NPR News: 09-27-2025 12PM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now: 09-27-2025 12PM EDT

Host: Nora Ramm
Date: September 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now episode, hosted by Nora Ramm, delivers concise coverage of the latest U.S. and global news headlines. Key stories include President Trump’s directive to send troops to Portland, the U.S. revoking the Colombian president’s visa, changes in Jimmy Kimmel Live's broadcast, Meta's new subscription option for UK users, the suspension of humanitarian operations in Gaza City, pleas from former national park superintendents regarding the shutdown, and updates on Atlantic tropical storm systems.

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Key Stories and Insights

1. President Trump’s Directive on Portland and ICE Facilities

[00:14]

• President Trump has publicly directed the Defense Department to send troops to Portland, Oregon, to protect the city and ICE facilities.
• Cited acting at the request of the Secretary of Homeland Security, he claims authorization of "full force if necessary."
• However, the Pentagon has not confirmed any troop movements.

Quote:

• "President Trump said today he's directing the Defense Department to provide troops to be sent to Portland, Oregon, to protect the city and ICE facilities… authorizing full force if necessary."
  — Nora Ramm [00:14]

1.1 State Department Revokes Colombian President Petro's Visa

[00:57] Amy Held

• U.S. revokes President Gustavo Petro's visa after his speech at a pro-Palestinian rally in NYC, where he encouraged U.S. soldiers to "disobey" President Trump.
• The U.S. State Department calls his remarks "reckless and incendiary."
• Petro responded that he’s back in Bogotá and unconcerned, stating, "humanity must be free all over the world."

Notable Quote:

• "He says, I ask all soldiers in the US army not to point their guns at humanity. Disobey Trump's order."
  — Amy Held reporting on Gustavo Petro [00:57]
• "Petro said he's back in Bogota and does not care he no longer has a visa, writing 'humanity must be free all over the world.'" — Amy Held [01:25]

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2. TV: Jimmy Kimmel Live Returns to All ABC Affiliates

[01:43]

[01:52] Steve Futterman

• Kimmel’s show returns to nearly 70 ABC stations owned by Nexstar and Sinclair following their earlier boycott after its return.
• The change followed a surge in ratings, with over six million viewers tuning in on Tuesday.

Highlight:

• "On Tuesday, it drew more than 6 million viewers."
  — Steve Futterman [02:12]

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3. Meta Introduces Ad-Free Subscriptions in the UK

[02:20] Nora Ramm & [02:29] Vicki Barker

• Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) will offer UK users a ~$4/month subscription to remove ads.
• This step follows an out-of-court settlement after a British privacy campaigner's lawsuit over data protection.
• UK regulators endorse the move, while European regulators contest the notion that users must pay for data privacy.

Notable Quote:

• "They argue customers shouldn't have to pay to enjoy their fundamental right to data protection."
  — Vicki Barker [03:03]

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4. Humanitarian and Environmental Headlines

4.1 Doctors Without Borders Suspends Operations in Gaza City

[03:14]

• The organization halts all Gaza City operations due to unsafe conditions amidst an Israeli ground offensive.
• Leaves hundreds of thousands with extremely limited access to healthcare.

4.2 National Parks Could Close Amid Shutdown

[03:45] Kirk Zigler

• 40+ retired national park superintendents urge closure of all parks during a government shutdown, citing vandalism and habitat destruction risks from past partial closures.
• President Trump’s administration has cut a quarter of permanent park staff, exacerbating strains despite record visitation.

Quote:

• "They say past shutdowns in which parks stayed open with the skeleton staff resulted in increased vandalism and habitat destruction and other public safety risks."
  — Kirk Zigler [03:55]

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5. Weather: Atlantic Storm Tracking and Fujihara Effect

[04:27]

• Two tropical systems monitored in the Atlantic. Hurricane Omega Umberto is not expected to affect the U.S. mainland but could impact a developing system—possibilities include merging, disruption, or the rare Fujiwhara (Fujihara) effect, where two storms swirl around each other.

Memorable Moment:

• "Another possibility is a rare dance when two storms dance together, swirling around a spot in the middle. It's called the Fujihara effect for the Japanese scientist who discovered it 100 years ago."
  — Nora Ramm [04:46]

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "President Trump said today he's directing the Defense Department to provide troops to be sent to Portland, Oregon...authorizing full force if necessary." — Nora Ramm [00:14]
• "I ask all soldiers in the US army not to point their guns at humanity. Disobey Trump's order." — Gustavo Petro (via Amy Held) [00:57]
• "On Tuesday, it drew more than 6 million viewers." — Steve Futterman [02:12]
• "They argue customers shouldn't have to pay to enjoy their fundamental right to data protection." — Vicki Barker [03:03]
• "Past shutdowns in which parks stayed open with the skeleton staff resulted in increased vandalism and habitat destruction and other public safety risks." — Kirk Zigler [03:55]
• "Another possibility is a rare dance when two storms dance together, swirling around a spot in the middle. It's called the Fujihara effect..." — Nora Ramm [04:46]

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Important Segment Timestamps

• [00:14] President Trump troop directive; State Department visa revocation
• [01:52] Jimmy Kimmel Live broadcast update
• [02:29] Meta ad-free subscription option in UK
• [03:14] Doctors Without Borders suspends Gaza City operations
• [03:45] National park superintendents urge closure in shutdown
• [04:27] Atlantic storm updates and Fujiwhara effect explanation

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This concise newscast delivers essential updates with clear attribution and pithy summaries, embodying NPR's straightforward, informative tone for news on politics, technology, humanitarian affairs, and science.

Transcript

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[Nora Ramm]

Sign up [e-mail] live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Nora Ramm. President Trump said today he's directing the Defense Department to provide troops to be sent to Portland, Oregon, to protect the city and ICE facilities. On his Truth Social account, he said he's acting at the request of the Secretary of Homeland Security and is authorizing full force if necessary. The Pentagon has not indicated troops are being sent. The State Department says it will revoke the visa of Colombia's president after he called for U.S. soldiers to disobey President Trump. NPR's Amy Held reports. He was speaking at a pro Palestinian rally in New York City yesterday.

[NPR Sponsor Announcer]

In a post on social media, the State Department called the actions of Colombian President Gustavo Petro reckless and incendiary. He was in New York City for the UN General Assembly. Online video shows him addressing protesters outside with a megaphone. He says, I ask all soldiers in the US army not to point their guns at humanity. Disobey Trump's order. Petro has been a vocal critic of Israel's war in Gaza and President Trump. In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced anyone engaging in activities counter to US national interest or foreign policy would have their visas revoked. On social media Saturday, Petro said he's back in Bogota and does not care he no longer has a visa, writing humanity must be free all over the world. Amy Held, NPR News.

[Nora Ramm]

For the first time since his show returned, Jimmy Kimmel Live was broadcast on all ABC affiliates last night. Steve Futterman has more.

[Steve Futterman]

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Kimmel's show was broadcast on most ABC stations, but close to 70 owned by a pair of broadcast groups. Nexstar and Sinclair refused to put the show on the air. Yesterday, nexstar and Sinclair announced a change of heart. Kimmel would be back on. Kimmel's show has been surging in the ratings. On Tuesday, it drew more than 6 million viewers. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles.

[Nora Ramm]

British customers of Facebook and Instagram are being offered the option of paying to go ad free. Vicki Barker reports from London.

[Vicki Barker]

Parent company Meta says UK users will be offered subscriptions starting at about $4 a month to go ad free on their smartphones or PCs. That follows its out of court settlement earlier this year of a lawsuit brought by a British privacy campaigner who argued that Meta's use of her personal data breached UK Data protection laws. Her argument was backed by British regulators who have now pronounced themselves pleased with Meta's decision. But a similar arrangement already in place in Europe is being challenged by regulators there. They argue customers shouldn't have to pay to enjoy their fundamental right to data protection. For NPR News, I'm Vicki Barker in London.

[Nora Ramm]

This is NPR News. In Washington, the medical group Doctors Without Borders is suspending all its operations in Gaza City, saying it can no longer work safely because of Israel's ground offensive. This leaves hundreds of thousands of people with almost no access to health care. More than three dozen former national park superintendents are pleading with the Trump administration to close all parks if there is a government shutdown. NPR's Kirk Zigler reports.

[Kirk Zigler]

In a letter to the president's Interior secretary, Doug Burgum, 40 retired superintendents at parks ranging from Denali to Big Bend to Shenandoah urged that all parks be closed if the Republican controlled Congress can't pass a budget and there's a government shutdown. They say past shutdowns in which parks stayed open with the skeleton staff resulted in increased vandalism and habitat destruction and other public safety risks. The Interior Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But the possible shutdown comes amid a major strain facing America's national parks. President Trump has cut about a quarter of the park's permanent staff, just as many reported record visitation this summer. Kirk Zigler, NPR News.

[Nora Ramm]

Meteorologists are watching two tropical storm systems in the Atlantic. Hurricane Omega Umberto is not expected to hit the US Mainland, but it may affect a developing and so far unnamed system that could become a tropical storm tonight. Umberto could move it to the east, pull it apart or merge with it. Another possibility is a rare dance when two storms dance together, swirling around a spot in the middle. It's called the Fujihara effect for the Japanese scientist who discovered it 100 years ago. I'm Nora Ram, NPR News.

[Steve Futterman]

Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app, by subscribing to NPR News Now. [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org.