NPR News Now – Episode Summary
Episode: NPR News: 10-06-2025 11AM EDT
Host: Korva Coleman (NPR)
Date: October 6, 2025
Duration: ~5 minutes
Overview
This episode delivers a concise roundup of the day's top national and international news stories. The major themes include political and legal battles in the U.S. surrounding the government shutdown and deployment of National Guard troops, the Supreme Court’s new docket, international trade tensions over U.S. pasta tariffs, new CDC vaccine recommendations, and the retraction of a prominent weight loss study.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Illinois and Chicago Sue Trump Administration Over National Guard Deployment
[00:17-01:07]
- Illinois state and Chicago city officials filed suit against the Trump administration, opposing the deployment of National Guard troops to their jurisdictions.
- Of note, some deployed troops were from the Texas National Guard.
- The move comes after a federal judge blocked Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Oregon.
Quote
“Officials in the city and the state say they don’t want the troops and that they’re not needed.”
– Korva Coleman [00:24]
Context
- This is occurring during day six of a federal government shutdown—negotiations continue to stall over a spending bill.
- Democrats want Republicans to rescind health care spending cuts.
- Republicans prioritize passing a short-term bill first.
- The House has already passed a bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson refuses to reconvene the House.
- Quote:
“There’s nothing for us to negotiate. The House has done its job.”
– Speaker Mike Johnson [01:03]
- Quote:
U.S. Supreme Court’s New Term Begins
[01:07-02:07]
- Despite the shutdown, the Supreme Court opens a new term.
- Major incoming cases span presidential power, LGBTQ rights, Trump administration tariffs, agency leadership, the Voting Rights Act, and campaign fundraising regulations.
Insights & Notable Cases
- Challenge to Trump’s tariffs and firing of independent agency directors, possibly overruling long-standing legal precedent.
- A case could end key protections in the Voting Rights Act.
- A review of campaign fundraising laws and citizenship rights under the Constitution may come up.
Quote
“Also likely to end up before the court is the question it didn’t decide last year, testing whether the president has the power to limit the constitutional provision guaranteeing citizenship to every person born in the United...”
– Nina Totenberg [01:54]
U.S.-Italy Trade Battle Over Pasta Tariffs
[02:07-03:11]
- Italy urges President Trump to rescind steep new tariffs on Italian pasta imports.
- U.S. Department of Commerce accuses Italian producers of dumping pasta at unfair prices.
- Tariffs jump to over 90%, raising total duties on premium Italian pasta to 107%.
- Italian agriculture groups warn the tariffs could devastate producers and double prices for American consumers.
Quote
“Calderetti, Italy’s influential agribusiness association, has warned that as well as being a fatal blow for some Italian pasta producers, it would double the cost of a plate of pasta for American families.”
– Ruth Sherlock [02:58]
CDC Adopts New Vaccine Recommendations
[03:11-04:09]
- CDC now recommends that toddlers get a separate chickenpox shot instead of a combined MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, varicella) shot.
- COVID-19 vaccines for children now require “shared decision making” between families and healthcare providers—a shift from previous, more direct recommendations.
Insight
- CDC’s updated protocol reflects increasing emphasis on individualized risk assessment.
- This move follows recommendations from an external advisory panel two weeks prior.
Weight Loss Study Retraction: Apple Cider Vinegar
[04:09-04:52]
- The BMJ retracted a high-profile study that claimed daily apple cider vinegar led to dramatic weight loss in a Lebanese cohort.
- Critics flagged implausible results and errors shortly after publication.
- Despite the retraction, apple cider vinegar remains popular due to celebrity endorsements.
Quote
“News outlets around the world covered the research. Within weeks, though, scientists began posting critiques, saying the results were implausible and marred by errors.”
– John Hamilton [04:23]
Notable Moments & Timestamps
- [00:24] – Illinois and Chicago oppose National Guard deployment.
- [01:03] – Speaker Mike Johnson on lack of negotiation.
- [01:54] – Supreme Court may revisit citizenship rights.
- [02:58] – Italian group warns of doubled pasta prices.
- [04:23] – Scientists critique apple cider vinegar weight loss study.
Tone & Language
- Direct, objective, and fact-driven, as is typical for NPR News Now.
- Emphasis on clarity and brevity—rapidly summarizing complex topics for a general audience.
- Occasional authoritative or urgent tone, especially regarding government shutdown and world trade issues.