do you know which major league baseball team has won the most World Series championships in history? Is it the:
St. Louis Cardinals
Los Angeles Dodgers
Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees
The answer is… the D! The New York Yankees with a whopping 27 titles! Unfortunately, Aaron Judge and his team will not be making an appearance at the championship this year. Instead the match up is between the Los Angeles Dodgers who are seeking their second straight title, and the Toronto Blue Jays who are after their first World Series win since 1993! The best of seven games series kicks off this Friday, October 24th.
RYAN: And that was Ten Things You Need to Know.
PAM: The island of cats sounds cool, but I just called in my furry friend to join the fun… <SFX dog panting>
RYAN: Lulu?!? <SFX dog happily barks!> Good girl!
<SFX Midnight meow> <SFX Rigby meow> <SFX Lulu bark>
PAM: Awww, they’re so cute together— <SFX the three run around the studio tearing it up>
RYAN: Ummmmmmm, maybe we should give out Ten News Snaps before this mess gets too big…
PAM: Yeah. But first, here’s a quick note for the grownups.
<AD BREAK>
RYAN: Time for Ten News Snaps!
PAM: A Ten’er named Sabrina Carpenter is Life left us this review on Apple Podcasts: “10 News is amazing I love it. Thanks!” and then 47 butterfly emojis and a sparkle.
RYAN: Wait. We’re doing this thing again?!
PAM: And a Ten’er named Star Idol 45510 left us a five star review that said, “I loooooove this podcast, me and my family love it. Ryan the mariposas are coming for you.”
RYAN: WHUT!
PAM: And then she left a bunch of heart emojis and butterfly emojis.
RYAN: Wait, is Mariposa the Spanish word for butterfly?! I DON’T LIKE ANY OF IT STOP SENDING ME MARIPOSAS!
PAM: And two extra notes for the grown-ups, you can now get ad-free versions of our episodes when you join the Ten’ers Club on our website.
RYAN: And if you want to help support the Ten News, you can make a tax-deductible donation at the link in our show notes. The whole team thanks you for your support!
PAM: “The Ten News” is a co-production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts, and part of the Airwave Podcast Network.
RYAN: The Ten News creative team is cuddling their furry friends while watching the World Series and includes Tracey Not a Crooks, Adam the Great Bambino Bernard, Brian Not Ryan Douglas and Carson Not So Harry Potter. Big thanks to Owen, Not Slowin Down for Anybody.
PAM: Our Production Director is Jeremiah “On Fyaaah” Tittle, and our Executive Producers are Donald “Albright, Albright, Albright!” and show creator Tracy Takes the Leeds Kaplan. I’m Pamela Kirkland.
RYAN: And I’m Ryan Willard, thanks for listening to the Ten News.
