NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-07-2025 7AM EDT

Episode Date: August 7, 2025

NPR News: 08-07-2025 7AM EDTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington on Corva Coleman, the Kremlin says that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to meet in coming days with President Trump. The White House has not confirmed a meeting, but yesterday President Trump said it was a good prospect of a get-together with the Russian leader and with the leader of Ukraine. NPR's Franco Ortonius reports this follows a trip by Trump's special envoy to Russia. President Trump says that his special envoy, Steve Whitkoff, has had what he called a highly productive, meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The road was long and continues to be long, but there's a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon. But he did not give specifics for a future meeting, and he was careful to temper expectations,

declining, for example, to call this a breakthrough. I've been disappointed before with this one. Trump is threatening Russia with heavy sanctions if Moscow doesn't agree to a peace deal with Ukraine in the coming days. Trump has been increasingly frustrated with Putin for not ending the war sooner. Franco, Ordonez, NPR News. President Trump has imposed tariffs on dozens of countries overnight. The U.S. had been charging a 10% tax on much of what we import over the last four months.

That's now gone to 15% on goods from the European Union, Japan, and South Korea. Other countries are paying higher rates, including Brazil. It's facing a 50% tariff. that will affect Brazilian coffee and beef, goods that are popular with Americans. White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro says this is the way forward. The tariffs will help pay for the tax cuts in the big, beautiful bill. The tariffs will help debt reduction. But some economists are worried that tariffs will mean higher prices for Americans.

Some are concerned Americans will lose jobs. Others say some tariffs are being challenged in federal court. Environmental groups are asking. asking a federal judge to stop operations at an immigration detention facility in the Florida Everglades. In a hearing yesterday, the groups said the facility may be hurting some endangered species, such as the Florida panther. NPR's Greg Allen has more. There are somewhere between 120 and 230 Panthers remaining in Florida. The Immigration Detention Center, dubbed Alligator Alcatraz by federal and state officials, is in the heart of the Panthers habitat.

Randy Couts, who helped ride a panther recovery plan for the state, said the bright lights and increased human presence will push panthers out of an area that encompasses about 2,000 acres. Cross-examined by a lawyer for the state, Couts agreed that the current Panther habitat is stable and that the area affected is a small part of the 3 million acres that comprise their total habitat. Even so, Coutts said, the habitat loss will contribute to the harm of the panther population. Greg Allen, NPR News, Miami. On Wall Street, in pre-market trading, Dow futures are up 250 points. It's NPR. Authorities have arrested a 22-year-old active-duty soldier at Fort Bliss, Texas.

The FBI says Taylor Adam Lee is accused of passing information to Russia. The information apparently involved details about a model of the Abrams battle tank. The FBI alleges that, in return, Lee wanted to obtain Russian citizenship. The U.S. has provided Abrams' tanks to assist in Ukraine's war with Russia. Authorities at Fort Stewart, Georgia, say five soldiers who were shot yesterday are expected to recover. Base officials say the soldier accused of shooting them was identified as a co-worker. They're still investigating the motive for the shooting. The Walt Disney Company is making changes to its streaming services,

NPR's Netta Ullaby reports. Disney has decided it no longer needs hospital. Hulu as a stand-alone app. You might use the Hulu app to watch shows like the Bear, Abbott Elementary, or The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, one of its biggest hits. Miranda is Taylor's ex-best friend. I'm going to set the record straight on the swinging scandal. Disney has decided to roll all of its Hulu shows onto the Disney Plus app next year to, quote, Unify the brand. On a Wednesday earnings call, Disney's chair promised this will improve things for consumers. And also Disney's

ad sales. As well as Hulu, Disney also owns ABC, FX networks, and ESPN. A new ESPN streaming service is scheduled to launch later this month after announcing new partnerships with the NFL and the WWE. Netto Ulaby, NPR News. This is NPR.