NPR News: 08-31-2025 1PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – August 31, 2025, 1PM EDT

Brief Overview

This episode delivers a concise roundup of the top national and international headlines of the hour. Topics include stepped-up security in Minneapolis after a church shooting, a federal ruling on Trump’s use of tariffs, political unrest and violence in Indonesia over lawmakers' perks, updates from Israel and Gaza, the passing of respected White House correspondent Mark Knoller, and concerns about declining international student enrollment in U.S. universities.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Minneapolis Church Shooting & Community Response

[00:18–01:17]

• Police in Minneapolis have increased patrols around houses of worship following a shooting during Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church and School.
• NPR’s Jason DeRose covers the clergy’s efforts to comfort a grieving community:
  • Pastor Sarah Jensen (Lutheran Church of Christ Redeemer) challenges common theological platitudes:
    "I don't believe that God gives us things one way or the other. The world gives us things, and often the world gives us things we can't handle." — Church Member, [00:45]
  • Emphasis on Community Support: "God gives us each other because we can't handle everything on our own. We weren't created for that. We were created to lean on each other." — Church Member, [00:56]
  • Pastor Jensen encourages neighbors, friends, and congregations to support one another in distressing times.

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2. Limits on Presidential Emergency Powers for Tariffs

[01:17–02:19]

• A federal appeals court declared President Trump exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose sweeping tariffs.
• NPR’s Franco Ordoñez explains the broader implications:
  • Trump’s liberal use of emergency powers for border, crime, drugs, and trade has previously justified military deployments domestically.
  • The White House will appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
  • The outcome may set precedent for legal challenges to the president's emergency powers in other areas.

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3. Political Unrest & Violence in Indonesia

[02:19–03:09]

• President Prabopo Suburanto announces a reduction in perks for politicians after public outrage over extra pay and allowances fuels widespread protests and violence.
• Some politicians’ homes have been looted.
• Statement from President Suburanto via BBC interpreter: "We cannot deny that there are signs of actions outside the law, even against the law, even leaning towards treason and terrorism. To the national police and the Indonesian military, I instruct you to take the sternest actions based on applicable laws against the destruction of public facilities, the looting of private houses and economic centers." — President Prabopo Suburanto, [02:48]
• At least five people have died since last week’s protests.

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4. Updates in Israel and Gaza

[03:09–03:36]

• Israeli military has recovered the bodies of two Israelis killed in the Hamas attack of October 2023.
• Officials estimate 48 hostages remain in Gaza, with around 20 potentially still alive.

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5. Mark Knoller, White House Correspondent, Dies at 73

[03:36–04:39]

• Mark Knoller, revered CBS News White House correspondent and “number guy,” passes away.
• NPR’s Amy Held & archival audio:
  • Known for meticulous record-keeping of presidential activities, he became the “Wikipedia of the White House.”
  • Memorable moment:
    "I'm one of those lucky people that gets to work at something he loves doing." — Mark Knoller in conversation with Katie Couric, [04:26]
  • Retired from radio in 2020 but stayed active on Twitter, beloved by journalists and news followers.

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6. Fewer International Students in U.S. Colleges

[04:39–04:57]

• With the start of the school year, U.S. colleges and universities anticipate a major drop in international students.
• The Trump administration has revoked over 6,000 student visas and delayed thousands more.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "God gives us each other because we can't handle everything on our own." — Church Member, Minneapolis shooting story [00:56]
• "We cannot deny that there are signs of actions outside the law... leaning towards treason and terrorism." — President Suburanto, [02:48]
• "I'm one of those lucky people that gets to work at something he loves doing." — Mark Knoller, [04:26]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Minneapolis church shooting & community response: [00:18–01:17]
• Federal court ruling on Trump's tariffs: [01:17–02:19]
• Indonesian protests & presidential address: [02:19–03:09]
• Israel hostage news: [03:09–03:36]
• Mark Knoller obituary: [03:36–04:39]
• International student visa issues: [04:39–04:57]

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Tone and Language

NPR maintains a measured, informative, and empathetic tone throughout, with clear efforts to inform listeners succinctly about the most urgent issues of the day, while including human perspectives and impactful moments from those directly involved in the stories.

Transcript

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[NPR News Anchor (Nora Raum)]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Raum. Police in Minneapolis have stepped up patrols around houses of worship following Wednesday's shooting during Mass at Annunciation Catholic church and school. NPR's Jason DeRose reports. Area clergy are working to comfort a.

[Pastor Sarah Jensen]

Grieving community after inexplicable loss. Pastor Sarah Jensen of Lutheran Church of Christ Redeemer says she often hears people say God doesn't give us anything we can't handle.

[Church Member or Interviewee]

I don't believe that God gives us things one way or the other. The world gives us things, and often the world gives us things we can't handle.

[Pastor Sarah Jensen]

But that doesn't mean, Jensen says, abandonment.

[Church Member or Interviewee]

God gives us each other because we can't handle everything on our own. We weren't created for that. We were created to lean on each other.

[Pastor Sarah Jensen]

Jensen says neighbors, friends and congregations can help to buoy each other in a world that's sometimes scary and often doesn't make sense. Jason DeRose, NPR News, Minneapolis.

[NPR News Anchor (Nora Raum)]

A federal appeals court has ruled that President Trump does not have unlimited authority to impose tariffs. NPR's Franco Ordonez reports on how the case could affect some of Trump's other priorities.

[NPR Reporter (Franco Ordonez)]

A U.S. appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that said Trump did not have the authority under what's called the International Emergency Economic Powers act to impose his sweeping tariffs. Trump has sought to use his emergency powers liberally, declaring national emergencies related to the border crime, drugs and, of course, trade. That was the justification for sending the military to the border as well as the National Guard to Law Angeles to quell protests and try and take over law enforcement. Here in Washington, D.C. the White House is defending the legality of the tariffs and plans to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. The outcome could have implications for other cases where Trump's opponents challenge the administration's use of emergency powers. Franco Ordonez, NPR News.

[NPR News Anchor (Nora Raum)]

Indonesian President Prabopo Suburanto announced today he'll cut some perks for politicians. Fury at extra pay and allowances for lawmakers while Indonesians are struggling with the cost of living has triggered widespread violence. The homes of some politicians have been looted. Heard here through a BBC interpreter. The president ordered the security forces to take action against those who acted illegally.

[Indonesian President Prabopo Suburanto]

We cannot deny that there are signs of actions outside the law, even against the law, even leaning towards treason and terrorism. To the national police and the Indonesian military, I instruct you to take the sternest actions based on applicable laws against the destruction of public facilities, the looting of private houses and economic centers.

[NPR News Anchor (Nora Raum)]

At least five people have died since the protests began last week. This is NPR News in Washington. The Israeli military says it's recovered the bodies of two Israelis who had been killed in the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. Officials believe there are still 48 hostages in Gaza, with 20 who may still be alive. Former CBS News Radio White House correspondent Mark Knoller has died at the age of 73. He was known as a number guy. Listeners and later social media users counted on him for his meticulous record keeping of the president's activity. And NPR's Amy Held reports.

[NPR Reporter (Amy Held)]

Born in Brooklyn in 1952, Mark Knoller became known as the Wikipedia of the White House starting at CBS News in 1988. The network says he grew frustrated by the lack of a central database chronicling the president's daily actions. So he became an unofficial presidential statistician.

[CBS Interviewer (Katie Couric)]

Let me pull up my numbers, a.

[NPR Reporter (Amy Held)]

Lot of numbers, how many trips the president made and where summits and golf outings. He tallied speeches and interviews, the minutiae that make history. Knoller reported across eight administrations and didn't mind the long hours. He told CBS's Katie Couric, I'm one.

[CBS Interviewer (Katie Couric)]

Of those lucky people that gets to work at something he loves doing.

[NPR Reporter (Amy Held)]

Knoller retired from the radio in 2020, but kept up on Twitter as a source of presidential news. Amy Held, NPR News.

[NPR News Anchor (Nora Raum)]

As the new school year gets underway, colleges and universities may be facing a huge drop in international students. The Trump administration has revoked more than 6,000 student visas and delayed thousands more. I'm Nora Ramm, NPR News, in Washington.

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