NPR News: 08-29-2025 2PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now — August 29, 2025, 2PM EDT

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Duration: ~5 minutes
Date: August 29, 2025

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Main Theme

This NPR News Now episode provides a concise rundown of top national and international headlines, with focused coverage on recent U.S. foreign aid changes, developments in Israel and Gaza, Secret Service protection updates for Kamala Harris, a tragic shooting in Minneapolis, the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and political remarks from Vice President J.D. Vance during his Wisconsin visit.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. White House To Rescind $5 Billion in Foreign Aid

• [00:20] The White House is moving to unilaterally retract nearly $5 billion in foreign aid previously approved by Congress, using a mechanism known as a “pocket rescission.”
• This action occurs late in the fiscal year, with Congress having minimal time to respond before the aid funding’s expiration on September 30.

2. Israeli Hostage Remains Recovered in Gaza

• [00:39] Israel’s military announced the recovery of two more hostage remains during covert operations in Gaza.
• 48 Israeli hostages captured on October 7, 2023, by Hamas remain in Gaza, with only 20 believed to still be alive.
• [00:56] Jackie Northam (Tel Aviv): “Israel’s military says the recovered body has been identified as Ilan Weis, who was killed when Hamas militants attacked Israel October 7, 2023… His remains were discovered during a recent military operation.”
  • The identity of the second recovered hostage remains undisclosed.
  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting public pressure for a ceasefire to facilitate hostage returns, even as Israeli military offensives persist.

3. Kamala Harris' Secret Service Protection Revoked by President Trump

• [01:36] Former Vice President Kamala Harris’ Secret Service detail, previously extended past the usual six-month post-tenure period, has been revoked by President Trump.
• [01:45] Deepa Shivaram: “Now President Trump is revoking that extension so Harris will lose her detail that was extended past July of this year.”
  • Harris is about to embark on a national book tour for her memoir, “107 Days,” chronicling her short presidential campaign.
  • She now resides in Los Angeles after leaving Washington, D.C.

4. Minneapolis Church Shooting Incident

• [02:19] During the first Mass of the school year at Annunciation Catholic Church, shots rang out, killing two children (ages 8 and 10) and injuring 18 others (15 minors, 3 elderly adults).
• [02:46] Jason DeRose: “Police say the shooter had no criminal history and no other incidents that would have put them in law enforcement’s radar… there’s no evidence the shooter was radicalized, but did have a fascination with mass violence.”
  • The shooter was later found deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

5. 20th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

• [03:24] Today marks two decades since Hurricane Katrina, which claimed nearly 1,400 lives.
• Most attention centers on New Orleans’ levee failures, but the Mississippi Gulf Coast also suffered catastrophic impact.
• [03:34] Debbie Elliott: “Katrina slammed ashore in Waveland, Mississippi, with a three-story storm surge. Former Mississippi Governor Haley Barber says the state’s entire 70-mile coastline was devastated.”
• [03:46] Haley Barber (former governor): “When I flew over the coast in a helicopter after the hurricane, it looked like the hand of God had wiped away the coast. Utter obliteration.” [Notable Quote]
• [04:00] Recovery in Waveland remains incomplete; Main Street is still largely empty, according to Bernie Cullen of the Ground Zero Museum.

6. Vice President J.D. Vance Remarks in Wisconsin

• [04:19] Vice President J.D. Vance, at an event in La Crosse, Wisconsin, questioned Democratic mayors’ and governors’ resistance to federal assistance in U.S. cities, specifically regarding safety.
• [04:27] J.D. Vance: “Why is it that you have mayors and governors who are angrier about Donald Trump offering to help them than they are about the fact that their own residents are being carjacked and murdered in the streets? It doesn’t make an ounce of sense.” [Memorable Moment]
• Vance’s visit coincides with Democrats seeing an opportunity to flip a House seat in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District.

7. Markets Update

• [03:07] Dow Jones Industrial Average was reported down 156 points at last check.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Haley Barber on Katrina devastation:
  “It looked like the hand of God had wiped away the coast. Utter obliteration.” (03:46)

• J.D. Vance on urban safety and federal intervention:
  “Why is it that you have mayors and governors who are angrier about Donald Trump offering to help them than they are about the fact that their own residents are being carjacked and murdered in the streets? It doesn’t make an ounce of sense.” (04:27)

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Important Timestamps

• [00:20]: White House foreign aid rescission
• [00:39]: Israel recovers hostages’ remains
• [01:36]: Kamala Harris’ Secret Service detail revoked
• [02:19]: Minneapolis church shooting headlines
• [03:24]: Katrina 20th anniversary, Mississippi focus
• [04:19]: VP Vance’s Wisconsin remarks

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This episode efficiently covers nationally significant events with direct, impactful reporting, providing listeners with the latest political moves, international developments, and moving moments of national tragedy and remembrance.

Transcript

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[Lakshmi Singh]

News, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

[NPR News Anchor]

The White House plans to unilaterally pull back nearly $5 billion in foreign aid programs Congress had already approved, and it's using what's known as a pocket rescission.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The White House is acting late in.

[NPR News Anchor]

The fiscal year, leaving Congress little time to respond before foreign aid funding expires.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The fiscal year ends September 30.

[NPR News Anchor]

Israel's military says it has recovered the remains of two more hostages, one of whom has been positively identified during a covert operation in Gaza. 48 Israeli hostages captured by Hamas remain in Gaza. 20 of them are believed to still be alive. NPR's Jackie Northam reports from Tel Aviv.

[Jackie Northam]

Israel's military says the recovered body has been identified as Ilan Weis, who was killed when Hamas militants attacked Israel October 7, 2023. He was 56 years old. His body was taken into Gaza. His remains were discovered during a recent military operation. The remains of another Israeli hostage were also discovered. Its identity has not yet been made public. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under increasing public pressure to strike a ceasefire deal with Hamas to get rest of the hostages home. Even so, Israel's military is pushing ahead with a major offensive in Gaza. Jackie Northam, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

[NPR News Anchor]

Former Vice President Kamala Harris will no longer have Secret Service protection because it was revoked by President Trump this week.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Here's NPR's Deepa Shivaram.

[Deepa Shivaram]

It's typical that former vice presidents only have Secret Service protection for six months after they leave office. But in Harris case, she received an extension of her detail. Now President Trump is revoking that extension so Harris will lose her detail that was extended past July of this year. This comes as Harris is about to embark on a nationwide tour to promote her new book, 107 Days, a recounting of her historically short run for president last year. Harris currently lives in Los Angeles, where she has been since she left Washington in January. Deepa Shivaram, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Students were running a little late for their first Mass of the school year at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis Wednesday. Catherine Spandle tells NPR people were filing into the church minutes after the service's scheduled start of 8:15am Worshippers finished the psalm, you have searched me and you know me, Lord. When shots rang out at the end of it. Two children, an 8 and a 10 year old were dead. Fifteen minors and three adults in their 80s were injured. NPR's Jason DeRose has more on the investigation into the shooter.

[Jason DeRose]

Police say the shooter had no criminal history and no other incidents that would have put them in law enforcement's radar. And they say there's no evidence that the shooter was radicalized but did have a fascination with mass violence.

[Lakshmi Singh]

That's NPR's Jason DeRose reporting. The shooter was found dead later of a self inflicted gunshot wound.

[NPR News Anchor]

At last check on Wall street, the.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Dow Jones Industrial average was down 156 points. You're listening to NPR News. Today marks 20 years since Hurricane Katrina, which killed nearly 1400 people.

[NPR News Anchor]

Much of focus is on New Orleans, where federal levies failed and flooded the city.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The hurricane also decimated the Mississippi Gulf coast where it made landfall. NPR's Debbie Elliott reports.

[Debbie Elliott]

Katrina slammed ashore in Waveland, Mississippi, with a three story storm surge. Former Mississippi Governor Haley Barber says the state's entire 70 mile coastline was devastated.

[Haley Barber]

When I flew over the coast in a helicopter after the hurricane, it looked like the hand of God had wiped away the coast. Utter obliteration.

[Debbie Elliott]

Waveland is still trying to come back 20 years later, says Bernie Cullen with the city's aptly named Ground Zero Museum, noting that the downtown business district is still mostly empty.

[Jackie Northam]

That sense of Main Street USA is missing.

[Debbie Elliott]

Debbie Elliott, NPR News, Waveland, Mississippi.

[NPR News Anchor]

At an event In La Crosse, Wisconsin, Vice President J.D. vance questioned PUSHB elevated federal presence in cities such as in D.C. why is.

[J.D. Vance]

It that you have mayors and governors who are angrier about Donald Trump offering to help them than they are about the fact that their own residents are being carjacked and murdered in the streets? It doesn't make an ounce of sense.

[NPR News Anchor]

Yesterday, Vance was visiting Wisconsin's third Congressional District. That's where Democrats see a shot at.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Flipping a house seat. I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.

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