NPR News Now: December 5, 2025, 10PM EST

Host: Ryland Barton
Date: December 6, 2025
Episode Theme:
A concise roundup of major U.S. and global news, covering recent changes in public health policy, critical judicial decisions, election developments, notable speeches from political figures, and a tribute to a renowned architect.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Vaccine Policy Shift

[00:18] Ryland Barton:

• A federal vaccine advisory committee has reversed a decades-old recommendation for all newborns to receive the hepatitis B vaccine on the day of birth.
• New recommendation: Only babies with mothers testing positive for hepatitis should get the birth dose.
• Context: The original policy was considered a public health success by preventing thousands of liver infection cases.
• The change was prompted by a committee chaired by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

2. Presidential Power and Federal Agency Firings

[01:05] Andrea Hsu:

• The DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the president may fire members of two independent agencies at will:
  • National Labor Relations Board (Gwen Wilcox)
  • Merit Systems Protection Board (Kathy Harris)
• Reasoning: The court held that prior Supreme Court precedent (from 1935) did not apply because these agencies wield substantial executive power.
• Upcoming: The Supreme Court is set to hear a related case; the Trump administration is pressing the Court to strike down the 1935 precedent and expand presidential dismissal power.

Notable Quote:

"The appeals court found that a 1935 Supreme Court decision limiting the president's power ... doesn't apply here because both agencies wield substantial executive power."
— Andrea Hsu [01:20]

3. Texas Redistricting and National Ramifications

[01:52] Ryland Barton:

• The Supreme Court has allowed Texas to use a new congressional map in midterms.
• Key Point: It doesn’t guarantee Republican control, contrary to what President Trump had hoped for with the redistricting push.

[02:07] Andrew Schneider (Houston Public Media):

• Texas's move prompted other states to consider or pursue mid-decade redistricting, escalating partisan legal strategy nationwide.

• Travis Crumb (Washington University):

  "The signal that gets sent with this case is going to reverberate in the legal challenges ... across the country." [02:19]

• Democratic-run states like California, Virginia, and Maryland are considering similar moves; Republican-run Missouri and North Carolina have already followed Texas’s example.

4. Indiana Congressional Map Changes

[02:45] Ryland Barton:

• Indiana's state House approved a new map potentially granting Republicans two more seats.
• The bill moves to the state Senate, where its fate is uncertain due to hesitation among lawmakers, despite White House pressure.

5. U.S. Stock Market Update

[02:45] Ryland Barton:

• Stock indices near record highs:
  • S&P 500: +0.1%
  • Dow: +0.2%
  • NASDAQ: +0.3%

6. Brazilian Election News

[03:17] Ryland Barton:

• Senator Flavio Bolsonaro to run for Brazilian president in 2026, succeeding his father, Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup.
• Flavio will challenge President Lula da Silva as the Liberal Party candidate.

7. Biden Returns to Washington and Criticizes Trump on LGBTQ Rights

[03:54] Elena Moore:

• Former President Joe Biden, recently recovering from cancer, accepted an award at the LGBTQ Victory Institute and spoke at its conference.
• Key Theme: Highlighted his record on LGBTQ rights, mentioning the 2022 law codifying same-sex marriage.
• Biden criticized President Trump and "MAGA Republicans" for rolling back anti-discrimination policies and seeking to "distort and derail" equality efforts.

Notable Quotes:

"Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans are trying to distort and derail our fight for equality. They're trying to turn it into something scary, something sinister."
— Joe Biden [04:14]

Context:

• Since returning to office, Trump administration has restricted transgender rights and repealed several Biden-era LGBTQ policies.

8. Obituary: Frank Gehry

[04:36] Ryland Barton:

• Famed architect Frank Gehry died at 96 from respiratory illness.
• Known for his signature artistic, curving structures (e.g., Guggenheim Museum Bilbao; Disney Concert Hall LA).

Notable Quotes

• Andrea Hsu:

  "...the president has unlimited power to remove those who assist him in carrying out his duties." [01:42]

• Travis Crumb:

  "The signal that gets sent with this case is going to reverberate in the legal challenges ... across the country." [02:19]

• Joe Biden:

  "Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans are trying to distort and derail our fight for equality. They're trying to turn it into something scary, something sinister." [04:14]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Federal Vaccine Recommendation Change: 00:18
• Court Ruling on Presidential Firings: 01:05
• Texas Redistricting & National Implications: 01:52 – 02:31
• Indiana Redistricting: 02:45
• Stock Market Update: 02:45 – 03:17
• Brazil Election News: 03:17
• Biden at LGBTQ Victory Institute: 03:54
• Frank Gehry Obituary: 04:36

This summary encapsulates the major stories and their significance while preserving the original tone and providing direct speaker attributions, offering listeners a clear and context-rich overview of the news.