NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-24-2025 11PM EDT

Episode Date: August 25, 2025

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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 at limelson.org. Live from NPR news, I'm Dale Wilman. The White House is denying that the Trump administration is carrying out politically motivated probes, even as investigations into Trump's political enemies continue to grow. NPR's Tamara Keith reports. On Friday, the FBI searched the home and office of Trump's first-term national security advisor, John Bolton. On NBC's Meet the Press, Vice President J.D. Vance was asked if Bolton is being targeted because he is a vocal Trump critic. And Vance denied it. We're going to be careful about that. We're going to be deliberate about that because we don't think that we should throw people, even if they disagree with us politically, maybe especially if they disagree with us politically. You shouldn't throw people willy-nilly in prison. This investigation doesn't come in isolation. Senator Adam Schiff, who led a Trump impeachment and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who prosecuted Trump for fraud, now both face highly publicized DOJ investigations into alleged mortgage fraud. Tamara Keith, NPR News.

Ukraine celebrated its independence state today when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Kiev declared its freedom from Moscow. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is in Kiev, where he pledged billions of dollars in military equipment for Ukraine. We emphasize that the approach for securing peace must remain consistent with these principles of no decisions about Ukraine being taken without Ukraine and no decisions about Europe being taken without Europe. Carney also would not rule out the possible presence of Canadian troops at some point in Ukraine. It's a big week in big tech which will be delivering a report card on the state of the AI boom. As NPR's Maria Aspen reports, investors will be closely watching Wednesday's earnings from envisages. for updates on its business and its new deal with the U.S. governments.

NVIDIA has become a bellwether for the artificial intelligence frenzy. Now it's also a big part of President Trump's efforts to exert more control over U.S. business. Trump has announced that NVIDIA will give the U.S. government a cut of its sales in China in exchange for permission to sell one of its computer chips there. The deal highlighted the extent to which Trump is wielding power over private companies. NVIDIA sells the semiconductors that many big tech companies are using to power their investments in artificial intelligence. This week, investors will be listening for signs of optimism about those investments and about their eventual results. Maria Aspen and PR News, New York.

Homes in some areas near San Francisco are under evacuation orders tonight. Cal Fire officials say the Pickett Fire in Napa County has grown to more than 10 square miles in size. 11% contained. In Oregon, meanwhile, the flat fire has now grown to more than 33 square miles, and so far there has been no containment. That fire is threatening almost 4,000 homes. About 10,000 people there are under some kind of evacuation order. This is NPR News. SpaceX Sunday called off the launch of Starship's 10th mission from Texas. Officials say they needed time to troubleshoot problems with some ground systems. The standdown took place just 30 minutes before launched So far, SpaceX has not said when it will make another launch attempts.

Veteran character actor Jerry Adler died this weekend at the age of 96. He was best known for roles in TV series such as The Sopranos and The Good Wife, but as Jeff London reports, acting was Adler's second career. Long before he became known as HASH, Tony Sopranos advisor on the HBO hit The Sopranos, Jerry Adler had a distinguished first act as a stage manager and director on Broadway. Born to a theatrical family, his cousin was famed acting teacher Stella Adler, he worked on the original Broadway productions of gentlemen prefer blondes and my fair lady as a stage manager. It wasn't until he was in his 60s that Adler started acting and he constantly worked,

on Northern Exposure, Mad About You and Transparent, among other shows, and returned to Broadway as an actor in a couple of roles beginning in 2000. For NPR News, I'm Jeff London in New York. The long wait is over for Tommy Fleetwood. He shot a 68 on Sunday. For a three-stroke win in the PGA event at Atlanta, it's his first tour title, and he won $10 million for those efforts. Patrick Cantley and Russell Henley were tied for second. Scotty Sheffler hit his tea shot into the water in the 15th, ending his hopes of a come-from-behind win.

I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.