NPR News: 08-28-2025 5AM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now — August 28, 2025, 5AM EDT: Episode Summary

Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now episode, hosted by Dave Mattingly, delivers a concise roundup of breaking national and international news. The episode’s main theme is the coverage of major overnight events, led by an update on the tragic mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. It also highlights developments in US manufacturing policy, financial markets, the war in Ukraine, North Korea-China relations, and US-Mexico postal issues.

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Key Stories and Discussion Points

1. Minneapolis Catholic Church Shooting

[00:15 - 01:55]

• Incident Details:

  • A 23-year-old shooter, Robin Westman, opened fire at Annunciation Catholic Church during Mass, starting from outside by firing through the windows.
  • Casualties:
    • Two children killed; 14 children (ages 6–15) and three elderly adults wounded.
    • Westman died from a self-inflicted gunshot.
  • Investigation:
    • No criminal history; weapons purchased legally.
    • Authorities reviewing Westman’s writings, called “disturbing” by Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.

• Community & Religious Response:

  • Pope’s Statement:
    • Pope Leo, via the Vatican, offered “heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness.”
  • Local Church Leadership:
    • Archbishop Bernard Hebda condemned the violence and called for an end to gun violence:

      "Our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetuated against the vulnerable and innocent."
      (Jason DeRose quoting Hebda, 01:32)

  • Support Initiatives:
    • Archdiocese staff working with the church’s school to support families.

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2. Vice President Vance to Promote Manufacturing Bill

[01:55 - 02:52]

• Event:

  • Vice President Vance scheduled to address steelworkers at Mid City Steel in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

• Policy Focus:

  • Promotion of the recently passed “so Big Beautiful” (SBBB) tax and spending bill aimed at bolstering US manufacturing.
  • Vance expected to highlight tax cuts for working families and businesses.

• Political Reactions:

  • Democrats argue the bill favors the wealthy and harms Medicaid recipients.
  • The area is politically significant, being the district of GOP Rep. Derek Van Orden, a key target for 2026.

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3. Markets: Nvidia Earnings & S&P 500

[02:52 - 03:15]

• Stock Market Milestone:

  • S&P 500 hit a record high before Nvidia’s quarterly report.

• Nvidia’s Performance:

  • The tech giant’s sales and revenue each surged 56% in the second quarter.

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4. Russian Airstrikes in Ukraine

[03:15 - 04:04]

• Latest Attacks:

  • Russian missile struck an apartment building in Kyiv, causing a collapse and multiple casualties.
  • Combined missile and drone attacks impacted several Ukrainian cities, including shopping centers and residential areas.

• Context:

  • Despite Kyiv's strong air defenses, strikes are still getting through.
  • Diplomatic efforts for peace remain stalled.

• Quote:

  "The capital has the most extensive air defenses of any Ukrainian city, but some Russian strikes still manage to get through."
  (Greg Myhre, 03:50)

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5. North Korea’s Kim Jong Un to Attend Beijing Parade

[04:04 - 04:32]

• Upcoming Visit:
  • North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will visit China for the first time in six years to attend a World War II anniversary military parade in Beijing.
• Participants:
  • Over two dozen world leaders expected, including Vladimir Putin.
• Significance:
  • Marks 80th anniversary of the end of WWII and China’s resistance against Japan.

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6. US-Mexico Postal Service Disruption

[04:32 - 04:53]

• Update:
  • Mexico’s postal service suspends package shipments to the US due to uncertainty over new Trump administration rules on duty-free parcels.
• Broader Impact:
  • Similar suspensions reportedly occurring in EU and other regions.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Chief O’Hara on Shooter’s Motive:

  Investigators are reviewing Westman’s writings, which the chief calls “disturbing.”
  (Dave Mattingly, 00:55)

• Pope Leo’s Response:

  "Heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child."
  (Jason DeRose quoting Vatican, 01:22)

• Archbishop Hebda’s Statement:

  "Our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetuated against the vulnerable and innocent."
  (Jason DeRose quoting Hebda, 01:32)

• Greg Myhre on Kyiv’s Defenses:

  "The capital has the most extensive air defenses of any Ukrainian city, but some Russian strikes still manage to get through."
  (Greg Myhre, 03:50)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Minneapolis Church Shooting — 00:15 to 01:55
• VP Vance in Wisconsin — 01:55 to 02:52
• S&P 500 & Nvidia — 02:52 to 03:15
• Russian Strikes on Ukraine — 03:15 to 04:04
• North Korea-China Parade — 04:04 to 04:32
• Mexico-US Postal Suspension — 04:32 to 04:53

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This episode delivers a tightly packed overview of critical news spanning public safety, global politics, markets, and policy debates—essential listening for staying informed on major headlines in under five minutes.

Transcript

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[Dave Mattingly]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dave Mattingly. Police in Minnesota say the 23 year old who carried out yesterday's Mass shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis had no criminal history and used multiple weapons, all of which had been purchased legally. Recently, the gunfire at Annunciation Catholic Church left two children dead. Fourteen other children were wounded. They ranged in age from 6 to 15. Three adults, each in their 80s, was also wounded by gunfire. Police say the shooter, identified as Robin Westman, died of a self inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators say the attack began from outside the building when the shooter fired through church windows during Mass. As for a possible motive, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian o' Hara says investigators are reviewing Westman's writings, which the chief calls disturbing. NPR's Jason DeRose says Pope Leo and the archbishop bishop bishop of St. Paul in Minneapolis are expressing their sorrow over the attack.

[Jason DeRose]

In a statement issued by the Vatican, Pope Leo is offering his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child. Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Saint Paul Minneapolis Archdiocese issued a statement calling for the end to gun violence and saying, quote, our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetuated against the vulnerable and innocent. Archdiocese staff are working with Annunciation Catholic School to make sure families there have the resources they need. Jason DeRose, NPR News.

[Dave Mattingly]

Vice President Vance will be speaking to steelworkers in Wisconsin today. As Chuck Kormbach reports, Vance is expected to highlight the benefits to the manufacturing sector of President Trump's so Big Beautiful bill passed by Congress earlier this summer.

[Chuck Kormbach]

The vice president is expected to speak at Mid City Steel in La Crosse. The company turns raw steel into finished products. Vance is expected to promote the recently passed tax and spending mega bill, saying the law will help manufacturing and bring tax cuts for working families and businesses. Democrats say the measure will primarily help the wealthy and hurt people on Medicaid and other federal assistance programs. Vance will be in the House district of Derek Van Orden, a Republican in his third term and who Democrats are targeting in the 2026 congressional elections. For NPR News, I'm Chuck Kuernbach in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

[Dave Mattingly]

The S&P 500 closed at a record high yesterday. That was before tech giant Nvidia reported strong second quarter earnings and sales after the closing bell on Wall street, the company says quarterly revenue and sales each jumped 56%. This is NPR News from Washington. Russian airstrikes in Ukraine overnight have resulted in several deaths and more than 20 injuries. NPR's Greg Myhre in Kyiv says the targets included an apartment building in the country's capital that was hit by a missile.

[Greg Myhre]

The apartment building took a direct hit from the Russian missile and much of it collapsed. The attack also included drone strikes on other residential areas, a shopping mall, according to Ukrainian officials in photos posted on social media. While Kyiv was hardest hit, the Russians unleashed missiles and drones on several other Ukrainian cities. The capital has the most extensive air defenses of any Ukrainian city, but some Russian strikes still manage to get through. The latest Russian attack comes as diplomatic efforts to end the war appear stalled. Greg Myre, NPR News, Lviv, Ukraine.

[Dave Mattingly]

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says he will travel to China next week for the first time in six years. Kim plans to attend a military parade in Beijing alongside more than two dozen other world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. China's Foreign Ministry says the parade is to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and China's resistance against Japan's wartime aggression. The Postal Service in Mexico says it's suspending shipments of packages to the U.S. mexican officials say the shipments are being halted until they get clarification on new rules from the Trump administration on duty free, low value packages. Countries in the European Union and elsewhere took similar steps. I'm Dave Mattingly, NPR News, in Washington.

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