NPR News Now: August 18, 2025, 12AM EDT

Host: Dale Willman
Date: August 18, 2025
Duration: ~5 minutes

Overview

This concise episode delivers a roundup of top global and domestic stories: Ukraine peace negotiations, a mass shooting in Brooklyn, ongoing labor strikes among California health care workers, updates on Hurricane Erin, Spain’s wildfire response, the death of actor Terence Stamp, and results from the PGA Championship. Each segment features first-hand commentary, expert analysis, and local perspectives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ukraine Peace Talks and Reactions

[00:18–01:02]

• Ukraine’s President Meets Trump: Scheduled meeting with President Trump aims for a possible peace deal with Russia; European leaders also involved. Notably follows Trump’s recent Alaska meeting with Vladimir Putin.
  • Contextual Tension: The proximity of meetings between US and Russian presidents stirs strong responses.
• Refugee Outrage in North Carolina:
  • Quote:

    "The way I see it, is this murderer the dictator Vladimir Putin should be judged and should be at this time in jail, not shaking hands with the leader of a free world, not being accepted by the greatest democracy in the world. This is all just insane."
    — Natalia Bondarenko, North Carolina-based Ukrainian refugee [00:40]

2. Mass Shooting in Brooklyn, NY

[01:02–01:57]

• Incident Report: Early Sunday at the “Taste of the City Lounge” in Crown Heights, multiple shooters opened fire, killing 3 and wounding 9 (victims aged 19–61).
  • Police Response: 42 shell casings found; NYPD searching for several suspects.
• Crime Context & Reaction:
  • Quote:

    "We have the lowest number of shooting incidents and shooting victims seven months into the year that we've seen on record in the city of New York. Something like this is, of course, thank God, an anomaly."
    — Jessica Tisch, NYPD Commissioner [01:36]

  • Majority (approx. 60%) of city shootings are gang-related; this incident also suspected gang-related.

3. California Health Care Worker Protests

[01:57–02:56]

• Protests Planned: Health care workers plan a week of demonstrations, citing chronic understaffing and below-average pay leading to unsafe environments and frequent turnover.
  • Worker Testimony:

    "Anybody would be frustrated when you're going… into an emergency department because you feel like you're having an emergency situation, but you have to wait hours on end."
    — Niki Sandu, Sutter Health employee [02:28]

• Employer Statement: Sutter Health expresses “disappointment” that workers are “prioritizing public demonstrations over engaging in constructive dialogue.”

4. Hurricane Erin Approaches East Coast

[02:56–03:52]

• Current Status: Downgraded to Category 3, but strengthening; potentially life-threatening surf/winds anticipated along Eastern Seaboard, especially NC’s Outer Banks.
  • Evacuation Ordered: Hatteras Island evacuations begin Monday.

5. Wildfires in Northwestern Spain

[03:52–04:37]

• Situation Update: Spain dispatches 500 additional soldiers to fight 12 major wildfires near Orense; area burned equals size of metropolitan London.
  • Climate Note: Europe warming twice as fast as global average since 1980s, heightening wildfire vulnerability.

6. Remembering Terence Stamp

[03:52–04:37]

• Death of British Actor: Terence Stamp passes away at 87.
  • Career Highlights: From 'Billy Budd' (innocent sailor, 1962) to roles as villain (Superman I & II: "Kneel before sun"), and as Bernadette in ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.’
    • Quote:

      "Had he been less of an actor, he might have stayed a heartthrob. Instead, he challenged himself every time out…"
      — Bob Mondello, NPR Critic [04:04]

    • Memorable Moment:

      "Being a man one day and a woman the next is not an easy thing to do."
      — From ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ [04:29]

7. PGA Championship: Scotty Scheffler’s Comeback Win

[04:37–04:57]

• Result: Scheffler rallies from four shots behind, chips in from 82 feet on 17th, wins by two shots; marks fifth PGA win of the year and first back-to-back “five-plus” win years since Tiger Woods.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Natalia Bondarenko on Trump-Putin meeting:
  "This is all just insane." [00:40]
• Jessica Tisch on Brooklyn shooting:
  "Something like this is, of course, thank God, an anomaly." [01:36]
• Niki Sandu on ER conditions:
  "You have to wait hours on end." [02:28]
• Bob Mondello on Terence Stamp’s career:
  "Had he been less of an actor, he might have stayed a heartthrob." [04:04]
• Terence Stamp (‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’):
  "Being a man one day and a woman the next is not an easy thing to do." [04:29]

Episode Structure & Timestamps

• [00:18] – Ukraine peace negotiations; Bondarenko’s reaction
• [01:02] – Brooklyn mass shooting; police and crime analysis
• [01:57] – California health care worker protests
• [02:56] – Hurricane Erin update and evacuation orders
• [03:52] – Spain wildfires; European climate context
• [03:52–04:37] – Terence Stamp tribute
• [04:37] – PGA Championship results