NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-28-2025 5AM EDT

Episode Date: August 28, 2025

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This is Eric Glass. On this American Life, we like stories that surprise you. For instance, imagine finding a new hobby and realizing... To do this hobby right, according to the ways of the masters, there's a pretty good chance that you're going to have to bend the law to get the materials that you need. If not, break it. Yeah.

To break international laws. Your life stories, really good ones. This American Life. Live from NPR News in Washington. And I'm Dave Mattingley. Police in Minnesota say the 23-year-old who carried out yesterday's mass shooting at a Catholic Church in Minneapolis had no criminal history and used multiple weapons, all of which had been purchased legally recently. The gunfire at Annunciation Catholic Church left two children dead.

Fourteen other children were wounded. They ranged in age from six to 15. Three adults, each in their 80s, was also wounded by gunfire. Police say the shooter identified as Robin Westman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators say the attack began from outside the building when the shooter fired through church windows during mass. As for a possible motive, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara says investigators are reviewing Westman's writings, which the chief calls disturbing. NPR's Jason DeRose says Pope Leo and the Archbishop Bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis are

expressing their sorrow over the attack. In a statement issued by the Vatican, Pope Leo is offering his, quote, heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child. Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the St. Paul Minneapolis Archdioces issued a statement calling for the end-to-gun violence and saying, quote, Our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetuated against the vulnerable and innocent. Archdiocese staff are working with Annunciation Catholic School to make sure families there have the resources they need. Jason DeRose, NPR News. Vice President Vance will be speaking to steel workers in Wisconsin today. As Chuck Kornbach reports, Vance is expected to highlight the benefits to the manufacturing sector of President Trump's so-called big, beautiful bill,

passed by Congress earlier this summer. The vice president is expected to speak at Mid-City Steel in La Cros. The company turns raw steel into finished products. Vance is expected to promote the recently passed tax and spending megabil, saying the law will help manufacturing and bring tax cuts for working families and businesses. Democrats say the measure will primarily help the wealthy and hurt people on Medicaid and other federal assistance programs. Vance will be in the House District of Derek Van Orden,

a Republican in his third term and who Democrats are targeting in the 2016. congressional elections. For NPR News, I'm Chuck Khrmbach in LaCross, Wisconsin. The S&P 500 closed at a record high yesterday. That was before Tech Giant NVIDIA reported strong second quarter earnings and sales after the closing bell on Wall Street. The company says quarterly revenue and sales each jumped 56%. This is NPR News from Washington. Russian air strikes in Ukraine overnight have resulted in several deaths and more than 20 injuries. NPR's Greg Myrie and Kiev says the targets included an apartment building in the country's capital that was hit by a missile. The apartment building took a direct hit from the Russian missile and much of it collapsed.

The attack also included drone strikes on other residential areas and a shopping mall, according to Ukrainian officials and photos posted on social media. While Kiev was hardest hit, the Russians unleashed missiles and drones on several other Ukrainian cities. The Capitol has the most extensive air defenses of any Ukrainian city, but some Russian strikes still managed to get through. The latest Russian attack comes as diplomatic efforts to end the war appear stalled. Greg Myrie, NPR News, Lviv, Ukraine. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un says he will travel to China next week for the first time in six years. Kim plans to attend a military parade in Beijing alongside more than two dozen other world leaders,

including Russian President Vladimir Putin. China's foreign ministry says the parade is to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and China's resistance against Japan's wartime aggression. The Postal Service in Mexico says it suspending shipments of packages to the U.S. Mexican officials say the shipments are being halted until they get clarification on new rules. from the Trump administration on duty-free, low-value packages. Countries in the European Union and elsewhere took similar steps. I'm Dave Mattingly, NPR News, and Washington.

Immigration raids, masked ice agents, Operation Patriot. Our podcast, Here and Now Anytime, is looking at Trump's agenda of mass deportation through the eyes of one state. I'm coming to Boston. I'm bringing hell with me. Listen to the podcast, Here and Now Any Time. from NPR and WBOR.