NPR News: 06-27-2025 1PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: Detailed Summary of June 27, 2025, 1PM EDT Episode

Released on June 27, 2025

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Supreme Court Upholds Executive Orders on Birthright Citizenship

Louise Schiavone opened the episode by reporting on a significant Supreme Court decision. The Court ruled 6-3 that lower courts had overstepped in attempting to block President Trump's executive orders, particularly those concerning birthright citizenship. This ruling provides the Trump administration with greater leeway to enforce policies affecting children born in the U.S. to parents who are neither American citizens nor lawful permanent residents.

“The Supreme Court ruled today that lower courts had gone too far in efforts to block executive orders from President Trump.”
— Louise Schiavone [00:17]

An Unnamed Legal Analyst criticized the intervention of federal judges in shaping national law beyond the cases at hand, suggesting that such actions allow individual judges to impede presidential policies.

“Instead of merely ruling on the immediate cases before them, these judges have attempted to dictate the law for the entire nation.”
— Unnamed Legal Analyst [00:45]

Supreme Court Maintains Affordable Care Act's Preventive Care Provisions

Later, Louise Schiavone transitioned to another Supreme Court decision, this time involving the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Court upheld the ACA's provisions that mandate health insurers to cover preventive services, such as cancer screenings, at no cost to patients.

Selena Simmons Duffin elaborated on the case, explaining the role of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in determining which preventive measures should be covered. The case was challenged by Braidwood Management, a Texas-based company opposed to covering HIV prevention medications. The Court's majority opinion, authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, affirmed the existing policy and highlighted the Health Secretary's authority to review these recommendations.

“The justices upheld the status quo in a 6, 3 decision.”
— Selena Simmons Duffin [01:25]

Lying in State Honors for Assassinated Minnesota Representative and Family

The episode continued with a poignant report on the tragic assassination of State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman. Louise Schiavone announced that the Hortmans would lie in state in the Minnesota Capitol rotunda, a significant honor previously granted to only 19 other state officials.

Dana Ferguson provided further details, noting that Melissa Hortman would be the first woman to lie in state in the rotunda. The couple's golden retriever, Gilbert, also killed in the attack, would accompany them. The alleged shooter, who injured another state lawmaker and his wife, is currently in jail facing murder charges.

“State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark will lie in state Friday in the Capitol rotunda and members of the public can pay their respects...”
— Dana Ferguson [02:18]

Economic Update: S&P 500 Shows Recovery

Louise Schiavone then provided an economic update, highlighting that the S&P 500 had opened the day with a 0.5% increase, signaling a potential rebound from a downturn caused by Trump's tariff policies three months prior. At the time of the report, the S&P was up 39 points.

“The S&P up 39 points. This is NPR News in Washington.”
— Louise Schiavone [02:59]

Justice Department's Stance on Kilmar Abrego Garcia's Deportation

The Justice Department announced it would not proceed with deporting Kilmar Abrego Garcia before his trial on federal smuggling charges in Tennessee. Garcia's case attracted national attention after he was mistakenly transferred to a supermax prison in El Salvador. A judge decided to release him pending trial, following requests from his attorneys to prevent potential deportation by immigration officials.

“The Justice Department says it will not move to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia before he's tried on federal smuggling charges in Tennessee.”
— Louise Schiavone [02:59]

World Bank Report Highlights Electricity Crisis in Nigeria and DRC

Louise Schiavone reported on a critical issue affecting millions in Africa. The World Bank released a report indicating that Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have the highest number of people lacking access to electricity globally, with over 150 million individuals affected by chronic shortages.

Drew Bright detailed the severity of the crisis, noting that nearly 90 million people in Nigeria and 70 million in the DRC are without electricity. Despite significant investments—over $2 billion in Nigeria's power sector—the national grid has failed more than a hundred times in the past decade. Civil society groups attribute these power shortages to a combination of underinvestment and corruption.

“Civil society groups say the power shortages in Nigeria and other African countries are mostly caused by underinvestment and corruption.”
— Drew Bright [04:02]

Peace Deal Between DRC and Rwanda Facilitated by the US

Concluding the episode, Louise Schiavone reported that the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are on the verge of signing a peace agreement, facilitated by the United States. This deal aims to bring an end to decades of violent conflict in eastern Congo, offering hope for regional stability and improved humanitarian conditions.

“The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are set to sign a peace deal facilitated by the US Today to help end the decades long deadly fighting in eastern Congo.”
— Louise Schiavone [04:43]

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This episode of NPR News Now provided a comprehensive overview of pivotal national and international events, including landmark Supreme Court decisions, a tragic political assassination, economic indicators, immigration enforcement policies, and significant humanitarian crises in Africa. Through detailed reporting and expert commentary, listeners were informed about the multifaceted issues shaping the current global landscape.

Transcript

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[Louise Schiavone]

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. The Supreme Court ruled today that lower courts had gone too far in efforts to block executive orders from President Trump. With federal agency bans related to birthright citizenship being a case in point. The 6 to 3 opinion gave the Trump administration more room to press its case on children born in the US without at least one parent who's an American citizen or lawful permanent resident. President Trump today welcomed the decision.

[Unnamed Legal Analyst]

Instead of merely ruling on the immediate cases before them, these judges have attempted to dictate the law for the entire nation. In practice, this meant that if any one of the nearly 700 federal judges disagreed with the policy of a duly elected president of the United States, he or she could block that policy from going into effect or at least delay it for many years.

[Louise Schiavone]

The justices did not rule per se on the constitutional merits of birthright citizenship. The Supreme Court today upheld the part of the Affordable Care act that made preventive care, like cancer screenings, free for patients. NPR's Selena Simmons Duffin has details.

[Selena Simmons Duffin]

The U.S. preventive Services Task Force is made up of volunteer experts. If they determine that a cancer screening or preventive medication is based on good evidence, the Affordable Care act requires health insurers to cover it without any cost to patients. Braidwood Management, a company owned by Christian Conservatives in Texas, challenged the constitutionality of the task force. It objected to covering HIV prevention medications, but the justices upheld the status quo in a 6, 3 decision. The majority opinion, written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, New, noted that the health secretary, currently Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Has the power to review the recommendations. Selena Simmons Duffen, NPR News, Washington.

[Louise Schiavone]

Two weeks after they were killed in an apparent political assassination, State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark will lie in state in Minnesota. Minnesota Public Radio's Dana Ferguson reports.

[Dana Ferguson]

State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark will lie in state Friday in the Capitol rotunda and members of the public can pay their respects be the first woman to lie in state there. Just 19 other state officials have been given the honor. The Hortman's golden retriever, Gilbert, who was also killed in the attack, will be with them in the rotunda. Private funeral services for the Hortmans will be held tomorrow and video streamed for the public to watch the alleged shooter who killed the Hortmans and injured another state lawmaker and his wife, is in jail and faces murder charges. For NPR News, I'm Dana Ferguson in St. Paul.

[Louise Schiavone]

The S&P 500 opened the day with a 0.5% increase, poised at this point in the day to stage a sharp turnaround from just three months ago when Trump tariff policies led shares lower. At this hour, the S and P up 39 points. This is NPR News in Washington. The Justice Department says it will not move to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia before he's tried on federal smuggling charges in Tennessee. Abrego Garcia's case gained national attention when he was moved by mistake to a supermax prison in El Salvador. A judge ruled that he could be released as he awaits trial. His attorneys requested that he remain in jail over fears that immigration officials might try to deport him. The World bank says Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo have the highest number of people in the world living without access to electricity. Officials say more than 150 million people in both African countries combined are affected by chronic electricity shortages. NPR's Joel Bright has details.

[Drew Bright]

Almost 90 million people in Nigeria and 70 million in the DRC are currently without electricity, according to a new report by the World Bank. The report said countries in sub Saharan Africa account for almost 80% of people in the world living without access to power. In Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, the national grid has collapsed over a hundred times in ten years, despite over $2 billion in power sector investments. Civil society groups say the power shortages in Nigeria and other African countries are mostly caused by underinvestment and corruption. For NPR News, I'm Drew Bright in Lagos.

[Louise Schiavone]

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are set to sign a peace deal facilitated by the US Today to help end the decades long deadly fighting in eastern Congo. I'm Luis Schiavone, NPR News.

[Hometap Representative]

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