NPR News Now: 09-23-2025 4PM EDT

Date: September 23, 2025
Host: Lakshmi Singh
Length: ~5 minutes
Format: Rapid-fire headlines and major developments in national and world news

Episode Overview

This episode delivers succinct updates on pivotal legal, political, cultural, health, and sports developments in the US and globally. Highlights include a verdict in a high-profile assassination plot, remarks from President Trump at the UN, Jimmy Kimmel’s TV return amid controversy, a new World Health Organization (WHO) report on high blood pressure, and the introduction of robot umpires in Major League Baseball.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ryan Ruth Found Guilty of Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump

• [00:18 – 00:57]

  • Details: Ryan Ruth was convicted by a federal Florida jury for attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at his golf course. The incident was the second attempted attack on Trump last year during his campaign.
  • Charges: Attempted assassination, assaulting a federal officer (a Secret Service agent fired on Ruth), and three additional counts.
  • Courtroom Incident: After hearing the verdict, Ruth attempted to stab himself with a pen but was subdued by marshals.

  “The jury deliberated just two hours before returning their verdict. Ruth, they said, is guilty of attempted assassination and four other counts, including assaulting a federal officer, the Secret Service agent who spotted and fired on him at his hiding place at Trump’s golf course.”
  — Greg Allen ([00:39])

• Trump’s Response

  • President Trump denounced the violence and publicly congratulated the Justice Department on Ruth’s prosecution while speaking to reporters at the UN.

2. President Trump’s Speech at the United Nations General Assembly

• [00:57 – 02:12]

  • Theme: Trump’s address was marked by assertive criticism of the United Nations, particularly regarding efficiency, corruption, and policies on migration.
  • Metaphors: Trump referenced a “faulty teleprompter” and a “broken escalator” to illustrate systemic problems.

  “It has such tremendous, tremendous potential, but it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential.”
  — Donald Trump ([01:38])

  • Migration Critique: Trump accused the UN of enabling illegal migration into the US and funding support for it, linking these actions to what he called the “ruin” of Western countries due to political correctness.

  “The United Nations is funding an assault on Western countries and their borders.”
  — Donald Trump ([01:48])

  • Insight: Franco Ordonez notes Trump’s diplomatic isolation at the UN.

3. Jimmy Kimmel Live Controversy and Return

• [02:12 – 03:13]

  • Background: Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show was suspended after his on-air remarks regarding the killing of Charlie Kirk, facing backlash from major broadcast groups.
  • Current Status: Over 20% of ABC affiliates (mainly those owned by Nexstar and Sinclair) will not air his return episode; alternative programming will be shown in these markets.
  • Fan Reaction: Supporters gathered at the Hollywood Boulevard studio welcomed his return.

  “It shows you what we can all do when we all unify on one accord immediately like this. This happened in less than a week.”
  — Samurai Barnett, a Kimmel fan ([02:56])

  • Anticipation: Kimmel is expected to give a conciliatory statement on the returning episode.

4. WHO Report: Global High Blood Pressure Crisis

• [03:13 – 04:10]

  • Statistics: 1.3 billion people globally have uncontrolled high blood pressure, leading to more than 10 million deaths annually—linked to heart attacks, strokes, and dementia.
  • Treatment Gap: Many countries are failing to provide sufficient care and access to medication.
  • Economic Impact: An estimated $3.7 trillion cost in health effects and deaths since 2011.

  “So the human and economic cost is just immense.”
  — Leanne Riley, World Health Organization ([03:45])

5. Robot Umpires Approved for Major League Baseball

• [04:10 – 04:48]
  • Implementation: Starting next season, MLB will employ automated systems to review disputed ball and strike calls—not as a full replacement, but teams may challenge umpire calls (pitchers, catchers, batters); each team gets two challenges per game (plus more for extra innings).
  • Human Umpires: Remain at the plate; the system only activates upon challenge.

6. Markets Wrap

• [04:48 – 04:57]
  • Summary: The Dow Index closed the day down by 88 points.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Upon hearing the verdict, Ruth tried to stab himself with a pen, but federal marshals quickly subdued him.”
  — Greg Allen ([00:39])

• “Trump accused the UN of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to support illegal migration into the US, including providing shelter and transportation. And he blamed political correctness on the issue for what he said was ruining their countries.”
  — Franco Ordonez ([01:54])

• “In many of those countries, the majority of people aren’t currently able to access adequate treatment, the report found... the WHO estimates hypertension, health effects and deaths have cost these countries an estimated $3.7 trillion since 2011.”
  — Jonathan Lambert ([03:50])

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:18] Ryan Ruth guilty verdict and courtroom events
• [00:57] Trump’s reaction and UN General Assembly speech
• [02:12] Jimmy Kimmel Live suspension update
• [03:13] WHO hypertension report
• [04:10] MLB robot umpires announcement
• [04:48] US stock market close

Final Thoughts

This episode of NPR News Now delivers fast-paced, clear, and direct reporting on high-impact developments across law, politics, entertainment, health, and sports, spotlighting the breadth and immediacy of news that NPR brings to its listeners.