NPR News: 09-16-2025 8PM EDT

Summary

---

NPR News Now — September 16, 2025, 8PM EDT

Brief Overview

This episode of “NPR News Now” delivers concise, timely updates on major national stories, including legal proceedings in two high-profile murder cases, responses from national leaders, a new development in obesity medication, the death of actor Robert Redford, President Trump’s UK state visit, and a unique mathematical observation about the date.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Updates on Two Major Murder Cases

• Utah Prosecutors Will Seek the Death Penalty in Charlie Kirk’s Murder
  • Tyler Robinson, 22, is charged with the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
  • Prosecutors filed seven charges, including aggravated murder.
  • A note under Robinson’s keyboard indicated premeditation. Robinson remains in jail without bail and appeared virtually in court.
  • Jeff Gray (County Attorney):

    “I do not take this decision lightly and it is a decision I have made independently as county attorney based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime.” (00:45)

• NY Judge Drops Terrorism Charges in UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder
  • Luigi Mangione, held for the murder of CEO Brian Thompson, had two terrorism charges dropped due to lack of intent to intimidate the public.
  • Mangione still faces second-degree murder and other charges.

2. State Department Responds to Reaction Over Kirk’s Assassination

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s Warning
  • Threatens deportation for visa holders who celebrated Kirk’s assassination on social media, claiming visa revocations are in process.
  • Rubio:

    “America will not host foreigners who celebrate the death of our fellow citizens.” (01:52)

  • States the process "is only getting started" but anticipates some visas will be revoked.

    “I’m sure there’ll be some that are remote. There’s no shortage of idiots around the world that have decided it’s a great idea to murder someone. We don’t want people like that in our country.” (02:09)

  • Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau notes consular officials are following up on tips from social media.

3. Medical News: New Obesity Drug in Development

• Eli Lilly’s Experimental Obesity Pill
  • New study on Orforglipron, an oral medication.
  • Patients lost an average of 11.2% body weight over ~18 months.
  • Side effects similar to existing obesity treatments.
  • Results published in the New England Journal of Medicine; the study was funded by Eli Lilly.
  • Sydney Lupkin:

    “The company’s stock tumbled when the drug resulted in less weight loss compared with Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy injection.” (03:06)

4. Robert Redford’s Death and Legacy

• Tributes to Robert Redford (1936–2025)
  • The legendary actor died at 89 at his home in Utah.
  • Colman Domingo:

    “[Redford] had an everlasting impact on movies.” (03:32)

  • Ron Howard called the Sundance Film Festival “a game changer.”

5. President Trump’s UK State Visit

• President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive in the UK for a state visit.
  • The official program begins tomorrow with a greeting at Windsor Castle by King Charles.

6. A Mathematical Note About the Date

• September 16, 2025, is a Special Date
  • Ari Daniel explains that 9/16/25 aligns with 3²=9, 4²=16, and 5²=25—forming a rare Pythagorean triple.

    “If you sum the squares of the first 2, 9 plus 16, you get the square of the last 1, 25.” (04:17)

  • Terence Blackmon (Chair, Math Department, Medgar Evers College):

    “This date reveals kind of hidden mathematical poetry that is sitting there just like walking and coming upon a beautiful flower.” (04:45)

  • No other dates in this century with the same property.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jeff Gray (County Attorney, on seeking death penalty):

  “It is a decision I have made independently as county attorney based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime.” (00:45)

• Marco Rubio (on visa policy after Kirk’s murder):

  “America will not host foreigners who celebrate the death of our fellow citizens.” (01:52) “We don’t want people like that in our country.” (02:09)

• Terence Blackmon (on the uniqueness of the date):

  “This date reveals kind of hidden mathematical poetry that is sitting there just like walking and coming upon a beautiful flower.” (04:45)

---

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [00:20–01:50] – Legal updates on Charlie Kirk and Brian Thompson’s murder cases
• [01:50–02:28] – Secretary Rubio and State Department’s response to online celebrations
• [02:28–03:17] – Eli Lilly obesity pill study findings
• [03:17–03:48] – Robert Redford tributes
• [03:48–04:12] – President Trump’s UK visit
• [04:12–04:57] – Pythagorean triple date anecdote
• [04:57–04:59] – Closing remarks

---

This episode concisely covers urgent legal developments, government actions, medical research advances, major cultural losses, international diplomacy, and an engaging math tidbit—typical of NPR's informative, measured reporting style.

Transcript

[A]

Support for npr. And the following message come from indeed. You just realized your business needed to hire someone yesterday. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility@ Indeed.com NPR terms and conditions apply.

[B]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. Prosecutors in Utah say they will be seeking the death penalty for the 22 year old man being held in the killing of conservative act Charlie Kirk. County Attorney Jeff Gray, I do not take this decision lightly and it is a decision I have made independently as county attorney based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime. Prosecutors unveiled seven charges filed against Tyler Robinson today. They include aggravated murder, a capital crime in Utah. Robinson had his first court appearance late today. He appeared virtually from a county jail where he will remain without bail. Charging documents show that a note was left under Robinson's keyboard saying he planned to kill Kirk and that he'd been planning the killing for about a week. 27 year old Luigi Mangione was also in court today. He's a man being held in New York for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December last year. The judge in his case today threw out two terrorism related charges, ruling there is no evidence that Mangione intended to intimidate the public. Mangione, however, remains charged with other criminal counts, including second degree murder. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning anyone in the US On a visa who cheered on the assassination of Charlie Kirk that they can be deported. As NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports, he's posted on social media that visa revocations are underway.

[C]

America will not host foreigners who celebrate the death of our fellow citizens. That's what Rubio wrote on X in the wake of the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. But asked whether any visas have been revoked yet. Rubio told reporters as he was traveling from the Middle east to London that the process is only getting started, but.

[B]

I'm sure there'll be some that are remote. There's no shortage of idiots around the world that have decided it's a great idea to murder someone. We don't want people like that in our country.

[C]

Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau says he has asked consular officials to follow up on all the tips he's receiving on social media. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department.

[B]

Eli Lilly is working on a new obesity drug, but instead of an injection, it's a pill. New study data offers a glimpse of how well it works. Here's NPR's Sydney Lupkin reporting.

[D]

Patients taking the highest dose of Eli Lilly's experimental obesity pill lost an average of 11.2% of their body weight. That's according to a new study of more than 3,000 patients with obesity taking Orphaglipron for almost a year and a half. It was published in the New England Journal of Medicine Tuesday. Funded by Eli Lilly, the study also suggested the drug had similar adverse events to other obesity drugs on the market. It Eli Lilly announced results of a related study in August. The company's stock tumbled when the drug resulted in less weight loss compared with Novo Nordisk's Wegovy injection. Sidney Lupkin, NPR News.

[B]

This is npr. Tributes are being paid to legendary actor Robert Redford. Redford died today at age 89. His publicist says he died at his home in the mountains of Utah, but did not immediately provide a cause of death. Actor Colman Domingo says Redford had an everlasting impact on movies. And director Ron Howard called Redford Sundance Film Festival a game changer. President Trump is overseas in the United Kingdom. He arrived there this evening for a state visit. Trump and first lady Melania Trump are staying the night at the US Ambassador's home. The two day visit officially gets underway tomorrow, when Trump will be greeted by King Charles at Windsor castle. Today is 9, 16, 25. And it's special because each number is a perfect square. 3 squared is 9, 4 squared is 16 and 5 squared is 25. But that's not all. According to reporter Ari Daniel, it turns.

[E]

Out that 3, 4 and 5 are a Pythagorean triple. That is, if you sum the squares of the first 2, 9 plus 16, you get the square of the last 1, 25. Sound familiar? It's the Pythagorean theorem. A squared plus B squared equals C squared. And there are no other dates this century like this, so most of us will experience it just once. Terence Blackmon chairs the math department at Medgar Evers College. This date reveals kind of hidden mathematical poetry that is sitting there just like.

[B]

Walking and coming upon a beautiful flower.

[E]

Blackman says the Pythagorean theorem is useful as well to carpenters and architects and occasionally reporters. For NPR News, I'm Ari Daniel.

[B]

And I'm Giles Snyder. This is npr.

[A]

This message comes from Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile took what's wrong with wireless and made it right. They offer premium wireless plans for less. And all plans include high speed data, unlimited talk and text and nationwide coverage. See for [e-mail] Switch.