NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-02-2025 4AM EDT

Episode Date: September 2, 2025

NPR News: 09-02-2025 4AM EDTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is among regional leaders gathering in Beijing for a summit. Chinese president Xi Jinping will meet with Kim and Russia's Vladimir Putin. More from the BBC's Stephen McDonald. Xi Jinping has already hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin, and now the attention has shifted to the Chinese capital. This enables Xi Jinping to sort of show the multilateral, view of the Chinese government. Of course, the contrast will be made with the United States

under Donald Trump, whacking tariffs on other countries, and China would say, we're not doing that. You can trust us for stability and to be a reliable trading partner, but the optics of having all these leaders, especially leaders facing global sanctions, watching this massive military parade will be quite something. The BBC Stephen McDonald. The latest provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a historic decline in drug deaths in the U.S. Details from NPR's Brian Mann. Fatal drug overdoses rose during the pandemic to catastrophic levels, driven in part, according to public health experts by the rapid spread of street fentanyl. The latest CDC data shows deaths have now plunged nationwide by roughly

a third from the peak. The latest 12-month period through March of this year found a total of roughly 77,648 U.S. drug deaths. A report earlier this year appeared to show drug deaths rising again. But revised federal data now shows fatal overdoses have declined steadily without interruption for two years. CDC researchers say revisions are common in complex public health data. Despite this unprecedented decline in drug deaths, President Trump cites fentanyl as justification for a range of policies from tariffs to the crackdown on migrants. Brian Mann, NPR News. The president of Guatemala says that his nation is ready to accept unaccompanied minors from the United States. More from Bill and Marks.

President Bernardo Erivalo said his nation would every week be ready and willing to receive around 150 children who are separated from their parents inside the U.S. He told journalists in Guatemala City that his government had been coordinating with U.S. authorities but said ultimately Washington could decide whether to send the children and at what scale and speed. The Trump administration has sought to deport hundreds of migrant children originally from Guatemala and had begun boarding some onto planes before a judge intervened Sunday. The Department of Health and Human Services is supposed to care for such unaccompanied minors, and as lawyers argued over the weekend, they should not be deported without first receiving an opportunity to apply for legal status. For NPR News, I'm Villain-Marx. Congress reconvenes today, following its August recess,

lawmakers will face a number of issues, including the threat of a government shutdown and hearings on the so-called Epstein files. Congressman Rokane says he'll hold a press conference with several Epstein accusers on Wednesday. In the Senate, lawmakers are considering whether to advance legislation that would impose steep tariffs on Russia's trading partners. This is NPR. New York Congressman Jerry Nadler plans to retire from Congress, according to the New York Times.

In an interview with the paper, he's quoted as citing Joe Biden's loss in the last election in his decision. Nadler helped lead the impeachment of President Trump. He served in Congress since 1992. President Trump says that Rest, and the nation's capital are busier than ever in wake of increased federal law enforcement. NPR's Milton Gavetta spoke with some of locals about their views. Chef Rock Harper of Hill Prince Bar worries people are hesitant to go out.

People think that there are checkpoints and FBI and National Guard on corners, slamming people. Other locals feel safer going to dinner, like political consultant Rick Van Meter. I rode the metro today for the first time in three months, and I was just pleasant. surprised at how safe it felt, how clean it felt. According to Open Table, compared to the same time last year, reservations dipped 31% the week Trump announced he was deploying extra federal security officers and National Guard troops. Milton Gavada and PR News, Washington.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro says he's prepared to declare what he calls a republic in arms of attacked by the United States. Maduro's comments come days after the U.S. increased the number of warships in waters in the Caribbean and Pacific, including two guided missile destroyers. The Trump administration says the move is aimed at combating drug cartels in Latin America. Stock futures are flat in pre-market trading on Wall Street. On Asia-Pacific markets, shares are mixed, lower in Shanghai and Hong Kong. This is NPR News.