NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-17-2025 3AM EDT

Episode Date: September 17, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the man who's charged with murdering conservative activist Charlie Kirk. KUER's Martha Harris reports on the suspect's initial court appearance. Tyler Robinson appeared virtually from the Utah County Jail. He's being held there without bail. Robinson sat silently in front of a white wall except when he said his name. In the brief hearing, a Utah judge read Robinson the seven-jointed. charges against him. Robinson nodded as the judge talked to him, but did not show much emotion.

He has been charged with aggravated murder. Prosecutors have filed their intent to seek the death penalty. The judge said a defense lawyer will be appointed to represent Robinson because of his financial circumstances. The judge also approved a protective order from Charlie Kirk's widow, Erica Kirk. This prohibits Robinson from contacting her. For NPR news, I'm Martha Harris in Provo, Utah. concerned about their own safety following the murder of Charlie Kirk. As NPR's Barber Sprunt reports, House Republicans are proposing to boost security spending by $30 million. The $30 million is included in a stopgap bill to fund the government that GOP leaders hope to approve later this week to avoid a government shutdown. There are existing programs for security for members, including one

that piloted in July that increases member security funds from $150 a month to $5,000 a month. month. But that is expiring at the end of September. The U.S. Capitol Police told NPR its agents are on track to work through roughly 14,000 threat assessment cases by the end of the year, a significant uptick from years past. Barbara Sprint and P.R. News, the Capitol. Researchers at Yale University are accusing Russian authorities of militarizing children kidnapped from Ukraine. The story from NPR's Joanna Kikis in Kiev. Investigators at the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale. School of Public Health say they have found more than 200 camps where Ukrainian children as young

as eight are taught Russian patriotic education and combat skills. They're giving them actual training and grenade throwing. And in one case, we know they're involved in the manufacturer drones. Nathaniel Raymond is the director of the humanitarian research lab. They are in a training pipeline that has tactical scenarios and curricula that lead only to on conclusion. They're not taking them to paratrooper jump school to make them mall cops. Investigators used open source evidence and high-resolution satellite images to locate the camps. Joanna Kikisis, NPR News, Kyiv. Thousands of Palestinians began streaming out of Gaza City Tuesday as Israeli forces began a major ground defensive. The operation is being

called the largest since the war in Gaza began nearly two years ago. This is NPR. London-based drugmaker GSK says it plans to invest $30 billion in the United States over the next 30 years. GSC says the money will be used in research and development and or supply chain infrastructure. The projects are to include a factory in the Philadelphia suburb of Upper Marion Township. The Georgia Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from the Fulton County District Attorney. Bonnie Willis sought to challenge her removal from the election interference case against Donald Trump and several coden. defendants. But an appeals court ruled she could not oversee the case because of the appearance of impropriety, stemming from her romantic ties to a special prosecutor she hired

that ruling is being upheld by George's highest court. Fans are mourning the death of Robert Redford. The veteran actor, director, and producer has died at the age of 89. Here's Redford speaking in 2002 after receiving a lifetime achievement award for creating the Sundance Film Festival. I've spent most of my life just focused on the road ahead. I'm not looking back. But now tonight I'm seeing in the rearview mirror that there's something I've not thought about called history. And what moves me tonight is that I'm being joined by colleagues and peers to reflect on that history. Redford had dozens of films critics that include all the president's men, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Ordinary People, which earned him an Oscar for Best Street. director. U.S. futures are virtually unchanged in after-hours trading on Wall Street ahead of a Federal Reserve decision on interest rates. This is NPR News. This message comes from Wise, the app for using money around the globe. When you manage your money with Wise, you'll always get the mid-market

exchange rate with no hidden fees. Join millions of customers and visit Wise.com. T's and Cs apply.