NPR News: 10-06-2025 2PM EDT

Summary

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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.

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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]

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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)

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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

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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.

Transcript

[Throughline Host]

On the Throughline podcast from npr. Immigration enforcement might be more visible now, but this moment didn't begin with President Trump's second inauguration or even his first, a series from Throughline about how immigration became political and a cash cow. Listen to Throughline in the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. President Trump says he's following through on his warning of five rather than furloughing federal workers during the government shutdown, which is now in its sixth day. White House press Secretary Caroline Levitt says the process of determining dismissals is underway.

[Allison Aubrey]

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.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The administration accuses congressional Democrats of forcing its hand on additional layoffs. The majority of Democrats opposed to the GOP's short term spending measure are demanding Republicans restore health care subsidies lost under President Trump's big tax and spending cut legislation over the summer. The US Senate is due to hold another vote on the stopgap measure today. Well, despite the shutdown, the U.S. supreme Court opened a new term today. NPR's Zena Totenberg reports. They'll take up cases ranging from questions of presidential power to LGBTQ rights.

[Nina Totenberg]

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. 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. 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 States. Nina Totenberg, NPR News, Washington.

[Lakshmi Singh]

CBS News has taken another step to appeal to the right with the installation of Bari Weiss as editor in chief. CBS New corporate owner Skydance Media also announced that it has acquired the Free Press, Weiss's right of center news site. The French are waiting to see what President Emmanuel Macron will do after his latest prime minister resigned this morning. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports. France is plunged into a deepening political crisis, and Macron is increasingly isolated.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

Speaking after resigning, outgoing Prime Minister Sebastien Le Cornu told the Nation it was too difficult to govern with a fractured parliament where no party has an absolute majority, yet all refuse compromise. Le Cornu was the fourth premier named by Macron since He dissolved Parliament a year and a half ago and lost his majority. 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. Analysts say Macron has three name a prime minister from the larger mainstream left, dissolve parliament and call new legislative elections, or step down and let the French people choose a new president. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris.

[Lakshmi Singh]

From Washington, this is NPR News. A study of hundreds of species of mammals finds females tend to outlive males. NPR's Allison Aubrey reports. The longevity gap mirrors what is seen in humans and offers clues on how to narrow it.

[Allison Aubrey]

Women are much more likely to outlive men. On average, men can expect to live 76 years, compared to 81 for women. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute studied 528 species of mammals and found females live about 13% longer in many species. Study author Fernando Calchero says genetics play a role, pointing to a protective effect of two X chromosomes and risky mating behaviors are a factor, too.

[Throughline Host]

This female advantage in longevity is something.

[Lakshmi Singh]

That goes back millions of years.

[Allison Aubrey]

The sex that spends more time caring for offspring tends to live longer. Researchers say mimicking the preventive care habits of women could help narrow the gap. Alison Aubrey, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has adopted the recommendations made by a panel of outside advisors more than two weeks ago. 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. CDC now recommends that toddlers receive chickenpox vaccination as a separate shot to rather than in combination with measles, mumps and rubella vaccination. The Dow's down 21s and P's up 32. You're listening to NPR News.

[Throughline Host]

Listen to this podcast sponsor, free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app, by subscribing to NPR news [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org.