NPR News: August 29, 2025, 8PM EDT – Detailed Summary

Overview

This concise five-minute NPR News Now episode, anchored by Jeanine Herbst, features a roundup of major national and international news from August 29, 2025. Topics include a major federal appeals court decision on Trump-era tariffs, community response to a mass shooting in Minneapolis, changes to former Vice President Kamala Harris’s Secret Service protection, developments linked to the January 6 Capitol riot, updates on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and recognition for Spanish actress Carla Sofia Gascon’s international achievements.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Federal Appeals Court Ruling on Trump Tariffs

[00:20]

• Main Point: A federal appeals court struck down most of former President Trump’s tariffs, finding they exceeded his legal authority under a 1970s statute not intended for tariffs.
• Significance: The ruling marks a win for small businesses and states that challenged the duties.
• Next Steps: The tariffs remain in effect as the Trump administration plans to appeal to the Supreme Court.

2. Minneapolis Mass Shooting and Community Response

[00:58] Vanessa Romo

• Context: Following a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, residents are demanding increased police presence.
• Statement by Authorities:
  • Assistant Police Chief Christopher Gaiters emphasized community concerns and the department’s pledge to safety and reassurance:

    "We recognize that people want to be reassured that our community is going to be safe, that our children are going to be safe. Those visiting and frequenting these facilities, such as schools and worship facilities, are going to be safe. And we take that very seriously." — Assistant Police Chief Christopher Gaiters [01:04]

• Actions Taken:
  • Additional city patrols are being provided by county and state officials, remaining in place for at least another week.

3. Kamala Harris Loses Secret Service Protection

[01:35] Deepa Shivaram

• Development: President Trump revoked former Vice President Kamala Harris’s Secret Service extension as she readies for her national book tour.
• Background: While it’s typical for VP protection to last only six months after leaving office, Harris had received an extension past July 2025.
• Implication:
  • Harris, now residing in Los Angeles, will begin her tour for "107 Days," a memoir of her short-lived presidential run.

4. Air Force Honors for January 6 Rioter

[02:23] Quill Lawrence

• Story Focus: The Air Force will honor military funeral requests for Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran killed inside the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
• Background:
  • Babbitt was shot by Capitol Police while attempting to breach the Speaker’s chamber.
  • Initial denial of military honors was due to the circumstances of her death.
• Legal and Financial Aftermath:
  • All January 6 rioters, including Babbitt, were pardoned or received clemency from President Trump.
  • Babbitt’s family receives a nearly $5 million settlement.
  • The shooting officer was cleared by a federal court, citing self-defense.

5. Gaza War Toll and Humanitarian Crisis

[03:15] Jeanine Herbst

• Update: The Gaza Health Ministry reports over 63,000 deaths in 22 months of conflict between Israel and Hamas.
• Recent Tragedies:
  • Five more deaths attributed to malnutrition occurred in the last day, raising total malnutrition deaths to 322 (including 121 children).
• Aid Situation: Israel claims to facilitate humanitarian aid, but aid agencies assert that basic needs are not being met.

6. Carla Sofia Gascon Rebounds at Venice Film Festival

[04:16] Chloe Veltman

• Achievement:
  • Spanish actress Carla Sofia Gascon received the Cannes Award for Best International Actress at the Venice International Film Festival for "Amelia Perez".
• Historical Note:
  • Gascon was the first openly transgender artist nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress earlier in the year but faced backlash due to resurfaced racist social media posts.
• Career Outlook:
  • Despite controversy, Gascon’s new film "Trinidad," set in the 19th-century Wild West, is scheduled for release next year.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Community Safety after Minneapolis Church Shooting:

  "We recognize that people want to be reassured that our community is going to be safe... And we take that very seriously."
  — Assistant Police Chief Christopher Gaiters [01:04]

• On Kamala Harris’s Protection Being Revoked:

  "Now President Trump is revoking that extension so Harris will lose her detail that was extended past July of this year."
  — Deepa Shivaram [01:49]

• On Ashli Babbitt’s Controversial Legacy:

  "Ashley Babbitt was an Air Force veteran who was wrapped in a Trump campaign flag as she tried to climb through a broken window of the speaker's chambers inside the Capitol building."
  — Quill Lawrence [02:33]

Timestamps & Important Segments

• Tariff Court Ruling: [00:20–00:58]
• Minneapolis Shooting Response: [00:58–01:35]
• Kamala Harris Loses Protection: [01:35–02:23]
• Air Force Honors for Babbitt: [02:23–03:15]
• Gaza Crisis Update: [03:15–04:16]
• Carla Sofia Gascon at Venice Film Fest: [04:16–04:54]

This episode provides listeners a compact but impactful update on pressing U.S. legal, political, public safety, international humanitarian, and entertainment news from August 29, 2025.