NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-24-2025 8PM EDT

Episode Date: August 25, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Janine Hurst. The White House is denying that the Trump administration is carrying out politically motivated probes. And Pierce-Hammer Keith reports this, even as investigations into Trump's political enemies, pile up. 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. Millions of people in the West are facing dangerous heat that's increasing the risks of wildfires. And Pierre Shandalee's Duster has more. Extreme heat watches and warnings are in effect for parts of California, Oregon, and Washington State through at least Tuesday. The National Weather Service says some places will see temperatures surpassing 100 degrees with little relief at night. The heat, coupled with dry conditions, is also fueling wildfires such as the flatfire in Oregon.

Operation Section Chief Eric Perkins says they are hopeful they can prevent the blaze from spreading, but weather is making it difficult. We are in a firefight and the weather's not that favorable. It's more favorable for the fire than the firefighters today. Officials are warning residents in places facing extreme heat to stay in cool areas and drink plenty of water. Shandalee Duster and PR News. It's a big week in Big Tech, which will be delivering a report card on the state of the AI boom. As M.P.R. Maria Aspen reports, investors will be closely watching Wednesday's earnings

from NVIDIA for updates on its business and its new deal with the U.S. government. 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. Invidia 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,

NPR News, New York. U.S. futures contracts are trading flat at this hour. This is NPR. our news. Millions of children born during the global pandemic are starting kindergarten this year, but as MPIR's Vanessa Romo reports, studies show they might not be ready. 3.6 million children were born in 2020 as the coronavirus ushered in one of the most extraordinary periods in modern history, and experts are still trying to figure out its long-term effects. Kristen Huff is Head of Measurement at Curriculum Associates, which provides national grade-level testing.

Its latest study looked at the 2023-24 school year. Even students who were not in school because they were too young to be in kindergarten during the pandemic are less prepared. Just 81% of 5-year-olds are arriving kindergarten-ready in reading. That's down from 89% in 2019. Huff says teachers and students

can buck the trend with the right support. Vanessa Romo, NPR News. Veteran character actor Jerry Adler has died at the age of 96. He started his career behind the scenes in theater, working on more than 50 Broadway productions. He later transitioned to acting in his 60s, gaining fame for roles on the HBO hit Sopranos and The Good Wife. His acting career spanned more than 30 years with appearances in shows like Northern Exposure, Rescue, Rescue, and Mad About You, among others. He also returned to Broadway on stage, though, this time. Adler came from an entertainment family. His cousin was famed acting teacher Stella Adler and his father worked in the theater.

I'm Janine Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington. This message comes from Wise, the app for using money around the globe. When you manage your money with Wise, you'll always get the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees. Join millions of customers and visit Wise.com. T's and Cs apply. Bye.