NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-05-2025 3AM EDT

Episode Date: September 5, 2025

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Presentato for me, Mariel Segarra. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shay-Stevens. Illinois Governor J.B. Prisker says he is not certain when federal agents and National Guard troops will be deployed to Chicago. But WB.E.C.'s Malwa Iqbal reports that he's already preparing a response. Governor J.B. Pritzker is vowing to sue President Trump as soon as the National Guard or other military forces enter the city. Pisker says he can't enact any state laws that would override Trump's plans, but he says the courts will be on his side. That's going to be our first line of defense is getting a court to issue a TRO. or other injunction against that activity.

Prisker says he believes immigration and customs enforcement or ICE agents will likely hit the streets of Chicago by this weekend. Meanwhile, organizers of a popular two-day celebration of Mexican Independence Day are postponing the festival to November. For NPR News, I'm Mawa Iqbal in Springfield, Illinois. Both Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee grilled health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Thursday on his leadership. Kennedy defended his policies and staff.

cutting cuts and accused medical groups calling for his resignation of accepting contributions from junkmakers. These changes were absolutely necessary adjustments to restore the agency to its role as the world's gold standard public health agency with the central mission of protecting Americans from infectious disease. Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden said that Kennedy's policies are making Americans sicker. Every single day there's been an action that endangers the head. health and wellness of American families. Robert Kennedy has elevated conspiracy theorists, crackpots, and grifters to make life or death decisions about the health care of the American people. Thursday's hearing was held in wake of an open letter signed by more than 1,000 current

and former health department workers calling for Secretary Kennedy to resign. PBS has announced that it's cutting about 15 percent of its workforce in response to the elimination of federal subsidies for public media. At President Trump's request, the Republican-led Congress clawed back funding that had already been approved. NPR's David Fulkenplick has more. CEO Paula Kerger said PBS had already taken smaller steps but didn't have much choice. She said the congressional rescission of all future funds for the corporation for public broadcasting, more than $500 million annually, mostly to public TV and radio stations, was compounded by the Trump administration's decision to kill a major educational grant for PBS.

Kerger wrote to station officials that PBS would still fulfill core missions, quote, these decisions, while difficult, positioned PBS to weather the current challenges facing public media. Some stations have embarked on their own job cuts, even as listeners, viewers, and readers have stepped forward with fresh contributions to try to help stations fill the gaps. David Fulkenflik and PR News. You're listening to NPR. President Trump has signed an executive order to lower tariffs on autos from Japan from 27 and a half percent to 15 percent. And U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports will no longer apply to Japanese aircraft. The White House says Japan has agreed to invest over $500 billion

in the U.S. and promise greater access to its markets. The nation's air carriers will no longer have to compensate passengers for flight changes, including delays and cancellations. The Trump administration has indicated it will abandon a Biden-era plan to provide inconvenient passengers with cash, lodging, and meals. Major airlines had warned of higher ticket prices if the plan was implemented. Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo have declared an outbreak of Ebola. NPR's Jonathan Lambert reports that the outbreak has killed at least 15 people, including four health care workers. The outbreak likely began in late August. Officials were on alert after a pregnant woman came to a hospital with fever, vomiting, diarrhea,

and bleeding, classic signs of Ebola. That woman died, and some of the health care workers caring for her fell sick, too. On Thursday, lab tests confirmed Ebola, and officials count 28 suspected cases so far in the southwestern Kassai province. Here's Africa-CDC's YAP boom speaking at a press briefing. Are we worried? No, we are not worried. We are not worried because we are prepared.

The DRC has a stockpile of treatments and vaccines, which they're currently trying to mobilize to mobilize to the isolated region. Jonathan Lambert, NPR News. U.S.S. Futures are flat and after-hours trading. This is NPR News. On the TED Radio Hour podcast, psychologist and teen expert Lisa DeMore says that despite all the scary statistics about kids and their mental health, are kids okay. Yeah. And in some ways, actually, I would say many ways, so much better than we ever were.

How teens are coping with today's stressors and how adults can better support them. Listen on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.