NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-31-2025 4AM EDT

Episode Date: August 31, 2025

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Support for NPR and the following message come from the Kreske Foundation with Pathbreakers, a podcast about transforming communities through innovation, from revolutionizing higher education to supporting artists who are driving change. Pathbreakers is available on podcast platforms. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. European Union foreign ministers meeting in Copenhagen on Saturday discussed ways to up the pressure on Russia to end its war on Ukraine. as Terry Schultz reports, they're also calling the Trump administration to join those efforts. EU foreign ministers debated what more they could do to force Moscow to end its war on Ukraine, but also underscored the need for U.S. pressure. French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barron noted that if President Trump's efforts to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to get serious about a peace deal fail,

the EU and U.S. must, together, force Putin to reconsider. the financial sector, but perhaps also some civilian sectors that indirectly continue to support the Russian war effort. Finland's Elina Vultinen said, all freedom-loving countries must make sure, in her words, what has happened in Ukraine, will never happen again. For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz in Brussels. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has signed an executive order ahead of the possible deployment of National Guard troops in the city by President Trump. Trump says the troops are needed to reduce crime in the city. The order is called a presidential. protecting Chicago initiative, and Johnson says it demands that Trump stop his deployment threat

or face legal or legislative action. And it also says control of Chicago police will remain with the city. This sweeping executive order directs our Department of Law to pursue any and every legal mechanism to hold this administration accountable for violating the rights of Chicagoans. This order affirms that the Chicago Police Department will not collaborate with military personnel on police patrols or civil immigration enforcement. Authorities in Minneapolis say they're increasing patrols around schools and houses of worship. The increased enforcement comes after the mass shooting at a Catholic church in school this week.

M.P.R's Jason DeRose has more from Minneapolis. Most churches don't have significant security measures in place, so they're welcoming, stepped-up attention from police. Meanwhile, clergy are preparing for worship this weekend, mindful of a community and trauma. St. Joan of Art Catholic Church is not far from an Annunciation. Pastor Jim DeBraker says some of his parishioners have children and grandchildren at Annunciation School, so he's planning a homily to address their grief. And then we'll have open mics for people to come up and express what they want to say.

And our parish is not afraid to express what they want to say. DeBaker also plans to use a litany of lament during the mass that he usually reserves for funerals. Jason DeRose, NPR News, Minneapolis. Russia launched more than 500 drones and decoys, along with 45 missiles at Southern Ukraine on Saturday. Ukraine says its forces knocked down a majority of the drones and missiles, but one residential building was hit. At least one person was killed in the attack and 28 others were injured. The attack followed a strike two days ago, and the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, 23 people were killed in that strike. You're listening to NPR News.

Japanese and European space agencies are considering a mission to study a large asteroid that will come extremely close to Earth in 2029. As Joe Palka reports, NASA also has plans to track the close encounter. The asteroid is named Apophis. It was discovered in 2004 and is roughly the size of four football fields. At first, astronomers thought there was a chance that Apophis could hit the Earth, causing catastrophic damage. But a more detailed study of its orbit has concluded that won't happen. Still, it will come within 20,000 miles of Earth, so close in fact that Earth's gravity may actually deform the asteroid, causing it to change its shape. European and Japanese space agencies are contemplating a mission for launch in 2028

that would rendezvous with Apophis and accompany it on its flyby. NASA has redirected one of its probes to study the asteroid, although that mission, now called Osiris Apex, will be about an hour behind Apophis at its closest approach. For NPR news, I'm Joe Palka. Lawyers are demanding the release of a man who was arrested by ICE this week, while he was helping to fight a wildfire in Oregon, they say the man is waiting for a response to a visa application and should not have been detained. U.S. Representative Emily Randall

represents the district where the detention center is situated. She says two people were arrested from a crew of 44 who were fighting a wildfire at the time the arrest took place. The agency that oversees the Voice of America and other government-funded international broadcasters says it's eliminating jobs for more than 500 employees that announcement came this weekend. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.