NPR News Now – September 13, 2025, 3PM EDT
Host: Nora Ramm (NPR)
Date: September 13, 2025
Episode Theme:
A concise five-minute newscast covering top stories in U.S. and world politics, crime, finance, health, and science.
Main Theme & Purpose
This episode provides listeners with a succinct roundup of the day’s most crucial news stories, spanning topics such as U.S. foreign policy and Russia, the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk shooting, economic trends, political developments in Missouri, ongoing public health terminology changes, and alarming findings about insect population decline due to climate change.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Latest on U.S. Sanctions and Russia-Ukraine Conflict
[00:25 - 01:21]
- President Trump’s Stance: President Trump threatens new sanctions on Russia but conditions them on other NATO countries ceasing oil purchases from Russia.
- Social Media Statement: Trump publicly shared a letter to all NATO countries and the world, asserting readiness for new sanctions if allied nations “stop buying oil from the country.”
- Pressure on China: Trump calls for NATO countries to impose 50-100% tariffs on Chinese goods, highlighting China’s role as a top buyer of Russian oil.
- Peace Efforts: Mentions Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska last month aimed at Ukraine peace—post-meeting, Russia continues aggression, including drone activity in Poland.
- Internal GOP Pressure: There is intra-party pressure on Trump to increase sanctions as Russia’s aggression continues.
Memorable Quote:
“He wrote that he'll be ready to impose new sanctions on Russia when other NATO nations have stopped buying oil from the country.”
—Danielle Kurtzleben (01:00)
2. Aftermath of Charlie Kirk Shooting
[01:21 - 02:27]
- Suspect Held Without Bail: A 22-year-old is in custody for the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a speech at Utah Valley University.
- Safety Concerns Remain: Despite arrest, locals in Orem, Utah, express continued anxiety and fear about growing violence and political division.
- Community Reflections: Residents like Case Dearden voice concerns about escalating tensions and urge for dialogue even in disagreement.
Notable Quotes:
“The violence needs to stop. The division is what's causing this problem. So if we're going to keep pointing fingers, more people are going to be murdered.”
—Case Dearden (02:04)
“Dearden and many others here say there needs to be a way to talk with each other even when people disagree.”
—Marisa Penalosa (02:15)
3. Financial Markets: Anticipation of Rate Cuts
[02:27 - 03:19]
- Stock Rally: All major stock indexes surged this week on hopes of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts amid a weakening job market.
- Inflation Data: Annual inflation at a seven-month high, largely due to tariffs raising consumer prices, yet job market worries overshadow inflation concerns.
- Market Movements: Dow climbs ~1%, S&P 500 up 1.6%, Nasdaq surges over 2%.
Memorable Quote:
“Investors are betting the Federal Reserve will try to prop up the job market by lowering interest rates next week.”
—Scott Horsley (03:05)
4. Missouri’s New Congressional Map & Monkeypox Naming Debate
[03:19 - 04:33]
- Missouri Redistricting: Missouri Senate passes new map favoring Republicans, possibly securing them an extra seat in next year’s House elections.
- Monkeypox/Mpokex Name Reversal:
- WHO renamed monkeypox to Mpokex in 2022 due to inaccurate and stigmatizing connotations, especially for Africans and gay men.
- U.S. government suddenly reverts to “monkeypox,” baffling researchers and public health experts.
- No clear explanation for the reversal, and public health professionals worry about the impact of stigmatized language.
Notable Quote:
“No one in the research community is clamoring for this. No one in the public health community is clamoring for this.”
—Bahuma Tatangi, Emory University (04:17)
5. New Findings: Insect Populations in Decline
[04:33 - 05:04]
- UNC Chapel Hill Study: Reports over 72% drop in insect populations in remote Colorado meadows—far beyond declines linked to agriculture.
- Driving Factor: Scientists link this plunge directly to higher temperatures resulting from climate change.
- Critical Role: Insects are described as “vital to human survival.”
Notable Quotes and Moments
- Sanctions Context: “He also said he wants NATO countries to impose tariffs of 50 to 100% on Chinese goods. China is a top buyer of Russian oil.” —Danielle Kurtzleben (00:55)
- On Political Violence: “Orem's nickname is Family City, USA... Now the father of two young kids is concerned that violence could escalate.” —Marisa Penalosa (01:46)
- Economic Outlook: “Hiring has slowed sharply in recent months, and new claims for unemployment benefits point to a possible uptick in layoffs.” —Scott Horsley (02:54)
- Public Health Critique: “The virus does not come from monkeys, and because it was viewed as stigmatizing, Africans and gay men have been heavily impacted by the virus.” —Gabriela Emanuel (03:57)
- Environmental Warning: “Scientists have attributed previous declines to human factors... but researchers found insect populations dropped more than 72% in a remote meadow in the Colorado Mountains.” —Nora Ramm (04:35)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Pres. Trump’s NATO Sanctions Stance: 00:25 – 01:21
- Charlie Kirk Shooting Aftermath: 01:21 – 02:27
- Market Rally and Rate Cut Speculation: 02:27 – 03:19
- Missouri Redistricting / Monkeypox Name Change: 03:19 – 04:33
- Insect Population Collapse: 04:33 – 05:04
Episode Takeaways
- Heightened political tensions in the U.S. and abroad—especially regarding Russia, China, and within U.S. communities—are sparking policy shifts and raising public safety concerns.
- Economic anxiety persists despite strong market shows, largely due to a flagging job market and inflation linked to tariffs.
- Public health terminology and policy can become contentious when intersecting with social perception and stigma.
- Environmental alarms are sounding about biodiversity with real-world data pointing to dramatic declines tied to climate change.
This NPR News Now episode distills urgent news, offering context and human perspectives on complex current events.