NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-22-2025 1AM EDT

Episode Date: September 22, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, D.C. I'm Dale Wilman. In Glendale, Arizona, final tributes have been paid to conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed earlier this month. The memorial event took place at the stadium, which is normally the home of the NFL's Arizona Cardinal. Steve Futterman was there. For more than five hours, speaker after speaker praised Charlie Kirk. Some spoke of religion and forgiveness. Others invoked anger and bitterness. Kirk's widow Erica gave an emotional speech. She talked about it. love. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love.

President Trump had a different view. At one point saying, I hate my opponent. He called Charlie Kirk a giant. He was violently killed because he spoke for freedom and justice. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller accused his opponents of being forces of wickedness. You have nothing. You are nothing. During the event, there were also performances of popular Christian music. For NPR News, I'm Steve Fudderman in Glendale, Arizona. The UK, Canada, and Australia formerly recognized a Palestinian state on Sunday. The initiative from the longtime allies of Israel reflects growing international outrage

at Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza. British Prime Minister Kier Starrmer says the move is not a reward for Hamas, but an effort to move toward calm in the region. In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East, we are acting to keep alive the possibility of people, peace and a two-state solution. That means a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state. At the moment, we have neither.

Starrmer says the effort also means Samas can have no future. 150 world leaders are gathering in New York for this week's high-level debate of the United Nations General Assembly, NPR's Michelle Kellerman, has this preview. Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez has a busy weekend. ahead. Some call it the World Cup of Diplomacy, but this cannot be about scoring points. It must be about solving problems. He says this high-level week is an opportunity for dialogue and mediation, and he plans to try to use every meeting he has to push for diplomacy. The Secretary-General is not optimistic about the short-term prospects for peace in Ukraine, though. He's urging Russia to

agree to a ceasefire. He's also called on Hamas to release all hostages in Gaza. He's also called on Hamas to release all hostages in Gaza and describes Israel's war there as, quote, morally, politically and intolerable. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News. Russian attacks on Ukraine continued this weekend. On Sunday, Russian shelling on the eastern town of Belgarod killed two people. And on Saturday, a large missile and drone attack killed at least three people and wounded dozens of others. Ukraine's president is expected to meet with President Trump this week during the UN General Assembly meeting. You're listening to NPR. news. A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers were in China on Sunday for a meeting with Premier

Li Chung. They discussed trade, the economy, and a need for more dialogue directly between the two countries' militaries. Relations between China and the U.S. have taken a major downturn since President Trump's first term. The Texas Secretary of State's office has signed agreements with nine other Republican-led states to share voter registration data. As Houston Public Media's Andrew Schneider reports. The move comes less than a year after Texas withdrew from a much broader multi-state compact designed to combat potential voter fraud. Texas withdrew from the Electronic Registration Information Center, or Eric, last October. At its height, Eric had more than 30 members dates plus the District of Columbia. Daniel Griffith, of the nonprofit-secured

Democracy USA, says the bilateral compacts are likely to be less effective at cleaning voter rolls of ineligible voters. The more states with whom you're sharing information, the more folks that, you know, you're going to potentially capture in terms of those who might be doubly registered in terms of folks who might need to be removed for ineligibility. Texas left Eric amid unsubstantiated GOP claims that the organization was being used to promote Democratic voter registration at Republicans' expense. I'm Andrew Schneider in Houston.

Las Vegas AISIS Star Asia, Wilson is one of the WNBA MVP award. It's an unprecedented fourth win for her. Wilson led the league in scoring, averaging 23.4 points a game and in block shots. And for the second season in a row, averaged at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.