NPR News Now: September 24, 2025, 9PM EDT

Host: Ryland Barton (Washington)
Date: September 25, 2025
Length: ~5 minutes

Overview

This NPR News Now segment delivers a concise roundup of national news highlights for the evening of September 24, 2025. The broadcast covers:

• The aftermath of a deadly shooting at a Dallas ICE office and its impact on the migrant community
• The Justice Department's move against racial discrimination protections in redistricting
• Appeals by September 11 defendants to reinstate plea deals
• The surge in viewership for Jimmy Kimmel’s return to TV
• New government data on sexually transmitted diseases, with focus on congenital syphilis
• The high school winner of NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge, centered on family heritage in India
• New Caribbean English words added to the Oxford English Dictionary

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dallas ICE Field Office Shooting

[00:18 - 01:10]

• A shooting at the Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office left one detainee dead and two injured.
• Community activists fear increased anxiety and targeting of Latinos in the wake of this incident.
• Susana Garcia, an immigration advocate who recently gained legal status, describes escalating emotional strain within her Dallas community:
  • Quote:

    "We are going to be more afraid about everything that's to come against us because of what just happened."
    —Susana Garcia [00:55]

• Federal authorities are investigating the attack as targeted.

2. Voting Rights and Redistricting

[01:10 - 02:01]

• The Justice Department seeks to end longstanding legal protections in the Voting Rights Act that prevent racial discrimination in redistricting.
• Citing a lawsuit over Louisiana’s congressional district map, DOJ argues these protections are now unconstitutional.
• Hansi Lo Wang highlights a broader judicial trend:
  • Past Supreme Court rulings have already weakened the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
  • The upcoming October 15th oral arguments could be pivotal for the law’s remaining protections for minority voters.
  • Insightful summary:

    "A series of rulings by the Supreme Court's conservative majority have already weakened the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Now, many of the law's advocates fear that the rare second round of oral arguments... could be setting up a decision that ends key remaining protections for minority voters."
    —Hansi Lo Wang [01:40]

3. September 11 Defendants Appeal

[02:01 - 02:52]

• Three men implicated in the 9/11 attacks, including alleged ringleader Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, have appealed to have their plea deals reinstated.
• Sacha Pfeiffer reports these deals—previously rescinded—involve pleading guilty in exchange for life imprisonment, avoiding the death penalty.
  • Quote:

    "Prosecutors have said plea deals would be the best resolution since the case has still not gone to trial nearly a quarter century after the attacks."
    —Sacha Pfeiffer [02:39]

4. Late Night Viewership: Jimmy Kimmel Returns

[02:52 - 03:14]

• Jimmy Kimmel’s return to broadcast television draws 6.3 million viewers, compared to his usual 1.8 million.
• His suspension followed controversial remarks about slain activist Charlie Kirk.
• Station owners Nexstar and Sinclair continue to keep the show off air, but over 26 million viewed his appearance on social media.

5. Health Data: Congenital Syphilis

[03:14 - 03:48]

• New CDC findings: While sexually transmitted disease rates dropped among U.S. adults in 2024, congenital syphilis cases continued to rise dramatically.
  • 2012: ~300 cases
  • 2024: Nearly 4,000 cases of mothers passing syphilis to babies

6. NPR Student Podcast Challenge Winner

[03:48 - 04:33]

• Avani Yalto from Houston, Texas, wins the high school category.
• Her podcast, The Things We Buried, explores intergenerational heritage, memories, and vanishing roots in Kerala, India.
• Sequoia Carrillo describes Avani’s narrative technique:
  • Quote:

    "...she narrates a journey to a place that no longer exists, weaving together family stories of the village and sounds of birds and children who have long left the area. The listener is transported to the Kerala of the past."
    —Sequoia Carrillo [04:18]

7. Lexicon Update: Caribbean Words in Oxford English Dictionary

[04:33 - 04:57]

• Twelve Caribbean-origin words added, including:
  • "Carry go" — gossip or a gossip spreader (since 1825)
  • "Cry long water" — to cry a lot or insincerely
  • "Bus up shut" — popular flaky bread in Trinidad and Tobago

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Susana Garcia (on Dallas shooting impact):
  "We are going to be more afraid about everything that's to come against us because of what just happened." [00:55]
• Hansi Lo Wang (on Voting Rights Act vulnerability):
  "Now, many of the law's advocates fear that the rare second round of oral arguments... could be setting up a decision that ends key remaining protections for minority voters." [01:40]
• Sacha Pfeiffer (on 9/11 case delays):
  "Prosecutors have said plea deals would be the best resolution since the case has still not gone to trial nearly a quarter century after the attacks." [02:39]
• Sequoia Carrillo (on the winning student podcast):
  "The listener is transported to the Kerala of the past." [04:18]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:18] Dallas ICE Field Office Shooting
• [01:10] DOJ Seeks End to Voting Rights Protections
• [02:01] 9/11 Defendants Appeal for Plea Deals
• [02:52] Jimmy Kimmel’s Broadcast Return
• [03:14] Rising Congenital Syphilis Rates
• [03:48] NPR Student Podcast Challenge Winner
• [04:33] Caribbean Words Added to Oxford English Dictionary

Overall Tone:
Concise, factual, and empathetic—balancing hard news updates with personal stories and positive recognitions.
Episode Usefulness:
Ideal for listeners seeking a quick yet insightful update on major legal, social, health, and cultural developments across the U.S.