NPR News Now: September 11, 2025, 7PM EDT

Host: Dan Ronan (NPR)
Date: September 11, 2025
Episode Theme:
This concise five-minute news update covers a range of breaking and significant national stories, including the ongoing aftermath of a high-profile shooting, the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Missouri’s controversial constitutional amendment proposal, shifting home mortgage rates, a milestone for pop artist Sabrina Carpenter, and a major sentencing in a political bribery case.

1. Utah Shooting: Manhunt and Community Response

[00:18 – 01:19]

• Key Points:

  • The search continues for the shooter who killed prominent right-wing activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
  • Eyewitness Elliot Thorne, who was only 10 feet away with his family, recounts the panic and confusion.
  • The campus is sealed as a crime scene, and somber vigils are planned across the country.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Elliot Thorne relives the chaos:
    “It took us about three, four seconds for us to register what happened. And then at that moment, I had to... dive on my 16 month old and my wife. I didn't know if it was a mass shooter.” (00:40)
  • Thorne shares a hope for unity:
    “I just hope and pray during this experience across the country that we can start to really genuinely find a way to come together as a people.” (01:02)

• Reporter: Kirk Zigler, NPR News, Orem, Utah

2. 9/11 Memorial: Marking 24 Years

[01:19 – 02:13]

• Key Points:

  • Families, dignitaries, and officials commemorated the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks at Ground Zero in New York City.
  • The ceremony included reading the names of the victims.
  • Reflections on the enduring impact of the attacks—thousands of U.S. troop casualties and the cost to civilians abroad, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan.

• Notable Quotes:

  • The somber recitation of names exemplified remembrance:
    Brad Hudson: “Jeremiah Joseph Ahern, Joanne Marie Alladiotes…” (01:50)
  • Quill Lawrence observes the ceremony’s significance:
    “This day also marks the beginning of a global war on terror, which has killed thousands of American troops and hundreds of thousands, most of them civilians, in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.” (02:04)

• Reporter: Quill Lawrence, NPR News, New York

3. Missouri Lawmakers Target Ballot Amendment Process

[02:13 – 03:13]

• Key Points:

  • Missouri GOP legislators propose new restrictions for constitutional amendments via ballot initiatives.
  • Under the plan, amendments would need to pass both a statewide vote and secure approval in all eight congressional districts.
  • The move follows recent progressive victories—protecting abortion rights, marijuana legalization, Medicaid expansion—that drew urban support but lost rural backing.
  • Critics argue the plan would make new amendments nearly impossible to pass.

• Notable Quotes:

  • State Senator Brad Hudson supports the change:
    “I think you should have broad consensus throughout the state of Missouri before you amend the Constitution.” (02:55)

• Reporter: Jason Rosenbaum, St. Louis Public Radio

4. Mortgage Rate Dip Sparks Refinancing Surge

[03:13 – 03:49]

• Key Points:

  • Home mortgage rates have decreased to 6.35% from over 6.5% a year ago.
  • Nearly half of current mortgage applications are for refinancing, as homeowners aim to lower monthly payments.

• Reporter: Brief news item; attributed to NPR and The Mortgage Bankers Association.

5. Sabrina Carpenter's Chart-Topping Week

[03:49 – 04:37]

• Key Points:

  • Singer Sabrina Carpenter’s album "Man’s Best Friend" debuts at Number 1 on the Billboard albums chart.
  • Carpenter achieves multiple singles in the top five; all 12 tracks from her new album are in the Top 40, largely due to streaming.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Stephen Thompson recaps the achievement:
    “The album Man's Best Friend debuts at number one. But Carpenter's success this week runs deeper than that. She also lands two songs in the top five, Man Child... and her new single, Tears, Tears Run Down the Thigh.” (03:54)

• Reporter: Stephen Thompson, NPR News

6. Sentencing in Menendez Bribery Case

[04:37 – 04:57]

• Key Points:

  • Nadine Menendez, wife of former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for bribery.
  • In court, she condemned her husband, calling him a “manipulative liar,” and distancing herself from the former Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “At her sentencing, she blamed her husband... calling him a manipulative liar.” (04:47)

Memorable Moments & Tone

• The eyewitness account from Elliot Thorne brings immediacy and emotion to the Utah shooting coverage.
• The 9/11 name reading ritual and Quill Lawrence’s perspective highlight national trauma and global consequences.
• Politically charged Missouri ballot amendment debates show the ongoing clash over voter power.
• Pop culture and criminal justice news provide contrast and breadth in coverage.
• The reporting remains measured and informative, with an undertone of seriousness and empathy.

For listeners seeking a swift but rich overview of pressing U.S. events and cultural highlights, this NPR News Now episode covers the current state of the nation on September 11, 2025.