NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-30-2025 9PM EDT

Episode Date: October 1, 2025

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Support for NPR comes from NPR member stations and Eric and Wendy Schmidt through the Schmidt Family Foundation, working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. On the web at theshmit.org. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton. The federal government is careening towards a shutdown in three hours after Congress failed to negotiate a deal. As NPR's Barber Sprunt reports, the Senate took up two competing measures to fund the government temporarily, and both failed. At 12.1 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, the government will officially be shut down. Essential services will continue, but hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be furloughed without pay. A memo from the White House's budget arms suggests that agencies could be laying off workers as well. This comes after congressional leaders met with President Trump Monday in the Oval Office to try to negotiate a deal.

No compromise was reached. Republicans needed some Senate Democrats to vote alongside them to temporarily fund the government. But Democrats insisted a stopgap deal also had to extend health care subsidies, which expire at the end of the year. Barbara Sprint and Pierre News, the Capitol. A federal judge in Boston has ruled that the Trump administration is violating the First Amendment by targeting pro-Palestinian protesters for deportation. As NPR's Adrian Florido reports, it's one of the major free speech cases of Trump's second term. Judge William Young wrote that officials in the departments of state and Homeland Security have been misusing the powers of their offices to target non-citizen pro-Palestinians for deportation because of their protected political speech. The lawsuit was brought by academics

who argued during a nine-day trial this summer that the Trump administration's policy to try to deport students like Mahmoud Khalil, Ramesa Azturk, and others was meant to silence criticism of Israel. In his ruling, Judge Young wrote that non-citizens legally in the U.S. enjoy the same free speech rights as citizens. He said he'll soon hold. a hearing to decide how to try to force the government to stop violating those rights. Adrian Fletivo and P.R. News. A Mexican man who is among three people shot at a Dallas immigration field office last week has died. He's the second person killed in the attack.

The family of 32-year-old Miguel Anhele Garcia Hernandez says he died after being removed from life support. The Trump administration is launching a website for prescription drugs called Trump RX. The site would facilitate sales directly to consumers at a discount. NPR's Sidney Lupkin has more. President Trump announced a deal with Pfizer to sell its drugs directly to consumers. The medicines will be available through a website operated by the federal government called Trump RX. The United States has done subsidizing the health care of the rest of the world. It's a big thing.

This is, I can't tell you how big this is. The announcement came as part of the president's push to get lower drug prices for Americans. He aims to bring them in line with what other developed countries pay. The deal also includes discounts for Medicaid. and a pledge from Pfizer to sell new drugs at the same price in the U.S. and other developed countries. Trump says similar deals with other drug makers are in the works. Sidney Lupkin, NPR News. Stocks closed up slightly today.

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A woman who was knocked unconscious and arrested by two Northern California sheriff's deputies has reached a $17 million settlement with the county. The incident took place when Nekia Porter stopped to change drivers. during a family trip in 2020, body cameras warned by the deputies recorded them pulling guns on her before slapping her to the pavement while handcuffing her along a rural road in the town of Dixon, California. More Minnesota turkey growers are turning to laser technology to reduce the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Minnesota Public Radio's Dana Ferguson reports.

The legislature approved $400,000 over two years to help producers buy the lasers. projectors are affixed to the top of Minnesota's commercial turkey barns, and the infrared beams keep migratory ducks and geese away without hurting them. The birds don't like the lights, so they steer away. That's important because the birds can pass on avian influenza, or bird flu, to commercial flocks. Matt Herdering is a turkey grower, and he says the migration season provokes anxiety. He's had birds get sick before.

It terrifies us. It's one of those things where every spring and every fall we live in fear. Herdering bought two lasers last year. He says they've been effective so far. For NPR News, I'm Dana Ferguson in Melrose, Minnesota. As the Major League Baseball postseason begins, fastballs are getting faster. The average four-seem fastball for right-handed pitchers

has reached 95 miles an hour for the first time. A study released by the MLB last year concluded that faster pitchers, pitches are leading to an increase in pitching injuries. This is NPR. This message comes from Wise, the app for using money around the globe. When you manage your money with Wise, you'll always get the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees. Join millions of customers and visit wise.com.

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