NPR News Now – August 18, 2025, 5PM EDT

Host: Windsor Johnston (with reporting by Carrie Johnson, Scott Horsley, Ada Peralta)
Length: 5 minutes
Episode Theme: The latest developments in U.S. and international news, with a focus on White House diplomacy, FBI staffing upheaval, the state of the economy, environmental action in Central America, hurricane warnings, and a cable network rebranding.

White House Diplomacy: Peace Efforts in Ukraine

[00:25]

• President Trump is hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders of various European nations at the White House, following a landmark meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska three days earlier.
• Main objective: To build on the "groundwork for a broader deal to end the war in Ukraine."
• Trump has also proposed a three-way summit (U.S., Ukraine, Russia), but the Kremlin has not agreed to participate as of this update.
• Trump is calling for the release of more than 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners as part of a potential settlement deal.

Notable Quote

• Constitutional Expert [00:48]:
  "The Alaska summit reinforced my belief that while difficult, peace is within reach. And I believe that in a very significant step, President Putin agreed that Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine. And this is one of the key points that we need to consider and we're going to be considering that at the table."

FBI Staff Shakeup Raises Questions of Due Process

[01:37]
Reporter: Carrie Johnson

• Dozens of FBI agents have been fired or forced to resign since Trump took office in 2025, causing concern among the bureau's veterans.
• The Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI is demanding an explanation, specifically for the firing of senior agents this month.
• Mike Clark, president of the society, emphasizes the need for fairness:

  "They're all exceptional agents and individuals and deserve better treatment." [01:52]

• Among those leaving:
  • Former acting director Brian Driscoll
  • Former head of the Washington field office Steve Jensen
  • Other seasoned agents not yet eligible for a pension. Friends have started a fundraising effort for some of the dismissed agents.

Economic Outlook: Retail and Fed Policy

[02:16]
Reporter: Scott Horsley

• Major retailers (Walmart, Home Depot, Target) are releasing quarterly earnings, offering a window into consumer spending habits.
• Key indicators:
  • Wholesale prices jumped higher than expected last month.
  • Retail sales rose by 0.5%.
  • Market close: Dow Jones -34 points; NASDAQ +6 points. [03:10]
• Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will address the Jackson Hole conference later in the week, with possible policy shifts ahead:

  "The Fed's nearly finished with its long range policy review, which it does once every five years. ... The Fed's strategy could shift to underscore the importance of stable prices." [02:29-03:10]

Extreme Weather: Hurricane Erin Threatens U.S. Coast

[03:10]

• Mandatory evacuation orders are in force in parts of North Carolina’s Outer Banks as Hurricane Erin approaches at Category 4 strength.
• The storm intensified rapidly after hitting the Caribbean and is now targeting the U.S. coastline.

International Conservation: New Mayan Rainforest Preserve

[03:59]
Reporter: Ada Peralta

• Presidents of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize signed a historic agreement to create a 14-million acre nature preserve in the Mayan rainforest.
• Location: Near Calakmul, Mexico, a site important both ecologically and archaeologically.
• Mexican President Claudia Chainbaum:

  "The area represents the second biggest nature preserve in the Americas, following the Amazon rainforest." [03:59]
  "The expansive jungle is much more than a preserve... lungs for our planet, home to thousands of animal species in the heart of an invaluable cultural legacy that she says must be preserved for the future." [03:59-04:38]

Media Business: MSNBC Rebranding

[04:38]

• MSNBC announces a rebranding to "msnow" (My Source News Opinion World) as part of its separation from NBC.
• Historical Note: MSNBC's original launch was a 1996 partnership with Microsoft.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the Alaska Summit:

  "Peace is within reach. ... Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine."
  — Constitutional Expert [00:48]

• On FBI firings:

  "They're all exceptional agents and individuals and deserve better treatment."
  — Mike Clark, president of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI [01:52]

• On the Mayan Rainforest:

  "The area represents lungs for our planet, home to thousands of animal species in the heart of an invaluable cultural legacy that she says must be preserved for the future."
  — Mexican President Claudia Chainbaum [03:59-04:38]

Important Timestamps

• 00:25 — White House summit on Ukraine peace process
• 01:37 — FBI dismissals and demands for due process
• 02:16 — Retail earnings and economic outlook
• 03:10 — Markets and Hurricane Erin evacuation orders
• 03:59 — Creation of major new rainforest preserve
• 04:38 — MSNBC's upcoming rebrand announcement

Compiled by NPR News Now.
All information current as of August 18, 2025, 5PM EDT.