NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-12-2025 2PM EDT

Episode Date: September 12, 2025

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On the TED Radio Hour podcast, Astro Teller leads Alphabet's secret lab behind successful projects like self-driving cars and high-profile flops like Google Glass. We were too, too early in that case. The CEO of Alphabet's Moonshot Factory on innovation and getting the timing right. Listen on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Utah authorities say they have custody of the man accused of assassinating right-wing activists and Trump ally Charlie Kirk. NPR's Bobby Allen with details. Tyler Robinson is 22 years old.

He was arrested after a family member of Robinson's apparently reached out to authorities. Robinson, the investigators said, you know, made some kind of confession to a family member who then went to law enforcement. They also have an incriminating message from him on the, the social media platform discord about the location of a rifle. NPR is Bobby Allen reporting. Kirk was fatally shot Wednesday as he was addressing a large crowd, including many college-age students at Utah Valley University. The suspect is expected to be charged with aggravated murder. President Trump has said that the person responsible should get the death penalty. The city of Memphis seems to be next on the president's list for a National Guard deployment.

Christopher Blank of Member Station WKNO reports that local officials responded to today's announcement with more skepticism than protest. We're going to Memphis. President Trump made the announcement on Fox and Friends, calling the city, quote, deeply troubled. But even he seemed lukewarm to the idea. I would have preferred going to Chicago. Both the Memphis mayor, Paul Young, a Democrat, and Tennessee's Republican governor, Bill Lee, have welcomed federal crime intervention. they've asked for more police, more FBI agents, more financial resources. But given the city's declining murder rate and overall crime at a 25-year low, according to Memphis

police, local officials aren't sure how the National Guard would have much impact in a city four times the size of Washington, D.C. For NPR News, I'm Christopher Blank in Memphis. More than 200 recent heat waves were made worse by human-caused global warming. and the activity of fossil fuel producers. NPR, as Julia Simon reports on the findings of a major study out this week. First, the scientists found that 213 heat waves were substantially more likely and intense because of climate change. But that wasn't all.

The team from ETH Zurich University used a database of major fossil fuel producers and calculated how much their greenhouse gas emissions contributed to global warming. They found dozens of heat waves would be virtually. impossible without the activity of big fossil fuel companies because of how high their emissions are. As states, cities, and countries sue oil companies for damages from climate disasters. Climate researchers say studies attributing specific events to specific corporations could become important in litigation. ExxonMobil, BP, and Chevron did not respond to NPR's request for comment. Julia Simon, NPR News.

The Dow is down more than 200 points. SMPs up for the NASAC has gained 103 points. It's NPR News. The U.S. holds high-level trade talks with China this weekend. Treasury Secretary Steve Bessent leaves for Madrid, the side of the meeting. Delegations from the world's two biggest economies are expected to discuss tit-for-tat tariffs and national security threats, including ownership of the Chinese company TikTok. Washington's concern that Beijing could use bite-dance to collect intel on American users

and advance propaganda. Brazil Supreme Court sentenced former President Jail Bolsonaro to 27 years and three months in prison for a coup attempt after his 2022 re-election loss. Julie Garnado reports. A former army captain, then congressman, then president, and now heading to prison. The more than 27-year sentence follows a momentous trial

that gripped Brazil. Jaiy Bolsonaro, the divisive far-right leader, was convicted on all five charges, including attempting a coup and leading a criminal organization. A panel of judges voted four to one to convict Bolsonaro and co-conspirators. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the sentence unjust in a post on X and said the U.S. will, quote, respond accordingly to this witch hunt. The U.S. had slapped 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods over Bolsonaro's prosecution.

For NPR News, I'm Julia Carnero in Rio de Janeiro. Britain's Prince Harry made a previously unannounced visit to Ukraine today. He traveled to Kyiv to meet with wounded service members. This is the second time Harry has visited Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News. Listen to this podcast, sponsor-free on Amazon Music with a prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR News Now Plus at plus.npr.org. That's plus.npr.org. Thank you.