NPR News Now – 09-21-2025 12PM EDT

Host: Nora Ramm
Date: September 21, 2025
Duration: ~5 minutes
Overview:
This episode of NPR News Now delivers concise updates on major national and international events, including the memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a major cyberattack affecting European airports, diplomatic developments around recognition of a Palestinian state, an Israeli policy debate over Red Cross prison visits, rising rates of uninsured children in Texas, and the return of Alaska’s popular Fat Bear Week.

Key News Stories & Insights

1. Memorial Service for Charlie Kirk

[00:18–01:06]

• Location: Football stadium in Arizona (capacity: 73,000, with overflow at a nearby arena).
• Context: Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed 11 days prior while speaking at a Utah university.
• Dignitaries Attending:
  • Former President Donald Trump will headline.
  • Other speakers: Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, RFK Jr., Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and more.
  • Kirk’s widow, Erica Kirk, will also speak. Notably, she was named CEO of Turning Point in the wake of his death.
• Quote:
  • “We’re also expecting President Trump to be there to headline a very long list of prominent Republicans who are supposed to speak.” — Wayne Schutzke [00:45]

2. European Airport Cyberattack

[01:06–01:51]

• Scope: Cyberattack began Friday night, disrupting check-in and boarding at major airports including London Heathrow, Berlin Brandenburg, Brussels, Dublin, and Cork.
• Impact:
  • Staff reverted to manual (paper and pen) procedures, causing major delays and cancellations.
  • Brussels airport cut half of Sunday departing flights.
• Responsibility: No group has claimed responsibility; no resolution time given yet.
• Quote:
  • “The cyber attack on a software system made by Collins Aerospace shut down automated check-in and boarding...” — Terry Schultz [01:18]

3. Israeli Red Cross Prison Visit Policy

[01:51–02:56]

• Background: The Israeli government is considering allowing the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) partial access to Palestinian prisoners for the first time since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
• Obstacles:
  • Internal opposition: A far-right cabinet minister overseeing prisons seeks to block the move.
  • Security argument: Visits are blocked to prevent inmates from smuggling messages; also, as retaliation for Hamas blocking Red Cross visits to Israeli hostages.
• Current Status: Israel’s Supreme Court is reviewing the issue.
• Quote:
  • “The prime minister’s office says it is willing to allow Red Cross visits to some Palestinian inmates, but not those from Gaza or those affiliated with Hamas or Islamic Jihad…” — Daniel Estrin [02:38]

4. International Recognition of Palestinian State

[02:56–03:52]

• Action: United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal officially recognize a Palestinian state, despite Israeli objections.
• Objective: According to British PM Keir Starmer, the move aims to promote peace and resolve the Gaza conflict.
• Related Developments:
  • UN Security Council to meet regarding recent Russian incursions into NATO airspace over Estonia.
  • NATO to hold a special meeting on the same.

5. Rising Child Uninsurance Rates in Texas

[03:52–04:32]

• Trend: Texas leads the nation in uninsured children as of 2024, with a rate of about 13%—over twice the national average.
• Key Factors:
  • Expiration of enhanced ACA tax credits threatens further coverage losses, especially for middle-income families.
  • More than half a million Texas children are on federal health insurance marketplace plans.
• Expert Commentary:
  • “These are the Middle Inc. [families who] will really, really get hit by the expiration of the Enhanced Advance Premium Tax credit.” — Lynn Coles, Every Texan [04:14]

6. Fat Bear Week Returns

[04:32–04:57]

• Event: Annual Fat Bear Week kicks off Tuesday at Alaska’s Katmai National Park.
• Purpose: Celebrates bears’ bulk as a survival trait for hibernation.
• How to Participate: Voting starts Tuesday at Explore.org, closes September 30.
• Fun Fact: Over a million votes from 100 countries were cast last year.

Notable Quotes

• Wayne Schutzke [00:45]: “We’re also expecting President Trump to be there to headline a very long list of prominent Republicans who are supposed to speak.”
• Terry Schultz [01:18]: “The cyber attack on a software system made by Collins Aerospace shut down automated check-in and boarding...”
• Daniel Estrin [02:38]: “The prime minister’s office says it is willing to allow Red Cross visits to some Palestinian inmates, but not those from Gaza or those affiliated with Hamas or Islamic Jihad…”
• Lynn Coles [04:14]: “These are the Middle Inc. [families who] will really, really get hit by the expiration of the Enhanced Advance Premium Tax credit.”

Important Timestamps

• Charlie Kirk Memorial Coverage: 00:18–01:06
• European Airport Cyberattack: 01:06–01:51
• Israeli Red Cross Prison Debate: 01:51–02:56
• Palestinian State Recognition & UN/NATO on Russian Airspace: 02:56–03:52
• Texas Child Uninsurance Crisis: 03:52–04:32
• Fat Bear Week Announcement: 04:32–04:57

This episode combines somber national reflection with international security threats, humanitarian policy debates, public health challenges, and some lighthearted wildlife appreciation, in NPR’s clear and factual style.