NPR News Now – September 25, 2025, 10AM EDT

Host: Korva Coleman
Duration: ~5 minutes
Theme: A concise roundup of major headlines, including developments on security incidents, legal updates on 9/11 defendants, economic shifts, drone activity in Denmark, environmental concerns in California, and encouraging findings in medical research.

Main News Highlights

1. Dallas ICE Facility Attack

• Summary: Authorities are seeking the motive behind an attack on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas. The gunman killed one detainee, wounded two others, and then took his own life.
• Key Insight: FBI disclosed the shooter used ammunition casings with the words "anti ICE" written on them, linking the incident with other recent high-profile killings.
  • Quote:
    • "One of the casings that he was using had the words anti ice. So you're going to begin with that. And it's very similar to recent killings that we've seen both in Charlie Kirk and this UnitedHealth CEO killing in which these men are using these casings and writing on them."
      — Juliette Kahn, Former Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security [00:41]
• Context: Juliette Kahn emphasized patterns in such violent acts and referenced previous cases.

2. 9/11 Defendants Seek Plea Deal Reinstatement

• Summary: Three men accused in the September 11, 2001 attacks, including alleged mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, are appealing to reinstate plea deals that would avoid the death penalty.
• Key Points:
  • The plea deals were previously canceled by the U.S. government.
  • Defendants want the full D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to hear their case; further appeals to the Supreme Court remain an option.
  • Prosecutors support plea deals as the best resolution, noting the case still hasn’t gone to trial nearly 24 years after the attacks.
  • Quote:
    • "They want the full D.C. circuit Court of Appeals to hear their case. If it takes the case but doesn't rule in their favor, they can still appeal to the Supreme Court."
      — Sacha Pfeiffer, NPR Correspondent [01:21]

3. Starbucks Announces Store Closures and Layoffs

• Summary: Starbucks will close hundreds of stores and lay off almost 1,000 workers in North America to address ongoing poor sales.
• Statistics:
  • Affected stores represent about 1% of Starbucks' total store count.
  • This is part of broader efforts to reverse more than a year of declining sales.

4. Economic Update: Housing and Broader Economy

• Home Sales:
  • Sales of existing homes fell 0.2% in August, continuing a prolonged downturn.
  • The number of homes on the market decreased, but the average sale price rose to over $422,000.
  • Stock Market Impact: The Dow fell about 180 points in early trading; later, the drop was noted at 130 points.
    [02:32 & 03:13]
• GDP and Trade:
  • U.S. GDP for April–June was revised up to 3.8% annual growth, mainly from stronger consumer spending.
  • The national trade deficit narrowed in August as higher tariffs started to bite.
    • Quote:
      • "Revised figures from the Commerce Department show the US economy grew faster during the spring than had been reported... The upward revision primarily reflects stronger consumer spending."
        — Scott Horsley, NPR Correspondent [02:32]

5. Denmark Faces Second Airport Drone Disruption

• Summary: For the second time in a week, a drone swarm forced Danish authorities to close an airport. Officials suspect a professional group and are considering a NATO consultation.
• Implications: The repeated nature of the incidents signals a serious aviation and national security concern.

6. Olympia Oyster Decline in California

• Summary: Coastal development and overharvesting have severely depleted Olympia oyster populations, historically vital to Native Americans and Gold Rush-era settlers.
• Restoration Efforts:
  • Community members and the nonprofit Coastkeeper are using restaurant shell strings to facilitate oyster recovery by transferring baby oysters (spat) to local wetlands.
  • Quote:
    • "Yeah, I don't see any oysters yet."
      — Craig Schopner, Local Volunteer [04:02]
  • Quote:
    • "The goal is to rebuild the once abundant oyster beds along the coast to improve water quality and help prevent erosion in the face of rising sea..."
      — Jill Replogle, NPR Correspondent [04:05]

7. Huntington’s Disease Breakthrough in London

• Summary: Doctors in London report that a new treatment has significantly slowed the progression of Huntington’s disease—the first successful intervention of its kind.
  • The treatment involves extensive brain surgery, lasting up to 18 hours.
  • Results are described as “spectacular,” promising hope in managing this genetic condition.
  • Quote:
    • "The treatment involved up to 18 hours of brain surgery, but the doctors say the results are spectacular and that these demonstrate a successful treatment for the disease for the first time."
      — Korva Coleman [04:32]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Juliette Kahn [00:41]: Linking ammunition casings in attacks:
  "...very similar to recent killings that we've seen... in which these men are using these casings and writing on them."

• Sacha Pfeiffer [01:21]: On legal maneuvering for 9/11 defendants:
  "They want the full D.C. circuit Court of Appeals to hear their case..."

• Scott Horsley [02:32]: GDP revision and trade gap:
  "Revised figures... shows the US economy grew faster... primarily reflects stronger consumer spending."

• Craig Schopner and Jill Replogle [04:02, 04:05]: Citizen science in action and environmental stewardship.

• Korva Coleman [04:32]: Medical breakthrough in Huntington's disease described as "spectacular."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dallas ICE Facility Attack: 00:16–01:01
• 9/11 Defendants’ Plea Deals: 01:01–02:00
• Starbucks Closures & Economic Update: 02:00–03:13
• Danish Drone Incidents & Oyster Restoration: 03:13–04:32
• Huntington’s Disease Breakthrough: 04:32–04:58

This NPR News Now episode provides concise, factual reports across law enforcement, legal proceedings, business, economics, global security, environmental science, and medicine—summed up in just five minutes, for busy listeners staying engaged with top developments.