NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-18-2025 9PM EDT

Episode Date: September 19, 2025

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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 Jail Snyder. The controversy over Jimmy Kimmel's suspension by ABC has gotten the attention of Democrats on Capitol Hill. They're proposing new legislation to protect speech by individuals, outlets and others from any retaliatory action by the federal government, impairs Dieter Walter reports. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy says President Trump and others in his administration

are weaponizing the federal government to silence their critics. He pointed to ABC's decision to suspend light night host Jimmy Kimmel, following Trump's FCC chairman Brendan Carr's warning he would take action against the network. That's censorship. That's state speech control. That's not America. The No Political Enemies or Nope Act would make it harder to hold someone liable for constitutionally protected speech. It would establish consequences for government officials who target protected speech and provides an ability for anyone targeted to recoup attorney's fees. No Republican has signed onto the legislation and it's unlikely to advance in a GOP-controlled Congress.

Deirdre Walsh, NPR News, the Capitol. President Trump is back at the White House from his state visit to the U.K., arriving there a short time. after warning Europe about Russian oil. He says Europe must stop buying Russian oil if it wants to end the war in Ukraine. St. Pierre's Franco-Werdonius reports. President Trump said in an interview on Fox News that he was unhappy to learn

that European nations were continuing to buy Russian oil while pressing the U.S. to take a tougher stance on Moscow. Ultimately, if oil prices go down or if Russia is not selling oil, they have no choice but to settle. And when the European Union nations or the NATO nations, because they're similar, very similar, when they're buying oil from Russia, that's not the greatest thing.

That's not the deal. President Trump has been ratcheting up the pressure on Europe to take more action against Russia. The European Union plans to phase out purchasing Russian oil by 2028, but U.S. officials contend that may be too late. Franco Ordonez, NPR News. Trump administration asking the Supreme Court to allow President Trump to remove Federal Reserve Board member Lisa Cook immediately. Here's NPR's Nina Totenberg. The administration's unusually aggressive stance in the High Court is a clear signal that it's willing to fight hard to try to get control of the Federal Reserve Board, which for 114 years, has remained independent under the federal law that created the Central Bank. The Supreme Court's conservative majority in other cases involving independent agencies has signaled a clear willingness to let the President fire members of those independent agencies at will.

But at the same time, the court has said, in an unsigned opinion, that the Federal Reserve Board is different and likely protected from presidential interference. Nina Totenberg, NPR News, Washington. And you're listening to NPR News. The CDC Vaccine Panel, reconstituted by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has changed the guidelines on a combined shot protecting against measles, chickenpox, mumps, and rebella. During a meeting today in Atlanta, The panel voted 8 to 3 to remove the recommendation for kids under four years old.

The panel says toddlers should receive standalone shots instead. Experts are warning that the Vaccine Advisory Committee's decision raises public confidence concerns and could narrow access to vaccines. The city of Charleston, South Carolina, is ending a lawsuit against fossil fuel companies over climate change. NPR Shep Brady reports a state judge dismissed the case last month. Charleston filed the lawsuit five years ago, asking for money. to pay for increasing damage from extreme weather and flooding. Scientists say greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels are the primary reason for human-caused climate change. A South Carolina judge cited with large oil companies named in the lawsuit and ruled the court lacked jurisdiction,

and this was a federal matter. Charleston spokesperson Deja Knight McMillan tells NPR the city is not discussed whether it will pursue a case in another court. There are dozens of similar lawsuits around the country, the Trump administration and some state Republicans have generally opposed them. Jeff Brady, NPR News. Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher Clayton Kershaw planning to retire. The Dodgers announcing today that Kershaw will retire at the end of the season. His final regular season game at Dodgers Stadium comes tomorrow night against the San Francisco Giants. Kershaw has spent his entire 18-year major league career with the Dodgers. I'm Jail Snyder, NPR News.

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