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

Episode Date: September 12, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Charlie Kirk's alleged killer is now in custody. He's identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. Utah Governor Spencer Cox says a member of Robinson's family reached out to a friend who then told authorities Robinson had confessed to the crime or implied he'd committed the incident. Investigators interviewed a family member of Robinson who stated that Robinson had become more political in recent years. The family member referenced a recent incident in which Robinson came to dinner prior to September 10th, and in the conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU.

They talked about why they didn't like him and the viewpoints that he had. The governor says investigators were shown messages Robinson allegedly left on discord. They referred to retrieving and dropping off a rifle, as well as casings engraved with words such as, quote, hey-fascist catch. Kirk was a prominent conservative activists and close ally of the Trump family. He was gunned down Wednesday while speaking at an outdoor rally at Utah Valley University in Orem as a large crowd, including many young people, watched in horror as events unfolded. Republican and Democratic Party leaders have both condemned Kirk's killing and overall political violence, which also claimed the life of a Minnesota state lawmaker, a Democrat, only a few months ago. Yesterday, Pennsylvania governor Joseph Shapiro reacted when President Trump blamed Kirk's murder on the radical left. I think it is dangerous when the president cherry picks which political violence he's going to condemn

and which he's going to allow to just simply pass. Shapiro has also been the target of political violence earlier this year. A man set fire to the governor's home while his family was celebrating Passover. Secretary of St. Marco Rubio is heading to Israel this week. weekend. The trip comes just days after an Israeli strike on the Hamas offices in Qatar, where the militant group was considering the latest U.S. proposal for a deal in Gaza. And P.R.'s Michelle Kellerman with details. The State Department says that Rubio will use his trip to Israel to convey America's priorities in the Israel-Hamas conflict and throughout the region. The acting

U.S. ambassador to the UN told the Security Council on Thursday that the unilateral strike in Qatar did not advance Israeli or U.S. goals. But the State Department has been trying to tamp down criticism of Israel and keep the focus on Hamas. It calls on Hamas to release all hostages and says the group must never rule over Gaza again. Secretary Rubio is also promising to help Israel fight what he calls anti-Israel actions, including the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, Washington. At last check on Wall Street, the Dow is down, 181 points. It's NPR news. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and

Education Secretary Linda McMahon have written an opinion piece published in the Washington Post. NPR's Ritu Chatterjee reports they argue against school-based mental health screenings. The two secretaries argue that schools must turn to things like, quote, strong families, fitness and nutrition, and hope for the future, close quote, to help kids. They say, Mental health screens, diagnoses, and talk therapy create stigmas that stay with children. Psychologist Benjamin Miller chairs the advisory board for the mental health nonprofit inseparable.

He says mental health screens are like those for physical health intended for early detection so someone at risk can get help before it develops into a health crisis. NPR's Reader Strategy reporting. Hollywood celebrates its biggest night for television, the 77th Emmy Awards are Sunday on CBS. comedian Nate Bargettze will host, and as his predecessors can attest to, keeping a three-hour show moving is not for the faint-hearted. Earlier this week, Bargettze joked with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and MC Veteran that he's got a plan to keep winner's thank yous to 45 seconds or less. He promised to donate $100,000 to the Boys and Girls Club, but we'll take away a thousand bucks for every second a winner goes overtime. But you can also, if you go under, we will put $1,000. back on, so you can't give it back.

Wow. No pressure. Bargetzi on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The Dow is down 177 points. S&Ps off two. The NASDAQ has gained 68. It's NPR News.