NPR News: 09-21-2025 9AM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now: September 21, 2025, 9AM EDT

Brief Overview:
This five-minute NPR News Now episode, hosted by Windsor Johnston, provides an update on major national and international developments: security at a high-profile memorial in Arizona, changes to CDC vaccine guidance, a cyber attack disrupting European airports, federal threats over transit safety funding, and a new appointment to a top federal prosecutor post. The episode features on-the-ground reporting, analysis, and key perspectives, maintaining an urgent and fact-focused tone.

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1. Security at Charlie Kirk Memorial in Arizona

• [00:16–01:25]
• Security is extremely tight for the memorial of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Glendale, Arizona.
• Glendale Police Sergeant Brian Hosk emphasizes readiness:
  • "Our officers and personnel are very well prepared. We're always going to be vigilant and ready to go." (00:37)
• High-profile attendees include President Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and top Republican leaders.
• Reporter Steve Futterman describes the scene at State Farm Stadium:
  • Large crowds, heavy traffic, and lines out the door:
    • "The streets are pretty jammed. You see long lines of vehicles waiting to get inside. Some people have parked their cars maybe a quarter half mile away and are walking to the stadium." (01:02)
  • Estimated attendance of 60,000–70,000 people, with overflow planned for a nearby arena.

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2. CDC Vaccine Policy Changes

• [01:25–02:25]
• An influential CDC advisory panel, handpicked by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., met recently and is shifting vaccine policy:
  • The panel is critical of COVID vaccines, urging people to consult their doctors before getting vaccinated.
  • Panel member Retsef Levy prioritized transparency about risks:
    • "Do we have a culture of safety? This has to do with acknowledging what the risks are and be truthful to parents and patients about what are the risks." (01:58)
  • While known side effects (fever, body aches, rare heart risks for young men) remain, the panel controversially voted to add theoretical risks—not yet proven—to official consumer information.

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3. Cyber Attack Disrupts European Airports

• [02:25–03:13]
• Major European airports experience delays due to a cyber attack on Collins Aerospace's check-in and boarding software.
• Key impacted airports: Heathrow (London), Brandenburg (Berlin), Brussels, Dublin, Cork.
• Terry Schultz reports staff had to revert to manual, paper-based processes, causing cancellations especially at Brussels, where half of Sunday flights were called off.
• No claims of responsibility and no timeline for resolution.

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4. Trump Administration Threatens Transit Funding over Crime Concerns

• [03:13–04:22]
• Federal officials warn Boston (MBTA) and Chicago (CTA) transit agencies they may lose funding unless crime is addressed.
• Letters from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urge action and demand crime reduction plans.
• Skepticism about the threat's validity:
  • Jim Alawisi, former Massachusetts transportation head:
    • "The day to day operations of the Table, or CTA are not funded at all by the federal government. So the threat of pulling that money is nonexistent because it doesn't exist." (03:55)
• Part of a broader effort to increase federal oversight of major urban transit hubs.

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5. New Federal Prosecutor Nominee for Eastern Virginia

• [04:22–04:55]
• President Trump nominates Lindsey Halligan, a senior White House aide, as top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia.
• She replaces Eric Siebert, who recently resigned after pressure from the White House regarding unresolved mortgage fraud cases.
• The appointment follows Trump's vocal calls for Siebert's removal.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On security prep:
  • Sgt. Brian Hosk: "We're always going to be vigilant and ready to go." (00:37)
• On crowd size at the Kirk memorial:
  • Steve Futterman: "They expect between 60 to 70,000 people to fit inside the stadium." (01:14)
• On transparency in vaccine guidance:
  • Retsef Levy: "Be truthful to parents and patients about what are the risks." (01:58)
• On federal transit funding threat:
  • Jim Alawisi: "The threat of pulling that money is nonexistent because it doesn't exist." (03:55)

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For further updates, listen to NPR News Now throughout the day.

Transcript

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[Windsor Johnston]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Security is expected to be tight at today's public memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Arizona. Glendale Police Sergeant Brian Hosk says officers will be out in force around the venue where the service is taking place.

[Glendale Police Sergeant Brian Hosk]

Our officers and personnel are very well prepared. We're always going to be vigilant and ready to go.

[Windsor Johnston]

Thousands of supporters will attend the memorial. President Trump, Vice President J.D. vance and other top Republican leaders are scheduled to speak at the service. Steve Futterman is outside of State Farm Stadium where people have been arriving there since midnight local time.

[Steve Futterman]

Right now the streets are pretty jammed. You see long lines of vehicles waiting to get inside. Some people have parked their cars maybe a quarter half mile away and are walking to the stadium.

[Ping Huang]

Now.

[Steve Futterman]

They expect between 60 to 70,000 people to fit inside the stadium. If they need more space, there's an arena across the street where the overflow crowd will be held.

[Windsor Johnston]

That's Steve Futterman reporting from Glendale, Arizona. An influential advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made changes to vaccine policy at a two day meeting last week. NPR's Ping Huang reports from Atlanta.

[Ping Huang]

The panel is handpicked by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. And skews towards being critical of COVID vaccines. They voted to recommend that people consult with a medical provider before they get one. Panel member, Retsef Levy, who led the discussions, wanted input on what people hear about the vaccines.

Do we have a culture of safety? This has to do with acknowledging what the risks are and be truthful to parents and patients about what are the risks.

The documented side effects are well, fever, body aches, a rare risk of heart problems for young men. But the committee voted to add theoretical risks to a consumer information sheet even though some of those harms have not been proven despite billions of doses being given out. Ping Huang, NPR News.

[Windsor Johnston]

Several European airports are reporting delays because of a cyber attack that began on Friday night. The breach caused major disruptions at some of the busiest hubs. Terry Schultz reports. The issue centered around the provider of check in and boarding systems.

[Terri Schultz]

The cyber attack on a software system made by Collins Aerospace shut down automated check in and boarding at airports including London's Heathrow, Berlin's Brandenburg and Brussels airport. Dublin Airport was also impacted along with Ireland's second biggest airport in Cork. Airline staff had to resort to paper and pen to fill out boarding cards, causing delays and cancellations. Brussels Airport asked airlines to cancel half their scheduled departing flights for Sunday. There's been no information released on who is responsible for the attack and no word on when it might be resolved. For NPR News, I'm Terri Schultz.

[Windsor Johnston]

This is npr. The Trump administration is threatening to withhold federal funding from transit agencies in Boston and Chicago over concerns about crime and safety. Jeremy Siegel, member station gbh, reports. The warning came in a pair of letters sent by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

[Jeremy Siegel]

In his letters to the heads of Chicago's CTA and the MBTA in Boston, Duffy urged both agencies to take actions that enhance safety and reduce crime or risk a loss of federal support. Jim Alawisi is the former head of Massachusetts State Transportation Department. He says it's a mostly empty threat.

[Jim Alawisi]

The day to day operations of the Table, or CTA are not funded at all by the federal government. So the threat of pulling that money is nonexistent because it doesn't exist.

[Jeremy Siegel]

Still, Duffy is asking both agencies to turn over documents related to plans to reduce crime. The move comes amid a broader federal effort to exert more control over transit hubs around the country. For NPR News, I'm Jeremy Siegel in Boston.

[Windsor Johnston]

President Trump has nominated senior White House aide Lindsey Halligan as the top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia. She'll replace Eric Siebert, who stepped down on Friday, shortly after Trump called for his removal. Siebert had been pressured by the White House to bring charges in a mortgage fraud investigation involving the New York attorney general. I'm Windsor Johnston, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.

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