NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-15-2025 3AM EDT

Episode Date: August 15, 2025

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Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Dua Liza Kautau. The city of Anchorage in Alaska is busy preparing to receive journalists and high-ranking officials ahead of today's historic summit with President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Earlier at the White House, Trump told reporters the meeting is very important because, in his words, we're going to say a lot of lives. We have a meeting with President Putin tomorrow. I think it's going to be a good meeting, but the more important meeting will be the second meeting that we're having. We're going to have a meeting with President Putin, President Zelensky, myself,

and maybe we'll bring some of the European leaders along, maybe not. The United Nations has reported an uptick in sexual violence in conflicts around the world and singles out Hamas as one of the many bad actors. As NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports, it also put the Israeli military and Russian armed forces on notice that there are credible allegations against them too. The UN says there's been a 25% increase in reports of sexual violence as a tactic of war, torture, terrorism, and political repression. It lists 63 state and non-state actors, including Hamas,

that are credibly suspected of committing such crimes. The report says there's clear and convincing information that sexual violence occurred in at least six locations during the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7th, of 2023. The report says UN monitors have not been able to fully investigate allegations of sexual violence against Palestinians held by Israeli forces, nor have they been able to get into Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine to investigate violations there. Michelle Kellerman and BR News, the State Department. Residents in Washington, D.C.,'s most dangerous neighborhoods

say they welcome more law enforcement, but question whether President Trump's deployment of soldiers and federal agents is a solution. NPR's Frank Lankford reports. Aaron lives in Congress Heights in a section of D.C. where there have been 38 homicides so far this year. But Aaron, who asked NPR not to reveal his last name, to protect his federal government job, is skeptical that National Guard troops who aren't trained in law enforcement will help. I would have loved to have seen maybe more funding for police or maybe getting some of the command folks behind the desk and put them out on the street for presence. Instead, Aaron says he thinks Trump is making a show of force to embarrass a Democratic-led city instead of addressing the

capital's very real crime problem in a lasting way. Frank Langford, NPR News, Washington. Several major wildfires are burning across southern Europe. Firefighters in Spain, Greece, and Portugal are all working under extreme dry conditions and record heat. In northern Spain, at least three people have died after suffering burn wounds. You're listening to NPR News from New York City. The United Nations is warning this week that starvation and malnutrition in Gaza are at its worse since the war began 22 months ago. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to say there is no hunger or policy of starvation.

President Trump has signed an executive order to speed deregulation of commercial space launches. Zendpiers Jeff Brumfield, reports, the order seeks to roll back several environmental protections. The executive order's goal is to promote new space-based industries and cutting-edge defense systems. To speed the process, it calls on the Department of Transportation to, quote, eliminate or expedite environmental reviews and some safety requirements for commercial spacecraft. It also instructs the Secretary of Transportation to look into waiving environmental requirements for launch pads and other ground-based facilities. The order could benefit

several commercial space companies, including SpaceX, which has been fined in recent years for multiple environmental and safety violations at its facilities. Jeff Brumfield, NPR News. In New York City, a federal building that houses the Department of Homeland Security and a field office of ICE or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was evacuated Thursday afternoon when envelopes containing an unknown white powder were found on the building's ninth floor. During a Thursday, evening press conference officials said two people were exposed to the powder. A hazard response team was dispatched immediately. City officials are awaiting test results. I'm Dwah Lisei Kautau, NPR News.