NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-17-2025 1AM EDT

Episode Date: August 17, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Rowan. Washington, D.C.'s police chief will remain in command of the department following a federal court hearing on Friday. The Trump administration withdrew its bid to name an emergency police commissioner. Meanwhile, Saturday, hundreds of protesters gathered at the White House demanding an end to the federal police takeover. There was a police presence, but the demonstration was peaceful. NPR's Brian Mann has more. hundreds of marchers at the White House. They've come from DuPont Circle here on this Saturday

to protest Donald Trump's decision to deploy National Guard and federal agents to the streets of their city. Many of the people here say there is crime in D.C., but not the kind of emergency that President Trump has said makes it necessary for this kind of deployment. People here are angry. Many of them say they're scared

by what they view as a threat to American democracy, Let's see. NPR's Brian Demand, reporting near the White House. Hurricane Aaron is now a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 140 miles per hour. It was briefly a Category 5 storm before losing some of its punch on Saturday. Heavy winds and gusty rains are now hitting Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Michael Brennan is the director of the National Hurricane Center. We expect Aaron to continue as a powerful major hurricane, gradually turning northward into a break in the subtropical ridge.

to the east of the Bahamas and then passing somewhere between the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Bermuda as we move from Wednesday into Thursday of next week, it's important to remember that as hurricanes move out of the deep tropics, they tend to grow in size, and we're expecting the tropical storm force winds from Aaron to more than double in size as we go through the week next week. Aaron is still expected to avoid a direct hit on land as it passes north of Puerto Rico and then curves up the Atlantic to the east coast of the U.S. Universities and Labor Union, in Israel are preparing for a general strike on Sunday. Activists and families of hostages in Gaza are hoping to bring the country to a halt. MPR's Emily Fang has the story. Hundreds of universities,

businesses, and labor organizations say they will join the nationwide strike. But the country's largest union declined to participate, with its director saying a strike had, quote, no practical outcome. Activists are also staging an anti-war protest, one of dozens this month already before the strike begins. They and much of Israeli society want to see an end to the war, so about 20 surviving hostages can be returned home. Hamas has said they will return them only with a permanent ceasefire, but Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is now arguing Israel must fight until Hamas no longer exists and is pursuing a plan to militarily occupy all of Gaza. Emily Fang and Pierre News Tel Aviv. And you're listening to NPR News.

A 97-year-old woman has become the oldest person in Europe to complete 250 community 5K events known as park runs. Vicki Barker has more from London. 97-year-old Gray's Chambers only took up running at 88 after undergoing open-heart surgery. She had set the record by lunchtime on Saturday, completing the 5-kilometer run in Belfast, Northern Ireland, telling the BBC she's felt glad. A faint glad I've done it because it's always a possibility I wouldn't, but I never looked negatively. I think it's always you.

I would, if I set a goal, I try to achieve it. Chambers had heart surgery again four weeks ago, but she said that was never going to stop her taking part in her 250th park run. For NPR News, I'm Vicki Barker in London. Just days before she is scheduled to leave office, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has been indicted by a federal grand jury. Prosecutors say she in a bodyguard attempt to defraud the city concealing a romantic relationship and taking numerous personal trips on city expense.

She is term limited and will leave office in January. Pope Leo is marking his first 100 days in office as leader of the Roman Catholic Church. The first American-born Pope, born in Chicago, appears to be setting a more measured tone at the Vatican than his predecessor, Pope Francis, even as he continues to pursue many of the policies that Pope Francis undertook during his 14 years as Pope. From Washington, you're listening to NPR.