Thursday morning news: September 25, 2025

Editor's note: The following text is a transcript of a podcast story. To listen to the story, click on the arrow beneath the headline above.

ICE facility attack » Republican officials in Texas and in Washington are warning of worsening political violence after a deadly attack on an ICE facility in Dallas on Wednesday.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott:

ABBOTT:  This is not the first time this has happened in the state of Texas. It's not the first time it's happened across the United States, and so we have a serious problem across this country.

A man armed with a rifle opened fire on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility from a nearby rooftop.

No official word on a motive, but FBI special agent Joe Rothrock told reporters:

ROTHROCK:  Early evidence that we've seen from, uh, rounds that were found near the suspected shooter contain messages that are anti-ICE in nature.

Authorities say “The shooter fired indiscriminately at the ICE building.”

At least one detainee at the facility was killed two others critically wounded. No agents were hurt.

The gunman took his own life after the shooting.

The incident comes less than two weeks after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated by a bullet also fired from a rooftop.

Zelenskyy at U.N. » Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling on world leaders to take action against Russia.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Zelenskyy again said that Vladimir Putin won’t limit its war to Ukraine.

ZELENSKYY:   We told you before, Ukraine is only the first and now Russian drones are already flying across Europe, and Russian operations are already spreading across countries.

And he said no one in Europe can feel safe right now.

The Ukrainian president met earlier this week with President Trump with the U.S. president expressing support for Ukraine’s efforts and criticizing Moscow.

Trump in a major shift from his earlier stance, said Tuesday that he believed Ukraine could win back all territory lost to Russia.

Iran starts rebuilding missile sites » And Iran’s president later took the stage at the U.N. to blast Israeli and U.S. military strikes, mainly against Iranian nuclear targets earlier this year. WORLD’s Paul Butler reports:

PEZESHKIAN: [Speaking Farsi]

PAUL BUTLER: Masoud Pezeshkian framed those strikes as brutal unprovoked attacks, and declared that Iran has never pursued the development of nuclear weapons and never will.

That declaration was likely a tough sell among world leaders.

The U.N.d’s own nuclear watchdog agency does not believe that to be true.

Meantime, Iran is rebuilding missile sites bombed by Israel in June. But experts say a key part is missing — the large mixers needed for solid rocket fuel.

Satellite images show repairs at facilities near Tehran and Shahroud. Analysts warn Tehran may try to import mixers, likely from China.

For WORLD, I’m Paul Butler.

Israel » In the Gaza Strip:

SOUND: [Palestinians flee]

Palestinians continue to flee Gaza City. Residents packing the coastal road in central Gaza Wednesday spoke of intensifying Israeli military action in recent days.

PALESTINIAN: [Speaking Arabic]

One woman says she and her family ran out of their home with nothing at all. She says what remained of their belongings were scattered, until good Samaritans helped them load them onto a cart.

Meanwhile, Israel says at least 20 people were injured after Houthi rebels launched a drone attack from Yemen against the southern Israeli city of Eilat.

AUDIO: T minus 10.

NASA launch » A SpaceX rocket carrying two NASA craft and another from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration lifted off this morning.

AUDIO: 3, 2, 1. Engines full power, and liftoff!

The projects will monitor solar storms and the bubble formed by the sun that protects the solar system from radiation.

NASA launch broadcaster Derrol Nail.

NAIL: And we are flying three new missions on a million mile journey to track space weather.

Solar storms are sudden explosions of particles, energy, and material that can disrupt the Earth’s magnetic field.

Banned YouTube accounts reinstated » Google’s parent company, Alphabet, is promising to restore thousands of YouTube accounts that were banned under censorship rules during the pandemic. WORLD’s Benjamin Eicher has more.

BENJAMIN EICHER: A letter to the House Judiciary Committee admits the Biden administration pressured Google to take down posts and ban users whose content did not violate YouTube’s rules.

Alphabet attorney Daniel Donovan called that pressure “unacceptable and wrong,” and said the company is committed to protecting free speech.

Donovan added that public debate should never be suppressed in favor of authorities, and pledged YouTube will no longer rely on third-party fact-checkers.

Alphabet says creators banned for political speech about COVID-19 or elections will be allowed back on the platform.

Committee Chairman Jim Jordan says the admission confirms long-held concerns about government-driven censorship of conservative voices.

For WORLD, I’m Benjamin Eicher.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: rural communities debate technology infrastructure. Plus, bringing the hope of the gospel to drivers in the fast lane.

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