NPR News Now — September 8, 2025, 6PM EDT

Host: Windsor Johnston (NPR)
Duration: 5 minutes

Episode Overview

This succinct NPR News Now episode delivers key headlines from across the U.S. and the world, covering topics like the launch of a new deportation campaign in Chicago, a Supreme Court decision on immigration enforcement, Florida's proposed changes to vaccine mandates in schools, political shakeups in France, a media stunt involving Howard Stern, and the death of Supertramp's Rick Davies. Listeners are offered a snapshot of major events shaping political, legal, health, and cultural landscapes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Deportation Campaign in Chicago

[00:25–01:23]

• News: The Trump administration launches “Operation Midway Blitz,” targeting undocumented residents in Chicago, its suburbs, and throughout Illinois.
• Local Response:
  • Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss assures the public that local police will not participate in federal deportation actions, emphasizing trust and community safety.
    • Quote:

      “In this moment when people are understandably and appropriately frightened, they need to know that Evanston Police Department is not going to be participating and Evanston police officers can be trusted.”
      — Daniel Biss [01:01]

• Context:
  • The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) states the operation honors Katie Abraham, a 20-year-old killed in a hit-and-run by a Guatemalan immigrant without legal status earlier in the year.

2. Supreme Court's Immigration Enforcement Ruling

[01:23–01:54]

• Decision: The Supreme Court lifts a lower court order, allowing federal agents to resume broad immigration stops, including arrests based on race, language, or location.
• Implications: The ruling follows incidents where U.S. citizens were mistakenly caught in immigration raids, raising questions about civil rights protections.

3. Florida School Vaccine Mandate Changes

[01:54–02:28]

• State Health Proposal: The Florida Department of Health plans to remove mandatory school vaccinations for hepatitis B, chickenpox, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and pneumococcal disease by December.
  • Quote:

    “It would take legislation at the state level to lift mandates for vaccines that prevent polio, measles, diphtheria, mumps and tetanus. Florida's legislative session start January.”
    — Carrie Sheridan [02:15]

• Details: Removal of further vaccine mandates (e.g., polio, measles, mumps) would require legislative action when the state legislature convenes in January.

4. French Prime Minister Loses Confidence Vote

[02:28–03:21]

• Development: Prime Minister Francois Byrou loses a parliamentary vote of confidence on budget deficit cuts (194 for, 364 against).
• Significance:
  • Byrou will submit his resignation.
  • Byrou was President Macron’s fourth prime minister in less than two years, highlighting instability.
  • The far left and far right now demand their own candidates for the prime minister post.
    • Quote:

      “...he wanted the parliament behind him and he wanted to alert the French to the gravity of the deficit, which is 114% of GDP.”
      — Eleanor Beardsley [02:56]

5. Howard Stern Publicity Stunt

[03:21–04:31]

• Stunt Summary: On his show, Howard Stern orchestrates a prank implying TV personality Andy Cohen would replace him, before clarifying he is not leaving (yet).
  • Notable Moment:

    “I've been thinking about retiring. Now I can't, because then they'll say I got pushed out. Here's the truth. SiriusXM and my team have been talking about how we go forward in the future.”
    — Howard Stern, clip [03:51]

• Background: Stern’s audience has dramatically declined—from 200 million daily listeners at his peak to under 200,000 now. His contract with SiriusXM is up for renewal.

6. Rick Davies of Supertramp Dies

[04:31–05:04]

• Obituary: Rick Davies, cofounder and lead singer of British rock band Supertramp, has died at age 81 from cancer.
• Legacy:
  • Major hits include “Goodbye Stranger” and “The Logical Song.”
  • The album Breakfast in America (1979) topped U.S. and Canadian charts, won two Grammys, and sold over 18 million copies.

Notable Quotes and Moments

• Daniel Biss on Community Trust:
  “They need to know that Evanston Police Department is not going to be participating and Evanston police officers can be trusted.”
  [01:01]
• Carrie Sheridan on Vaccine Mandate Process:
  “It would take legislation at the state level to lift mandates for vaccines that prevent polio, measles, diphtheria, mumps and tetanus. Florida's legislative session start January.”
  [02:15]
• Eleanor Beardsley on French Deficit Gravity:
  “He wanted to alert the French to the gravity of the deficit, which is 114% of GDP.”
  [02:56]
• Howard Stern on His Future:
  “I've been thinking about retiring. Now I can't, because then they'll say I got pushed out. Here's the truth. SiriusXM and my team have been talking about how we go forward in the future.”
  [03:51]

Timeline of News Segments

• 00:25 — Deportation campaign begins in Chicago
• 01:23 — Supreme Court immigration enforcement decision
• 01:54 — Florida school vaccine mandate changes
• 02:28 — French prime minister confidence vote and resignation
• 03:21 — Howard Stern’s SiriusXM publicity stunt
• 04:31 — Rick Davies (Supertramp) obituary

“Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston.”
[00:25]