NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-21-2025 1AM EDT

Episode Date: September 21, 2025

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The Trump administration has canceled billions in federal research funding at major universities. We feel like collateral damage. They've also clamped down on visas for international students. Was the visa process hard? No, don't ask me about it. It was off. Trump's war on higher ed. Listen now to the Sunday story on the upfirst podcast from NPR.

Live from NPR News in Washington, D.C., I'm Dale Willman. A man who authoritative. say was armed and falsely claimed to be a law enforcement agent was arrested Friday at State Farm Stadium in Arizona. That's the site of Sunday's memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk. But the organization hosting the event now says the individual was with private security. From member station KJZZ and Phoenix, Wayne Shutsky reports. The Arizona Department of Public Safety says 42-year-old Joshua Runkles was arrested after law enforcement observed him acting suspiciously near the stadium.

The venue is scheduled to host President Trump and other officials during Kirk's memorial. service. A department spokesman said Runcles faces one felony charge for impersonating a law enforcement officer and a misdemeanor for carrying a weapon into a prohibited place. In a post on social media, a spokesman for Turning Point USA, the group Kirk founded, says Runkles was performing advanced security for a guest attending the event, but did not properly coordinate with the host group or U.S. Secret Service. Runkles has been released on bond and an investigation is ongoing. For NPR news, I'm Wienchetsky in Phoenix. California Governor Gavin Newsom Saturday signed a bill that bans most law enforcement officers from covering their faces while conducting official business.

The law was aimed primarily at ICE agents who wear masks while detaining immigrants. The law bans the use of neck gaiters, ski masks, and other facial coverings for local and federal officers. President Trump attended a fundraising dinner for a conservative group Saturday night, where he said his tough stand against South American drug traffickers is making a difference. And we're blowing the Venezuelan narco-terrorists. We're blowing them the hell out of the water. Every time you see a boat, thousands of people die from the cargo in that boat.

Thousands of people die. And then the radical left say, oh, this is not nice. Civil liberties groups, though, say such actions violate international law. A major cyber attack has affected several European airports this weekend, including those in Brussels, Berlin, and London. Terry Schultz has our reports. Brussels Airport says the target of the cyber attack appears to have been a third-party provider, of boarding and check-in systems. The attack began Friday night, the airport says on its website, rendering automated check-in and boarding systems inoperable. That's causing delays and cancellations

in Brussels with tens of thousands of people scheduled out to fly this weekend. Heathrow Airport in London and Berlin's Brandenburg Airport have also announced problems caused by the attack. Passengers are being advised to check their flights before heading to the airport, while officials say they're trying to resolve the attack as quickly as possible. For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz. Democratic leaders in Congress are demanding a meeting with President Trump. They want to negotiate a budget deal that will keep the government open. The budget year begins in October 1st, and so far Congress has been unable to reach a spending deal. The Democrats say they want to prevent what they call Trump's decision to close federal offices if no deal is reached.

You're listening to NPR News. Authorities in Sacramento say a suspect has been. been arrested after a shooting at an ABC-affiliated TV station. It happened just days after the network suspended Jimmy Kimmel's late-night TV show. M.Pier's Shandalee Stuster has more on this story. Sacramento police say a 64-year-old man was charged and booked into jail Saturday morning after a drive-by shooting at ABC 10. Police say at least three shots were fired through a window at the station on Friday afternoon

and that no one was injured during the shooting. The suspect, Anabal Hernandez-Santana, is facing multiple felony charges, including assault with a deadly weapon and shooting into an occupied building. Police say the motive for the shooting is under investigation. Hernandez-Santana was released Saturday afternoon after posting Bond and is set to appear in court on Tuesday. A spokesperson for Tegna, the ABC affiliate's owner, told NPR the company is maintaining increased security at the station. Shandalee's Duster and PR News. In a major upset, Syracuse beat Clemson Saturday in college football, 34 to 21. Clemson was ranked number four in preseason polls, but is now one in three on the season.

Fernando Mendoza threw five touchdown passes as number nine Indiana pounded number nine, Illinois, 63 to 10. It's the Hoosiers first win over a top 10 team in five years. And Rudy Kessinger kicked a 41-yard field goal with three seconds last. left to give Eastern Michigan a 34 to 31 win over Louisiana Lafayette. I'm Dale Wilman, 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.