NPR News: 10-06-2025 11PM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now: 10-06-2025 11PM EDT

Date: October 7, 2025
Host: Shea Stevens & NPR Reporting Team
Episode Overview:
This concise NPR News Now episode offers key updates on US politics amid a government shutdown, legal escalations around immigration enforcement, consumer healthcare access, international conflict resolutions, political turmoil in France, music industry milestones, and US financial market movements.

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Government Shutdown Stalemate

[00:21 - 01:24]

• Fifth Senate Rejection:
  The US Senate has once again failed to pass both Democratic and Republican spending bills to end the partial government shutdown, now entering its second week.
• Health Care Tax Credits:
  Minority Leader Chuck Schumer emphasizes Democrats’ willingness to negotiate on extending health care tax credits that are set to expire at the end of the year.
  • Quote (Schumer):
    “Frankly, what should happen now is the president should lean on Speaker Johnson to...” [00:39]
  • (Reporter): “Relent on his extreme refusal to negotiate.” [00:46]
• Political Division:
  Despite three Democrats supporting the Republican bill, it failed to garner the 60 votes required.
• Speaker Critique:
  Criticism mounts on House Speaker Johnson for not engaging in negotiations.
  • Quote:
    "It's not a sustainable position for the speaker to literally shut the entire House down and not do anything to solve this crisis." [00:51]

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State Lawsuits & Immigration Enforcement

[01:24 - 01:59]

• Illinois & Chicago Sue Trump Administration:
  Illinois and Chicago are seeking a federal block on President Trump's reported plans to send military personnel to Chicago under the guise of "maintaining order" amid intensified immigration enforcement.
• Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Position:
  • Quote (Pritzker):
    “They think they can fool us all into thinking that the way to get out of this crisis that they created is to give them free reign. Well, that plan will only work if we let it.” [01:41]
• Federal Response Timeline:
  The administration has until Thursday to officially respond to the lawsuits.
• Oregon Update:
  In a related move, a federal judge in Oregon prevents the deployment of National Guard troops to that state.
  • Reporter:
    “A federal judge in Oregon has barred the president from sending National Guard members to Oregon.” [01:52]

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Consumer Health: Wegovy at Costco

[01:59 - 02:53]

• Discount Obesity Drug:
  Costco now offers the obesity drug Wegovy to its members for $500/month without insurance, both in-store and online.
• Insurance Caveats:
  Using insurance, copays might be even cheaper, and similar discount programs exist via Novo Nordisk's website.
• Compounded Alternatives:
  During past shortages, compounded versions became popular due to lower costs, despite lack of insurance coverage.
  • Quote (Lupkin):
    “The compounded medicines, which aren't usually covered by insurance, were available for a fraction of Wegovy's sticker price of around $1,400 a month.” [02:46]

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International Affairs: Gaza Ceasefire Talks

[02:54 - 03:21]

• Talks Resume in Cairo:
  Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are set to resume over a US-led plan for ceasefire, hostages-for-prisoners swaps, and discussions on troop withdrawals, Hamas disarmament, and future governance of Gaza.

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French Political Crisis

[03:21 - 03:42]

• Prime Minister Resigns:
  French PM Sebastien Le Cornu resigns after only weeks in office, citing the highly fractured political climate. This marks France's fourth premier in less than a year.
• Political Instability:
  Ongoing partisan deadlock since President Macron dissolved the parliament and no party holds a majority.

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Pop Music Milestone: Taylor Swift's New Album

[03:43 - 04:41]

• Record-Breaking Release:
  Taylor Swift’s album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” released Friday, has already sold 2.7 million copies in a single day—one of 2025’s biggest launches.
  • Streaming Milestone:
    "It was the most pre saved album in the history of Spotify." [03:58]
  • Comparison:
    Swift is now close to Adele’s all-time record of 3.4 million first-week sales.
    • Quote (Stephen Thompson):
      “That's a colossal number in the age of streaming.” [04:20]

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Market Recap

[04:41 - 04:59]

• Wall Street Ends Mixed:
  • Dow Jones down 63 points
  • Nasdaq up 161 points
  • S&P 500 adds 24 points
• After-hours Trading:
  Futures are lower.

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Notable Quotes and Moments

• Schumer on Negotiation Blockade:
  “Frankly, what should happen now is the president should lean on Speaker Johnson to…” – Sen. Chuck Schumer [00:39]

• Governor Pritzker on State Resistance:
  “They think they can fool us all into thinking that the way to get out of this crisis that they created is to give them free reign. Well, that plan will only work if we let it.” – Gov. J.B. Pritzker [01:41]

• On Swift’s Sales:
  “That's a colossal number in the age of streaming.” – Stephen Thompson, NPR Music [04:20]

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Useful Timestamps

• US Government Shutdown & Senate Votes: 00:21 – 01:24
• Illinois Lawsuit Against Trump on Immigration: 01:24 – 01:59
• Wegovy at Costco: 01:59 – 02:53
• Gaza Ceasefire Talks: 02:54 – 03:21
• France’s Political Crisis: 03:21 – 03:42
• Taylor Swift Breaks Records: 03:43 – 04:41
• US Financial Markets Recap: 04:41 – 04:59

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Transcript

[NPR Host]

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[NPR News Anchor]

Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. For the fifth time, the US Senate has rejected dueling spending bills to end the partial government shutdown. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says Democrats are still ready to negotiate a plan to extend health care tax credits that expire at the end of the year. Frankly, what should happen now is the president should lean on Speaker Johnson to.

[NPR Reporter]

Relent on his extreme refusal to negotiate.

[NPR News Anchor]

It's not a sustainable position for the speaker to literally shut the entire House down and not do anything to solve this crisis. Three Democrats broke with their party today to support the GOP spending bill, but it wasn't enough to get the 60 votes needed for passage. The partial government shutdown is now in its second week. Illinois and Chicago are suing the Trump administration to block what Governor J.B. pritzker calls a, quote, unconstitutional invasion. From member station WBEZ, Mawa Iqbal reports that a federal judge is delaying his ruling on the matter.

[NPR Correspondent]

A federal judge in Chicago is giving the Trump administration until Thursday to respond to the lawsuit. The president has been threatening to send military members to Chicago for months in order to, quote, maintain order while federal agents ramp up immigration enforcement. Governor J.B. pritzker says the state will use every lever to resist.

[NPR Host]

They think they can fool us all into thinking that the way to get out of this crisis that they created is to give them free reign. Well, that plan will only work if we let it.

[NPR Correspondent]

A federal judge in Oregon has barred the president from sending National Guard members to Oregon. For NPR News, I'm Mawa Iqbal in Springfield, Illinois.

[NPR News Anchor]

For $500 a month, US shoppers can purchase the blockbuster obesity drug Wegovy at Costco. As NPR's Sydney Lupkin reports, the big Box store is dispensing the medication through its pharmacy and online Discounted Wegovy is.

[NPR Reporter]

Now available to Costco members as long as they're not using their health insurance. With insurance, however, the drug's copay is often less expensive. The discount program is similar to what the drug's maker, Novo Nordisk, already offers on its website. The company launched discounted Wegovy on its direct to consumer platform Novocare and partnered with several telehealth companies last spring. That allowed Novo Nordisk to compete with telehealth companies offering compounded obesity drugs during the Wegovy shortage the compounded medicines, which aren't usually covered by insurance, were available for a fraction of Wegovy's sticker price of around $1,400 a month.

[NPR Host]

So.

[NPR Reporter]

Sidney Lupkin, NPR News.

[NPR News Anchor]

Talks on ending the war in Gaza are set to resume Tuesday in Cairo. Israeli and Hamas officials are holding indirect talks on a plan drafted by the United States calling for the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The two sides still must negotiate a partial withdrawal of Israeli troops, disarming Hamas and a post war government for Gaza. This is npr. French President Emmanuel Macron is looking for another prime minister to replace Sebastien Le Cornu, who has resigned. Lecornu had been in the post only weeks before, declaring that French politics are too fractured to govern. He was France's fourth premier in less than a year. No French political party has had an outright majority since Macron dissolved parliament last year. Taylor Swift's new album will not hit the Billboard charts until next week, but NPR's Stephen Thompson reports that it is already set setting records.

[NPR Host]

Taylor Swift released her new record the Life of a Showgirl on Friday just a few days later. It's shaping up to be one of 2025's biggest hits. The Life of a Showgirl was breaking records even before its release. For example, it was the most pre saved album in the history of Spotify. Now that it's out, it's racking up new milestones and it sold 2.7 million copies on Friday alone. That's a colossal number in the age of streaming. The Life of a Showgirl now sits within striking distance of the best first week sales of any album in the modern era. That record belongs to Adele, who in 2025 sold nearly 3.4 million copies of her album 25 in a single week. Stephen Thompson, NPR News.

[NPR News Anchor]

Wall street stocks closed mixed today with the Dow Jones Industrials falling 63 points, the Nasdaq Composite Index G 161 points, and the S&P 500 added 24. U.S. futures are lower in after hours trading. This is NPR News.

[NPR Correspondent]

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