NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-01-2025 1PM EDT

Episode Date: September 1, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. Rescue workers in Afghanistan are trying to reach villagers in remote mountainous areas after a magnitude 6 earthquake last night. A Taliban official said more than 800 people have died. Helicopters have been deployed to collect the injured since landslides have cut off roads. Harold Manhart, with the World Food Program in Kabul, said it's a complex rescue operation. In some of the areas, it takes at least 4 to 5 hours. by foot to get to the worst affected areas.

We're obviously having reports of multiple injuries. This is an area that is already prored to disasters. They've been affected by some floods in the recent days and the weather is expecting to get worse as well. I have seen photos and there's been numerous houses that have been destroyed by the earthquake. And we obviously know the families and the children are being heavily impacted by this.

He spoke to the BBC. The European Commission confirmed today the GPS system of a plane carrying European. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was jammed while its way to Bulgaria yesterday. The plane landed safely. Bulgarian authorities suspect interference by Russia. Vanderline has been a frequent critic of Russia and its war in Ukraine. A special unit of Ukrainian intelligence has hit a number of military targets in Russia-occupied Crimea.

NPR's Hannah Palomerenko reports from Kyiv. The press service of the main intelligence directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine published videos showing what they say are attacks on the Russian military assets. According to the agency, fighters of the Ghost Special Forces Unit hit several radar stations and air defense systems. Another operation was an attack on a Russian air base near Simferopol that damaged two Mi-8 helicopters and a military raid tugboat. Ukrainian military intelligence notes that the damage to the tugboat significantly limits the combat capabilities of an elite unit of Russian scout divers.

Hannah Polamarenko, NPR News, Kyiv. State officials have released the ballot language for California's special election in November. Voters will consider a measure that would allow Democrats to retraw the state's congressional map. NPR's Ashley Lopez reports. The proposed language for the measure asked voters to quote authorize temporary changes to congressional district maps in response to Texas's partisan redistricting. Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently signed a bill at the explicit request of President Trump that creates five more favorable House seats in the state for the Republican Party.

In response, California leaders are asking voters to approve a plan to create five more favorable seats for Democrats. This closely watched special election in the state could play a key role in deciding which party wins control of the House next year. The public has until September 4th to inspect the ballot label, title, and summary. Ashley Lopez, NPR News. This is NPR. New York News. Pope Leo met today with a prominent advocate for the Catholic Church to be more inclusive of the LGBT-plus community. Jesuit author of the Reverend James Martin called the meeting very consoling and very encouraging, that the Pope told him he intends to continue the policy

of acceptance practiced by the late Pope Francis. Today's big match at the U.S. Open Tennis tournament in New York will be third-seated American Cocoa Golf against Japan's Naomi Osaka. NPR's Amy Held has a preview. She's like the main star of the U.S. Open. That's four-time major title winner Naomi Osaka talking about her opponent today, Cocoa Gough. Six years after, Osaka beat Gough, but perhaps more memorable was what Osaka did afterward. Consoling a tearful golf who was just 15 and inviting her to speak. It was a demonstration of solidarity between black women in a sport where they are often underrepresented. The U.S. Tennis Association says overall black participation is growing up 25% in recent years. Venus Williams, the first black

woman to be ranked world number one in the open era more than two decades ago, says everyone will be watching today. And that's what tennis needs. Golf is also anticipating it. It would be a cool kind of a deja vu type of situation, but hopefully it'll be a different result. At stake, a spot in the quarter final. Amy held and Pierre News. Former heavyweight boxer Joe Bagner has died. British boxing officials confirmed his death. During his 32-year career, he had 83 bouts and 169 of them. He faced both Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1973 and lost both. Joe Buggner was 75. I'm Nora Rahm. NPR News in Washington.