NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-04-2025 1AM EDT

Episode Date: September 4, 2025

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What's made you happy as of late? On Pop Culture Happy Hour, we've been talking about the things that have made us happy in the pop culture universe for the past 15 years. Whether it's a blockbuster or deliciously bad reality TV, the newest shows, dramas, and reboots, we're here to keep your spirits high. Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massey is asking his Republican colleagues

to join a petition to release all files on the sex trafficking probe of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He says only two more signatures are needed. Massey was among some members of Congress joining several Epstein accusers outside of the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, including Haley Robson. I was a 16-year-old high school student athlete who made good grades and had high aspirations for college. when I was recruited and asked by a classmate of mine

alongside with a 20-year-old male if I wanted to give an old rich guy a massage. But what high school girl would not want to do that? That day changed my life forever. Robson says she is still receiving death threats for speaking publicly about her abuse. An attorney says the accusers are compiling their own list of the powerful people they met through Epstein

and the financial institutions that enabled his sex trafficking. The Texas Senate passed a bill calling for one of the country's strictest crackdowns on abortion pills. Details from Olivia Aldridge of member station KUT in Austin. Texas already has a near total ban on abortion. The newly passed bill aims to curb the practice of out-of-state doctors, prescribing abortion pills to Texas residents, and sending them through the mail. State Senator Brian Hughes championed the bill in the Texas Senate.

If you manufacture, distribute these drugs, and ship them to take them to Texas for the purpose of killing a little unborn baby, harming a mom, you will be held accountable. If the governor signs the bill into law, private citizens would be able to sue out-of-state providers of the pills for $100,000 or more. I'm Olivia Aldridge in Austin. In Baltimore, some residents took to the streets Wednesday to protest the idea of having federal troops patrolling their city. The protest came a day after President Trump floated the idea of sending National Guard troops to several more cities. Scott Masseoni from member station WYPR has details.

Your National Guard, not welcome here. Baltimore residents pulled together an overnight protest after President Donald Trump once again threatened to send the National Guard into the city claiming it would lower crime. Kira McDonald was one of the protesters in the crowd. We all see the stats and the news about how crime has been decreasing over the past 30 years here in Baltimore. I think there are real strategies that are working. I don't think the National Guard is going to solve anything that the city isn't already solving for itself. Trump's comments come as the city records historic decreases in violent crimes, including homicides.

Last month, the city saw seven homicides, the lowest for that month and half a century. For NPR news, I'm Scott Masseoni in Baltimore. US futures are flat, and after hours trading on Wall Street, Asian markets are mixed. This is NPR. Governors of California, Oregon, and Washington State are forming a public health alliance to preserve access to vaccines. Their so-called Western Health Alliance will develop its own immunization guidelines with the help of recognized health groups. Meanwhile, Florida's governor is expected to sign legislation that would end all vaccine mandates in that state. China's President Xi Jinping has hosted several nations marking 80 years since the end of World War II, including the leaders of Russia and North Korea.

But NPR's Charles Mains reports that a hot mic moment between Xi and Russian leader Putin is making some headlines. As Chinese president Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin head towards the military parade, the two leaders can be heard through interpreters discussing the changing nature of mortality. It used to be rare for someone to be older than 70s, says Xi, adding these days at 70 one still a child. In response, Putin notes that thanks to biotechnology, Human organs can be continuously transplanted, allowing people to even achieve immortality. The exchange comes as the longtime leaders. Both 72 years of age have altered their country's constitutions to effectively remain in power for life.

Later in a press conference, Putin said he was merely stating a fact about the miracles of modern science. Charles Bain's NPR News, Moscow. There is still no winner of the still rising powerball jackpot now estimated at $1.4 billion. The winning numbers from Wednesday's drawing are two. 16, 29, 61, 69, and Powerball 22. The next drawing is on Saturday. This is NPR. This message comes from Wise, the app for using money around the globe.

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