NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-08-2025 6AM EDT

Episode Date: August 8, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. Israel's security cabinet has approved a proposal from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It seeks to expand Israel's war in Gaza and take control of Gaza City. NPR's Aibatrawi reports. The announcement comes some 23 months into a war that's already killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. The city, long the beating heart of Gaza, is home to several of its last partially functioning hospitals and where tens of thousands of displaced people have set up tens of thousands. encampments. Israeli troops already operate in eastern Gaza city under the cover of near constant airstrikes. It's unclear how the military plans to push further into densely populated areas or where people might be forced to flee to. And announcing the decision Netanyahu's office said that aid would be distributed to civilians outside of combat zones without elaborating. Families of Israeli hostages still held by militants in Gaza are demanding a ceasefire, fearing military operations could lead to their deaths. A. Abatrawi, Mpair News.

The political battle is escalating in the U.S. over redrawing congressional maps before next year's midterm elections. Democratic leaders across the country say they're ready to fight back against President Trump's efforts to secure more safe Republican seats. NPR's Ashley Lopez reports. 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 Hochel says she's also making plans to, quote, fight fire with fire. Ashley Lopez, NPR News. In addition to the redistricting arguments, President Trump has called for a new national census. These are usually done every decade, and the last one was taken in 2020. The data are used to apportion how many seats each state gets in the U.S. House and the Electoral College. Trump wants a new census that does not count people who are in the U.S. illegally. But the U.S. Constitution says a census must count the whole number of persons in every state. NPR's Hansi-Low-Wong says it's not clear how a new census might proceed.

According to Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution, no president can just order a census. Congress has final authority over the census. Now, decades ago, Congress did pass a law that allows for a mid-decade census, but we're past the timeline for that. There is a new bill proposed by Representative Marjorie Taylor-Green, a Republican from Georgia, and it calls for a new census, a new redistribution of House seats, and a new rounder congressional redistricting all before next year's mid-term. election. NPR's Hansi Lo Wong reporting. You're listening to NPR. President Trump says he will

host the leaders of warring Armenia and Azerbaijan today, their neighbors at the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. They've been fighting since a region of Azerbaijan broke away decades ago with help from Armenia. Trump says he will now help end that war, and he says the Azeri and Armenian leaders will join him at the White House today to sign a piece of agreement. Las Vegas is experiencing a dip in tourism. This follows years of a post-pandemic boom. NPR's Juliana Kim reports on how the Vegas slowdown could have implications for the broader U.S. economy. In the first six months of this year, Las Vegas saw about 1.5 million fewer visitors compared to the first half of 2024. In June alone, the city welcomed nearly 400,000 fewer visitors than it did last year. That's according to new data from the Las Vegas Convention and

visitors authority. Las Vegas-based economist Andrew Wood says part of the reason is that consumers are changing how they spend their money in response to tariffs and economic uncertainty. It's just their mon discerning about where and how they're traveling and where they're spending their dollars. He says the city has also been hit by a loss of international visitors, particularly from Canada. Juliana Kim, NPR News. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is calling for the development of a nuclear reactor on the moon. Supporters say, it's a good idea because nuclear power would be a good option for future astronauts. A lunar nighttime lasts for two weeks at a time. Opponents say pivoting to nuclear power on the moon

will deprive NASA of vital funds. This is NPR.