NPR News Now: Detailed Summary of June 27, 2025, 1PM EDT Episode
Released on June 27, 2025
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]
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.