NPR News: 10-06-2025 2PM EDT

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Date: October 6, 2025

Episode Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now update, anchored by Lakshmi Singh, summarizes key developments in U.S. politics, Supreme Court activity, media industry shifts, international politics in France, new scientific research on mammal longevity, and notable changes in vaccine guidelines by the CDC.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Government Shutdown and Federal Worker Layoffs

• President Trump's Approach:
  President Trump affirms that, in light of the ongoing government shutdown (now in its sixth day), there will be dismissals of federal workers rather than temporary furloughs.
• Administration's Justification:
  • “[The Office of Management and Budget] is continuing to work with agencies on who, unfortunately is going to have to be laid off if this shutdown continues.”
    — Allison Aubrey (00:42)
• Democratic Opposition:
  Democrats are resisting the GOP's short-term spending measure, insisting on the restoration of healthcare subsidies lost after Trump's summer tax and spending legislation.
• Next Steps:
  The U.S. Senate is scheduled for another vote on the stopgap measure.

2. Supreme Court Opens New Term Amid Shutdown

• Active Docket Includes:
  • Challenges to President Trump's tariffs.
  • Legality of Trump’s firing of independent agency directors, questioning long-standing Supreme Court precedent.
  • A potential end to what remains of the Voting Rights Act.
  • A challenge to laws limiting campaign fundraising.
  • Revisiting whether the president may limit constitutional birthright citizenship.
  • “On the docket are a challenge to Trump’s massive tariffs and a challenge to his firing of independent agency directors, an action that contradicts a unanimous Supreme Court decision dating back almost a century.”
    — Nina Totenberg (01:21)
• Key Segment: [01:21 - 02:03]

3. Media Industry: CBS News’ Rightward Shift

• Personnel and Acquisition News:
  • Bari Weiss appointed as CBS News editor-in-chief.
  • CBS’ parent, Skydance Media, acquires Weiss’s right-leaning news platform, The Free Press.
• Significance:
  Reflects a broader effort to appeal to right-leaning audiences.

4. France in Political Crisis

• Prime Minister Resignation:
  • Prime Minister Sebastien Le Cornu resigns, citing difficulty governing a deeply divided parliament.
  • “It was too difficult to govern with a fractured parliament where no party has an absolute majority, yet all refuse compromise.”
    — Eleanor Beardsley reporting Le Cornu’s statement (02:33)
• Macron’s Political Dilemma:
  • Macron remains isolated, with no clear majority and plummeting approval.
  • Analysts outline Macron’s limited options: appoint a mainstream leftist as PM, dissolve parliament, or resign.
  • “The national assembly is dominated by the far right and leftist factions who say the president is not listening to the voters and has lost legitimacy given his extremely low poll numbers.”
    — Eleanor Beardsley (02:33)
• Key Segment: [02:33 - 03:19]

5. Scientific Study: Female Mammals Outlive Males

• New Research Findings:
  • In 528 mammal species, females live on average 13% longer than males; parallels with human demographic trends.
  • Genetics and risky mating behaviors play roles.
  • The sex that spends more time caring for offspring generally lives longer.
• Quote:
  • “Women are much more likely to outlive men... On average, men can expect to live 76 years, compared to 81 for women.”
    — Allison Aubrey (03:40)
  • “This female advantage in longevity is something that goes back millions of years.”
    — Lakshmi Singh & Allison Aubrey (04:06-04:12)
• Key Segment: [03:19 - 04:25]

6. CDC Updates Vaccine Guidance

• COVID-19 Vaccines:
  Now subject to shared decision-making between patient and healthcare professional to better weigh individual risks and benefits—an extra step versus earlier blanket recommendations.
• Childhood Vaccinations:
  CDC now recommends toddlers receive the chickenpox vaccine as a separate shot rather than combined with MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella).
• Key Segment: [04:25 - 05:04]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Shutdown Layoffs:
  “The Office of Management and Budget is continuing to work with agencies on who, unfortunately, is going to have to be laid off if this shutdown continues.”
  — Allison Aubrey (00:42)

• On Supreme Court Docket:
  “Also before the court is a case that could end what's left of the landmark Voting Rights act and a case that could do away with one of the few remaining laws that limits campaign fundraising.”
  — Nina Totenberg (01:21)

• On French Political Crisis:
  “The national assembly is dominated by the far right and leftist factions who say the president is not listening to the voters and has lost legitimacy given his extremely low poll numbers.”
  — Eleanor Beardsley (02:33)

• On Mammal Longevity Study:
  “Women are much more likely to outlive men... Researchers at the Max Planck Institute studied 528 species of mammals and found females live about 13% longer in many species.”
  — Allison Aubrey (03:40)

• On CDC Vaccine Update:
  “COVID 19 vaccines are now subject to shared decision making with a healthcare professional to weigh the risks and benefits of vaccination. This is an extra step compared with previous recommendations.”
  — Lakshmi Singh (04:25)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Shutdown & Federal Layoffs — 00:25-01:21
• Supreme Court Preview — 01:21-02:03
• CBS Media Moves — 02:03-02:33
• French Political Crisis — 02:33-03:19
• Mammal Longevity & Human Lifespan Gap — 03:19-04:25
• CDC Vaccine Update — 04:25-05:04

This NPR News Now episode delivers rapid-fire updates on political standoffs, legal battles, international government upheaval, new scientific discoveries, and evolving public health guidance, providing listeners with clarity on the day’s most pressing stories.