NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-18-2025 12AM EDT

Episode Date: October 18, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. President Trump says Ukraine and Russia should stop where they are and negotiate, and he described as meeting Friday with Ukraine's president, Vladimir Zelensky, is cordial and interesting. And Pierce, Michelle Kellerman, has more. The Ukrainian leader came to Washington with hopes of getting long-range tomahawk missiles as well as more help with air defenses to stop daily Russian missile and drone strikes. He came away saying he was, quote, realistic about the prospects of getting tomahawks,

But he says the meeting was productive and he agrees with Trump's message on truth social. President is right that we have to stop where we are. This is important to stop where we are and then to speak. But he says this is a message for Putin who started the war. Zelensky says he thinks Trump can pressure Putin to stop the aggression. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department. President Trump is commuting the sentence of disgraced New York Republican Congressman George Santos. As MPR's Barbara Sprunt report, Santos had been sentenced to more than seven years in prison this past April.

Trump announced the commutation of the former congressman via his social media platform. He wrote that George Santos will be released from prison, quote, immediately. Santos pleaded guilty to a raft of federal charges, including wire fraud and identity theft. For, among other things, stealing people's identities to make donations to his campaign. He reported to prison in July. In his post, Trump praised Santos for always voting Republican. Barbara Sprint, NPR News, Washington. Former Trump advisor John Bolton pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that he shared classified information.

Bolton served in the first Trump administration, but has since become a critic of the president. Bolton has indicated that he will argue that he's being targeted because of his criticism of President Trump, and he describes the charges as part of a Trump effort to intimidate all of his opponents. Virginia Governor Glenn Yonkin has mobilized National Guard troops ahead. head of anti-Trump protests on Saturday. Dean Mershahi from VPM News reports. Up to 100 National Guard troops are prepared to respond to what organizers are calling no King's protest in Virginia, according to an internal document obtained by VPM News.

On social media, Yonkin said troops and police will be ready to, quote, help keep Virginia safe. More than 2,000 demonstrations are planned across the U.S. to protest President Trump policies, including more than 60 in Virginia. In the statement, the American Civil Liberties Union, one of the organizers, said, quote, while President Trump and his allies are trying to intimidate us into silence by deploying troops to our cities, the best way to protect our First Amendment rights is to keep using them. For NPR News, I'm Dean Mirshahi in Richmond, Virginia. Stocks finished up across the board on Friday, and you're listening to

NPR News The U.S. blocked a global fee in shipping emissions on Friday. Member countries belonging to the International Maritime Organization had been meeting to discuss ways to move the shipping industry away from fossil fuels. The meeting adjourned on Friday without the adoption of the new regulations. President Trump urged countries on Thursday to vote against those regulations.

The brother of the King of England is giving up his royal titles and honors. Prince Andrew has made embarrassing headlines, stemming from friendship with the late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. M. Pairs Lauren Freer reports. The Epstein scandal prompted Prince Andrew to step down from royal duties more than five years ago. But British media have now published excerpts of apostomous memoir by Epstein's best-known accuser, who said she had sex with the prince when she was 17.

Andrew denies that, but in a statement from Buckingham Palace, he says the continued accusations distract from the work of his majesty, King Charles. So after discussion with the king and with their wider family, Andrew says he will no longer use the title Duke of York. He remains a prince, is expected to keep living near Windsor Castle, and his daughters will still be princesses. But his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will lose her Duchess of York title. Lauren Freyer and Pierre News, London. Shohei Otani hit three home runs and pitched his shutout into the seventh inning as the LA Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5 to 1 on Friday. The Dodgers won the National League Championship Series.

with four straight wins, and the Seattle Mariners beat Toronto 6-2 to take a 3-2 lead in the American League Championship Series. Game 6 is Sunday night in Chicago. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.