NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-08-2025 4AM EDT

Episode Date: August 8, 2025

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As AI permeates every aspect of our lives, who are the people behind this huge inflection point? What keeps them up at night? I fear that what it means to be human may suddenly not be our own. We've got a special series from NPR's TED Radio Hour. It's called The Prophets of Technology. What they got right, wrong, and where these pioneers think we're headed next. Listen to the TED Radio Hour, wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shay Stevens.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says security cabinet in his nation has approved his plan to occupy Gaza City. The plan is aimed at eliminating Hamas and setting conditions for civilian government that would not include the Palestinian Authority. President Trump is signaling growing impatience with his Russian counterpart. Trump was asked whether he plans to impose sanctions on Russia if that nation does not reach a ceasefire with the Ukraine soon. It's going to be up to him. We're going to see what he has to say. It's going to be up to him. Very disappointed. Trump says he would meet with Putin despite the Kremlin's refusal to hold talks with the Ukraine. The president has signed an executive order that could open alternative investments like real estate and digital assets for 401K retirement plans.

NPR's Daniel Kurtzleben reports that the Trump family has a growing interest in cryptocurrency. The executive order instructs cabinet officials and financial regulators to determine the next steps. to change regulations. The new types of assets, including private equity and cryptocurrency, are considered riskier than traditional 401K investments than stocks and bonds. Trump's family has a growing financial interest in cryptocurrency in particular. They started a digital assets business, World Liberty Financial last year, and Trump's social media company also announced earlier this year they were raising billions to purchase Bitcoin. The price of Bitcoin jumped after news of the executive order broke. Danielle Kurtzleben and PR News.

The nation's colleges will have to prove they are not using race in their admissions. President Trump assigned a memorandum ordering colleges to share their admissions data, citing concern that personal statements and other proxies are illegally being used to consider race. The Supreme Court outlawed firmament of action in higher education two years ago. Transgender people serving in the Air Force have been denied requests for early retirement after the Trump administration ordered them to leave the service. Details from NPR's Quill Lawrence. About a dozen trans service members with 15 to 18 years in were permitted to apply for early retirement with full benefits after the executive order that banned trans troops from serving openly.

But according to an Air Force spokesperson, all of those applications have been denied. Despite their many years of service, they now have the same options as thousands of other trans troops either quit or be kicked out without the significant financial benefits they'd have earned with retirement at 20 years. And may the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration's ban on trans people in the military to go forward, though the Pentagon has offered no evidence that their service hurt readiness or good order and discipline. Quill Lawrence NPR News. In Southern California, thousands of residents from Los Angeles and Ventura counties were evacuated last night because of the fast-moving canyon fire. The blaze consumed 1,500 acres and was 0% contained. This is NPR.

The federal judge is ordering the Trump administration to halt construction at an immigration detention facility in the Florida Everglades. The injunction allows time for arguments in a lawsuit, alleging Florida officials neglected to get public input or study the environmental impact in violation of federal law. The facility is dubbed alligator alcatraz that is situated in wetlands filled with predators, including alligators. The Palestinian Football Association says one of its star players has been killed by Israeli gunfire while trying to get food in Gaza. Details from NPR's Emily Fang. Suleiman Obeid was 41 years old. Before the war, he was perhaps the most celebrated living soccer player to come out of the occupied Palestinian territories. Obed got his start playing in Gaza, then moved to a team based in the West Bank.

But after five seasons, he returned to his native Gaza nine years ago. He helped the Palestinian national team qualify for the Asian Football Confederation's Asia Cup in 2015, and he was known for his good-natured personality and footwork. A broad sports commentators dubbed him the Gazelle or the Pele of Palestine, comparing him to the renowned Brazilian star. Obeyed stood out for his athleticism, but his cause of death was common. He was among 87 Palestinians killed trying to get food and aid on Wednesday, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. Israel's military said it could not comment on his death without knowing more specifics. Emily Fang, NPR News, Tel Aviv. U.S. futures are higher in after-hours trading on Wall Street.

When Asia-Pacific markets, shares are lower, but up 1.8% in Tokyo. This is NPR News. These days, there's so much news. It can be hard to keep up with what it all means for you, your family, and your community. The Consider this podcast from NPR features our award-winning journalism. Six days a week, we bring you a deep dive on a news. story and provide the context and analysis that helps you make sense of the news. We get behind the headlines. We get to the truth. Listen to the Consider this podcast from NPR.