NPR News Now — August 28, 2025, 2PM EDT

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Duration: 5 minutes

Episode Overview

This edition of NPR News Now delivers a concise roundup of national and international headlines. The major stories include the investigation of a mass shooting at a Minneapolis church and school, the commemoration of Emmett Till's death, updates on Russia’s missile strikes in Kyiv, legal news involving a Federal Reserve governor and President Trump, and developments in electric vehicle charging technology. Brief financial market updates round out the report.

Key News Segments and Insights

1. Minneapolis Church Shooting — Domestic Terrorism Investigation

[00:18–01:48]

• Incident: A 23-year-old shooter attacked students and faculty during a back-to-school service at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, killing two children and injuring 17 (mostly children).
• Investigation:
  • The FBI is investigating as a domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics.
• Perpetrator:
  • Suspect Robin Westman left behind videos and writings and died from a self-inflicted gunshot.
• Victim Update:
  • Hennepin Healthcare Hospital: 9 remain hospitalized (6 in satisfactory; 2 in serious—1 adult, 1 child; 1 child critical)
  • Children’s Minnesota: 3 still hospitalized, 4 treated and released
• State Response:
  • Governor Tim Walz deployed additional law enforcement to protect schools and places of worship.

Notable Quote:

“The FBI is currently investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics.”
— Camila Domonosky, [00:43]

2. Emmett Till’s Legacy and Civil Rights

[01:48–02:21]

• Commemoration: On the 70th anniversary of Emmett Till’s murder, a Mississippi museum displays the gun used in the killing.
• Historical Impact: Till’s death galvanized the civil rights movement.

3. Russia-Ukraine Conflict — Kyiv Airstrikes

[01:48–03:03]

• Attack: Russia carried out missile strikes on Kyiv, killing at least 16 and injuring many.
• Russian Stance:
  • Claimed precision strikes on military targets.
  • Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the attacks were “successful and the targets were destroyed.”
• Contrasting Reality:
  • Residential buildings hit, “burying residents in the rubble.”
• Ukrainian Response:
  • President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the strikes show Russia’s “blatant disregard” for peace talks.
• Diplomacy:
  • Russia claims to prefer diplomatic solutions but “the military campaign continues.”

Notable Quote:

“That claim stood at odds with the scenes out of Kyiv, where in one case an apartment building was shorn in two from a Russian missile attack, burying residents in the rubble.”
— Charles Maynes, [02:21]

4. U.S. Financial Markets

[03:03–03:14]

• Brief update:
  • Dow up 22 points (45,587)
  • NASDAQ up 114 points
  • S&P up 16 points

5. Federal Reserve Lawsuit and Political Fallout

[03:14–04:04]

• Legal Challenge:
  • Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook is suing President Trump after an attempt to fire her.
  • Cook argues the president lacks such authority except “for cause.”
  • A Trump ally accused Cook of mortgage fraud—similar allegations have been made against other officials who prosecuted or investigated Trump.

6. Electric Vehicle Charging Advances

[04:04–04:44]

• ChargePoint:
  • Launching ultra-fast EV chargers (up to 600 kW for passenger vehicles, 3.75 megawatts for heavy-duty).
  • Most vehicles can’t utilize this speed yet, but “it’s all about the future.”
  • Can provide “bidirectional” power—charging vehicles or supplying the grid.
  • Developed with Eaton; deliveries begin next year.

Notable Quote:

“ChargePoint says this new tech is all about the future of charging... [the chargers] can also send power back to the power grid or a microgrid.”
— Camila Domonosky, [04:19]

7. Closing Market Update

[04:44–04:58]

• NASDAQ up 116 points (over 0.5%), Dow up 20, S&P up 16.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “The FBI is currently investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics.”
  — Camila Domonosky, [00:43]
• “That claim stood at odds with the scenes out of Kyiv, where in one case an apartment building was shorn in two from a Russian missile attack, burying residents in the rubble.”
  — Charles Maynes, [02:21]
• “ChargePoint says this new tech is all about the future of charging... [the chargers] can also send power back to the power grid or a microgrid.”
  — Camila Domonosky, [04:19]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Minneapolis Shooting: [00:18–01:48]
• Emmett Till Anniversary: [01:48–02:21]
• Kyiv Missile Strikes: [01:48–03:03]
• Federal Reserve Lawsuit & Political Fallout: [03:14–04:04]
• EV Charging Technologies: [04:04–04:44]
• Market Updates: [03:03–03:14], [04:44–04:58]

This NPR News Now segment provides a fast, comprehensive update on urgent U.S. and world events, legal and political news, and technology developments, in a calm, factual tone characteristic of public radio reporting.