NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-16-2025 7PM EDT

Episode Date: September 16, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jail Snyder. Utah prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty against the 22-year-old man. They say shot and killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk. MPR's Tovia Smith reports that state prosecutors have formally charged Tyler Robinson with crimes ranging from witness tampering to aggravated murder. Prosecutors laid out the evidence against Robinson, including his DNA allegedly on the trigger of the murder weapon. They say the death penalty is warranted in a case of a politically motivated attack that put many at risk.

County attorney Jeff Gray shared texts Robinson allegedly sent to his transgender partner saying he'd had enough of what he saw as Kirk's hateful views. And Gray said Robinson allegedly offered the same explanation to his parents. When asked why he did it, Robinson explained there is too much evil and the guy referring to Charlie Kirk spreads too much hate. The alleged text suggests that Robinson's partner didn't know about the plan beforehand. Tovia Smith, NPR News, St. George, Utah. President Trump is overseas in the United Kingdom, arriving there today for a state visit. He's expected to do a carriage ride with King Charles around Windsor Castle. Protesters massing there, too, as NPR's Lauren Freyer reports from Windsor.

Windsor is adorned with bunting and flags, the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack together. There are also metal barriers and security teams. sweeping the streets. Sima Saida is with a protest group that flew a giant Trump baby blimp over London during a previous Trump visit. We can't confirm or deny whether the blimp will be back. You'll have to wait to see. Protesters unfurled a giant photo of Trump and Jeffrey Epstein on a lawn near Windsor Castle and stuck Epstein commemorative teacups into a gift shop. But it's not just Trump, the king's brother, Prince Andrew, was friends with the late sex offender. So was the U.K. ambassador to Washington, who was fired last week after his letters to Epstein were published.

Lauren Freyer and PR News, Windsor, England. Moderna says new data show the company's updated COVID-19 vaccine should provide strong protection against current variants. Here's MPR's Rob Stein. Buterner says the company's new COVID vaccine safely produces an eight-fold increase in neutralizing antibodies to the virus, in people ages 12 through 64 at high risk for severe complications, and adults age of 65 and older, and that the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that the vaccine's a good match to the strains now circulating. The announcement comes as the CDC is deciding who should get the shot. The Food and Drug Administration has already narrowed

eligibility for the COVID vaccines. CDC advisors meeting this week could affirm those restrictions or expand or narrow eligibility. Rob Stein and Pure News. And you're listening to NPR News. Israeli defense minister Israel CAD said on social media today that Gaza is burning. Israel has launched its long-threatened ground defensive in Gaza City. The military

says ground troops began moving deeper into the city today and that the number of soldiers involved would rise in the coming days. Israel has pledged to seize control of the entire city. UN human rights experts accuse Israel of carrying out a genocide. In the WMBA, the playoff are underway with the Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces favored to meet in the finals.

And in Dallas, Wingstar, Paige Beckers was named Rookie of the Year. And Pierce Becky Sullivan has more. The Lynx and Aces couldn't have had more different trajectories this season. Minnesota, led by MVP hopeful Nefisa Collier, was a Goliath from the start. They only lost 10 games all season long, four fewer than the next closest team. Meanwhile, the Aces and their megastar, Asia Wilson, had a rocky starts this season. By early August, they'd lost as many games as they'd lost. they'd won, including an embarrassing 53-point meltdown at the hands of the links.

But since then, Las Vegas has won 17 games and counting, making them the hottest team entering the playoffs. A title would be their third in four years. Also in the mix is the Atlanta Dream, the three-seed, who posted their first winning record this year since 2018. Becky Sullivan in PR News. The World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, American runners Sidney McLaughlin-Avone, now has her site set on Thursday's 400-meter final. She broke a 19-year-old American record today in her semifinal event. She ran the 400 in the fastest time of the year so far and the seventh fastest ever. I'm Giles Snyder in PR News.