NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-19-2025 8PM EDT

Episode Date: September 20, 2025

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On the TED Radio Hour podcast, Astro Teller leads Alphabet's secret lab behind successful projects like self-driving cars and high-profile flops like Google Glass. We were too, too early in that case. The CEO of Alphabet's Moonshot Factory on innovation and getting the timing right. Listen on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Hurst. President Trump says the U.S. military has carried out its third fatal strike against an alleged drug-smuggling boat this month, killing three men on board. In a post on social media tonight, Trump attached a video of an airstrike on a boat. Earlier this month, U.S. forces targeted another alleged drug boat from Venezuela that Trump says also killed everyone on board.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today, a second day of meetings for a panel of vaccine advisers, who changed the guidance for COVID-booster vaccine shots, calling them an individual choice. NPR's Rob Stein has more. For the first time, they limited, the FDA limited, the shots of those who are at the greatest risk of getting really sick because they're older or have other health problems. So everyone was waiting to see if this committee, stocked by Health Secretary Robert of Kennedy Jr.'s, would make it even harder. At one point, the committee considered recommending requiring a prescription for everyone to get a shot. But in the end, the panel narrowly shot that one down. But the committee did recommend that anyone who wants a COVID vaccine needs to first have a detailed discussion with someone, like a doctor or a pharmacist, about the possible risks.

NPR's Rob Stein reporting. An immigration appeals court has ordered the deportation of an Atlanta-based journalist. Mario Guevara has been in detention since June when he was arrested by ICE while covering a no-kingstay protest. And Pierre's Serio Martinez Beltron has more. The Board of Immigration Appeals ruled that Spanish language reporter Mario Guevara could be deported, making his removal to El Salvador imminent. Guevara left El Salvador more than two decades ago, fleeing violence. Since then, he's lived in the U.S., working as a journalist, often live streaming immigration enforcement operations. When he was arrested in Atlanta, he was charged with failing to disperse, but those charges were later dropped by local prosecutors.

Still, he was taken into ICE custody despite having a work permit and a pending green card application. He's been detained at the Immigration Processing Center in Folkston, Georgia. Kevara's attorneys are seeking emergency relief to keep him in the U.S. Sergio Martinez Beltran, NPR News, Foxton, Georgia. A federal judge in Florida tossed out a $15 billion defamation lawsuit filed by President Trump against the New York Times. U.S. District Judge Stephen Meridae says Trump's lawsuit was overly long and was full of, quote, Tedetious and burdensome language that had no bearing on the legal case. The judge gave Trump's lawyers 28 days to file an amended complaint saying it can't exceed 40 pages.

The original suit was 85 pages. The suit accuses the Times and four of its reporters, along with book publisher Penguin House, of disparaging Trump's reputation as a successful businessman. This is NPR News. President Trump signed a proclamation today requiring a new $100,000 annual fee for H-1B visa applications, which are intended to bring highly skilled foreigners for jobs that tech companies struggle to fill with U.S. citizens. That program has come under scrutiny by the Trump administration, which argues it allows companies to pay lower wages to fill entry-level jobs. Historically, these visas have been distributed through a lottery system,

with California having the highest number of H-1B workers. Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James has died. He was 57 years old. North Carolina State Patrol says James was among three people killed when their small plane crashed yesterday in the woods in Franklin under unknown circumstances. NPR's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento has more on his music legacy. Brett James worked with some of the biggest names in country music,

including Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, and Carrie Underwood. James won a Grammy Award in 2007 as part of the team that penned Jesus Take the Wheel. He also wrote songs for pop artists like Jessica Simpson, the Backstreet Boys, and Taylor Swift. Why would you want to break a perfectly good heart? Brett James was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020. The songwriters' hall posted in his honor following news of his death. Isabella Gomez-Armiento, NPR News. Wall Street, Hire by the closing bell.

I'm Janine Herbst, NPR News in 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.