NPR News: 09-27-2025 5AM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now – September 27, 2025, 5AM EDT

Host: Jael Snyder
Episode Overview:
In this concise five-minute news update, NPR delivers a roundup of the morning’s most pressing national and international headlines. Stories covered include the return of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" to all ABC affiliates, the developing Hurricane Umberto, diplomatic strife over Iran’s nuclear program, U.S. visa action against Colombia’s President, a break in the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders, listeria concerns in pasta products, and a unique path to healing in post-flood Asheville, NC.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Returns to All ABC Stations

• Segment Begins: [00:11]
• After a days-long standoff, the late-night show is once again aired on all ABC affiliates—ending a blackout by Nexstar and Sinclair-owned stations.
• Quote:
  • Chris Kochas, a fan: "It's about time everybody started falling in line. Just a weird, a really weird situation out here right now with the free speech and all that." [00:48]
• The show's ratings are up, drawing more than 6 million viewers on Tuesday.
• Reporting: Steve Futterman, Los Angeles

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2. Hurricane Umberto Intensifies

• Segment Begins: [01:05]
• The hurricane reaches Category 4 status, with winds up to 145 mph, threatening the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda with hazardous surf and rip currents.
• Matt Bloom reports imminent risk of heavy rainfall for coastal Georgia, the Carolinas, and the southern Mid-Atlantic next week.
• Preparations:
  • South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster declares a state of emergency.
  • Crews in Charleston prepare sandbags and other protective measures.

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3. Rising Diplomatic Tensions over Iran’s Nuclear Program

• Segment Begins: [01:50]
• Iran’s foreign ministry dismisses diplomacy with the U.S. as a “pure dead end”—reacting to Europe’s push to reimpose U.N. sanctions.
• Reporter: Michelle Kellerman
• Russia and China failed to stop the reimposition of sanctions.
• Iranian Foreign Minister Saeed Abbas Arachi blames U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal and European inaction.
• Quote:
  • Saeed Abbas Arachi: "Today's crisis is the direct result of U.S. withdrawal and Europe's inaction. The U.S. betrayed diplomacy." [02:31]
• Arakchi cites "a terrible experience" negotiating with the U.S. and points to recent bombings of nuclear sites by the U.S. and Israel.

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4. U.S. Visa Revoked for Colombian President

• Segment Begins: [02:53]
• Trump administration to revoke President Gustavo Petro’s visa, following Petro’s comments at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York.
• Petro urged U.S. soldiers to disobey presidential orders.
• The State Department calls his remarks “reckless and incendiary.”

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5. Update on the 1991 Austin “Yogurt Shop Murders”

• Segment Begins: [03:24]
• Police in Austin announce DNA evidence points to Robert Eugene Brashers, who died in 1999, as a suspect in the case of four murdered teenage girls.
• More details to be released on Monday.

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6. Listeria Warning for Pasta Meals

• Segment Begins: [03:45]
• Federal officials warn of possible listeria contamination in pasta meals sold by Walmart and Trader Joe’s.
• The outbreak has led to three deaths and at least 17 illnesses.

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7. Emotional Healing After Last Year’s North Carolina Floods

• Segment Begins: [04:05]
• In Asheville, locals mark the anniversary of deadly floods with a “primal scream” event led by Aaron Parcells, a local librarian.
• The event reflects collective grief and resilience as the community rebuilds.
• Quotes:
  • Francie Gens, first-time participant:
    "I think we need to get it out and we need to feel it and we need to be together and know that we're all feeling this and let it resound and be heard." [04:28]
• Inspired by Chicago’s weekly “scream club,” Asheville hopes to make this a monthly healing ritual.
• Reporting: Laura Hackett, Asheville, NC

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Chris Kochas on Kimmel Broadcast Disputes:
  "Just a weird, a really weird situation out here right now with the free speech and all that." [00:48]
• Saeed Abbas Arachi on Iran/U.S. Nuclear Talks:
  "Today's crisis is the direct result of U.S. withdrawal and Europe's inaction. The U.S. betrayed diplomacy." [02:31]
• Francie Gens on Asheville’s Primal Scream:
  "We need to be together and know that we're all feeling this and let it resound and be heard." [04:28]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:11] Jimmy Kimmel Live returns to all ABC affiliates
• [01:05] Hurricane Umberto threatens U.S. coastal states
• [01:50] Iran slams U.S. and Europe on nuclear sanctions
• [02:53] U.S. revokes Colombian President’s visa
• [03:24] New suspect in Austin yogurt shop murders
• [03:45] Listeria warning for pasta meals
• [04:05] Asheville marks flood anniversary with a community scream

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This tightly curated news episode provides a rapid yet thorough sweep of political, cultural, environmental, and community resilience stories, encapsulating the headlines Americans are waking up to on September 27, 2025.

Transcript

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[Jael Snyder]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jael Snyder. For the first time since his show returned, Jimmy Kimmel Live was broadcast on all ABC affiliates last night. Steve Futterman reports.

[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 this Kimmel fan Chris Kochas is very happy.

[Chris Kochas]

It's about time everybody started falling in line. Just a weird, a really weird situation out here right now with the free speech and all that.

[Steve Futterman]

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.

[Jael Snyder]

Hurricane Umberto has grown into a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 145 miles an hour. Forecasters say Umberto could produce life threatening surf and rip conditions for the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Bermuda this weekend before it swings to the northeast off the U.S. coast. NPR's Matt Bloom reports that officials are also warning residents about a There's an.

[Matt Bloom]

Increasing threat of heavy rainfall early next week in coastal Georgia, the Carolinas and southern Mid Atlantic states. While the exact track of this new system remains uncertain, the National Weather Service says it's expected to be at or near hurricane intensity when it approaches the southeast U.S. coast and officials are telling residents to plan ahead.

[Jael Snyder]

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has already declared a state of emergency and crews in Charleston getting sandbags together and making other preparations. Iran's foreign ministry says diplomacy with the U.S. is, quote, pure dead end. He is rejecting a move by European countries to reimpose U.N. sanctions over its nuclear program. Here's NPR's Michelle Kellerman.

[Michelle Kellerman]

Russia and China have failed for a second time to prevent UN Sanctions from snapping back. Iran's foreign Minister Saeed Abbas Arachi says it was the US that pulled out of the nuclear deal in the first place. And he says the three European countries that were also part of the deal have no right to reimpose sanctions.

[Saeed Abbas Arachi]

Today's CRIS crisis is the direct result of U.S. withdrawal and Europe's inaction. The U.S. betrayed diplomacy.

[Michelle Kellerman]

Arakchi says Iran has had, in his words, a terrible experience negotiating with the U.S. iran was about to hold more talks when Israel and the US Bombed nuclear sites earlier this year. Michelle Keleman, NPR News, New York.

[Jael Snyder]

The Trump administration says it will revoke Colombian President Gustavo Petro's visa, taking issue with his remarks at a pro Palestinian demonstration in New York. He he urged US Soldiers to disobey President Trump's orders. And a post on acts the State Department called his comments reckless and incendiary. This is NPR News. Police in Austin, Texas, have identified a new suspect in the 1991 yogurt shop murders of four teenage girls. They say DNA tests point to Robert Eugene Brashers, who killed himself in 1999 during a standoff with law enforcement. Police plan to share more details on Monday. Federal health officials are warning up pasta meals sold at Walmart and Trader Joe's stores nationwide. Officials say tests show that the pasta may be contaminated by the same bacteria linked to a listeria outbreak that killed three people and sickened at least 17. Exactly a year after Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina with lethal floods and landslides, the city of Asheville is reckoning with a lot of emotion. Blue Ridge Public Radio's Laura Hackett reports that some people are seeking healing in a unique way.

[Laura Hackett]

Librarian Aaron Parcells is standing bridge with a red megaphone overlooking the same river that leveled Asheville's River Arts District a year ago. She's there to lead a primal scream on behalf of the local library.

[Francie Gens]

Two one, the scream was a meaningful.

[Laura Hackett]

Way to mark all that Asheville has been through, says first time screamer Francie Gens.

[Francie Gens]

I think we need to get it out and we need to feel it and we need to be together and know that we're all feeling this and let it resound and be heard.

[Laura Hackett]

The idea came from Chicago, which has a weekly scream Club in Asheville, where the city faces years of home, road and water repairs. Locals hope to make it a monthly occurrence. For NPR News, I'm Laura Hackett in Asheville, North Carolina.

[Jael Snyder]

This is NPR News.

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