NPR News: 09-05-2025 7AM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now — September 5, 2025, 7AM EDT

Host: Korva Coleman
Duration: ~5 minutes
Episode Theme:
A concise roundup of top global and US news stories, including the ongoing war in Gaza, domestic policy updates from the Trump administration, US-Japan trade negotiations, new LSD mental health research, the death of a notable civil rights figure, and more.

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1. The War in Gaza Reaches 700 Days

[00:15–01:19]

• Marks the 700th day since the start of the conflict, which began with a Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people.
• New casualty figures from Gaza’s Health Ministry:
  • Over 19,000 Palestinian children killed (roughly a third of the 64,000+ total deaths).
  • More than 56,300 children have lost one or both parents.
  • 1,000+ children have lost limbs.
• Contested Numbers: Israel disputes the Health Ministry’s data, although the UN describes them as “historically credible.”
• Israeli forces claim control over 40% of Gaza City and intend to expand their offensive to recover hostages and dismantle Hamas.
• Notable Quote:
  • “The health ministry’s figures also show more than 56,300 children have had one or both parents killed in Israel strikes.”
    — Eye Batrari, 00:46

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2. Trump Administration Plans Military Assistance for ICE Operations in Chicago

[01:19–02:12]

• The Department of Homeland Security has asked the Pentagon for support in immigration enforcement around Chicago.
• Proposed use of Naval Station Great Lakes (30 miles from Chicago) for logistical needs.
• President Trump threatens to deploy the National Guard in Chicago without local/state approval, claiming it's necessary to fight crime.
• Opposition from Chicago’s Mayor and Illinois' Governor, who call such a move unconstitutional.
• Notable Quote:
  • “President Trump has recently spoken of sending National Guard troops to fight crime in Chicago, and he said he’s prepared to do it without getting approval from state or city officials.”
    — Quill Lawrence, 01:44

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3. US–Japan Tariff Negotiations

[02:12–02:59]

• The White House announces:
  • Tariffs on Japanese automobiles cut from 27.5% to 15%
  • Lifting of some Trump-era tariffs (e.g., on steel and aluminum for certain Japanese aircraft)
  • Japan to increase US market access for some American exports and invest $550 billion+ in the US
• Status: No binding agreement—details remain unfinished, and other recent “framework” trade deals also remain pending.
• Notable Quote:
  • "The executive order also says Japan is giving the US Greater market access for some of its exports and that Japan has promised to invest more than $550 billion in the U.S. however, there has been no binding agreement between the two countries..."
    — Danielle Kurtzleben, 02:38

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4. Markets & Policy Updates

[02:59–03:36]

• The August jobs report is due for release; there’s a noticeable slowdown in US hiring.
• Dow futures down in premarket trading.
• President Trump to sign an executive order renaming the Department of Defense as the "Department of War" (as a secondary title).

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5. Breakthrough Study: LSD for Treating Anxiety

[03:36–04:20]

• A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that LSD (specifically, compound MM120 by Mindmed) may relieve symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in adults.
• Study details:
  • 198 participants with GAD
  • Higher doses of LSD resulted in noticeably reduced anxiety and depression
  • Positive effects lasted the full 12-week study, even though LSD was metabolized within a day
  • Two further, larger studies are planned
• Notable Quote:
  • “By the next day, the drug, for all intents and purposes, was out of their system. And yet the patient’s average anxiety was...”
    — John Hamilton, 03:52
  • “…greatly reduced, and this improvement lasted for the duration of the 12 week study.”
    — Dr. David Feifel, 03:59

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6. Civil Rights Leader Joseph McNeil Dies at 83

[04:20–04:55]

• Joseph McNeil, a leader of the influential 1960 Greensboro sit-in, dies at 83.
  • His protest—with three fellow North Carolina A&T students—ignited a wave of nonviolent demonstrations.
  • The Woolworth lunch counter was desegregated after six months.
  • McNeil later became a Major General in the Air Force and served in Vietnam.
• Notable Quote:
  • "McNeil and his fellow activists were soon joined by hundreds of others. The Greensboro lunch counter was desegregated six months later."
    — Korva Coleman, 04:28

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Timestamp Guide by Segment

• [00:15] — Headlines, introduction to Gaza war
• [00:34] — Gaza war casualties, Israeli military update
• [01:19] — U.S. military support for ICE in Chicago
• [02:12] — U.S.–Japan tariff updates
• [02:59] — Jobs report, Trump order renaming Defense Dept.
• [03:36] — LSD study for anxiety
• [04:20] — Joseph McNeil obituary

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This episode provides a rapid, factual, and at times sobering briefing on headline topics, with direct quotes and reporting from correspondents on the ground.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. Today marks the 700th day of war in Gaza. It began with a Hamas attack on Israel that Israelis say killed 1200 people. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have since been killed in Israeli attacks. NPR's Eye Batrari reports on the latest figures from Gaza.

[Eye Batrari]

Gaza's Health Ministry has released a detailed list of people killed and wounded in the past nearly two years of war. The figures list more than 19,000 Palestinian children killed by Israeli fire in Gaza, accounting for a third of the overall death toll there of more than 64,000. The health ministry's figures also show more than 56,300 children have had one or both parents killed in Israel strikes. It says more than 1,000 children have lost limbs in the war. Israel has challenged the credibility of the Health Ministry's figures, which the UN Says are historically credible. The Israeli military says it's already in control of 40% of Gaza City and will expand the offensive with the objective of returning hostages and dismantling Hamas rule. Ariel Boltrawi, NPR News, Dubai.

[Korva Coleman]

The Trump administration has begun preparations to send military assistance to Chicago for Immigration and Customs enforcement work. NPR's Quill Lawrence reports operations would be staged out of Great Lakes Naval Station.

[Quill Lawrence]

A US Official who is not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to NPR that the Department of Homeland Security has requested assistance from the Pentagon for ice enforcement and removal operations in the Chicago metropolitan area. The request is for logistical help and use of facilities at Naval Station Great Lakes, about 30 miles north of the city. President Trump has recently spoken of sending National Guard troops to fight crime in Chicago, and he said he's prepared to do it with without getting approval from state or city officials. Chicago's mayor and Illinois's governor, both Democrats, have said that it would be unconstitutional for President Trump to send troops into the city. Quill Lawrence, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

The White House says it is lowering tariffs on Japanese automobiles and aircraft, but NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports the U.S. tariff deal with Japan is still incomplete.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

The White House now says that tariffs on Japanese cars will be reduced from 27.5% to 15%. In addition, several tariffs Trump had imposed, like those on steel and aluminum, will no longer apply to some Japanese aircraft. The executive order also says Japan is giving the US Greater market access for some of its exports and that Japan has promised to invest more than $550 billion in the U.S. however, there has been no binding agreement between the two countries, meaning details are still unknown. President Trump has announced several trade framework agreements with other countries, but none are finalized. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News, the White House.

[Korva Coleman]

The federal government releases the latest monthly jobs report for August this morning. The report comes as employers around the country have slowed down their pace of hiring on Wall street and premarket trading. Dow futures are lower. This is npr. President Trump is set to sign a new executive order today. NPR has learned he'll move to change the title of the Defense Department to the Department of War. This will be a secondary title. New research suggests the psychedelic drug LSD can relieve a common form of anxiety. NPR's John Hamilton reports on the study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

[Dr. David Feifel]

The study involved 198 people with generalized anxiety disorder, which affects about 10% of adults in a given year. Dr. David Feifel of Kadima Neuropsychiatry Institute in San Diego says LSD clearly helped participants who got one of the two higher doses.

[John Hamilton]

By the next day, the drug, for all intents and purposes, was out of their system. And yet the patient's average anxiety was.

[Dr. David Feifel]

Greatly reduced, and this improvement lasted for the duration of the 12 week study. People who got higher doses also had less depression. The form of LSD used in the study is called MM120. It comes from the company Mindmed, which has already started two larger studies that should be completed next year. John Hamilton, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

And civil rights activist Joseph McNeil has died. According to his family, he was 83 years old. In 1960, McNeil and three fellow students at North Carolina A and T led the famous sit in at the Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro. McNeil and his fellow activists were soon joined by hundreds of others. The Greensboro lunch counter was desegregated six months later. McNeil later joined the U.S. air Force. He flew combat missions in Vietnam. McNeil retired as a major general. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington.

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