NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-09-2025 2PM EDT

Episode Date: August 9, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Amy Held. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, says his country has no intention of recognizing Russian control over any part of its territory. NPR's Greg Mirey reports President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin are preparing for a summit without Zelensky next week. President Zelensky made his position clear in a video on social media. He said, quote, Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier. He added, we will not reward Russia for what it is

perpetrated. President Trump announced to hold a summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska. Trump is seeking an end to the war in Ukraine and says it could involve, quote, some swapping of territory. Ukraine is not part of the summit and Zelensky says no decisions can be made without his country's full participation. Russian forces control, close to 20% of Ukraine's territory in the east and south of the country. Greg Myrie, NPR News, Kyiv. President Trump is expressing anger and alarm at the possibility that many of his tariffs, some that went into effect just this week, could be overturned in court.

NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben, has more. In May, the Federal Court of International Trade ruled that tariffs Trump has imposed on individual countries are illegal. The Trump administration immediately appealed, and an appeals court has heard, arguments in that case. Trump posted on social media that if the court rules against his tariffs, quote, it would be impossible to ever recover or pay back these massive sums of money and honor. This follows other posts this week referring to the possibility of judges halting his tariffs. Trade law experts say that if the tariffs are found illegal, the government would have to

provide refunds to companies that initially paid the tariffs. Danielle Kurtzleben and PR News, the White House. Firefighters are responding to more than three dozen large wildfires burning across the U.S. In the West, hot and dry conditions are feeding the flames. North of L.A., thousands of people have fled the canyon fire, which is now about 30 percent contained. The Texas Rangers have released a formal list of people lost in the July 4th flooding in Kerr County. Texas Public Radio's Jerry Clayton reports. The list contains the names and ages of 117 people who died and two who remained missing. In a joint statement, Curville Mayor Joe Herring and Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said the names were not new to

their community, calling them family, friends, and neighbors. They also thanked the first responders and those who are still supporting recovery efforts. The catastrophic flooding event happened in the Hill Country region in the early morning hours of July 4th, taking the lives of at least 135 people. Among the dead were 27 young campers and counselors at Camp Mystic, a popular summer camp along the Guadalupe River. Mary Clayton and San Antonio. It's NPR News. Investigators in Georgia have identified a 30-year-old suspect from suburban Atlanta in yesterday's shooting at the CDC.

He and a responding officer both died. Officials say the gunmen opened fire on the agency from across the street, hitting buildings, sparking fear amongst workers at a daycare center and at nearby Emory University. And in New York City, terror at Times Square overnight, when gunfire sent people running. three were wounded, police say. One person was taken into custody. Gun violence has been decreasing for decades in the city compared to last year shootings are down about a quarter. President Trump is requiring colleges and universities to turn over admissions data to the Department of Education. NPR's Corey Turner reports it's meant to reveal if schools are still considering race in admissions after the Supreme Court banned affirmative action. The memo requires colleges

to report to the Education Department the race, grades, and test scores, not just of the students they admit, but of all applicants, the idea being so the government can see whom elite schools are turning away. In a statement, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said, quote, we will not allow institutions to blight the dreams of students by presuming that their skin color matters more than their hard work. Critics of the move tell NPR the data will be hard to collect, murky at best, and won't reflect the fact that colleges don't just consider academics, but also teacher recommendations, personal essays, sports, and extracurricular activities. Corey Turner, NPR News.

This is NPR News.