NPR News Now — September 27, 2025, 2PM EDT

Host: Nora Rahm
Episode Theme: Rapid-fire update on major news developments, focusing on U.S. politics, international crises, cybersecurity threats, and law enforcement controversies.

Episode Overview

This five-minute episode delivers concise coverage of significant world and national events. The focus is on President Trump's decision to send federal troops to Portland, legal actions targeting former officials, developments in Gaza amid renewed conflict, a disturbing cyberattack affecting preschoolers, and the controversial firing of several FBI agents related to a 2020 protest.

1. Federal Troop Deployment to Portland (00:18 – 01:16)

• Announcement: President Trump is dispatching federal troops to Portland, Oregon, citing the need to protect ICE facilities from protesters.
  • “Trump said federal troops would be deployed to handle domestic terrorists in the city.” — Joanie Oddenland (00:32)
• Mayor’s Response:
  • Mayor Keith Wilson urged peaceful protest and characterized the deployment as “a big show.”
    • "We have no tolerance for anyone in Portland who uses this difficult moment to hurt others or our homes." — Keith Wilson, Mayor (00:56)
• Uncertainty and Context:
  • The actual number of troops and the source agency remain unclear.
  • At least one protest is planned outside the ICE facility on Sunday.
  • A U.S. official stated the Pentagon had not issued any deployment order and only learned of the request through media reports (01:16).

2. Indictment of James Comey and Concerns of Political Retribution (01:16 – 02:08)

• Key Details:
  • Former FBI Director James Comey has been charged with making false statements to Congress and obstruction, following calls by President Trump for such actions.
• Analysis:
  • Ryan Lucas discusses the breakdown of Justice Department independence and the perception of prosecutorial actions being politically motivated:
    • “In just the past week, we have the president openly calling for the attorney general to go after people Trump doesn’t like, including James Comey. Now Comey’s been indicted. So for legal observers and Justice Department veterans, this sure looks like Trump using the Justice Department to enact the campaign of retribution that he promised.” — Ryan Lucas (01:43)

3. Israeli Offensive and Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza (02:08 – 03:13)

• On the Ground:
  • Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu claimed to have broadcast his UN speech on the Gaza border, hoping hostages might hear.
  • However, residents described only hearing the sounds of intensified Israeli airstrikes.
  • "On the ground in Gaza, residents say they couldn't hear the Israeli prime minister's voice. They could hear this bombardment, however, and the ground shock through the night as Israeli military strikes intensified following Netanyahu's speech." — Anis Baba (02:28)
• Impact:
  • Gaza’s Health Ministry reports 77 Palestinians killed in the past 24 hours.
  • The stated military goal is to eliminate Hamas, but locals believe it’s about making Gaza City uninhabitable.
  • Many residents fear they may never return if they flee.
• Broader Crisis:
  • Doctors Without Borders suspends all operations in Gaza City due to escalating violence, leaving hundreds of thousands with almost no access to medical care (03:13).

4. Major Ransomware Attack on Preschool Chain (03:13 – 04:25)

• Incident:
  • Cybercriminals stole personal data on roughly 8,000 children from the Kiddo nursery school chain, spanning the UK, India, and the US.
• Parents Speak Out:
  • Some of the stolen information (photos, medical data, and personal details) was already leaked onto the dark web.
    • “Profile pictures from the app that they use, and some medical information which is concerning — dates of birth, names, favorite things, plus all of the parents details.” — Stephen Gilbert, Parent (03:58)
• Ongoing Threat:
  • Hackers threaten to publish more unless paid.
• Authorities Respond:
  • Police investigating; warn that paying ransoms may encourage further cybercrime.

5. FBI Agents Fired Over Racial Justice Protest (04:25 – 04:57)

• Event:
  • The FBI Agents Association condemns the termination of over a dozen agents, reportedly fired after being photographed kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest (in response to George Floyd's killing).
• Due Process Issues:
  • The association claims the agents were fired without due process and that some had extra protections as veterans.

Notable Quotes

• Keith Wilson, Portland Mayor:
  "We have no tolerance for anyone in Portland who uses this difficult moment to hurt others or our homes." (00:56)
• Ryan Lucas, NPR Reporter:
  "This sure looks like Trump using the Justice Department to enact the campaign of retribution that he promised." (01:43)
• Anis Baba, NPR Gaza Correspondent:
  "On the ground in Gaza, residents say they couldn't hear the Israeli prime minister's voice. They could hear this bombardment, however..." (02:28)
• Stephen Gilbert, Parent affected by data breach:
  “Profile pictures from the app that they use, and some medical information...plus all of the parents details.” (03:58)

Key Timestamps

• 00:18: Top story – Federal troop deployment to Portland
• 01:16: Comey indictment, political retribution concerns
• 02:08: Gaza conflict and humanitarian update
• 03:13: Doctors Without Borders suspends Gaza operations
• 03:42: Ransomware attack on Kiddo nursery chain
• 04:25: FBI agents’ termination over protest participation

This episode of NPR News Now delivers a rapid yet nuanced roundup of breaking news, highlighting key conflicts between government authority and civil liberties, the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, risks of digital vulnerability, and ongoing debates over rule of law and protest rights in the United States.