NPR News Now – August 16, 2025, 8AM EDT

Host: Doualisai Kowtow (NPR News Anchor)
Length: ~5 minutes
Theme: The episode covers significant global and national news stories, including diplomatic developments in Ukraine, policing in Washington D.C., hurricane updates, a privacy lawsuit against Otter AI, rising measles cases, and surging electricity prices across the United States.

1. Ukraine Diplomacy: After the U.S.–Russia Summit

[00:19–01:09]

• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Upcoming Washington Visit:
  Ukraine’s president will visit Washington after President Trump’s meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

• President Trump on the Ukraine Conflict:

  • Trump, speaking to Fox’s Sean Hannity, emphasized the need for Ukraine and Europe to now reach a deal with Russia:

    “We had a very good meeting today, but we’ll see. I mean, it’s, you know, you have to get a deal. We agreed on a lot of points. I want to see people stop dying in Ukraine. And that’s what’s happening. We’re losing 5, 6, 7,000. They’re Russians, mostly Russians, and they’re Ukrainian soldiers…”
    —Donald Trump, 00:41

  • Trump pointed to high casualty numbers and ongoing destruction of cities.

• Political Response:

  • Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH): Accused Trump of being manipulated by Putin in these negotiations.
    • Quote (paraphrased by anchor): President Trump appears to have been played yet again by Vladimir Putin.

2. Federal Police Takeover in Washington, D.C.: Youth Voices

[01:09–02:20]

• Background:
  Federal control of the D.C. police cited by Trump as a response to so-called "roving mobs of wild youth."

• Youth Perspective:

  • Crime Trends: Violent crime spiked in 2023, but is currently declining.
  • Ward 8 Resident (Ali, 16):
    • Voiced concerns about feeling less safe due to heavy-handed federal policing:

      “Intimidating and it also made me think a lot about what real safety means and whether it comes from like trust or from force and fear.”
      —Ali (interviewee), 02:03

    • Ali indicated he’d support police presence if it felt more like “true community guardians.”

3. Major Hurricane Erin Targets Caribbean, U.S. Coastal Impacts Expected

[02:20–03:15]

• Current Status:

  • Erin upgraded to Category 4, with gusts up to 130 mph.
  • U.S. Coast Guard preemptively closed ports in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • Islands like St. Martin and St. Barts could face flash flooding and landslides.

• Forecast and Climate Context:

  • Storm not expected to make direct landfall but could triple in size.
  • Rough ocean conditions forecast for the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the U.S. East Coast.
  • Climate Factor:

    “Climate change is making powerful storms more common. NOAA has forecast a higher than average hurricane season. It goes until the end of November, peaking around the first week of September.” —Amy Held (reporter), 02:58

4. Otter AI Sued Over Alleged Privacy Violations

[03:15–04:10]

• Case Overview:

  • California plaintiff Justin Brewer filed a federal lawsuit, seeking class action status.
  • Otter AI accused of covertly recording and sharing private conversations.
  • Plaintiff claims both state and federal privacy and wiretap laws were violated.

• About Otter AI:

  • Company specializes in AI-generated speech-to-text transcriptions; reports $100 million in annual recurring revenue.

5. Sudden Measles Surge in the Americas

[04:10–04:46]

• Stats:

  • More than 10,000 confirmed cases with 18 deaths reported across 10 countries—a 34-fold increase from last year.
  • Mainly impacts Canada, Mexico, the U.S., and now spreading in Central and South America.

• Reason for the Surge:

  • Falling vaccination rates in many regions have dropped below 95%, compromising herd immunity.
  • Call to Action:

    “Pan American Health Organization officials are calling on countries to step up their vaccination efforts to quell the surge.”
    —Jonathan Lambert (reporter), 04:39

6. Economic Note: Electricity Price Hikes

[04:46–04:57]

• Summary:
  • Electricity prices have increased at more than twice the rate of general inflation across the U.S.

Notable Quotes

• “We want to see people stop dying in Ukraine… you have to get a deal.” —Donald Trump, 00:41
• “Intimidating, and it also made me think a lot about what real safety means.” —Ali (D.C. youth), 02:03
• “Climate change is making powerful storms more common.” —Amy Held, 02:58

Key Timestamps

• Ukraine/Russia/Trump-Putin Summit: 00:19–01:09
• D.C. Federal Police Takeover/Youth Reactions: 01:09–02:20
• Hurricane Erin Update: 02:20–03:15
• Otter AI Lawsuit: 03:15–04:10
• Measles Surge: 04:10–04:46
• Electricity Price Increases: 04:46–04:57

This concise yet comprehensive episode reviews urgent current events, blending high-level geopolitics with ground-level social stories, climate news, technology law, public health, and the economy.