NPR News: 09-06-2025 10PM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now: 09-06-2025 10PM EDT

Host: Jeanine Herbst
Date: September 7, 2025
Duration: 5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This episode provides a rapid update on key national and international news, covering tensions over domestic military use in the U.S., protests in London, vaccine policy controversy, a hurricane warning in Hawaii, and record Powerball lottery fever.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump Threatens Use of Department of War in Chicago

• [00:19] President Trump threatens to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago, referencing a proposal to rename the Department of Defense as the "Department of War."
• Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker responds sharply, calling the threat abnormal and not a joke.
• The move follows similar military deployment in Washington, D.C., sparking protest marches in the nation's capital demanding immediate withdrawal of federal forces.
  • Protesters argue these deployments primarily target and intimidate "black and brown residents, immigrants, youth and unhoused people."

Notable Quote:

"It's almost like a war state. Like what? What's going on? Why is this being allowed to happen?"
– Tammy Bryce, protester [01:10]

• [01:18] Washington, D.C.'s Attorney General is suing President Trump over the federal troop deployments.

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2. Pro-Palestinian Demonstration & Arrests in London

• [01:36] Police in London arrest over 400 people after violence erupts at a protest supporting the banned group Palestine Action.
  • Officers were assaulted; hundreds faced terror-related charges for openly supporting the banned group.
  • Anti-censorship groups criticize the police response as excessive and as a suppression of free speech.
  • Contrast: A similar protest in Edinburgh passed peacefully without arrests.

Notable Reporting:

"Police had warned that anyone expressing support for the group ... would be arrested and face terror related charges, just as many hundreds already have after past protests. Anti-censorship groups, though, call that overkill and a violation of freedom of expression."
– Vicki Barker, NPR London correspondent [01:36–02:22]

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3. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Controversial Stance on Vaccines

• [02:22] Health Secretary Kennedy faces bipartisan backlash after a heated Capitol Hill appearance.
  • His hard line on vaccine policies and firing of the CDC director for non-compliance with his policies draws criticism.
  • Senator John Barrasso, a Republican and physician, confronts Kennedy on his confirmation promises and concerns over vaccine access.
  • New federal restrictions are already making COVID-19 vaccines harder to obtain for some Americans.

Notable Quote:

"I'm a doctor, vaccines work. Secretary Kennedy, in your confirmation hearings, you promised to uphold the highest standards for vaccines. Since then, I've grown deeply concerned."
– Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) [02:44]

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4. Hurricane Kiko Threatens Hawaii

• [03:15] Hawaii is under a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Kiko, now a Category 4 storm.
  • Maximum sustained winds at 130 mph; risk of tropical storm force winds, heavy rain, and high surf for Big Island and Maui as soon as the next day.
  • Storm remains distant, but authorities urge vigilance.

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5. Powerball Jackpot Hits Historic High

• [04:01] The Powerball jackpot climbs to $1.8 billion—the second largest ever.
  • Over 40 consecutive drawings without a winner.
  • Americans increasingly participate as prizes grow, spending over $300 on average per person in 2023.
  • At the last drawing, 160 million tickets were sold—a nearly 200% increase from the previous week.
  • Sharon Taylor, a regular player, shares aspirations for winning: financial security for grandchildren and privacy for herself.

Notable Quotes:

"I bought the ticket because I'm going to win. How often do I buy the ticket? Every drawing."
– Sharon Taylor, lottery participant [04:06]

"Set up a trust fund for my grandchildren. Don't tell anybody where I'm at."
– Sharon Taylor [04:15]

• [04:46] Powerball is available in 45 states, plus D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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Memorable Moments

• The frank fear and confusion of protesters in D.C. (Tammy Bryce, [01:10])
• Bi-partisan concern about public health leadership, with Senator Barrasso's direct questioning ([02:44])
• The blend of dream and realism in lottery talk (Sharon Taylor, [04:06–04:15])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:19] – President Trump’s threats & Chicago developments
• [01:10] – Protester insight from Tammy Bryce
• [01:36] – London protest coverage with Vicki Barker
• [02:22] – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vaccine controversy
• [02:44] – Senator John Barrasso questions Kennedy
• [03:15] – Hurricane Kiko updates
• [04:01] – Powerball jackpot rises, Amy Held reports
• [04:06] – Sharon Taylor on playing Powerball

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Tone: Factual, urgent, and concise, with brief moments of personal perspective and emotion from interviewees and reporters.

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For listeners:
This five-minute news update delivers an essential snapshot of a tense national moment, volatile protests abroad, fierce debate over public health policy, extreme weather threat, and the nation's billion-dollar lottery craze. The episode flows quickly but packs in critical developments and firsthand voices for each story.

Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. President Trump is threatening Chicago with the use of what he calls the Department of War, saying on social media he loves the smell of. Trump was referring to his proposal to rename the Department of Defense, which would require approval from Congress. Illinois Governor J.B. pritzker responded, saying this isn't a joke and it's not normal. Trump is threatening to send National Guard troops to Chicago, as he's already done in Washington, D.C. but thousands of protesters marched in the nation's capital today demanding an immediate withdrawal of the troops and federal law enforcement and saying they're designed to harass and surveil black and brown residents, immigrants, youth and unhoused people. Tammy Bryce was among the protesters.

[Tammy Bryce]

It's almost like a war state. Like what? What's going on? Why is this being allowed to happen?

[Jeanine Herbst]

DC's Attorney General is suing President Trump over the deployment of the National Guard troops. In London, police arrested at least 400 people after violence broke out in a demonstration supporting a banned pro Palestinian group. Vicki Barker has.

[Vicki Barker]

Scotland Yard says a number of officers were punched, kicked and had objects thrown at them in Saturday's protest. Many of the demonstrators held signs supporting Palestine Action, which was banned after the group was accused of causing millions in damages, including to military aircraft. Police had warned that anyone expressing support for the group at Saturday's sit in would be arrested and face terror related charges, just as many hundreds already have after past protests. Anti censorship groups, though, call that overkill and a violation of freedom of expression. A similar demonstration in the Scottish capital Edinburgh Saturday was allowed to pass peacefully with no arrests. For NPR News, I'm Vicki Barker in London.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. S stance on vaccines is stirring nationwide backlash after a heated appearance on Capitol Hill this week. NPR's Rob Stein reports.

[Rob Stein]

Everyone expected Democrats on the committee to go after Kennedy at the hearing, but they were joined by some Republicans, including Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming.

[Senator John Barrasso]

I'm a doctor vaccines work. Secretary Kennedy, in your confirmation hearings, you promised to uphold the highest standards for vaccines. Since then, I've grown deeply concerned.

[Rob Stein]

Kennedy was defiant throughout the hearing. Kennedy got the director of the CDC fired because she wouldn't go along with some of his vaccine policies. And many people around the country are already having a hard harder time getting one of the new COVID 19 vaccines because of new federal restrictions. Rob Stein, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

This is NPR News. Hawaii is under a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Kiko. Forecasters say tropical storm force winds, heavy rainfall and high surf are possible in the next couple of days, and it could reach the Big island and Maui by tomorrow. The National Hurricane center says Kiko is back to a major Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 130 miles an hour, but it does remain far from land in the Central Pacific Basin. Tonight's Powerball jackpot is now the second largest in U.S. history, an estimated $1.8 billion. NPR's Amy Held reports. No one's been able to hit all six numbers in more than 40 straight.

[Amy Held]

Drawings without a winner. The prize keeps rolling over till someone eventually wins.

[Sharon Taylor]

I bought the ticket because I'm going to win. How often do I buy the ticket? Every drawing.

[Amy Held]

That's Sharon Taylor of Philadelphia, whose dreams grow with the prize.

[Sharon Taylor]

Set up a trust fund for my grandchildren. Don't tell anybody where I'm at.

[Amy Held]

The odds, though, are terrible, one in almost 300 million. Still, data show lottery spending is on the rise. Americans spent an average of more than $300 playing in 2023. And researchers say when times are tough, participation grows. Same when the prize grows. At the last Powerball drawing, more than 160 million tickets sold, a near 200% increase from the week before. Amy Held, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

And Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington.

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