NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-18-2025 8PM EDT

Episode Date: September 19, 2025

NPR News: 09-18-2025 8PM EDTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Support for NPR comes from NPR member stations and Eric and Wendy Schmidt through the Schmidt Family Foundation, working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. On the web at theshmit.org. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel being taken off the air by ABC has sparked an uproar over free speech after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kim Piers, Domenico Montanaro reports. Kimmel has long been a thorn in President Trump's side. For a decade, he relentlessly lampooned and mocked the president and his conservative allies from his late-night perch. Trump, in turn, has blasted Kimmel on social media calling him stupid, a sleaze bag, and ratings challenged. It's no secret that he's wanted Kimmel out.

And this week, with the help of FCC chairman Brendan Carr, Trump got his wish. In an interview on a conservative podcast, Carr threatened media companies to get in line with what he sees as the, quote, public interest. Shortly after the remarks, a major local broadcast chain with a key merger on the horizon, said it would be preempting Jimmy Kimmel live on all its stations. Then ABC pulled Kimmel indefinitely. It's the latest example of Trump using arms of the federal government to go after the media and dissenting points of view. Domenico Montanaro and PR News, Washington. President Trump is expected back at the White House this hour following his state visit to the United Kingdom. He's returning amid Democratic calls for Chairman Carr to resign.

On a separate free speech matter, an immigration judge in Louisiana has ordered pro-Palestinian activist, Mahmoud Khalil, deported. NPR's Adrian Florido reports that Khalil and his lawyers are promising a long legal fight. Khalil has been fighting deportation since ICE agents arrested him in March. He was a grad student and pro-Palestinian protest leader at Columbia University. A federal judge in New Jersey ruled this summer that the government's attempt to deport him over his activism was likely illegal. But last week, an immigration judge ordered him deported to either Algeria or Syria on separate charges that he committed fraud on a green card application. Khalil claims the charges are bogus.

He won't be deported any time soon because the judge in his federal case has told the government not to remove him while he considers whether Khalil's free speech rights have been violated. Idriam Flodiva, NPR News. All three major U.S. stock markets rose to all-time highs today after chip designer in Vidya said it's investing $5 billion in rival Intel to jointly develop chips for personal computers and data centers. NPR Sean Ruich reports this deal further, so Trump administration's bid to revitalize chipmaking in the U.S. The collaboration between the two California companies underscores how political wins are shifting the tech landscape in America. Invidia is the world's leading designer of chips for artificial intelligence and currently the world's most valuable company by market cap,

but it doesn't manufacture chips in the United States. Intel makes chips here in America. but has stumbled in recent years and fallen from prominence as a leader in the field. The tie-up jibes with the Trump administration priority to ramp up manufacturing of high-end microchips in the United States. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang says in a statement, the collaboration between the two companies is historic. Intel's share price leapt sharply on the news. John Rewich, NPR News. This is NPR.

A new study says wildfire smoke is contributing to the deaths of tens of thousands of people in the U.S. each year. And MPIRS Alejandro Burunda reports that number could grow because of climate change. The study looked at how an increasingly hot and often dry U.S. increases wildfire risk. More wildfires mean more smoke. And the study used real-world data to link smoke exposure to people's deaths. The numbers are, like, really striking. That's Ming Hao Chu. He's a climate and health scientist at Stony Brook University.

He led the study. He says smoke is already tied to some 40,000 deaths a year in the U.S. And the analysis published in nature shows the future could be even smokier. The concentration in 2050 is doubling or tripling the concentration we are experiencing today. For comparison, 2020 was a heavy smoke year for much of the country. The study suggests that with continued climate change, the smoke could be that bad basically every year. Alejandro Burunda, NPR News. Authorities in Pennsylvania have named the man who fatally shot three police officers yesterday.

York County's district attorney says the officers were ambushed by 24-year-old Matthew James Ruth as they attempted to serve a warrant for him at the home of a former girlfriend. A fourth police officer remains hospitalized. At the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Cindy McLaughlin-Levroni clocked the fastest time in 40 years to win gold today in the 400 meters. She came in under 48 seconds holding off the Olympic champion in the event. I'm Jail Snyder. This is NPR News from Washington. 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.