NPR News: 08-09-2025 8PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: August 10, 2025, 8 PM EDT Summary

Hosted by Dwahlisai Kautau

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U.S. Considers Inviting Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to Alaska Summit

Timestamp: 00:21

NPR reports that both U.S. and Ukrainian sources indicate the White House is contemplating inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Alaska. This potential invitation aligns with the upcoming Friday summit between former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In his remarks earlier today, Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine's stance against recognizing any portion of its territory under Russian control. Addressing the issue through a BBC interpreter, he stated:

"Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier. Ukraine is ready for real decisions that can bring peace. Any decisions that are against us, any decisions that are without Ukraine are at the same time decisions against peace. They will not achieve anything. They are unworkable decisions."
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy [00:46]

Trump Mandates Colleges to Disclose Admissions Data

Timestamp: 01:07

President Trump has issued a directive requiring colleges and universities to submit detailed admissions data to the Department of Education. This initiative aims to determine if institutions continue to consider race in admissions processes following the Supreme Court's ban on affirmative action.

NPR's Cory Turner explains that the memo mandates schools to report not only the race, grades, and test scores of admitted students but also those of all applicants. This comprehensive data collection is intended to identify patterns of selective admissions by elite institutions.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon responded to the initiative, stating:

"We will not allow institutions to blight the dreams of students by presuming that their skin color matters more than their hard work."
[01:26]

However, critics argue that the data collection will be challenging and may not accurately capture the multifaceted nature of college admissions, which also consider factors like teacher recommendations, personal essays, sports, and extracurricular activities.

Wildfires Rage in Western North America Amid Extreme Heat

Timestamp: 02:08

A regional state of emergency has been declared in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, as a severe wildfire threatens thousands of residents near Bristol's Hope and White Way peninsula. Concurrently, western Colorado battles the expansive Lee Fire, the largest wildfire in the state, exacerbated by extreme heat, gusty winds, and persistent drought conditions.

Stina Sieg of Colorado Public Radio reports:

"Lee Fire is burning close to the small town of Meeker and has shut down the main highway that leads to it. But crews have been able to beat the fire back from another vital highway and so far keep the town safe. Nearby homes and ranches have been evacuated."
[02:38]

The Colorado governor has declared a state of emergency and deployed the National Guard to assist firefighting efforts.

Mexican President Commits to Collaboration Against Drug Cartels, Rejects U.S. Military Intervention

Timestamp: 03:16

Mexican President Claudia Schanbaum has announced her administration's intention to collaborate with the Trump administration in combating drug cartels. Importantly, she dismissed the possibility of a U.S. military invasion on Mexican soil.

During a press conference on Friday, Schanbaum stated:

"The United States is not going to come to Mexico with the military."
[03:16]

This declaration comes in response to reports that President Trump has signed a directive advocating for the use of military force on foreign soil to tackle cartel activities.

Texas Real Estate Magnate Killed by Wild Cape Buffalo in South Africa

Timestamp: 03:16 - 04:05

A tragic incident occurred during a hunting expedition in South Africa, where Texas real estate magnate Asher Watkins was fatally attacked by a Cape buffalo. The safari company organizing the hunt described the attack as sudden and unprovoked.

Alana Wise of NPR details:

"Asher Watkins had been tracking the buffalo Fork Hill when the large horned animal staged an attack. First, the safari company, CVS, said Watkins had been accompanied by one of their trackers and professional hunters."
[04:05]

The company did not disclose whether the buffalo was subsequently killed but emphasized that Watkins and his family were longtime friends of the CVS family. Cape buffalo are notorious for their unpredictable nature and are considered one of Africa's "Big Five" game animals.

In response to the incident, animal rights group PETA criticized trophy hunting, stating on Instagram:

"Trophy hunting must end. Asher Watkins went on a luxury hunting trip where he stalked a Cape buffalo."
[04:48]

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Transcript

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[Dwahlisai Kautau]

Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Dwahlisai Kautau. There are reports both in Ukraine and the US Suggesting the White House is considering inviting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Alaska to join the Friday summit between Trump and Putin. Earlier today, Zelenskyy said his country has no intention of recognizing Russian control over any part of its territory.

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]

Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier. Ukraine is ready for real decisions that can bring peace. Any decisions that are against us, any decisions that are without Ukraine are at the same time decisions against peace. They will not achieve anything. They are unworkable decisions.

[Dwahlisai Kautau]

That's Zelensky heard through a BBC interpreter. President Trump is requiring colleges and universities to turn over admissions data to the Department of Education. NPR's Cory Turner reports. It's meant to reveal if schools are still considering race in admissions after the Supreme Court banned affirmative action.

[Cory Turner]

The memo requires colleges to report to the Education Department the race, grades and test scores, not just of the students they admit, but of all applicants, the idea being so the government can see whom elite schools are turning away. In a statement, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said, We will not allow institutions to blight the dreams of students by presuming that their skin color matters more than their hard work. Critics of the move tell NPR the data will be hard to collect, murky at best, and won't reflect the fact that colleges don't just consider academics, but also teacher recommendations, personal essays, sports and extracurricular activities. Cory Turner, NPR News.

[Dwahlisai Kautau]

In Canada, the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador is declaring a regional state of emergency for the province's largest peninsula just north of Bristol's Hope and White Way, where a wildfire is threatening thousands of residents in the western US Extreme heat is contributing to explosive wildfire growth. Officials in rural western Colorado say they have had success building fire lines to protect a nearby ranch and community from wildfire. Colorado Public Radio's Stina Seek reports the.

[Stina Sieg]

Lee Fire is burning close to the small town of Meeker and has shut down the main highway that leads to it. But crews have been able to beat the fire back from another vital highway and so far keep the town safe. Nearby homes and ranches have been evacuated. The Leaf the wildfire is the largest wildfire in the state and several other blazes are burning across western Colorado, spurred by hot weather, gusty winds and persistent drought. The governor has declared a state of emergency and called in the National Guard to help. For NPR News, I'm Stena Sieg in Grand Junction, Colorado.

[Dwahlisai Kautau]

And you're listening to NPR News from New York. Mexican President Claudia Schanbaum says she intends to cooperate and collaborate with the Trump administration on addressing drug cartels, but she ruled out, quote, an invasion by US Military on Mexican soil. The United States is not going to come to Mexico with the military, she told reporters on Friday during a news conference. The New York Times reported that Trump has signed a directive aimed at using military force on foreign soil against cartels. A Texas real estate magnet was killed by a Cape buffalo during a hunting expedition in South Africa. The safari company that organized the hunt described the incident as sudden and unprovoked. NPRZolana Wise reports Asher Watkins had been.

[Alana Wise]

Tracking the buffalo Fork Hill when the large horned animals staged an attack. First, the safari company, cvs, said Watkins had been accompanied by one of their trackers and professional hunters. CVS did not say whether the buffalo was later killed, but they described the Dallas native and his family as long standing friends and part of the CVS family. Cape buffalo are considered one of the big five of African game. By the safari company's own description, no species on the planet has a more fearsome reputation than a Cape buffalo. According to his company biography, Watkins was a lifelong outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing and hunting. Alana Wise, NPR News.

[Dwahlisai Kautau]

The animal rights group PETA wrote on its Instagram trophy hunting must end. Riding the Asher Watkins went on a luxury hunting trip where he stalked a Cape buffalo. This is npr.

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