NPR News: 09-20-2025 9PM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now - September 20, 2025, 9PM EDT

Main Theme

This concise NPR News update delivers the top national and international stories in under five minutes, focusing on developments in immigration policy, vaccine recommendations, cybersecurity incidents, cultural losses, and public safety events around the globe.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump Adds Major Fee to H1B Visa Program

• [00:19–01:19]
• President Trump introduces a $100,000 fee to H1B visas, often used by tech companies for hiring highly skilled foreign workers.
• The change is justified by the administration and some critics as a deterrent against companies "abusing" the program to undercut American workers.
  • Maria Aspen (NPR): "Trump said in his executive order that companies use H1B visas to replace American workers with lower paid immigrants." [00:50]
• Reference to an Economic Policy Institute study indicating H1B employers often pay below-market wages.
• Large tech firms such as Amazon and Microsoft are notable users of the program.

2. CDC Changes Vaccine Recommendations

• [01:19–02:28]
• The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices no longer recommends the combined MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox) shot for children under four.
• Raises concerns among public health officials, especially following a recent measles outbreak in Texas.
  • Dr. Catherine Wells (Director, Lubbock Public Health): “We saw the impact of what happen, large, unvaccinated populations. And in Texas, you know, vaccine's very much a choice, but we want to make sure that we have all those tools available so that parents can make choices.” [02:01]
• Impacts what vaccines providers carry, insurance coverage, and availability through programs such as Vaccines for Texas Children.

3. Major Cyber Attack Disrupts European Airports

• [02:28–03:12]
• Widespread cyber attack affects boarding and check-in systems at Brussels, Berlin, and London airports.
• Automated systems are inoperable, causing significant delays and cancellations.
  • Terry Schultz (NPR): “Brussels airport says the target of the cyber attack appears to have been a third party provider of boarding and check in systems. The attack began Friday night... rendering automated check in and boarding systems inoperable.” [02:36]
• Passengers advised to confirm flights; authorities working for rapid resolution.

4. Remembering Songwriter and Singer Sonny Curtis

• [03:12–04:18]
• Sonny Curtis, age 88, has died in Nashville from a sudden illness.
• Best known for "I Fought the Law" and “Love Is All Around” (Mary Tyler Moore Show theme).
  • Chloe Veltman (NPR): “Sonny Curtis wrote I Fought the Law in the late 1950s … It’s since been covered by many artists, including Green Day, Bruce Springsteen and the Clash.” [03:41]
  • Audio excerpt: Curtis singing "You go make it after all." [04:02]
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. Born to cotton farmers in Texas during the Great Depression.

5. WW2 Bomb Forces Mass Evacuation in Hong Kong

• [04:18–04:57]
• Discovery of an undetonated US-made bomb (5ft, 1,000 lbs) at a construction site prompts evacuation of thousands in a busy Hong Kong district.
• Such incidents are semi-regular; Hong Kong was heavily bombed during Japanese occupation.
  • Jeanine Herbst (NPR): “Bombs from World War II are found from time to time in Hong Kong. The city was occupied by Japanese forces during the war when it became Japan's base for military and shipping.” [04:39]
• Police safely defused the device overnight.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On H1B Visa Controversy:

  "Trump said in his executive order that companies use H1B visas to replace American workers with lower paid immigrants."
  — Maria Aspen, [00:50]

• On Vaccine Choice:

  “We saw the impact of what happen, large, unvaccinated populations… we want to make sure that we have all those tools available so that parents can make those choices.”
  — Dr. Catherine Wells, [02:01]

• On Airport Cyber Attack:

  “Brussels airport says the target of the cyber attack appears to have been a third party provider… rendering automated check in and boarding systems inoperable.”
  — Terry Schultz, [02:36]

• On Sonny Curtis’ Legacy:

  “Sonny Curtis wrote I Fought the Law in the late 1950s … It’s since been covered by many artists, including Green Day, Bruce Springsteen and the Clash.”
  — Chloe Veltman, [03:41]
  (Curtis singing) “You go make it after all.” [04:02]

• On WW2 Bomb Discovery:

  “Bombs from World War II are found from time to time in Hong Kong. The city was occupied by Japanese forces during the war when it became Japan's base for military and shipping.”
  — Jeanine Herbst, [04:39]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:19] – H1B visa fee announcement and context
• [01:19] – CDC vaccine recommendation change and implications
• [02:28] – Cyber attack at European airports
• [03:12] – Obituary for Sonny Curtis
• [04:18] – WW2 bomb evacuation in Hong Kong

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This episode provides a whirlwind tour of significant developments in policy, health, security, culture, and global safety—all delivered in NPR’s trademark succinct, factual style.

Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

In Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. President Trump is adding a $100,000 fee to H1B visas, which are especially popular among big tech companies. NPR's Maria Aspen has the H1B visa.

[Maria Aspen]

Program is intended for highly skilled workers such as software engineers. Congress allows 85,000 of them to be issued every year through a lottery, and the competition is fierce. Amazon, Microsoft and other big tech companies hire thousands of such workers every year, and until now, it didn't cost them much. But President Trump and critics across the political spectrum say that companies abuse the program to exploit workers. Trump said in his executive order that companies use H1B visas to replace American workers with lower paid immigrants. And a study by the Economic Policy Institute found that most H1B employers do pay migrant workers less than market rate salaries. Maria Aspen, NPR News, New York.

[Jeanine Herbst]

The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted this week to no longer recommend a combined shot for measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox for children under the age of four. Concerning to some public health officials, including those who dealt with a measles outbreak in Texas this year. Samantha Larnett of member station KTTZ has more.

[Samantha Larnett]

Dr. Catherine Wells is the director of Lubbock Public Health, a major coordinator during the West Texas measles outbreak. Two thirds of the more than 700 confirmed cases were in children. She says that while the MMR and chickenpox vaccines remain as separate recommendations for children, parents will have fewer choices.

[Dr. Catherine Wells]

We saw the impact of what happen, large, unvaccinated populations. And in Texas, you know, vaccine's very much a choice, but we want to make sure that we have all those tools available so that parents can make those choices.

[Samantha Larnett]

The committee's recommendations will affect what health providers carry, what insurance will cover and what's available through the federal Vaccines for Texas Children program. For NPR News, I'm Samantha Larned in Lubbock.

[Jeanine Herbst]

A major cyber attack is affecting several European airports, including Brussels, Berlin and London. Terry Schultz has more.

[Terry Schultz]

Brussels airport says the target of the cyber attack appears to have been a third party provider of boarding and check in systems. The attack began Friday night, the airport says on its website, rendering automated check in and boarding systems inoperable. That's causing delays and cancellations in Brussels, with tens of thousands of people scheduled out to fly this weekend. Heathrow Airport in London and Berlin's Brandenburg Airport have also announced problems caused by the attack. Passengers are being advised to check their flights before heading to the airport, while officials say they're trying to resolve the attack as quickly as possible. For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz.

[Jeanine Herbst]

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The songwriter and singer Sony Curtis has died. He was 88 years old. Curtis was best known for penning the hit I Fought the Law and the theme to the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Curtis died yesterday near in Nashville from a sudden illness. That's according to his family. On Facebook, NPR's Chloe Veltman has this remembrance.

[Chloe Veltman]

Sonny Curtis wrote I Fought the Law in the late 1950s when he was a member of Buddy Holly's band the Crickets. It's since been covered by many artists, including Green Day, Bruce Springsteen and the Clash. Curtis also wrote and performed Love Is all around, the theme song for the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

[Sonny Curtis]

You go make it after all.

[Chloe Veltman]

Sonny Curtis was born during the Great Depression to cot cotton farmers in Texas. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame in 2012. Chloe Veltman, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

An undetonated World War II era bomb forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes in Hong Kong overnight so experts could defuse the large US Made bomb that was found at a construction site in a busy residential and business district. Police say the bomb was around 5ft long and it weighed around 1,000 pounds. Bombs from World War II are found from time to time in Hong Kong. The city was occupied by Japanese forces during the war when it became Japan's base for military and shipping. The US Targeted Hong Kong to disrupt those supply lines and infrastructure. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News.

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