NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-24-2025 2PM EDT

Episode Date: September 24, 2025

NPR News: 09-24-2025 2PM EDTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The Department of Homeland Security is now confirming that today's shooting at an immigration and customs enforcement facility in Dallas killed two detainees and critically wounded a third. DHS also says the shooter was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Earlier, the FBI disclosed that the message, anti-ice, was found on one of the unspent bullets at the scene of today's shooting. The national discourse surrounding gun violence and political violence has been amplified through attacks this year in blue and red states. After today's attack in Dallas, Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz said it had to stop. It was two weeks ago today that we saw a political assassination in Utah that tore the heart out of much of this country.

This is the third shooting in Texas directed at ICE or CBP. This must stop. In additional details, the H.S. says a sniper opened fire from a nearby rooftop. Media celebrities applauded the return of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel to the airwaves last night. ABC had pulled his show following remarks he made about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Here's NPR's Netta Ullaby. On the late show, host Stephen Colbert acknowledged the return of his friend and rival. I'm glad Kimmel's back.

He is a wonderful fella. To know him well is to admire him immensely, even if he takes the whole summer off. Even before Kimmel went back on the air, the immensely popular podcaster Joe Rogan weighed in. He said he did not believe a government should be involved in dictating what comedians say. On Wednesday morning, more than 10 million people had already watched Kimmel's monologue on YouTube. Millions more than the number who regularly tune in. Netta Ulippi, NPR News. Italy says it's sending one of its Navy ships to assist a flotilla of civilian boats

that's trying to break an Israeli blockade and deliver food and aid into Gaza. NPR's Emily Fang has more. The flotilla of some 50 civilian ships says that they were attacked by 12 drones Tuesday evening belonging to the Israeli military. Israel's military did not respond to a request for comment. The Italian defense minister condemned the attacks, though he blamed them on unidentified perpetrators. Earlier in the week, Israel's foreign ministry accused the flotilla of using, quote, a violent course of action.

The flotilla is ferrying more than 300 activists on board, including the Swedish environmental campaigner Greta Thurnberg. They said they were also experiencing communications jamming, but they vowed to press onto Gaza. Previous aid flotillas have all been intercepted by Israel, and the people on board deported back to their home countries. Emily Fang and Pier News, Tel Aviv. From Washington, this is NPR News. Doctors in London say a new treatment for the genetic disease known as Huntington's helped slow it by a significant amount. The disease kills brain cells and causes involuntary movements in the body. The treatment involved 12 to 18 hours of brain surgery.

But the doctors say the results are spectacular and demonstrate a successful treatment for, the disease for the first time. The U.S. Department of Education has canceled nine grants that support college preparatory work. The agency cited diversity, equity, and inclusion measures that it says do not line up with the Trump administration's priorities. From Ideas Stream Public Media, Connor Morris has details. The federal gear-up grant pays for counselors and other programs to teach students how to apply for college, write resumes, and more.

Winter Mason, one of those counselors. at a high school in Akron, says her work went far beyond that, though. Those students see you every day, and they believed in you, and you built that relationship with them. So it's just an amazing feeling to have, and we don't want that to be removed. Advocates say the canceled Gear Up grants total almost $170 million and impact students at 220 schools across the U.S. Cleveland and Akron are two of the biggest, but grants were also canceled in New Hampshire, Indiana, and California. The Department of Education says the majority of Gearup grants are continuing. For NPR News, I'm Connor Morris in Cleveland.

U.S. stocks are trading lower this hour. The Dow is now down 170 points at 46,122. It's NPR News.