NPR News: 09-07-2025 10AM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now: 09-07-2025 10AM EDT

Date: September 7, 2025
Host: Giles Snyder, NPR News Team
Duration: 5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This concise NPR News Now episode gives listeners a rapid-fire update on major national and international stories from the weekend, including political tensions in Chicago and Texas, significant leadership changes in Japan, a high-profile terrorism extradition case, and the latest US Open tennis results. The tone is factual and urgent, with input from local public media reporters and international correspondents.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Protests and Presidential Threats in Chicago

• Main story: Protests erupted in Chicago in response to President Trump's meme threatening National Guard deployment and mass deportations.
• Quote from Trump’s post: "I love the smell of deportations in the morning." ([00:39], Trump via Adriana Cardona McGiga)
• Community Reaction:
  • Shock and mobilization among activists.
  • Priscilla Reed (activist):

    "We're organizing to document detentions, report them, and do our best to defend people who are detained." ([01:00])

• Political Response: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemned the president's rhetoric:
  • "This is not a joke. This is not normal." ([01:12], JB Pritzker via Cardona McGiga)

2. Legal Action Against Texas Lawmakers

• Background:
  • Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton are seeking to expel 13 Democratic state representatives for their quorum break protest over Republican-led redistricting.
• Legal Challenge:
  • Civil rights groups, led by Democracy Forward, filed a court brief against this action.
• Quote (Sky Perryman, Democracy Forward):

  "The actions that Governor Abbott has taken, the actions that Ken Paxton has taken... they have no basis in the Texas constitution." ([02:05])

• Context:
  • Over 50 Democrats left Texas during a legislative session in July, trying to block a GOP redistricting plan. Despite their return, a Republican-favored map passed. ([02:09], Andrew Schneider)

3. Japan’s Prime Minister Steps Down

• Headline:
  • Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announces resignation, following his coalition’s heavy losses in the upper house.
• Explanation:
  • An early leadership vote in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is seen as a 'vote of no confidence.'
• Contextual Insight:
  • "His Liberal Democratic Party has long been the dominant player in Japanese politics, but its popularity has sunk under Mr. Ishiba's leadership." ([02:38], Gene McKenzie)
  • Recent elections fueled by "rising prices and low wages” led voters to shift to newer parties.

4. FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist Faces Extradition

• Focus:
  • Daniel Andreas San Diego, a fugitive wanted for a string of 2003 bombings in the Bay Area, will appear in a London court for extradition proceedings.
• Details:
  • Attacks targeted biotech and nutritional companies, linked to animal rights extremism.
  • "No one was injured in the attacks, but investigators believe that was down to luck." ([03:27], Vicki Barker)
  • San Diego was arrested in Wales after years on the run; a five-day hearing will decide return to the US.

5. Sports Update – US Open Finals

• Men’s Finals Preview:
  • Italy's Jannik Sinner vs. Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, their third consecutive Grand Slam final faceoff. ([04:13], Giles Snyder)
• Women’s Final Recap:
  • Aryna Sabalenka claimed her second straight US Open title and her fourth Grand Slam overall, defeating Amanda Anisimova.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s social media post:

  "I love the smell of deportations in the morning."
  (00:39, President Trump’s meme via Adriana Cardona McGiga)

• On activist preparations:

  "We're organizing to document detentions, report them, and do our best to defend people who are detained."
  (01:00, Priscilla Reed, Chicago activist)

• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s response:

  "This is not a joke. This is not normal."
  (01:12, JB Pritzker)

• Legal perspective on Texas case:

  "The actions that Governor Abbott has taken, the actions that Ken Paxton has taken... they have no basis in the Texas constitution."
  (02:05, Sky Perryman, Democracy Forward)

• Analysis of Japan’s political change:

  "His Liberal Democratic Party has long been the dominant player in Japanese politics, but its popularity has sunk under Mr. Ishiba's leadership."
  (02:38, Gene McKenzie)

• On the Bay Area bombing suspect:

  "No one was injured in the attacks, but investigators believe that was down to luck."
  (03:27, Vicki Barker)

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Timestamps of Key Segments

• [00:16] – Chicago protests and President Trump's controversial post
• [01:25] – Texas lawmakers face expulsion over quorum break
• [02:26] – Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba steps down
• [03:11] – Extradition case for FBI’s most wanted terrorist
• [04:13] – US Open tennis finals updates

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Summary

This NPR News Now episode succinctly captures the major headlines shaping the US and global landscapes: escalating federal-local tensions surrounding immigration enforcement, sharp legal confrontations in state politics, a surprising shift in Japanese leadership, a reminder of ongoing counterterror challenges, and the high drama of international tennis. The reporting is urgent but even-handed, providing listeners with both authoritative quotes and crucial context for each story.

Transcript

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[Giles Snyder]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. While protesters took to the streets of Chicago this weekend to demonstrate against President Trump's potential deployment of National Guard troops, the president posted a meme on social media threatening Chicago with troops and deportations. From member station WBEZ, Adriana Cardona McGiga reports.

[Adriana Cardona McGiga]

One statement on Trump social media post directed at Chicago riffed off of a line from the iconic Vietnam War movie Apocalypse now, saying, quote, I love the smell of deportations in the morning. The Post shocked Chicago. Priscilla Reed, who says activists are making preparations.

[Vicki Barker]

We're organizing to document detentions, report them and do our best to defend people who are detained.

[Adriana Cardona McGiga]

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker replied on social media saying, quote, this is not a joke. This is not normal. For NPR News, I'm Adriana Cardona Magigad in Chicago.

[Giles Snyder]

To Texas now, where voter and civil rights organizations are seeking to block efforts by Governor Greg Abbott and state Attorney General Ken Paxton to expel 13 Democrats Democratic state representatives from office for their role in this summer's quorum break. Houston Public Media's Andrew Schneider reports Abbott.

[Andrew Schneider]

And Paxton have asked the Supreme Court of Texas to rule that the 13 Democratic lawmakers abandoned their offices by leaving the state during a special session. Sky Perryman heads the nonprofit Democracy Forward, which filed a friend of the court brief on behalf of the civil rights groups.

[Giles Snyder]

The actions that Governor Abbott has taken, the actions that can Paxton has taken.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

They just they have no basis in the Texas constitution.

[Andrew Schneider]

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers fled Texas in July to try to prevent the passage of a Republican congressional redistricting plan. After Democrats returned, Republicans passed a map even more heavily tilted towards the GOP than first proposed. I'm Andrew Schneider in Houston.

[Giles Snyder]

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has decided to step down two months after his governing coalition lost its majority in the upper house. BBC's Gene McKenzie reports.

[Gene McKenzie]

Tomorrow's vote over whether to elect a new leader of Japan's ruling party two years ahead of schedule was effectively a vote of no confidence in Mr. Oshiba. His Liberal Democratic Party has long been the dominant player in Japanese politics, but its popularity has sunk under Mr. Oshiba's leadership. In July's election, people frustrated by rising prices and low wages turned to newer parties. The speaking at a press conference, Mr. Oshiba said he had done his duty, having helped secure lower tariffs with the U.S. earlier this summer.

[Giles Snyder]

The BBC's Gene McKenzie reporting. This is NPR News. A fugitive who is the first born and raised American to be on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist list will appear in a London courtroom tomorrow. Vicki Barker has more.

[Vicki Barker]

Daniel. Andrea Sandiego is the FBI's prime suspect in a series of bombings in the San Francisco bay area in 2003 for which two animal rights extremist groups claimed responsibility. No one was injured in the attacks, but investigators believe that was down to luck. A double explosion at a biotech company near Oakland was apparently timed to target any first responders. And the second attack at a Nutritional Products Company 30 miles east, involved a nail bomb. San Diego vanished soon after and was finally found in a cottage in Wales last year. A five day extradition hearing will determine whether he can returned to the US to face charges. For NPR News, I'm Vicki Barker in London.

[Giles Snyder]

TO FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. italy's Jannik center will defend his U.S. open tennis title today against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. The two will play each other for the third Grand Slam final in a row. The men's championship follows a repeat victory in the women's final yesterday with the final call of the match as Aryna Sabulinka won her second US Open women's title in a row and her fourth major overall. She beat American Amanda Anisimova in the final. I'm Jael Snyder. This is NPR News from Washington.

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