NPR News: 09-23-2025 9PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – September 23, 2025, 9PM EDT

Host: Ryland Barton
Date: September 24, 2025
Duration: ~5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This concise episode delivers key national and international news updates. Stories include President Trump’s address at the UN General Assembly, escalating tensions around Iran’s nuclear program, confusion over Tylenol and autism claims, education grant cancellations tied to diversity policies, and a surge in drug-resistant bacterial infections. The episode features strong reporting, direct quotes from newsmakers, and expert insight on pressing issues.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump at the UN General Assembly

[00:19–01:39]

• Trump Criticizes the UN:

  • President Trump described the United Nations as falling short of its potential and criticized other nations’ immigration policies.
  • Quote – President Trump [00:36]:
    “The UN has such tremendous potential, I’ve always said has such tremendous, tremendous potential, but it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential.”
  • He boasted about American business success and warned that some countries were “going to hell” due to immigration.

• Diplomatic Isolation:

  • The U.S. faces growing isolation at the UN as nations like the U.K., France, and Canada push for formal recognition of a Palestinian state—a move Trump opposes.

• Security Measures:

  • A massive illegal telecom network (SIM card farm) was dismantled by the Secret Service in New York as world leaders gathered, preventing potential chaos and disruption.

2. Iran’s Nuclear Program and International Diplomacy

[01:39–02:22]

• Iran Refuses Direct Talks With the US:
  • Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, publicly rejected direct negotiations with the U.S., citing broken promises and past aggression.
  • Quote – Ayatollah Ali Khamenei [Paraphrased by Jackie Northam]:
    Iran “would not surrender to pressure about uranium enrichment and that Iran neither wanted nor had nuclear weapons.”
  • Iranian officials met with European diplomats (Germany, France, U.K.) in efforts to avoid more sanctions; U.S. sanctions are likely to resume soon.

3. Tylenol and Autism: Misinformation and Medical Guidance

[02:22–03:14]

• Rebutting Misinformation:
  • President Trump’s comments on Tylenol and autism have caused uncertainty. Expert sources state there is no evidence linking Tylenol use in pregnancy to autism.
  • Quote – Dr. Nicole Baldwin [02:47]:
    “We don’t want parents to just tough it out, you know, we want moms to be treated.”
  • Correlation does not mean causation—used a memorable analogy comparing shark attacks and ice cream consumption in summer.
  • Quote – Allison Aubrey [02:52]:
    “Both shark bites and eating ice cream increase in summer, but that doesn’t mean that one causes the other.”

4. Education: GEAR UP Grants Canceled Over DEI Policies

[03:14–04:24]

• Federal Grant Cancellations:
  • The Department of Education has canceled nine GEAR UP college prep grants, affecting ~$170 million for 220 schools, due to conflicts with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) focus.
  • Quote – Winter Mason, Counselor [03:53]:
    “Those students see you every day and they believed in you and you built that relationship with them. So it’s just an amazing feeling to have and we don’t want that to be removed.”
  • Largest impact in Cleveland and Akron, with additional cancellations in New Hampshire, Indiana, and California; most GEAR UP grants, however, continue.

5. Drug Resistant Bacteria: Alarming Rise

[04:24–04:59]

• Sharp Increase in Infection Rates:
  • CDC scientists report a 70% rise in infections from drug-resistant bacteria between 2019 and 2023.
  • Carriers often go unrecognized, increasing risk of community spread.
  • Doctors are concerned that previously routine infections, such as UTIs, could become persistent and far harder to treat.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• President Trump [00:36]: “The UN has such tremendous potential... but it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential.”
• Dr. Nicole Baldwin [02:47]: “We don’t want parents to just tough it out, you know, we want moms to be treated.”
• Allison Aubrey [02:52]: “Both shark bites and eating ice cream increase in summer, but that doesn’t mean that one causes the other.”
• Winter Mason [03:53]: “Those students see you every day and they believed in you and you built that relationship with them. So it’s just an amazing feeling to have and we don’t want that to be removed.”

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• President Trump at UN / UN General Assembly: 00:19 – 01:39
• Iran Nuclear Program & Diplomacy: 01:39 – 02:22
• Tylenol, Autism & Medical Expertise: 02:22 – 03:14
• Education Grant Cancellations (GEAR UP): 03:14 – 04:24
• Drug Resistant Bacteria Surge: 04:24 – 04:59

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This episode provides a rapid yet substantive sweep of major news stories with clarity and direct commentary from experts and primary figures, fitting NPR’s informative and balanced style.

Transcript

[Narrator]

This message comes From NPR sponsor FX's the Lowdown. Starring Ethan Hawke. This new crime drama follows quirky journalist Lee Raybon, whose obsession with the truth always gets him into trouble. FX's the Lowdown premieres September 23rd on FX Stream on Hulu Live.

[Ryland Barton]

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. President Trump bashed the United nations as ineffective during a nearly hour long speech to world leaders today during the UN General Assembly. He bragged about American business deals and warned that other countries were going to hell because of their immigration policies.

[President Trump]

What is the purpose of the United Nations? The UN has such tremendous potential, I've always said has such tremendous, tremendous potential, but it's not even coming close to living up to that potential.

[Ryland Barton]

Trump is finding himself increasingly isolated at the UN where there is a growing push to recognize a Palestinian state, most recently by the U.K. france and Canada. Trump said those efforts were a mistake. Ahead of the General assembly, the US Secret Service dismantled a massive hidden telecom network across the New York area. Investigators say it was a SIM card farm and it could have crippled cell towers, jammed 911 calls and flooded networks with chaos as world leaders arrived. The cache was packed with over 100,000 SIM cards. Iran's supreme leader has dismissed direct talks with the US over his country's nuclear program, saying they would be a dead end. His comments come as Iranian officials meet with European leaders in a bid avoid more sanctions over its nuclear program. NPR's Jackie Northam reports.

[Jackie Northam]

In a broad ranging televised speech, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that it was not worth negotiating with the US Saying it had broken promises, killed senior Iranian officials and bombed Iran's nuclear facilities. Khamenei said Iran would not surrender to pressure about uranium enrichment and that Iran neither wanted nor had nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, senior Iranian officials met with diplomats from the E3, Germany, France and the UK on the sidelines of the UN General assembly looking at options to prevent the reimposition of nuclear sanctions for violating the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal. Those sanctions are likely to resume this weekend. Jackie Northam, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

President Trump's warnings about Tylenol and autism has created confusion. NPR's Allison Aubrey reports. Pediatricians are trying to help patients understand the evidence.

[Allison Aubrey]

There is no evidence that taking Tylenol while pregnant causes autism in children, which the FDA has acknowledged. Dr. Nicole Baldwin is a pediatrician who says Tylenol has been shown to be safe and left untreated. High fevers can cause complications for the mother and the fetus.

[Dr. Nicole Baldwin]

We don't want parents to just tough it out, you know, we want moms to be treated.

[Allison Aubrey]

Some studies have pointed to a link between autism and Tylenol, but these correlations could be a fluke or coincidence. Baldwin says both shark bites and eating ice cream increase in summer, but that doesn't mean that one causes the other. She says correlation is very different from proving that something causes harm. And Alison Aubrey, NPR News from Washington.

[Ryland Barton]

This is NPR News. Camp mystic, the girls summer camp in Texas where 27 people died in a flood in July, will reopen next year. That's according to the camp's owners. The U.S. department of Education has canceled nine grants for college prep programs nationwide due to diversity, equity and inclusion measures it says don't line up with its priorities. Ideastream Public Media's Connor Morris has more.

[Connor Morris]

The federal GEAR UP grant pays for counselors and other programs that teach students how to apply for college, write resumes and more. Winter Mason, one of those counselors at a high school in Akron, says her work went far beyond that, though.

[Winter Mason]

Those students see you every day and they believed in you and you built that relationship with them. So it's just an amazing feeling to have and we don't want that to be removed.

[Connor Morris]

Advocates say the canceled GEAR UP grants total almost $170 million and impact students at 220 schools across the U.S. cleveland and Akron are two of biggest, but grants were also canceled in New Hampshire, Indiana and California. The Department of Education says the majority of GEAR UP grants are continuing. For NPR News, I'm Connor Morris in Cleveland.

[Ryland Barton]

Infection rates from drug resistant bacteria are on the rise dramatically. Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say infections from the bacteria rose almost 70% between 2019 and 2023. It's likely many people are unrecognized carriers of the drug resistant bacteria. Researchers say that could lead community spread. Doctors worry that infections long considered routine and easy to treat, like urinary tract infections, could become chronic problems. I'm Ryland Barton. This is NPR News from Washington.

[Narrator]

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