NPR News Now: September 8, 2025, 4AM EDT

Host: Dwahilisai Kowtow | Duration: ~5 minutes
Theme: The episode delivers a concise roundup of the latest national and international news, highlighting political developments, economic trends, public health concerns, and cultural events.

Main News Highlights

1. President Trump and Chicago: Federal Force & Public Outcry

[00:20 — 01:33]

• Executive Order & Military Threats:
  President Trump has softened his language about Chicago but stands by his intent to deploy federal troops, citing a new executive order to rebrand the Department of Defense as the "Department of War."

  • “We're going to clean up our city. We're going to clean them up so they don't kill five people every weekend. That's not war. That's common sense.”
    — President Donald Trump [00:52]

• Details:

  • Trump hasn’t specified when troops would be deployed.
  • He claims the National Guard will combat crime, although reports show violent crime is decreasing.
  • Trump has also threatened increased deportations via federal immigration officials.

• Public Response:

  • Large-scale protests erupted in downtown Chicago.
  • Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker condemned Trump’s approach, likening it to tactics used by dictators:
    • “Trump's plan was one repeated by, quote, dictators across history, inciting the local population before sending in disruptors. He said Illinois won't fall for it.” — Gov. J.B. Pritzker (reported by Kat Lonsdorf) [01:21]

2. National Guard Deployments Impacting U.S. Workforce

[01:33 — 02:16]

• Record Absenteeism:
  The number of Americans out of work for National Guard or civil service deployments is at a near-20-year high.

  • Over 90,000 week-long absences were logged from January to August 2025 — more than double last year’s numbers.

• Economic Impact:

  • Cited as the highest absenteeism since 2006 (Iraq War-era levels), linking directly to President Trump’s military deployments.
  • Economists observe increasing stress on both the labor market and individual employers.

3. FBI Most Wanted Fugitive Faces Extradition

[02:16 — 03:14]

• High-Profile Case:
  Daniel Andrea Sandiego – first American-born individual on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist List – will appear in a London court for extradition hearings.

  • Wanted for masterminding 2003 Bay Area bombings connected to animal rights extremist groups.
  • Incidents included a double-explosion targeting first responders and a nail bomb at separate companies; no casualties reported, attributed to “luck” by authorities.

• International Focus:

  • Sandiego vanished shortly after the attacks and was found in Wales in 2024.
  • The extradition hearing is set for five days in London.

4. Alarming Rise in Preteen Self-Harm and Suicide Attempts

[03:14 — 04:32]

• Harsh Statistics:
  A new Pediatrics study reports a ninefold increase in self-harm and suicide attempts with substances among 11- and 12-year-olds between 2000 and 2023.

• Further Findings:

  • Data from 1.5 million poison center calls for 6–12-year-olds was analyzed.

  • Accidental exposures (especially among younger children) rose by 50%.

  • Intentional substance use for self-harm/suicide constituted less than 5% of incidents but spiked sharply from 2008–2021, declining only in the last two years.

  • Most troubling was the surge among preteen girls.

  • “Most of this rise was among preteens, especially girls.”
    — Ritu Chatterjee [04:22]

5. 2025 MTV Video Music Awards — Headline Winners

[04:32 — 04:58]

• Award Recipients:

  • Video of the Year: Ariana Grande, "Brighter Days Ahead"
  • Artist of the Year: Lady Gaga
  • Album of the Year: Sabrina Carpenter, "Short and Sweet"
  • Latin Icon Award (inaugural): Ricky Martin

• Memorable Mention:

  • “And in case you missed watching the 41st VMAs, go back and look for Labubu.”
    — NPR Host [04:56]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• President Trump:
  “We're going to clean up our city. We're going to clean them up so they don't kill five people every weekend. That's not war. That's common sense.” [00:52]

• Governor J.B. Pritzker (via Kat Lonsdorf):
  “Trump's plan was one repeated by, quote, dictators across history, inciting the local population before sending in disruptors. He said Illinois won't fall for it.” [01:21]

• Ritu Chatterjee on self-harm findings:
  “Most of this rise was among preteens, especially girls.” [04:22]

Key Takeaways

• The episode blends breaking national security news, significant labor trends, a terrorism update, urgent public health warnings, and popular culture highlights into a rapid, information-dense format.
• Tension remains high between federal and local leaders concerning crime policy and civil rights.
• Societal stressors connect across politics, economics, and health, with both macro (labor market) and micro (preteen mental health) implications in sharp focus.