NPR News: 08-18-2025 11AM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now – August 18, 2025, 11AM EDT

Host: Korva Coleman
Length: ~5 minutes
Purpose: Concise update on major national and international news developments of the hour.

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Main Theme

This NPR News Now episode delivers a compact snapshot of the latest global and domestic headlines. Key stories include diplomatic efforts surrounding Ukraine, President Trump's controversial statements and actions, new data on crime in Washington, D.C., updates on contraception accessibility, a major new Amtrak line after two decades, an ongoing hurricane threat, and a major train derailment.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. European Leaders Meet Zelenskyy at the White House; Ukraine Support

• [00:18–01:14]
  • European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, convened with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House.
  • They were previously excluded from a high-level meeting between President Trump and Russian President Putin in Alaska.
  • After the meeting, Starmer and Macron chaired a virtual "coalition of the Willing" gathering, issuing a joint statement:
    • Expressed readiness to deploy a multinational reassurance force to Ukraine—but only once hostilities cease.
    • Reaffirmed strong support for Ukraine and praised both Zelenskyy’s efforts for peace and Trump’s commitment to security guarantees.
  • Quote:

    "They reaffirm their support for Ukraine, praise Zelenskyy's desire for a just and lasting peace, and commend Trump's commitment to providing security guarantees to Ukraine."
    — Lauren Frayer, NPR News ([00:51])

2. President Trump on Israel and Washington, D.C. Crime

• [01:14–02:13]
  • President Trump asserts that Hamas must be "confronted and destroyed" to facilitate the return of Israeli hostages.
    • Quote:

      "The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be."
      — Reported by Korva Coleman ([01:23])

  • Trump announces deploying more National Guard troops to D.C. to fight crime, although federal data shows violent crime there is at a 30-year low.
    • Trump disputes the data, claims it's fake, and attributes it to the city rather than the Department of Justice.
  • Christina Henderson, a D.C. city council member, calls for more nuanced federal collaboration:
    • Quote:

      "If the goal is really about public safety, there are so many other things that we can be doing as opposed to just a visible deterrent."
      — Christina Henderson ([01:57])

3. Impact of Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pills

• [02:13–03:06]
  • Marks two years since FDA approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill.
  • A new study from Oregon Health & Sciences University shows a significant increase (32 percentage points) in people using birth control who hadn’t been previously.
  • Especially benefits uninsured and rural populations.
  • Quote:

    "The over-the-counter pill is reaching individuals that have the greatest structural barriers to obtaining contraception from the health system."
    — Dr. Maria Rodriguez ([02:46])

4. Business & Markets

• [03:06–03:14]
  • Markets are mixed:
    • Dow Jones up ~25 points.
    • Nasdaq down ~20 points.

5. Freight Train Derailment & New Amtrak Line

• [03:14–04:35]
  • A freight train derailment in North Carolina involved over 24 coal cars, causing Amtrak to cancel some local services.
  • Conversely, Amtrak launches the "Mardi Gras" line between New Orleans and Mobile, AL—the first service on this route since Hurricane Katrina (2005).
    • Communities enthusiastically greet the inaugural train.
    • Riders highlight personal and practical benefits; one mentions connections to family in Pensacola.
    • $240 million invested by federal and local governments in track improvements.
    • Senator Roger Wicker calls it a long-awaited step in Gulf Coast hurricane recovery.
  • Quotes:

    "Yeah, and her family lives in Pensacola, so it's like a nice halfway point, too. So, yeah, it'll be good."
    — Steven Sewell, train passenger ([04:13])
    "This is one of the last pieces needed to recover from Hurricane Katrina 20 years earlier."
    — Stephen Bisaha reporting ([04:19])

6. Hurricane Erin Update

• [04:35–04:56]
  • Hurricane Erin remains a Category 4 with sustained winds at 140 mph.
  • Not predicted to make U.S. landfall, but will likely generate dangerous rip currents.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Lauren Frayer, on Ukraine support:

  "They reaffirm their support for Ukraine, praise Zelenskyy's desire for a just and lasting peace, and commend Trump's commitment to providing security guarantees to Ukraine." ([00:51])

• President Trump (via Coleman):

  "The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be." ([01:23])

• Christina Henderson, D.C. City Council:

  "If the goal is really about public safety, there are so many other things that we can be doing as opposed to just a visible deterrent." ([01:57])

• Dr. Maria Rodriguez (on OTC birth control):

  "The over-the-counter pill is reaching individuals that have the greatest structural barriers to obtaining contraception from the health system." ([02:46])

• Steven Sewell, train passenger:

  "Yeah, and her family lives in Pensacola, so it's like a nice halfway point, too. So, yeah, it'll be good." ([04:13])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Ukraine/White House/European Leaders: 00:18–01:14
• Trump statements on Israel and D.C. Crime: 01:14–02:13
• Over-the-counter Birth Control: 02:13–03:06
• Markets/Business: 03:06–03:14
• Freight Derailed/New Amtrak Line: 03:14–04:35
• Hurricane Erin: 04:35–04:56

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This episode offers a brisk but comprehensive sweep through today’s major stories—balancing the latest international diplomacy, U.S. political developments, health access innovations, infrastructure milestones, and urgent weather updates, all with essential context and direct voices from those involved.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. European leaders are joining Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House today. They were left out of President Trump's meeting last Friday with Russian President Putin in Alaska. NPR's Lauren Frayer reports.

[Lauren Frayer]

On the evening of this White House visit, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron chaired a virtual meeting of the so called coalition of the Willing. Afterward, they issued a statement saying they're ready to deploy multinational force Ukraine, what they call a reassurance force to help secure Ukraine's skies and seas and regenerate Ukraine's armed forces, but only once hostilities see. In their statement, Starmer and Macron say they reaffirm their support for Ukraine, praise Zelenskyy's desire for a just and lasting peace, and commend Trump's commitment to providing security guarantees to Ukraine. Lauren Frayer, NPR News, Glasgow.

[Korva Coleman]

President Trump says Hamas should be confronted and destroyed. Writing online today, Trump says that's the only way Israeli hostages will return.

[Katie Riddle]

Trump.

[Korva Coleman]

Trump says, quote, the sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be. More National Guard troops are coming to Washington, D.C. president Trump says they'll help stop crime, but federal data show violent crime in D.C. is at a 30 year low. Writing again online today, Trump wrongly claimed this data prepared by the U.S. justice Department was put out by the city. Then Trump claimed the data was fake. He offered no evidence for that. Christina Henderson is a Washington, D.C. city Council member. She says the District has a long history of working with federal partners.

[Christina Henderson]

I would honestly welcome the conversation with the federal government about how we can better partner on some of these deployment and operations. If the goal is really about public safety, there are so many other things that we can be doing as opposed to just a visible deterrent.

[Korva Coleman]

She spoke to NPR's Morning Edition. It's been two years since the Food and Drug Administration approved the first over the counter birth control pill. People can buy this without a prescription. A new study shows this change has been effective in increasing access to contraception. NPR's Katie Riddle reports.

[Katie Riddle]

The study is from Oregon Health and Sciences University. It shows a nearly 32 percentage point increase in people who shifted to using the pill from no contraception at all. Dr. Maria Rodriguez is one of the lead authors.

[Dr. Maria Rodriguez]

I was super excited about them because it showed exactly what I thought and hoped we would see, which is that the over the counter pill is reaching individuals that have the greatest structural barriers to obtaining contraception from the health system.

[Katie Riddle]

It especially helps those who are uninsured and live in rural areas. Katie Abridall, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

On Wall street, stocks are mixed. The Dow Jones industrials are up about 25 points. The Nasdaq is down nearly 20. This is NPR. A freight train derailed in North Carolina yesterday. More than two dozen coal cars ran off a track about 70 miles northeast of Raleigh. The derailment has caused passenger rail Amtrak to cancel some service. Meanwhile, a new Amtrak line starts today between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama. The Mardi Gras service is the first time passenger rail service has been offered between the cities since Hurricane Katrina damaged the tracks 20 years ago. Stephen Bisaha of the Gulf States newsroom reports from the inaugural ride along the Gulf Coast.

[Stephen Bisaha]

Each Mississippi stop greeted the new Amtrak train with brass bands and big crowds. That included Steven Sewell with his family, including his son.

[Korva Coleman]

It's so loud.

[Steven Sewell]

It's so loud.

[Stephen Bisaha]

They're from New Orleans visiting Bay St. Louis, a growing getaway from the city.

[Steven Sewell]

City we love Bay St. Louis.

[Stephen Bisaha]

So you plan on taking the train here?

[Steven Sewell]

Yeah, and her family lives in Pensacola, so it's like a nice halfway point, too. So, yeah, it'll be good.

[Stephen Bisaha]

About 240 million federal and local dollars are being invested to improve these tracks. Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker said this is one of the last pieces needed to recover from Hurricane Katrina 20 years earlier. For NPR News, I'm Stephen Bassarha. On the new Mardi Gras Amtrak line.

[Korva Coleman]

Hurricane Erin remains a major category for hurricane, and forecasters expect it to strengthen. Its top sustained winds are now at 140 miles per hour. Aaron is not predicted to hit the US East coast, but it is expected to trigger rip currents. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington.

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