NPR News: 08-15-2025 1AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: August 15, 2025 - Comprehensive Summary

Release Date: August 15, 2025
Host: Doualisai Kautel
Duration: Approximately 5 minutes

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1. Democracy and Gerrymandering Concerns

In the opening segment, Doualisai Kautel reports on a significant statement by former President Barack Obama regarding democratic processes and gerrymandering. Speaking to Texas Democrats in Illinois, Obama emphasized the importance of fair electoral practices.

Barack Obama (00:38): "Actions, because of your courage. What you've seen is California responding, other states looking at what they can do to offset this mid-decade gerrymandering. That is highly irregular and is not what we should be doing to balance out the maps for this upcoming election."

Obama criticized the maneuvering by current officials to manipulate electoral maps, highlighting the irregularity of such actions and advocating for more transparent democratic processes.

2. Texas Political Strategy and US-Russia Relations

Kautel further discusses Texas Governor Greg Abbott's intentions to order new congressional maps at the behest of President Trump. This move is seen as an attempt to influence the upcoming midterm elections in favor of Republicans.

Simultaneously, tensions rise in US-Russia relations as President Trump prepares for high-stakes talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Michelle Kellerman, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expresses concern over the administration's handling of these negotiations.

Jeanne Shaheen (01:31): "It makes a difference. Diplomacy is not successful very often, when it's done, fly by the seat of your pants. And that's what we're seeing too often here with this administration."

Kellerman warns that the State Department's reduced workforce and lack of expertise on Russia and Ukraine place the US at a disadvantage, potentially undermining the effectiveness of high-level diplomatic engagements.

3. End of Target and Ulta Partnership

The collaboration between the State Department, Target, and cosmetics retailer Ulta comes to an end four years into their partnership. Alina Selyuk provides an in-depth analysis of this development.

Alina Selyuk (02:27): "For Ulta, selling makeup at Target was a way to reach more customers during the shutdowns of the coronavirus pandemic. For Target, it's been a way to attract people to its stores because even when shoppers tightened their budgets, they've been spending more on beauty products."

The dissolution of this partnership poses challenges for Target, which has faced declining sales and increased competition. Additionally, Target has been dealing with backlash over its stance on LGBTQ issues and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The company is set to address investors with its latest quarterly report next week.

4. Judicial Ruling on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

A federal judge has invalidated two actions from the Trump administration aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In response, top leaders of religious groups in Washington, D.C., issued a joint statement condemning President Trump's rhetoric.

Religious Leaders Statement (03:05): "We call on our political and civics leaders to reject fear-based governance and work together in a spirit of dignity and respect."

The religious groups argue that Trump's characterization of criminals and youth as dangerous exacerbates the risk of arbitrary arrests and excessive force, calling for more respectful and unifying governance.

5. Inca Khipus and Ancient Record-Keeping

In a fascinating archaeological update, Nell Greenfield Boyce reports on a recent study about the Inca empire's use of khipus—a complex system of knotted strings—for record-keeping.

Nell Greenfield Boyce (03:56): "The knotted strings are known as khipus. Everything from census data to agricultural records got encoded in khipus."

Researchers from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland discovered a 500-year-old khipu incorporating human hair, likely serving as a maker's signature. Chemical analysis revealed that the individual associated with this khipu adhered to a plain vegetarian diet, challenging previous assumptions that only the elite produced such records.

6. Sports Highlight: Venus Williams at the US Open

Concluding the news segments, Kautel shares a remarkable sports milestone. Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams is set to compete in the US Open later this month at the age of 45, aiming for another singles championship title.

Doualisai Kautel (04:37): "Seven time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams continues to make history, this time returning to the US Open later this month as a 45-year-old competing for another singles championship title."

Williams' participation underscores her enduring talent and dedication to tennis, inspiring athletes and fans alike.

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This episode of NPR News Now provides a comprehensive overview of pressing political issues, international relations, corporate developments, judicial actions on social policies, historical discoveries, and inspiring sports achievements, ensuring listeners are well-informed on a variety of topics.

Transcript

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[Doualisai Kautel]

Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Doualisai Kautel. Former President Barack Obama says the right way to do democracy is not to have the people who are already in office select who's going to vote for them. He was on video speaking to Texas Democrats who are in Illinois to prevent a quorum in a special legislative session in their home state because of your.

[Barack Obama]

Actions, because of your courage. What you've seen is California responding, other states looking at what they can do to offset this mid decade gerrymandering. That is highly irregular and is not what we should be doing to balance out the maps for this upcoming election.

[Doualisai Kautel]

Texas Governor Greg Abbott wants to order new congressional maps at the request of President Trump to try and swing midterm elections in Republicans favor. President Trump is heading into high stakes talks with US Russian counterpart at a time when the State Department has lost a lot of expertise on Russia and Ukraine. NPR's Michelle Kellerman, the ranking Democrat on.

[Michelle Kellerman]

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jeanne Shaheen has been alarmed by the way Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, goes to meetings in Moscow without any U.S. experts. And she fears this doesn't bode well for Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

[Jeanne Shaheen]

It makes a difference. Diplomacy is not successful very often, when it's done, fly by the seat of your pants. And that's what we're seeing too often here with this administration.

[Michelle Kellerman]

She says the reduction in forces at the State Department as well as retirements are putting the US At A disadvantage. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News.

[Doualisai Kautel]

The State Department, Target and the cosmetics retailer Ulta are breaking up four years into a partnership that saw Ulta stores pop up at hundreds of Target locations. The two companies are ending their deal. NPR's Alina Selyuk reports. The separation comes at a difficult time for Target.

[Alina Selyuk]

For Ulta, selling makeup at Target was a way to reach more customers during the shutdowns of the coronavirus pandemic. For Target, it's been a way to attract people to its stores because even when shoppers tightened their budgets, they've been spending more on beauty products. And that's still true when Target has seen sales overall flat or falling for several years. The retailer has faced several boycotts over its approach to LGBTQ, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The company also has been losing shoppers to other retailers as many people are searching for options they find to be cheaper. Target is slated to address investors with the latest quarterly report next week. Alina Seluk, NPR News.

[Doualisai Kautel]

A federal judge has struck down two Trump administration actions aimed at eliminating diversity, equity, inclusion. This is NPR. Top rel. Top leaders of religious groups in D.C. say President Trump's description of bloodthirsty criminals and roving mobs of youth increases the risk of indiscriminate arrest and excessive use of force. In a joint statement, the group said, we call on our political and civics leaders to reject fear based governance and work together in a spirit of dignity and respect. The Inca empire didn't have a system of writing, but it did record information in a complex system of knotted strings. NPR's Nell Greenfield Boyce reports on a study that suggests literacy in this form of record keeping may have been widespread.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

The knotted strings are known as khipus. Everything from census data to agricultural records got encoded in khipus. Most were made of cotton. But recently, researchers at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland came across a 500-year-old KHIPU that incorporated human hair. That's thought to be a kind of signature of the maker. And a chemical analysis of the hair showed that the person had the plain vegetarian diet of a common person. There wasn't an abundance of the meat and maize beer enjoyed by the Inca empire's elite ruling class, which was long assumed to be the only producer of khipus. Nell Greenfield Boyce, NPR News.

[Doualisai Kautel]

Seven time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams continues to make history, this time returning to the US Open later this month as a 45 year old competing for another singles championship title. This is NPR News from New York.

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