NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-08-2025 10AM EDT

Episode Date: August 8, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. The White House says the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan will meet with President Trump today and sign a roadmap for a peace agreement. Both countries are former Soviet satellites. They've been at war for years, ever since an enclave in Azerbaijan broke away with help from Armenia. Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Trump could meet as early as next week in the United Arab Emirates. It would be the first summit for the two leaders since Russia launched its full-scale attack in Ukraine three years ago. South Carolina Public Radio's Mayan Schechter reports U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham says he's glad the two leaders could talk. Senator Graham says Trump has followed the roadmap of his sanctions bill that now has 85 co-sponsors. It would impose up to a 500% tariff on imports from countries that buy Russian gas, oil, or uranium. But the bill has not moved, and Graham says he's worried Trump's own tariff plan could fall flat in court. His ability to issue tariffs, I think is going to be legally challenged.

I don't know if he wins or loses, but the bill would allow him do the same thing. Whether Graham thinks Putin is sincere in calling for a meeting, Graham said, quote, I don't trust him as far as I can think. throw him. For NPR news, I'm Mayan Schechter in Columbia, South Carolina. The Israeli security cabinet has approved a plan to expand the war in Gaza and take control of Gaza City. The decision has drawn strong criticism from other nations and opinion is divided within Israel. Some Israelis say the first priority should not be a military one. I know the plan is to get rid of Hamas, but we've been trying for two whole years. We haven't made that much progress and we've lost so many

soldiers and we still haven't brought all the hostages home. So it just doesn't seem that there's any real forward movement with this plan. Tens of thousands of Israelis protested across the country yesterday. Stocks opened higher this morning as President Trump names a short-term pick for the Federal Reserve Board. NPR Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones Industrial average rose about 220 points in early trading. President Trump says he plans to nominate White House economist Stephen Myron to a seat on the Fed's seven-member governing board, but only for the next six months. Fed Governor Adriana Coogler created the short-term vacancy when she announced last week she's leaving the central bank early to return to her job at Georgetown University.

Coogler's term was set to expire in January. Trump says he's still looking for a nominee to fill the Fed's seat on a permanent basis. The president's been critical of the central bank for not moving more aggressively to cut interest rates. The Fed's been cautious out of concern that Trump's tariffs could rekindle inflation. Asian stocks were mixed overnight. Japan's NICA average jumped sharply, but stocks were down in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Seoul. Scott Horsley, MPR News, Washington. On Wall Street, the Dow is now up 225 points. The NASDAQ is up 130 points. This is NPR.

The White House says President Trump has ordered more federal law enforcement to appear on the streets of Washington, D.C. Trump has recently criticized D.C. over crime. He's pointed to a recent attack on a former Doge worker in the city. The president has also threatened a federal takeover of the Washington District government. NASA is accelerating plans to put a nuclear reactor on the moon. As NPR Shandalee's Duster reports, some researchers believe it's time, but others worry about the cost. A new directive from acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy calls for development of a nuclear reactor for the moon by 2030. Roger Myers is a space nuclear power expert. He says that nuclear power is the only option for astronauts facing two week-long lunar

nighttime. The sun and batteries does not work. We're going to have to have nuclear power. Myers applauds the decision to accelerate the nuclear power program. But Katie Huff of the University of Illinois is worried the moon reactor will come at the cost of other important work. Earth science, climate observation, space-based, weather forecasting, all the kinds of things that NASA does in a public serving way for our day-to-day needs. The Trump administration has proposed slashing those programs in next year's budget. Shandalees Duster, NPR News. Wildfires continue to grow in the West.

The Gifford Fire in Southern California has spread to more than 150 square miles. Evacuations have been ordered in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.