NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-18-2025 3AM EDT

Episode Date: September 18, 2025

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What's made you happy as of late? On Pop Culture Happy Hour, we've been talking about the things that have made us happy in the pop culture universe for the past 15 years. Whether it's a blockbuster or deliciously bad reality TV, the newest shows, dramas, and reboots, we're here to keep your spirits high. Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. President Trump will spend much of today at the British Prime Minister's country residence. NPR's Daniel Kurtzleben reports on Trump's state visit, including a banquet held last night. Both King Charles and President Trump gave speeches at the banquet.

While Trump was generous in praising the royal family, he also slipped into a more familiar register, implicitly criticizing former President Joe Biden. We had a very sick country one year ago, and today, I believe, with the hottest country, anywhere in the world. In fact, nobody's even questioning it, but we owe so much of that to you and the footing that you gave us when we started. Today, Trump will spend much of the day with UK Prime Minister Kier-Starmer. The two are expected to sign an agreement about a technology partnership and will hold an afternoon press conference. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News, Slough, England. The Federal Reserve is cutting interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point. NPR Scott Horsley

reports on how the move could impact consumers. The quarter point rate cut was widely expected. It will make it somewhat cheaper to get a car loan, bankroll of business expansion, or carry a balance on your credit card. The newest member of the Fed's rate-setting committee, Stephen Myron, dissented from the vote, saying he would have preferred a larger half-point cut. Fed policymakers opted to lower their benchmark rate amid signs that hiring has slowed sharply in recent months. U.S. employers added just 22,000 jobs in August and revised figures so the economy lost jobs in June for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic. Growing concerns about the job market are overshadowing worries about higher inflation for now.

Fed policymakers signaled on average they expect to cut interest rates by another half-percentage point before the end of the year. Scott Horsley-Npair News, Washington. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel was not on the air last night. ABC says it pulled the late-night hosts show indefinitely. No reason has been given for the move, which follows Kimmel's remarks, on speculation about the suspect in the Charlie Kirk murder. Kimmel-like fellow late-night host, Steve Colbert, has been critical of President Trump.

CBS announced a few months ago that Colbert's show will be canceled next spring. Three police officers are dead and two others are hospitalized with injuries from a shooting in southern Pennsylvania. The officers were attacked while following up on a domestic incident in North Goddor's township. Governor Josh Shapiro says the Commonwealth is devastated. This kind of violence is,

We need to do better as a society. We need to help the people who think that picking up a gun, picking up a weapon is the answer to resolving disputes. We need to do better when it comes to mental health. We need to do better when it comes to looking out for those who are in need. So we don't have to deal with tragedies like this. Authorities in Pennsylvania say the gunman is dead. This is NPR.

Georgia Secretary of State Raffensberger says he's running for governor next year. Raffensberger gained national attention after refusing to overturn the 2020 election results in his state. France is bracing for massive strikes and anti-government protests today. As NPR's Eleanor Beersley reports, there will be heavy security in the streets. Speaking on television, Interior Minister Bruno Retayo said he's preparing for large and hybrid protests with a convergence of peaceful union marchers and violent left-wing groups bent on destruction and fighting with police.

He said they would be met with 80,000 police in the streets and tank-like crowd-control vehicles that shoot powerful jets of water. As teachers, hospital workers, and train drivers walk off the job, France is expected to grind to a halt. Both the far-right and far-left are angry that President Emmanuel Macron has again named a prime minister from the center-right

and has not gotten the message that they want new policies and a PM who's one of them. Eleanor Beardsley in Pierre News, Paris. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a mutual defense agreement. Under the deal, an attack on one nation will be seen as an attack on both. Both nations have close ties for several decades, and those ties have reportedly included Saudi funding for Pakistan's nuclear program. The defense agreement is being announced a week after Israel attacked leaders of the Palestinian group of Moss

during a meeting in the Gulf Nation of Cotter. U.S. futures edged higher in pre-market trading on Wall Street on Asia-Pacific markets. Shares are mixed. This is NPR News.