NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-05-2025 9AM EDT

Episode Date: September 5, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. The Labor Department has released its latest monthly jobs reports. In August, only 22,000 new jobs were created. That's about 50,000 fewer jobs than analysts were expecting. Last month, President Trump abruptly fired the Labor Department official who oversees these reports after disappointing data were released. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker says he's not certain when federal agents and National Guard troops will be deployed to Chicago, but he is. is preparing a response. From member station WBEZ, Mahwa Iqbal has more. Governor J.B. Pritzker is vowing to sue President Trump as soon as the National Guard or other military forces entered the city. Piskker 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. For NPR News, I'm Mawa-Iqbal in Springfield, Illinois. Massachusetts is the latest date to announce policies to protect vaccine access. As NPR's Ping Huang reports, it's in response to confusion and instability on the federal level. Last week, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired the new head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Food and Drug Administration put limits on the fall COVID shot. In response, states like Massachusetts are sidestepping the federal government with their own vaccine policies. Here's Governor Mara Healy.

People have been calling pharmacies and not able to get appointments because of changes made by the Trump administration. On the West Coast, Washington, Oregon, and California have formed a health alliance. New Mexico is changing regulations so people can get COVID shots at pharmacies this fall. Florida is going the other way. The Republican leadership there is working to end all vassies. vaccine requirements in the state. Ping Huang, NPR News. Russian President Vladimir Putin is threatening to target any Western forces deployed to Ukraine. This comes as several European nations say they could potentially send peacekeepers to Ukraine.

NPR's Charles Mainz reports that's if and when a ceasefire is reached. Speaking in Russia's Far East, Putin said any Western forces deployed as peacekeepers would be legitimate targets for the Russian military. Putin argued the West-growing military involvement in Ukraine had been the root cause of the war. Putin added Russia would abide by any eventual peace deal reached, making the presence of outside forces unnecessary. A coalition of more than two dozen countries led by France and Britain say they're prepared to send a reinsurance force to Ukraine once active fighting stops. The Trump administration has signaled it may provide air support but ruled out American boots on the ground. Ukraine insists foreign troops are essential

to keep Russia from launching new attacks. Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. President Trump hosted several big tech executives for dinner last night at the White House, but one executive who was not there was Elon Musk. The billionaire formerly oversaw Trump's Doge effort. A former Alaska Airlines pilot has reached plea deals with federal and state prosecutors in Oregon. Nearly two years ago, Joseph Emerson was riding in an extra seat in the cockpit. He tried to turn off the plane's engines in flight and was subdued by the flight.

crew. The plane landed safely. Emerson told police he was depressed over a friend's death, had taken psychedelic mushrooms, and not slept in two days. Emerson's lawyer says he's seeking to take responsibility for his actions and avoid further time behind bars. Several new albums are on this week's Billboard Music Charts, and PR Stephen Thompson takes a listen. This week, four new albums crack the Billboard Top 10 for the first time, led by the K-pop boy band Stray Kids at number Three very different albums round out this week's top ten debuts. Rapper Big X, The Plug, has a country album. There's a new record by the hard rock band Deftones.

And though you don't usually hear her immediately after Deftones, the singer Leveh scores her first ever top 10 album. Oh, what a curse it is to be your lover girl. Stephen Thompson, NPR News. And I'm Kouravik Holman, NPR News, from Washington.