NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-15-2025 4PM EDT

Episode Date: September 15, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Tributes are being held across the country for Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated last week in Utah. Today, Vice President J.D. Vance filled in as host of the Charlie Kirk Show. And Pierce Frank Ordonez reports, Vance credited the conservative activist with helping him become the vice president. Charlie Kirk championed Vance for his Senate bid in 2022 and went on to push for him to become then-candidate Donald Trump's running mate. If it weren't for Charlie Kirk, I would not be the vice president of the United States. The podcast was part tribute and part call to action. The vice president interviewed top officials who credited Kirk with helping secure a big share of the youth vote for Trump.

And Vance promised to target those who, according to the administration, are fueling the kind of violence that resulted in Kirk's death. We're going to go after the NGO network that Fomence, facilitates, and engages in violence. That's not okay. The White House didn't clarify what NGOs he was referring to or how they would target them. Franco, Ordonez. NPR News, the White House. Prosecutors expect to charge Charlie Kirk's alleged killer Tyler Robinson tomorrow with aggravated murder, which carries a possibility of the death penalty. Robinson would then make his first court appearance. Yesterday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said Robinson was not cooperating with authorities but that his romantic partner was.

Cox also noted that the partner was a man transitioning to be. a woman. It is unknown whether transgender politics were at all a factor in Kirk's assassination. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson says the U.S. and China are closer to nailing down a deal on TikTok, which is under threat of being banned in the U.S. We have a framework for a TikTok deal. The two leaders, President Trump and party chair, she will speak on Friday to complete the deal. The U.S. threatened to ban TikTok if it's Chinese parent. company did not divest ownership to satisfy national security concerns. Some political

strategists say Democrats are falling behind Republicans at reaching voters on platforms like TikTok. We have more on this from NPR, Sasha Pfeiffer. The warning came from a digital agency called Van Ness Creative Strategies that works to elect Democrats. The agency has told them if they're not comfortable communicating using short online videos, they should retire. Van Ness notes more than 50% of Americans now get their news from social media and more than 75% in video form. New York Democratic Congressman Richie Torres, a client of the agency, agrees. I think if you're either unable or unwilling to adapt to new media, then your extinction is not a question of if, it's a question of when.

Skeptics say a recent Arizona election where a Gen Z TikToker lost by more than 40 points shows that a big social media following alone does not guarantee political success. Sasha Fiverr, NPR News. From Washington, this is NPR. Qatar hosted an emergency summit of Arab and Islamic leaders today, seeking to present a united response to Israel's strike against Hamas leaders in Doha last week. However, it was unclear what action would be taken. Secretary of State Marco Rubia was expected to visit Qatar, a U.S. ally,

after his meeting today with the Prime Minister of Israel. Americans are putting less importance on going to college, According to new research from Gallup, NPR's Alyssa Nade Warnie reports. While the majority of Americans still see value in having a college education, rating it at least fairly important, they are far less likely today to consider it vital. Only about a third of U.S. adults surveyed rated the value of a college education as very important. That's down from 53% in 2019 and 70% in 2013. On the flip side, respondents who said college was not too important, more than that. than doubled since 2019. The research also found that this dwindling perception that college is

very important is happening regardless of political party affiliation. While the survey didn't ask for reasons, the researchers say political rhetoric, labor market changes, high tuition costs, and student loan debt all play a role. Alistin Adwarnie, NPR News. Shipwreck hunters have found the wreckage of a cargo schooner that went down during a storm in Lake Michigan nearly 140 years ago. Historical Society and the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association announced today that a team located the F.J. King off Bailey's Harbor back in June. I'm Lakshmi Singh and PR News in Washington.