NPR News Now – September 26, 2025 (2PM EDT)

Episode Overview
This NPR News Now episode offers a concise roundup of major national and international headlines, focusing on significant political developments in the U.S., global diplomatic efforts regarding postwar Gaza, corporate turbulence at Starbucks, and developing weather updates for the Atlantic hurricane season. The tone is straightforward, factual, and brisk, providing listeners with a snapshot of top stories in under five minutes.

Key Stories & Discussion Points

1. Indictment of Former FBI Director James Comey

• [00:18] Host Lakshmi Singh reports that former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted by Lindsey Halligan, newly appointed U.S. Attorney for Eastern Virginia and former Trump personal attorney.
  • Comey is accused of lying to the Senate in 2020 about authorizing a leak of classified information.
• [00:51] On Morning Edition, Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) offers skepticism about the charges.
  • Quote:

    “Disclosing information to the media is sort of like, I think there’s a First Amendment. The media is important in this country, so why would that be so material and significant as to constitute a crime under any circumstance?”
    — Tim Kaine [00:51]

• Kaine criticizes Trump for canceling a key meeting with Democrats on government funding, with a shutdown deadline looming.
• Trump threatens political consequences (“pay a huge political price”) if Democrats don’t accept the GOP funding plan.

2. U.S. Tariffs and Foreign Investment Promises

• [01:12] President Trump announces new tariffs starting next week, targeting home furnishings, heavy trucks, and pharmaceuticals.
• In the Oval Office, Trump claims that Japan and South Korea have pledged nearly $1 trillion in future U.S. investments in exchange for lower tariffs.
  • Quote:

    “In Japan, it’s $550 billion, South Korea’s $350 billion. Now that’s up front.”
    — Donald Trump (as reported by Anthony Kuhn) [01:59]

• [02:06] Anthony Kuhn (NPR):
  • South Korea warns these upfront payments could strain its currency reserves and create financial instability.
  • Economists question the plausibility, noting $350 billion exceeds South Korea’s annual U.S. exports more than twofold.

3. Tony Blair and the Future of Gaza

• [02:24] NPR’s Fatima Al Kasab reports that Tony Blair, former UK Prime Minister, is involved in discussions to lead a transitional authority in postwar Gaza.
• The plan involves a temporary international administration, returning control to Palestinians afterward.
• Blair’s think tank was previously tied to controversial proposals, including one (the "Trump Riviera") that would have displaced Gazans, violating international law.
  • Contextual Quote:

    “Blair’s plans would not involve displacing Gazans… The think tank he now runs was also recently linked to plans for a Trump Riviera in Gaza, which would have involved the forced displacement of Palestinians and been in violation of international law.”
    — Fatima Al Kasab [02:33]

4. Starbucks Job Cuts and Store Closures

• [03:14] Starbucks is eliminating 900 additional corporate jobs, after 1,100 cuts earlier in the year, and will close about 1% of North American locations (estimated at 200+ stores).
• [03:39] Alina Selyukh (NPR):
  • Cuts are intended to funnel more resources into store upgrades, with an emphasis on ambience and staffing adjustments to retain customers.
  • CEO Brian Nichol believes many stores can’t be modernized profitably and will be closed.
  • The retrenchment comes after six quarters of falling sales, as consumers seek cheaper or upscale alternatives.

5. Atlantic Hurricane Outlook

• [04:20] The Atlantic hurricane Humberto poses no current land threat.
• National Hurricane Center monitors a tropical wave likely to become a depression near Hispaniola, Cuba, and the Bahamas.
  • Rising risks are noted for the southeastern U.S. (winds, rain, storm surge) early next week.

6. Markets Update

• [04:50] U.S. stocks are trending higher; the Dow is up 331 points to 46,278.

Notable Quotes

• Tim Kaine on Comey Indictment:

  “Disclosing information to the media is sort of like, I think there’s a First Amendment. The media is important in this country, so why would that be so material and significant as to constitute a crime under any circumstance?”
  (Tim Kaine, [00:51])

• Donald Trump on Foreign Investment Promises:

  “In Japan, it’s $550 billion, South Korea’s $350 billion. Now that’s up front.”
  (as reported by Anthony Kuhn, [01:59])

• Fatima Al Kasab on Blair’s Gaza Role:

  “Blair’s plans would not involve displacing Gazans… The think tank he now runs was also recently linked to plans for a Trump Riviera in Gaza, which would have involved the forced displacement of Palestinians and been in violation of international law.”
  (Fatima Al Kasab, [02:33])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:18] Indictment of James Comey (Lakshmi Singh, Tim Kaine)
• [01:12] Trump-Democrat budget standoff / U.S. Tariffs (Lakshmi Singh, Anthony Kuhn)
• [02:24] Tony Blair and postwar Gaza transition (Lakshmi Singh, Fatima Al Kasab)
• [03:14] Starbucks layoffs and closures (Lakshmi Singh, Alina Selyukh)
• [04:20] Hurricane and market updates (Lakshmi Singh)

This episode delivers a crisp, essential guide to the day's major headlines, providing context and expert insight for listeners interested in current U.S. politics, international developments, business news, and weather alerts.