NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-06-2025 2PM EDT

Episode Date: October 6, 2025

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In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from daily life. Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors on our new show, Sources and Methods. NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people, helping you understand why distant events matter here at home. Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. President Trump says he's following through on his warning of firing rather than furlowing federal workers during the government shutdown, which is now in its sixth day. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt says the process of determining dismissals is underway. The Office of Management and Budget is continuing to work with agencies on who, unfortunately, is going to have to be laid off if this shutdown continues.

The administration accuses congressional Democrats of forcing its hand on additional layoffs. The majority of Democrats opposed to the GOP's short-term spending measure are demanding Republicans restore health care subsidies lost under President Trump's big tax and spending cut legislation over the summer. The U.S. Senate is due to hold another vote on the stopgap measure today. Well, despite the shutdown, the U.S. Supreme Court opened a new term today. NPRS. Nina Totenberg reports they'll take up cases ranging from questions of presidential power to LGBT rights. On the docket are a challenge to Trump's massive tariffs and a challenge. to his firing of independent agency directors, an action that contradicts a unanimous Supreme

Court decision dating back almost a century. Also, before the court, is a case that could end what's left of the Landmark Voting Rights Act, and a case that could do away with one of the few remaining laws that limits campaign fundraising. Also likely to end up before the court is the question it didn't decide last year, testing whether the president has the power to limit the constitutional provision, guaranteeing citizenship to every person born in the United States. Nina Totenberg, NPR News, Washington. CBS News has taken another step to appeal to the right with the installation of Barry Weiss's editor-in-chief.

CBS's new corporate owner, Skydance Media, also announced that it has acquired the free press, Weiss's right-of-center news site. The French are waiting to see what President Emmanuel McCraw will do after his latest Prime Minister resign this morning. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports France is plunged into a deepening political crisis and Macron is increasingly isolated. Speaking after resigning,

outgoing Prime Minister Sebastian Le Corneux told the nation it was too difficult to govern with a fractured parliament where no party has an absolute majority yet all refuse compromise. Le Corneu was the fourth premier named by Macron since he dissolved parliament a year and a half ago and lost his majority.

The National Assembly has dominated by the far right and leftist factions who say the president is not listening to the voters and has lost legitimacy given his extremely low poll numbers. Analysts say Macron has three options, name a prime minister from the larger mainstream left, dissolve parliament and call new legislative elections, or step down and let the French people choose a new president. Eleanor Beardsley in Pierre News, Paris. From Washington, this is NPR News.

A study of hundreds of species of mammals finds. Females tend to outlive males. NPR's Alison Aubrey reports the longevity gap mirrors what is seen in humans and offers clues on how to narrow it. Women are much more likely to outlive men. On average, men can expect to live 76 years compared to 81 for women. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute studied 528 species of mammals and found females live about 13% longer in many species. Study author Fernando Colchero says genetics play a role,

pointing to a protective effect of two X chromosomes, and risky mating behaviors are a factor too. This female advantage in longevity is something that goes back millions of years. The sex that spends more time caring for offspring tends to live longer. Researchers say mimicking the preventive care habits of women could help narrow the gap. Alison Aubrey, NPR News. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has adopted the recommendations made by a panel of outside advisors more than two weeks ago. COVID-19 vaccines are now subject to shared decision-making with a health care professional to weigh the risks and benefits of vaccination.

This is an extra step compared with previous recommendations. CDC now recommends that toddlers receive chicken pox vaccination as a separate. shot rather than in combination with measles, mumps, and rebella vaccination. The Dow is down 21. SMPs up 32. You're listening to NPR News.