NPR News Now: December 8, 2025, 10AM EST

Host: Korva Coleman
Duration: 5 minutes
Main Theme:
A swift roundup of major national and international headlines including Supreme Court arguments with potential to reshape federal power, U.S.-China trade, protests over immigration enforcement in New Orleans, a major earthquake near Japan, state-level political maneuvers in Indiana, AI’s impact on U.S. shopping behavior, and damage at the Louvre museum.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Supreme Court Hears Landmark Case on Presidential Power

• [00:19–01:19]
  • The U.S. Supreme Court is being asked to reconsider a precedent set in 1935 regarding Congressional limits on presidential authority to fire heads of independent agencies.
  • Reporter Andrea Hsu: Highlights the core of the case — Former FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter was removed by former President Trump for being "inconsistent with administration priorities." Slaughter sued, citing the historic precedent; the Trump administration appeals, arguing the Constitution gives the president control over the executive branch.
  • Quote:
    • Andrea Hsu (00:56): “They argue the Constitution puts the president in charge of the entire executive branch and Congress cannot siphon that power away from him.”

2. Markets & Global Trade

• [01:19–02:11]
  • U.S. stock markets opened mixed. The Dow fell approximately 81 points in early trading.
  • Reporter Scott Horsley: While U.S.-China trade is hampered by tariffs and lower exports to the U.S., China’s overall exports rose by nearly 6% and its trade surplus exceeded a trillion dollars for the year.
  • Corporate maneuverings: Paramount is countering Netflix’s proposed Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition; President Trump suggests the deal could create problematic market concentration.
  • Todd Combs, a top Berkshire Hathaway investor and Geico executive, is leaving for JPMorgan Chase.

3. Immigration Protests in New Orleans

• [02:11–02:49]
  • Demonstrators object to ongoing federal immigration enforcement. Viral videos show masked men pursuing people into homes, raising alarm about rights violations and stoking fear.
  • Area resident Christine Ravello and other activists use whistles to alert the community about nearby ICE operations.
  • Quotes:
    • Christine Ravello (02:37): “We’re being kidnapped, okay? They're like hunting us down like we're some type of deer or an animal.”
    • Christine Ravello (02:43): “So the story behind the whistle is to let our community know, hey, we're here. Don't come out. We have your back.”
  • Despite local protest, Louisiana’s Republican governor backs the federal actions.

4. Major Earthquake off Japan’s Coast

• [02:49–03:03]
  • A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck north of Japan; tsunami warnings are in effect. Waves up to 10 feet are possible on central Japan’s coast.

5. Indiana Redistricting Battle

• [03:03–03:15]
  • Indiana’s Republican-led Senate is reviewing state House–approved redistricting, required by President Trump and intended to bolster Republican gains in the U.S. House, but facing state Senate pushback.

6. AI’s Growing Role in Holiday Shopping

• [03:15–04:38]
  • Nearly a quarter of young Americans use AI tools to shop this holiday season. Retailers and tech giants are leveraging new AI features to boost traffic and purchases.
  • Analyst Vivek Pandya (Adobe Digital Insights): “AI shopping is surging up more than 600% during last week’s Cyber Monday, when total spending topped a record $14 billion, according to Adobe analytics…” ([03:55])
  • Quote:
    • Pandya (04:20): “That may look like letting AI track prices, do virtual try ons or just chatting with an AI assistant about gift list. There are risks and concerns around privacy and fraud, and roughly half of people find the joy of giving still comes from shopping in store, the old fashioned way.”

7. Louvre Museum Water Leak and Recent Theft

• [04:38–04:58]
  • The Louvre in Paris reports a water leak damaging several hundred documents, on the heels of a broad-daylight theft of priceless gems.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Time | Speaker | Quote | |----------- |---------------------- |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 00:56 | Andrea Hsu | “They argue the Constitution puts the president in charge of the entire executive branch and Congress cannot siphon that power away from him.” | | 02:37 | Christine Ravello | “We’re being kidnapped, okay? They're like hunting us down like we're some type of deer or an animal.” | | 02:43 | Christine Ravello | “So the story behind the whistle is to let our community know, hey, we're here. Don't come out. We have your back.” | | 03:55 | Vivek Pandya | “AI shopping is surging up more than 600% during last week’s Cyber Monday, when total spending topped a record $14 billion…” | | 04:20 | Vivek Pandya | “That may look like letting AI track prices, do virtual try ons or just chatting with an AI assistant about gift list.”|

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:19] Supreme Court hearing on presidential power
• [01:19] Markets and global trade news
• [02:11] New Orleans immigration protests and local activism
• [02:49] Earthquake and tsunami warning in Japan
• [03:03] Indiana redistricting controversy
• [03:15] Rise of AI-powered holiday shopping
• [04:38] Louvre museum water leak and art theft

Summary Flow & Tone

NPR News Now delivers a brisk yet detailed sweep across politics, business, social issues, global developments, and emerging technology—retaining a calm, fact-based tone. Speakers convey urgency (e.g., earthquake, protests) and context, with moments of human emotion (Christine Ravello’s statement) cutting through the summarizing style. Policy, tech innovation, and cultural headlines blend into a cohesive snapshot for listeners on the go.