NPR News Now – October 4, 2025, 6PM EDT

Host: Jeanine Hurst
Duration: 5 minutes
Main Theme:
A concise roundup of major national and international news, focusing on the ongoing federal government shutdown, U.S. immigration enforcement actions, significant developments in Japan’s government, the sentencing of Sean “Diddy” Combs, and new efforts to prevent avian flu among Minnesota turkey growers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Federal Government Shutdown (00:33–01:37)

• Overview:
  The U.S. federal government enters its fourth day of shutdown.
• Positions:
  • Republicans: Want a temporary funding extension to allow for further negotiation.
  • Democrats: Insist any short-term funding bill must include extended health care subsidies, soon to expire.
  • White House: Uses the shutdown as an opportunity to further reduce the federal workforce and freeze certain projects.
• Clean Energy Grants:
  • Stephen Fowler reports:
    Billions in clean energy grants are canceled by the Energy Department after a review, citing lack of advancement for national needs, economic viability, and return on investment.
    • These affected projects are located in “more than a dozen states, including Minnesota and New York, all of them Vice President Kamala Harris won in last year's presidential election.” (01:18)
    • The announcement occurs amid a push to rally Democratic support for the administration's plans to end the shutdown.

2. Immigration Enforcement and Protests in Chicago (01:37–02:40)

• Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker:
  • Refuses the Trump administration’s demand to deploy the Illinois National Guard in response to unspecified federal directives, noting the federal intention to “federalize 300 Illinois Guard members.” (01:46)
  • Emphasizes the state doesn't require military intervention.
• Recent Incidents:
  • Protests erupt in Chicago’s Brighton Park after Homeland Security officers shot an armed woman during an altercation. The agency reports that Border Patrol vehicles “were rammed and boxed in by 10 cars,” and that a suspect attempted to run agents over with a semi-automatic weapon (02:07).
  • Early morning immigration raid earlier in the week saw the detention (for hours) of dozens, including U.S. citizens, from a Chicago apartment building.
• Community Response:
  • Alderman Brian Sigcho Lopez:
    Criticizes the federal immigration raids for “escalating violence” in the city, emphasizing that “this is not making anyone safer, these raids. You saw the raids I just did a few days ago. They were innocent people.” (02:31–02:40)

3. Political Shifts in Japan (02:40–03:31)

• Party Leadership:
  • Anthony Kuhn reports:
    The ruling Liberal Democratic Party elects former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi as its new leader, making her likely to become Japan’s first female Prime Minister.
• Takaichi’s Policies:
  • Advocates increased defense spending and tighter immigration controls.
  • Opposes same-sex marriage and allowing women to accede to the imperial throne.
• Political Landscape:
  • The LDP is currently in the parliamentary minority and must form coalitions to pass legislation.
  • Takaichi’s leadership will be tested during a planned visit by President Trump later this month.
• Memorable Summary (Anthony Kuhn, 03:20):
  “Japanese are fed up with the political establishment. The ldp, which has governed Japan for most of the past seven decades, now finds itself in the minority in both houses of Parliament.”

4. Sentencing of Sean “Diddy” Combs (03:31–04:22)

• Legal Outcome:
  • Lawyers for Combs plan to appeal his sentence of over four years in prison for prostitution-related charges.
  • Defense team claims bias and notes he was “unjustly punished for crimes he wasn’t convicted of.” (03:37)
• Courtroom Details:
  • Combs found not guilty of racketeering, conspiracy, and sex trafficking.
  • Showed emotion during sentencing; his lawyers played a video about his family and philanthropic work.
  • He was also fined $500,000, the maximum permitted.

5. Avian Flu Prevention in Minnesota (04:22–05:08)

• New Measures:
  • Minnesota turkey growers are adopting laser technology to keep migratory birds away from barns, aimed at preventing the spread of avian flu.
  • The state legislature has allocated $400,000 over two years to support the purchase of these lasers.
  • The lasers, which emit infrared beams, deter ducks and geese without harming them.
• Direct Quote (Matt Herdering, turkey grower, 04:53):
  “It terrifies us. It's one of those things where every spring and every fall, we live in fear.”
• Effectiveness:
  • Herdering reports installing two lasers last year with positive results.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Stephen Fowler on Grant Cancellation (01:18):
  “Others have noted that those projects are in more than a dozen states, including Minnesota and New York, all of them Vice President Kamala Harris won in last year's presidential election.”

• Alderman Brian Sigcho Lopez on Immigration Raids (02:31):
  “They are escalating violence in the city. This is not making anyone safer, these raids. You saw the raids I just did a few days ago. They were innocent people.”

• Anthony Kuhn on Japanese Politics (03:20):
  “Japanese are fed up with the political establishment. The ldp, which has governed Japan for most of the past seven decades, now finds itself in the minority in both houses of Parliament.”

• Matt Herdering, turkey grower, about avian flu season (04:53):
  “It terrifies us. It's one of those things where every spring and every fall, we live in fear.”

Timeline of Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:33 | Government Shutdown Update | | 01:02 | Clean Energy Grants Canceled | | 01:37 | Illinois, Federal Immigration Enforcement, Chicago Protests | | 02:31 | Alderman Lopez’s Response | | 02:40 | Japan’s Leadership Shift | | 03:31 | Sentencing of Sean “Diddy” Combs | | 04:22 | Avian Flu Prevention Among Minnesota Turkey Growers | | 05:08 | Newscast Conclusion |

Conclusion

This tightly-packed five-minute NPR newscast delivers updates on the unresolved federal government shutdown and its fiscal consequences, heightened immigration enforcement and reactions in Chicago, significant political change in Japan with the rise of its first likely female PM, the sentencing appeal of hip-hop star Sean “Diddy” Combs, and innovative methods to protect Minnesota’s turkey industry from avian flu. Each story underscores ongoing tensions and transitions shaping U.S. and world affairs.