NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-24-2025 2PM EDT

Episode Date: August 24, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. Ukraine is celebrating its Independence Day for the fourth time since Russia's full-scale invasion. President Vladimir Zelenskyy spoke from Kiev's Independence Square, saying Ukraine will never surrender. He was joined in Kiev by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Dan Carpenshuk reports. Carney was invited as a special guest. The visit comes as Ukraine celebrates its Independence Day. He is meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss military aid and joint production of defense equipment.

The two leaders also talked about security guarantees with Carney saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin can never be trusted and that peace and security will require those guarantees for Ukraine. Carney's trip to Europe included a stop in Warsaw on Saturday at the start of a European mission aimed at forming deeper economic and security ties with European allies. He will also go to Berlin and to Riga, Latvia. A senior official says Carney's top priority is to move Canada closer to Europe at a time of trade tensions with Washington. For NPR News, I'm Dan Carpenchuk in Toronto.

South Korean President E.J. Miong is headed to the U.S. for a summit with President Trump tomorrow. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul. In Washington, South Korean President E.J. Mion will try to hammer out details of a trade deal reached last month. It includes a pledge for South Korea to invest $350 billion in the U.S. for lower tariffs. The U.S. has been talking about modernizing its alliance with South Korea, which includes focusing less on deterring North Korea and more on countering China. Most South Korean presidents visit the U.S. first, but E. will be coming from Tokyo, where he met with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Japan and South Korea are both U.S. allies who depend on

exports to the U.S. and host large numbers of American troops, and he apparently wanted to coordinate with Ishiba before meeting Trump. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul. Vice President J.D. Fance is defending Republican efforts to gerrymander congressional maps ahead of next year's midterm elections. Texas lawmakers recently approved a new map that adds five favorable seats. NPR's Ashley Lopez reports. Vance said in an interview on NBC's Meet the Press Sunday that this ongoing redistricting fight

is an effort to countermaps drawn to favor Democrats in blue states. All we're doing, frankly, is trying to make the situation a little bit more fair on a national scale. The Democrats have gerrymandered their states really aggressively. Partisan gerrymandering is practiced by both parties, although some Democratic states have independent redistricting commissions. Democrats say they plan to counter Republican efforts ahead of next year. California Democrats are asking voters to approve a ballot measure this fall that could allow the state to add five more seats favorable to Democrats to its map. Ashley Lopez and PR News. This is NPR News in Washington.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker says there is no emergency in his state that requires military help from Washington. The Washington Post is reporting that President Trump plans to deploy troops to Chicago to crack down on crime, homelessness, and undocumented migrants. Pritzker says the federal government hasn't asked if his state needs assistance and that Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis. The first round of the U.S. Open is underway today in Flushing Meadows, New York. As NPR's Matt Bloom reports, some of the biggest names in tennis are set to compete in the final Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year.

This year's lineup includes Top Seeds Arena Sabalanka from Belarus for the women and Italian Yanik Sinner for the men. The defending champs join a crowded field of contenders, including four-time U.S. Open champion Novak Djokovic, who skipped all tournaments after Wimbledon to focus on this Grand Slam. Tennis legend Venus Williams is also making history as the oldest singles player in the tournament in more than four decades. She was extended a wildcard invitation to the U.S. Open. I want to be my best. That's the expectation I have for myself to get the best out of me.

And that's all any player can ask for. Williams' first match is scheduled for Monday. The open will last two weeks. Matt Bloom and PR News. In baseball, the Little League World Series wraps up this afternoon in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. A team from Las Vegas faces a team from Taiwan for the title. Las Vegas is looking for its first title for Nevada. Well, Taiwan is going for its 18th.

I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News.