NPR News: 09-28-2025 6PM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now – Detailed Summary

Episode: NPR News: 09-28-2025 6PM EDT
Date: September 28, 2025
Host: Jeanine Herbst, with reporting from Barbara Sprunt, Joanna Kakisis, Gabriela Paul
Main Theme: A concise and urgent newscast covering major breaking stories in the U.S. and internationally, with updates on a church shooting in Michigan, U.S. government shutdown talks, Russian attacks on Ukraine, surging housing costs, and a significant data breach.

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1. Church Shooting in Grand Blanc, Michigan

[00:16 – 01:07]

• Incident Overview: A deadly mass shooting occurred during Sunday church services at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Grand Blanc, north of Detroit.
• Details:
  • Perpetrator Identified: Thomas Jacob Stanford, a 40-year-old from Burton, MI.
  • Sequence of Events: Stanford drove a pickup truck through the church’s front door and opened fire with an assault rifle.
  • Casualties: At least 2 confirmed dead, 8 hospitalized (one critically), with fears that the death toll may rise due to fire and structural collapse.
  • Building Fire: The assailant intentionally set a fire, partially collapsing the church and hampering rescue efforts.
  • Police Action: Stanford was killed in a shootout with police; no motive has been established.
  • Ongoing Investigation: The FBI is involved.

Notable Quote:

"We do believe that there was people up there that were near that fire and they were unable to get out of the church. So we do believe that we will find additional victims once we're able to search that, once there's no signs of a fire reigniting."
— Police Chief William Renney [00:52]

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2. Looming U.S. Government Shutdown and Congressional Negotiations

[01:07 – 02:10]

• Status: Top Congressional leaders to meet with President Trump a day before a deadline to avoid a federal government shutdown.
• Key Issues:
  • Republican Approach: A stopgap (temporary) spending bill to fund the government through November 21.
  • Democratic Concerns: Demanding negotiations, particularly over the extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded tax credits, which expire this year.
  • Public Statement: Senate Majority Leader John Thune signaled willingness to discuss ACA tax credits after ensuring government funding.
• Next Steps: Senate vote on the stopgap bill expected Monday evening.

Notable Quote:

"And let's have a conversation about those premium tax credits. I'm certainly open to that."
— Unnamed Politician (Sen. John Thune), [01:58]

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3. War in Ukraine: Devastating Overnight Attacks

[02:10 – 03:10]

• Event: Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles overnight across Ukraine.
• Impact:
  • Casualties: At least 4 dead (including a 12-year-old girl), dozens injured.
  • Worst-hit Areas: Kyiv (capital) and Zaporizhzhia (southeast).
  • Rescue Efforts: Ukrainian teams worked through the aftermath, pulling wounded from collapsed buildings.
  • Scale of Attack: President Zelenskyy reported nearly 5,500 drones and over 40 missiles launched within a 12-hour period.
  • Zelenskyy’s Warning: Addressed the UN about how the ongoing conflict is driving a dangerous international arms race.

Notable Quote:

"Firefighters and medics worked throughout the attacks, which lasted for 12 hours. Among those killed in Kyiv was a 12 year old girl."
— Joanna Kakisis [02:27]

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4. Manufactured Home Lot Rents Surging Above Inflation

[03:11 – 04:13]

• Trend: Lot rents for manufactured homes are outpacing overall inflation, creating financial strain for residents.
• Case Study:
  • Daniel Clearwater, a retiree in Florida, describes his increasing rent:
    • In 2010, the lot rent was $450/month.
    • Recently paid $840/month.
  • Census Data: Nationwide, median lot rents rose 45% in the past decade. In some areas, these increases outpace single-family home rents.
• Implication:
  • The surge is making it unaffordable for long-term residents, some of whom own their homes outright but not the land beneath.

Notable Quote:

"Was like $450 and that was back in 2003, 10. Well, now here we are and we are actually paying, I just paid the bill, $840 for the lot rent."
— Daniel Clearwater [03:44]

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5. Harrods Data Breach (UK)

[04:13 – 04:56]

• Incident: Luxury British retailer Harrods reported a data breach involving an online system.
• Details:
  • Scope: Customer names and contact details stolen; payment and password information not exposed.
  • Source: Third-party provider was compromised.
  • Not Related: Harrods specified this breach is unrelated to a previous hacking attempt in May.
  • Context: Multiple high-profile British businesses recently targeted by cyber attacks.

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6. Financial Snapshot

[04:56]

• US Futures Markets:
  • Trading flat at the current hour.

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Additional Information

• Host: Jeanine Herbst
• Reporting Team: Barbara Sprunt (Congress), Joanna Kakisis (Ukraine), Gabriela Paul (Housing)
• Overall Tone: Urgent, factual, concise, with human-interest details where available

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Key Timestamps

• 00:16: Church shooting report begins
• 00:52: Police Chief Renney on possible additional victims
• 01:34: Congressional leaders' meeting and shutdown context
• 01:58: Open discussion on ACA tax credits
• 02:27: Ukrainian attacks—details, casualties, and response
• 03:44: Manufactured home resident on rising costs
• 04:13: Harrods data breach explained

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This NPR News Now episode delivers succinct, up-to-the-minute reporting on critical USA and global events, paired with human stories and hard-hitting data, maintaining the clear, authoritative tone familiar to NPR listeners.

Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. In Michigan, at least two people are dead. Eight others are hospitalized, one in critical condition after a shooting during church services this morning. Police say a 40 year old man who was authorities identified as Thomas Jacob Stanford of Burton, Michigan, rammed a pickup truck through the front door of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Grand Blank, north of Detroit, before opening fire with an assault rifle. Police Chief William Renney says they believe he set a fire, partially collapsing the building and that the death toll may rise.

[Police Chief William Renney]

We do believe that there was people up there that were near that fire and they were unable to get out of the church. So we do believe that we will find additional victims once we're able to search that, once there's no signs of a fire reigniting.

[Jeanine Herbst]

He says the FBI is investigating the attack. The gunman was killed in a shootout with police and there's no word on a motive. The top four congressional leaders are heading to the White House tomorrow to meet with President Trump just one day before a September 30 deadline to fund the government or face a shutdown. As NPR's Barbara Sprunt reports, this comes after Trump canceled an earlier meeting with Democratic leaders.

[Barbara Sprunt]

Republicans want to pass a stopgap spending bill to fund the government through November 21st. Democrats want to negotiate in order to provide the necessary votes to put it over the finish line, specifically on the issue of a set of expanded tax cuts from the Affordable Care Act. Those are set to expire at the end of the year. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told NBC's Meet the Press, there's time to address that after the government is funded, keep the government open.

[Unnamed Politician]

And let's have a conversation about those premium tax credits. I'm certainly open to that.

[Barbara Sprunt]

The Senate will attempt to pass the stopgap bill Monday evening. Barbara Sprent, NPR News, Washington.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Ukrainian officials say Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles overnight. At least four people were killed, including a child. Dozens of others were injured. NPR's Joanna Kakisis reports. The Ukrainian capital and a city in the Southeast were the hardest hit.

[Joanna Kakisis]

Kyiv's rescue workers posted this video of their teams putting out fires and pulling the wounded from the ruins of a five story apartment building. Firefighters and medics worked throughout the attacks, which lasted for 12 hours. Among those killed in Kyiv was a 12 year old girl. Dozens in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia were also injured. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on social media that Russia launched almost 5, 500 drones and more than 40 missiles at his country overnight and early this morning. Zelenskyy warned UN Leaders last week that Russia's war on Ukraine has prompted a dangerous arms race and that every year weapons get deadlier. Joanna Kakissis, NPR News.

[Unidentified Speaker]

Cave.

[Jeanine Herbst]

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Census data show that lot rents in manufactured homes are outpacing inflation, but some people can no longer afford to stay. From member station wusf, Gabriela Paul has more.

[Gabriela Paul]

Daniel Clearwater came from California to retire in a manufactured home park in Florida. He owns his home outright, but pays lot rent to lease the land underneath it. He says he expected the lot rent to go up some, but not this much.

[Daniel Clearwater]

Was like $450 and that was back in 2003, 10. Well, now here we are and we are actually paying, I just paid the bill, $840 for the lot rent.

[Gabriela Paul]

This is part of a national trend. Census data show that median lot rents have jumped 45% in the last decade. And in some metros, lot rents are climbing faster than rents for single family homes. For NPR News, I'm Gabriella Paul in Tampa.

[Jeanine Herbst]

British department store Harrods is warning customers about a data breach on their online system. The luxury store says names and contact details were taken after a third party provider system was compromised, though passwords and payment details weren't affected. Harrod says it wasn't connected to a previous incident in May when hackers sought to gain access into its systems. And then the store had to restrict Internet access across its sites as a precautionary measure. Cyber attacks have targeted several high profile British businesses recently. US Futures contracts are trading flat at this hour. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News in Washington.

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