NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-09-2025 11PM EDT

Episode Date: August 10, 2025

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There's a lot of news happening. You want to understand it better, but let's be honest, you don't want it to be your entire life either. Well, that's sort of like our show, here and now anytime. Every weekday on our podcast, we talk to people all over the country about everything from political analysis to climate resilience, video games. We even talk about dumpster diving on this show. Check out Here and Now Anytime, a daily podcast from NPR and WBUR.

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. President Trump will meet Russian President Vladimir. Vladimir Putin this coming Friday, the two will gather to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. Neither side has indicated just what they hope to gain from the meeting, but Nina Khrushcheva of the new school in New York says it's clear what Russia will be demanding. We know that the deal is that Putin wants the whole of Danyetsk region, which was originally the beginning of this conflict in 2014. But Ukraine still has 25% of that territory. So will Ukraine be willing to get out of this territory?

and basically give it to Putin without him invading it. President Trump said Friday that peace in Ukraine may require both sides to give up something, but Ukraine's president says he'll never give Ukrainian land to Russia. Reform Jewish organizations are urging Israel to end its war in Gaza. NPR's Jason DeRose reports that the move comes as Israel says it plans to expand that war. In a joint statement, leaders from the Union for Reform Judaism, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and the American Conference of Cantors

criticize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's newly approved plan to extend military control over Gaza City. They say continued occupation would be a, quote, military, political, and humanitarian calamity and potentially cost the lives of Israeli hostages, soldiers, and civilians in Gaza.

The reformed Jewish leaders argue Israel has no clear exit strategy and risks long-term damage to its global standing. Separately, a group of Islamists, Obama leaders in the U.S. has called on Muslim-majority countries to take a more active role in ending the conflict. Jason DeRos, NPR News. Fire firefighters have made progress against a California brush fire burning in Los Angeles and Venture counties at this hour. State fire officials say the blaze is now 28% contained. NPR's Shondalise Duster has more. The canyon fire started on Thursday and has burned more than 5,000 acres, officials say. Thousands have been evacuated because of the wildfire. Officials. Officials

say three firefighters have been injured battling the fire but are expected to recover. Los Angeles County is under an air quality alert because of wildfire smoke. Health officials are warning those in the area to protect their health by limiting time outdoors and physical activity. Los Angeles and Ventura County officials on Saturday said all evacuation warnings have been lifted. Authorities say they are investigating what caused the fire. Shandalee Duster and PR News. A top official of the Federal Reserve Bank says that this week's weaker than expected jobs report strengthens her belief that interest rates should be lowered.

Michelle Bowman was one of two Fed officials who voted in July to lower those rates, but nine others voted to keep them steady. She said she also believes inflation is dropping that despite fears of what President Trump's tariffs will do to the nation's economy. You're listening to NPR News. Haiti's government is implementing a three-month state of emergency in that country's central region. Gang violence is growing in the area known as the country's rice basket. Gangs are killing farmers or forcing them to leave their lands.

Gang violence in the region has displaced more than 239,000 people. Most of the country has been under the control of violent gangs for many months. In 1978, toxic cane toads from Central and South America were introduced to an island in Japan to control pests. Now, researchers are looking into why eagles there are able to escape death from the invasive food source. NPR's Regina Barber has more. Many predators that eat these cane toads die of heart attacks. But the critically endangered crested serpent eagles do not. After analyzing blood and tissue samples from these eagles, the researchers found they have a special genetic adaptation to evade these toxins.

An adaptation that the studies lead author, Lisa Tobe, says the eagles had long before they met the cane toads. So by chance, they can feed on them. Eagles aren't the only animal to carry resistance to this toxin without needing it. Some snakes, rodents, and frogs also inherited the adaptation from their ancestors. Regina Barber, NPR News. Jen Powell has made history today. She is the first female umpire to work a regular season game in Major League Baseball. She worked as the first base umpire during the first game of a double header between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves today.

Managers from both teams greeted Powell when the opening lineups were exchanged just before the game began. I'm Dale Wilman, and you're listening to NPR News. Support for NPR, and the following message come from the Limelson Foundation, working to harness the power of invention and innovation to accelerate climate action and improve lives around the world. Learn more atlimson.org.