NPR News: 09-26-2025 11PM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now: September 26, 2025, 11PM EDT

Host: Dale Willman
Duration: ~5 minutes
Purpose: Fast, concise briefing on top national news stories

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Main Theme

This episode delivers a rapid rundown of major U.S. news events: new legal actions involving former President Trump and James Comey, tightening of commercial driver’s license requirements, the return of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” to affiliate stations, a notable college football result, Fat Bear Week in Alaska, calls to close national parks during a potential government shutdown, and the death of activist Assata Shakur.

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Key Stories and Insights

1. Indictment of James Comey (00:11–01:14)

• Event: Former FBI Director James Comey indicted on two counts related to allegedly lying to Congress.
  • The move follows President Trump's appointment of a new federal prosecutor.
  • Trump says he expects more prosecutions of his political adversaries.
• Quote – Donald Trump:

  “It’s about justice, really. It’s not revenge. It’s about justice... They are sick, radical left people and they can’t get away with it. And Comey, Comey was one of the people. He wasn’t the biggest, but he’s a dirty cop.” (00:48)

• Comey’s Response: Maintains innocence and “looks forward to proving it at trial.”

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2. Stricter Commercial Driver’s License Rules for Non-Citizens (01:14–02:06)

• Event: The U.S. Department of Transportation is imposing tighter requirements for non-citizens to obtain commercial driver’s licenses.
  • Driven by fatal crashes involving non-citizen truck drivers in Florida, Texas, and Alabama.
  • Only specific visa classes will remain eligible; most immigrants excluded.
  • Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, threatens to pull $160M in federal funding from California over compliance.
• Response from California:
  • Governor Gavin Newsom’s spokesperson notes California’s commercial driver fatal crash rate is “almost 40% below the national average.”

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3. “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Returns to Sinclair and Nexstar Stations (02:06–03:00)

• Event: Sinclair and Nexstar, major ABC affiliates, reinstate “Jimmy Kimmel Live” after initial suspension post-controversial remarks by Kimmel.
  • Suspension followed comments about the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s assassination and public FCC pressure for Disney (ABC’s parent) to act.
  • The FCC Chair had openly pressured Disney to punish Kimmel.
  • ABC restored Kimmel’s show amid “enormous public blowback.”
• Reason for Affiliates’ Change:
  • Sinclair cites “feedback from viewers, advertisers and community leaders."
  • Nexstar points to “discussions with Disney.”
• Quote – Chloe Veltman (NPR):

  “Disney experienced enormous public blowback for caving in to the FCC’s threats.” (02:57)

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4. University of Virginia Upsets Florida State in College Football (03:00–03:10)

• Highlight: Virginia beats #8 Florida State in overtime, 46–38.

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5. Alaska’s Fat Bear Week Returns (03:10–04:13)

• Event: Annual "Fat Bear Week" contest for the largest bear at Katmai National Park continues.
  • Bracket down from 12 bears; standout contenders: #32 “Chunk” (last year’s runner-up, over 1,200 lbs) and #128 “Grazer” (two-time champion, aiming for a three-peat).
  • Voting is closed for the weekend, resumes Monday, ends Tuesday.
• Quote – Jessica Franzen (teacher, AK):

  “A lot of them were Grazer, a lot of them were Chunk. But to be fair, those are two really excellent choices... Chunk is massive. And Grazer kicks everybody’s butt. So they love her for that. So it's hard to compete with those two.” (03:50)

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6. Former National Park Chiefs Urge Closures During Potential Shutdown (04:13–04:33)

• Event: Former park superintendents urge closure of all U.S. national parks in the event of a government shutdown.
  • Their open letter warns that past shutdowns led to vandalism and destruction of wildlife habitat.
  • Parks already strained by staff and budget cuts.

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7. Death of Assata Shakur (04:33–04:54)

• Event: Black liberation activist Assata Shakur, who escaped a U.S. prison in 1979 and lived in Cuba, has died at an advanced age due to health complications, per Cuban sources.

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Notable Quotes

• Donald Trump (00:48):
  “It’s about justice, really. It’s not revenge. It’s about justice. It’s also about the fact that you can’t let this go on. They are sick, radical left people and they can’t get away with it. And Comey... he’s a dirty cop.”

• Jessica Franzen (03:50):
  “A lot of them were Grazer, a lot of them were Chunk. But... Chunk is massive. And Grazer kicks everybody’s butt. So they love her for that.”

• Chloe Veltman (02:57):
  “Disney experienced enormous public blowback for caving in to the FCC’s threats.”

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Timestamps – Important Segments

• Trump on Comey Indictment: 00:11–01:14
• Transport Dept. rules for non-citizen drivers: 01:14–02:06
• Jimmy Kimmel Live affiliate drama: 02:06–03:00
• Virginia upsets Florida State: 03:00–03:10
• Alaska Fat Bear Week: 03:28–04:13
• Parks and government shutdown warning: 04:13–04:33
• Death of Assata Shakur: 04:33–04:54

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This episode delivers a brisk, informative snapshot of the most pressing national stories as of late September 2025, blending political drama, regulatory change, pop culture, wildlife fun, and somber historical news—all in NPR’s signature straight-news voice.

Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. President Trump says he hopes more of his political enemies will be indicted. This comes after Trump handpicked a new federal prosecutor in Virginia who then returned an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey. He's been one of Trump's more outspoken critics. NPR's Tamara Keith reports.

[Tamara Keith]

Comey was indicted on two counts related to allegedly lying to Congress in testimony five years ago after Trump demanded that the Justice Department prosecute him. Trump says he expects more of the people who made his life miserable over the last eight years to be prosecuted.

[Donald Trump]

It's about justice, really. It's not revenge. It's about justice. It's also about the fact that you can't let this go on. They are sick, radical left people and they can't get away with it. And Comey, Comey would one of the people. He wasn't the biggest, but he's a dirty cop.

[Tamara Keith]

Comey says he is innocent and he looks forward to proving it at trial. Tamara Keith, NPR News, the White House.

[Dale Willman]

The U.S. department of Transportation is tightening the requirements for non citizens to get commercial driver's licenses. And as NPR's Jill Rose reports, the department says all states must comply with the new rules.

[Jill Rose]

The Transportation Department is announcing the new rules after fatal crashes this year in Florida, Texas and and Alabama. Officials say all three were caused by non citizen truck drivers who should not have received commercial driver's licenses. The rules will make it impossible for many immigrants to get those licenses because only three specific classes of visa holders are eligible. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also threatened to revoke $160 million in federal funding from California unless it complies. A spokesperson for Governor Gavin Newsom defended the state's safety record, saying commercial driver's license holders from California have a fatal crash rate almost 40% below the national average. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington.

[Dale Willman]

Two major ABC affiliate groups, Sinclair and nexstar, are putting Jimmy Kimmel Live back on the air. As NPR's Chloe Velpen reports, the local TV giants initially held out after national broadcaster ABC reinstated Kimmel this week.

[Chloe Veltman]

In a statement, Sinclair says its decision to restore Jimmy Kimmel's show is the result of receiving feedback from viewers, advertisers and community leaders. Nexstar's press release says discussions with ABC parent Disney prompted its change of heart. Sinclair and Next Star pulled Jimmy Kimmel live following comments the comedian had made during his Sept. 15 broadcast about the suspect in Charlie Kirk's assassination. ABC restored the show on Tuesday after suspending it for nearly a week. The head of the Federal Communications Commission had publicly pressured Disney to punish Kimmel. Disney experienced enormous public blowback for caving in to the FCC's threats. Chloe Veltman, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

In college football, the University of Virginia just beat number eight, Florida State in overtime, 46 38. And you're listening to NPR News. In Alaska, voting continues in the Fat Bear Week contest at Katmaya national park and Preserve. The Original bracket of 12 is now reduced even as some familiar bears continue fattening up for the winter. From Alaska Public Media, Ava White has our reports.

[Ava White]

One is number 32 or Chunk, a 1,200 pound plus bear who was last year's runner up. Another is two time defending champion number 128 or Grazer. She'll be the first bear to achieve a consecutive three peat if she wins. Jessica Franzen is a teacher in Cabot, Arkansas. She's following Fat Bear Week with her students who are split between Grazer and Chunk.

[Jessica Franzen]

A lot of them were Grazer, a lot of them were Chunk. But to be fair, those are two really excellent choices. And when you show them against all the other bears, Chunk is massive. And Grazer kicks everybody's butt. So they love her for that. So it's hard to compete with those two.

[Ava White]

Voting is closed for the weekend, but reopens Monday. That Bear Week ends Tuesday. You can vote [e-mail] For NPR News, I'm Ava White in Anchorage.

[Dale Willman]

A group of former national park superintendents is calling on the Trump administration to close the nation's parks to visitors in case of a government shutdown at the end of the month. In a letter, they said that past shutdowns in which parks remained open led to the vandalism of iconic symbols, destruction of wildlife habitats and and the possible endangerment of visitors. The parks are already under strain from a 24% reduction in staff and severe budget cuts. Esata Shakur has died in Cuba. The black liberation activist had escaped from a US prison in 1979. She had been serving a life sentence for killing a police officer. The Cuban government says that Shakur died on Thursday due to health conditions and advanced age. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

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