NPR News Now — October 6, 2025 — 8AM EDT

Brief Overview
This episode delivers a rapid, five-minute roundup of the morning's most urgent news: the ongoing federal government shutdown and stalled Senate talks; judicial intervention blocking National Guard deployment to Oregon amidst protests; mass pro-Palestinian marches across Europe; a major U.S. bank merger; the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Medicine; and the arrival of 2025's first supermoon.

Government Shutdown: Senate Standoff (00:18–01:13)

• Day 6 of Shutdown: The federal government remains closed as of the sixth day, with no resolution in sight.
• Senate Deadlock:
  • Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat) and Minority Leader John Thune (Republican) are publicly at odds.
  • Schumer insists on negotiating health care benefit extensions as part of any deal, while Thune focuses solely on reopening government operations.
• House Activity:
  • Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican) keeps the House closed for the week and blames Schumer for the impasse:

    • "They're doing this to get political cover because Chuck Schumer is afraid that he won't win his next reelection bid to the Senate." — Mike Johnson [00:49]

  • House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (Democrat) shifts criticsim toward President Trump’s perceived lack of engagement:

    • "Trump, the president spending all of his time on the golf course. We need serious leadership." — Hakeem Jeffries [00:59]

• Call for Talks: Schumer advocates for a meeting with congressional leaders and President Trump to break the deadlock.

Legal Block on National Guard Deployment in Oregon (01:13–02:12)

• Judicial Restraint on Federal Action:
  • A federal judge, Karen Immergut, issued a temporary restraining order late Sunday night, preventing the Trump administration from deploying National Guard units (from any state) to Oregon.
  • This comes after prior attempts to send Oregon and California National Guard forces to Portland in response to ongoing ICE protests.
• Key Legal Justification:
  • The judge ruled there was "no legal basis for the military to assist local law enforcement."
  • Oregon officials reiterated local authorities can manage the situation.
  • President Trump referred to Portland as "war ravaged," but the judge’s order affirmed state autonomy.

Mass Pro-Palestinian Protests and UK Crackdown (02:12–03:03)

• Widescale Demonstrations:
  • Hundreds of thousands marched across Europe for Palestinian solidarity.
  • In the UK, approximately 500 people were arrested during a peaceful demonstration.
• UK Policy Response:
  • The government recently banned public expressions of support for "Palestine Action," following vandalism against military aircraft used in Gaza operations.
  • Weekly sit-ins continue, with authorities arresting protesters for placards and chants.
  • Police powers have been expanded to curb protests, especially following an attack on a synagogue last week.

  • "Now UK officials say they'll give police enhanced power to crack down further." — Lauren Frayer [02:59]

Additional Headlines

Hamas Attack Second Anniversary Approaches (03:03–03:17)

• Protests occur ahead of the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel (nearly 1,200 killed, 251 taken hostage).

Major Bank Merger in U.S. Finance (03:17–03:41)

• Fifth Third Bank plans to acquire Comerica for nearly $11 billion in stock, forming what may become the country's ninth-largest bank.

Nobel Prize in Medicine Announced (03:42–04:05)

• Americans Mary Brunko and Fred Ramsdell, along with Japan's Shimon Sakaguchi, win for breakthroughs explaining how the immune system protects the body.

Science Feature: Supermoon Season Begins (04:05–04:50)

• Supermoons Explained:
  • The first supermoon of 2025 marks the start of a trio to close out the year.
  • Occurs when the moon’s elliptical orbit brings it closest to Earth at "perigee" (approx. 225,000 miles away).

  • "It looks up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter and does more than dazzle. The proximity can cause higher tides than usual." — Amy Held [04:24]

• Cultural Impact:
  • The term "supermoon" dates back to 1979, surging in popularity with online trends and social media moon photography.

Markets Brief (04:50–04:56)

• Pre-market Trading:
  • Dow futures are up in early trading.

End of Content Summary