NPR News Now: 09-24-2025 11AM EDT

Brief Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now update, hosted by Korva Coleman, covers major breaking news and updates, including a fatal shooting at a Texas ICE facility, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's speech at the UN, a thwarted cyber plot in New York, Jimmy Kimmel's return to television amid controversy, shifts at the Pentagon and Education Department, and updates from communities impacted by recent disasters.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fatal Shooting at Dallas ICE Facility

• [00:16] Korva Coleman reports a shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas.
  • Three people were shot; one died at the scene.
  • The suspected gunman is dead by suicide.
  • Dallas police to hold a news conference.

2. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's UN Address

• [00:53] Michelle Kellerman details President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s pointed speech at the UN General Assembly.
  • Zelenskyy criticized the UN for not ending Russian attacks on Ukraine.
  • Emphasized reliance on “friends and weapons” for Ukraine’s security, not broad security guarantees.
  • Highlighted Ukraine's innovation in drone technology as a response to the war.
  • Quoted Zelenskyy:

    "Ukraine doesn't have the big fat missiles dictators love to show off in parades, but we do have drones that can fly up to 2,3000 km. We had no choice but to build them." — Volodymyr Zelenskyy [01:06]

  • Ukraine is ready to export battle-tested drones.
  • Noted a meeting with President Trump, and Trump’s remark calling Russia a “paper tiger.”

3. Secret Service Thwarts NYC SIM Card Operation

• [01:35] NPR reports that the Secret Service foiled a plot involving more than 100,000 SIM cards — so-called "SIM farms" — in New York.
  • The plan could have devastated city cell phone towers and cut communication for millions.
  • Jordan Ray Kelly, cybersecurity expert, explains the technology:

    "It essentially operates like hundreds of thousands of cell phones in one place, doing things at massive scale." — Jordan Ray Kelly [01:56]

  • Motives behind the operation are unclear but could relate to UN General Assembly security.

4. Jimmy Kimmel Returns After Suspension

• [02:29] Steve Futterman covers Jimmy Kimmel’s emotional return to ABC following suspension over remarks about activist Charlie Kirk’s death.
  • Kimmel’s opening reference to his absence:

    "As I was saying before I was..." — Jimmy Kimmel [02:33]

  • Emotional on-air moments as Kimmel clarifies intentions:

    "You understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man." — Jimmy Kimmel [02:44]

  • Kimmel moved by Kirk’s widow, Erica, who offered forgiveness:

    "A selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply." — Jimmy Kimmel [02:57]

  • Kimmel warns that comedians should not become targets.

5. Defense Department Dissolves Women's Committee

• [03:10] Korva Coleman reports Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's dissolution of a Pentagon advisory committee on women’s issues.
  • Department says the committee, established in 1951, focused on a “divisive feminist agenda” and hurt combat readiness.
  • The committee previously worked on issues like sexual assault prevention.
  • Covered by Military Times.

6. Department of Education Cancels College Prep Grants

• [03:57] Connor Morris from Ideastream Public Media explains the cancellation of nine federal GEAR UP grants.
  • GEAR UP funded counselors and programs to prepare students for college.
  • Winter Mason, an Akron counselor, on the program’s importance:

    "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." — Winter Mason [04:10]

  • Nearly $170 million in grants canceled, affecting 220 schools in Ohio, New Hampshire, Indiana, California.
  • Department of Education cites misalignment with "priorities," but says most grants continue.

7. Texas Camp to Reopen after Deadly Floods

• [04:40] Update on a Texas summer camp planning to reopen next year after catastrophic flooding killed 27 (mostly girls).
  • The camp is situated along a river that flooded, causing widespread tragedy.
  • No further details on the response or changes planned.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Zelenskyy on Ukraine’s Defense:
  “Ukraine doesn't have the big fat missiles dictators love to show off in parades, but we do have drones that can fly up to 2,3000 km. We had no choice but to build them.” — Volodymyr Zelenskyy [01:06]

• On the SIM Card Plot:
  “It essentially operates like hundreds of thousands of cell phones in one place, doing things at massive scale.” — Jordan Ray Kelly [01:56]

• Emotional Reconciliation:
  “A selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply.” — Jimmy Kimmel [02:57]

• Impact of Cancelled Grants:
  “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.” — Winter Mason [04:10]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dallas ICE facility shooting: [00:16]
• Zelenskyy's UN speech: [00:53]–[01:35]
• Secret Service bust of SIM farms: [01:35]–[02:03]
• Jimmy Kimmel returns to airwaves: [02:29]–[03:10]
• Pentagon dissolves women's committee: [03:10]
• GEAR UP grant cancellations: [03:57]–[04:19]
• Texas camp, flood recovery: [04:40]

This episode packed broad news updates with global, national, and community impact — delivering a concise yet detailed snapshot of today's urgent stories.