NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-17-2025 11PM EDT

Episode Date: August 18, 2025

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Support for NPR comes from NPR member stations and Eric and Wendy Schmidt through the Schmidt Family Foundation, working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. On the web at theshmit.org. Live from NPR news, I'm Dale Wilman. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky will not be alone when he meets President Trump at the White House on Monday. Terry Schultz reports on the group of European leaders who will be accompanying Zelensky to find out what's in Trump's proposal for advancing a peace deal with Russia. The President of the European Commission and the Secretary General of NATO, along with the leaders of Britain, Finland, France, Germany, and Italy,

will be joining President Zelensky in Washington. The Ukrainian leader thanked EU Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen when they met in Brussels Sunday. It's very important that you are with us and that we speak to America and we speak together. It's expected Trump will propose conditions for a peace deal suggested by Russian President Vladimir Putin at last week's summit in Alaska, which would be very difficult for Ukraine to accept. Many European leaders consider their own security to be closely linked to Ukraine's, and some countries are willing to provide a peacekeeping or monitoring force if a ceasefire is reached. For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz and Brussels.

The Washington, D.C. National Guard says its troops now deployed on city streets may be armed. The Pentagon had initially said patrolling troops were not carrying lethal weapons. NPR's Luke Garrett passed more. More than 800 soldiers and airmen have been deployed into the nation's capital as of Saturday. The D.C. National Guard says troops have kept to areas surrounding federal lands and monuments assisting other federal agencies. As of Sunday morning, the troops were not yet armed, according to Army Senior Master Sergeant Craig Clapper. But Clapper says guard members may be armed consistent with their mission and training. Meanwhile, the Republican governor of West Virginia deployed 350 National Guard

troops to D.C. President Trump declared a crime emergency in D.C. taking partial control of the local police. Violent crime in D.C. hit its lowest level in more than 30 years in 2024. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. Air Canada's 10,000 flight attendants are defying a federal government back-to-work order. As Dan Carpenchuk reports, the airline suspended plans to restart operations today, but flights will be resuming by Monday nights. About 240 flights scheduled to begin operating Sunday have now been canceled. The less than 12-hour strike by flight attendants began at 1-8.

on Saturday morning. By the afternoon, federal jobs minister, Patty Heidu, had ordered the airline to resume operations. But the Canadian Union of public employees announced Sunday morning it would not comply with the minister's order and would instead remain on strike. The union says it invited Air Canada back to the bargaining table, accusing it of relying on the government to do its dirty work when talks get tough. Air Canada says it would take up to 10 days for operations to return to normal. The dispute has been over wages and unpaid work hours. For NPR News. I'm Dan Carpenchuk in Toronto. Share markets in Asia have edged higher on Monday, as markets there opened ahead of what is likely going to be an eventful week for interest rate policy in the U.S.

Oil prices, meanwhile, have slipped. You're listening to NPR News. The death toll from flooding in Pakistan's northwestern region has now reached at least 274. Rescuers recovered dozens of bodies from the rubble of collapsed homes on Sunday. The flooding took place on fraud. date, and officials say many villagers remain missing, and they say more rain is likely through Tuesday, which could prompt some landslides. SpaceX officials say the next starship test flight will launch from South Texas as soon as next weekend. As Texas Public Radio's Jerry Clayton reports, it comes as the company says it has fixed the problems from its last launch, which failed. The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared the way for a launch of Flight 10 as soon as August 24th.

SpaceX aims to demonstrate the issues from its last launch on May 27th have been solved. Both the Starship spacecraft and the Super Heavy booster exploded in flight. An FAA investigation found issues with fuel components, which SpaceX says they have now corrected. The FAA wrapped up its investigation into the loss of Flight 9 just before SpaceX announced the next launch. SpaceX has been contracted by NASA to develop the rocket, which will carry astronauts to the moon as part of the Artemis 3 mission sometime in 2027. I'm Jerry Clayton and San Antonio. The Hore Film Weapons hung on to the top spot at North American box offices this weekend,

bringing in another $25 million. That was a 43% drop, though, from its opening weekend. Its domestic total has now reached $89 million. Disney sequel Freak Year Friday hung on to second with an additional $14.5 million take this weekend. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News. Support for NPR and the following message come from the Kauffman Foundation, providing access to opportunities that help people achieve financial stability,

upward mobility, and economic prosperity, regardless of race, gender or geography. Coffman.org