NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-22-2025 2PM EDT

Episode Date: September 22, 2025

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Hey, it's Rachel Martin. I'm the host of Wildcard from NPR. For a lot of my years as a radio host, silence sort of made me nervous. That pause before an answer, because you don't know what's going on on the other side of the mic. But these days, I love it. Hmm. Ah. Gosh. Give me a minute. Yeah, yeah. Think. Listen to the Wild Card podcast only from NPR.

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt says Border Tsar Tom Homan did not break any laws. The White House and the president stand by Tom Homan 100% because he did absolutely nothing wrong and he is a brave public servant who has done a phenomenal job in helping the president shut down the border.

The White House responding to the New York Times and others reporting that he was recorded last September accepting $50,000 in cash as part of an FBI sting. The paper cited unnamed sources and also reporting that administration officials shut down the case. NPR has not independently confirmed the allegations. Today, President Trump's expected to propose that the active ingredient in Tylenol can increase the risk of autism. NPR's John Hamilton reports that the science behind his claim is inconclusive.

Trump is likely to say that pregnant women who take acetaminopin, the active ingredient in Tylenol, are more likely to have babies who develop autism spectrum disorder. The claim is based on several studies that found an association between acetaminopin used during pregnancy and autism. But other research, including a very large Swedish study, found no link. Even the studies that did find an association suggest that acetaminopin is a relatively small contributor to autism rates. Genetics is a much larger contributor.

Also, autism diagnoses have roughly quadrupled in the past 20 years, while acetaminopin used during pregnancy has remained stable. John Hamilton, NPR News. A new U.S.-based and U.S-owned joint venture is being formed to take control of the popular short video app TikTok. Content in America on the app will come from a copy of its famed algorithm that will be trained on U.S. data. More from NPR's John Rewich. A senior White House official says the software company Oracle will be one of the investors, and it'll act as TikTok's security provider, overseeing things like how the algorithm works,

how the app is updated and how Americans' data is stored. Some 170 million Americans use TikTok, according to the official, and the deal addresses concerns that TikTok's Chinese parent company, bite dance, could help the Chinese government spy on U.S. users or influence them. A law passed last year forces bite dance to divest or see the app go dark in the U.S. President Trump has issued several executive orders, suspending enforcement of the law while his administration tried to broker a deal. He spoke with Chinese leader Xi Jinping last week,

Vincent China is on board. John Rewitch, NPR News. Hundreds of the most prominent figures in entertainment have signed an open letter in defense of free speech and against ABC's suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The American Civil Liberties Union put out a letter lambasting the Disney-owned network for bowing to government pressure to punish Kimmel. Late-night host referenced MAGA's rhetoric against liberal ideology

in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk's assassination nearly two weeks ago. This is NPR. Leaders from around the globe are preparing to attend the 80th U.N. General Assembly High-Level week that begins tomorrow. The U.N. Security Council remains at an impasse over a number of issues, including how to end the war in Gaza. Yesterday, the U.K., Australia, Portugal, and Canada joined a majority of countries in formally recognizing a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Israel and the U.S. remain opposed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says recognition of a Palestinian state makes negotiations. to end the war in Ghazim were complicated and emboldens Hamas.

In Europe, major airports, including London's Heathrow, are still struggling to recover from a cyber attack that disrupted flights over the weekend. Meanwhile, UK-based automaker, Jaguar Land Rover, experienced a cyber attack that has caused production problems for weeks. NPR's Jenne McLaughlin reports. Cyber attacks are increasingly causing lengthy and frustrating outages for companies and consumers alike. Over the weekend, passengers at London's Heathrow Airport experienced travel delays after hackers launched a ransomware attack against a company called Collins Aerospace, a contractor that makes automatic flight check-in software. The company says it's in the final stages of restoring service.

Meanwhile, a cyber attack impacting car company Jaguar Land Rover forced the shutdown of car production and is already impacting vehicle supply chains. If companies don't prepare to bounce back after digital attacks, consumers will be able to be in a car production, force the shutdowns, continue to pay the price. Jen McLaughlin, NPR News. The Dow is up 48 points. I'm Lakshmi-Seng, NPR News. It's time for the Emmy Awards, and we've kept up with all the nominated TV shows

so you don't have to. We're recapping television's biggest night, breaking down the big wins and the moments everyone is talking about. Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour in the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.