NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-08-2025 12PM EDT

Episode Date: August 8, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. President Trump presides over a peace-signing ceremony today between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The South Caucasus neighbors had been locked in conflict since the late 1980s when an Azerbaijani region made up mostly of ethnic Armenians broke away with Armenia support. Today's signing cements new economic and energy deals between the U.S. and the former Soviet state. The White House often promotes President Trump as an effective mediator in global conflict. However, lasting ceasefire still elude the Trump administration in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Israel's announcing plans to expand its war in Gaza with the goal of ending it. The cabinet-approved plan includes taking control of Gaza City and setting up a power structure without Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.

And P.Rs Emily Fang reports from the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. Public opinion is split and many people want the war to end. A poll of Israelis out this week found 54% of them want some kind of ceasefire. fire to get hostages back, even if that means Samas remains in power. And there have been dozens of growing protests across the country these past weeks against continuing the war. NPR's Emily Fang. Israel says that it will distribute humanitarian aid to civilians outside the combat zone. However, it's unclear what that means since virtually all of Gaza is a combat zone. Meanwhile, Germany's chancellor says his government will stop sending weapons to Israel that could be

using Gaza. Here's NPR's Rob Schmitz. Chancellor Friedrich Mauts sharply criticized the humanitarian consequences of Israel's offensive in Gaza, saying that under the present circumstances, Germany will no longer approve exports of military equipment that could be used against Gazans. He added that Israel's intensified operations in Gaza make it increasingly difficult to see how goals like the release of Israeli hostages or the disarmament of Hamas could be achieved. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Germany supplied a third of Israel's arms exports between 2020 and 2024. second only to the U.S.

And P.R.'s Rob Schmitz reporting. Democratic leaders across the United States say they are ready to fight back against President Trump's efforts to secure more safe Republican seats through redistricting. And P.R.'s Ashley Lopez has more. This all started with efforts in Texas to draw five more seats for Republicans. In response, Texas, Democrats fled the state to stall the legislature's approval of a new map. In the meantime, Democratic leaders across the country are looking at ways to secure more seats for their party. California Governor Gavin Newsom wants voters to approve a ballot measure that would

change their congressional map to add five more safe Democratic seats for the next three election cycles. New York Governor Kathy Hokel says she's also making plans to, quote, fight fire with fire. Ashley Lopez, NPR News. At last check on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 176 points at 44,145. This is NPR News. Two Pennsylvania state police troopers and an EMT are recovering from injuries sustained in yesterday's shooting in Susquehanna County. State Police Commissioner, Colonel Christopher Paris. Both of our troopers currently are stable and with the help of the continued prayers of the community and their will to continue on. They will be with us and we are extremely, extremely grateful for that.

The investigators say the officers came under gunfire when they responded to a report of shots fired along a state. A woman was found dead near her vehicle. Investigators suspect her neighbor carried out the attacks before he was killed by state troopers. Officials in New York City say they have identified the remains of three more people killed in the September 11th terror attacks. We have more from NPR's Brian Mann, who reports scientists credit new DNA analysis techniques for the identifications. City officials named two of the persons newly identified who died in 2001. Ryan Fitzgerald, a young trader in the Twin Towers that day, and Barbara Keating of Palm Springs, California, a 72-year-old passenger on one of the planes that struck the World Trade Center. Her son, Paul Keating, says years of work by forensic scientists helped his family find closure.

That is amazing. They're doing this for us. New York City's chief medical examiner says scientists have now identified remains from roughly 40% of those killed that day in Manhattan. remains of another adult woman were also identified. Her name is being withheld at the request of family members. Brian Mann, NPR News, New York. I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, in Washington.