NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-01-2025 12PM EDT

Episode Date: October 1, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kristen Wright. The U.S. government has been shut down for 12 hours now because federal agencies have pretty much run out of money. And now a funding plan backed by Senate Democrats has just failed a little while ago. Now the Senate is voting on a Republican plan. Congress failed yesterday to pass competing measures to keep the government funded. NPR's Claudia Grisale says at the center of the shutdown is a political standoff. Earlier this year, Senate Democrats helped Republicans keep the government funded, but that drew sharp backlash. And since that time, their lack of power in Washington has become even more stark. President Trump and Republicans passed a massive partisan spending and tax plan, dismantled government agencies, laid off workers, and slashed public services by clawing back billions in spending. Now, Democrats are asking for an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year. While the partisan conflict continues an estimated 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, and funding for SNAP and WIC food and nutrition benefits could run out if there is a prolonged shutdown.

Social Security veterans and disability benefits are not expected to be affected for now, but some services could be delayed like the processing of applications. A new NPR PBS News, Maris poll out today finds an overwhelming majority of people want children vaccinated before going to school. NPR's Domenico Montanaro reports. The survey indicates 82% support requiring children to be vaccinated against certain diseases such as measles, mumps, and rubella before attending public school. That includes 71% of Republicans, but Republicans don't feel as strongly as independents or Democrats do about this. For example, 77% of those who voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election

felt strongly that children should be vaccinated, while only 30% of Trump voters did. The Trump administration, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has consistently moved to limit vaccinations and downplay their effectiveness. Domenico Montanaro and PR News, Washington. The attack on a Latter-day Saints congregation in Michigan Sunday has some people of faith feeling unsettled about attending religious services. NPR's Jason DeRose reports from Grand Blank. The governor of Texas is instructing law enforcement there to increase patrols around houses of worship. Officials in Minnesota and Colorado took similar actions. after a spate of attacks on religious people and institutions in recent months,

Abby Broncoma attends a Baptist congregation near Grand Blank here in Michigan. You're going to focus on the better and the good, and you shouldn't have to be worried about the evil. Broncoma says she thinks about safety while at worship, but she's not worried. Because we have an excellent security team. Church security is becoming more widespread these days, something synagogues and mosques in the U.S. have been grappling with for decades. Jason DeRose, NPR News, Grand Blank, Michigan. This is NPR.

Hollywood is pushing back against the arrival of an AI-generated avatar, whose creators are calling, quote, the next Scarlet Johansson. NPR's Chloe Veltman reports Tilly Norwood has only so far appeared in short social media clips. It's also unclear whether Tilly Norwood, a fair-skinned brunette with a Margot-Robbie smile, can perform scenes with other actors, since the AI has so far only made solo appearances on social media. Nevertheless, its presence has riled up the acting community since the company that made Tilly Norwood, Particle 6, announced this past weekend the creation of a new AI talent studio.

Here's Oscar winner Ariana DeBose. Computer programs don't have emotions. They don't have life experiences to draw on. So simply put, this is one area where computers cannot replace people. The actors union SAG AFRA has issued a statement condemning the AI. But some actors don't seem phased. Bring it on, said Whoopi Goldberg, in a segment on ABC's The View. Chloe Valtman, NPR News.

A closely watched employment report out today shows private businesses got rid of jobs in September for the third time in four months. The data from private payroll processor ADP says the private sector decreased by 32,000 jobs last month. Analyst say it is another sign of weakness in the Labor Department. The U.S. Labor Department's report will not be released as scheduled this Friday because of the government shutdown. I'm Kristen Wright, and you're listening to NPR News in Washington.