NPR News: 08-20-2025 4AM EDT

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Roman.

Russia says it's open to a meeting among President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky, and possibly President Trump.

But the Kremlin has remained vague on the timing of the summit.

NPR's Charles Mainz reports the White House says it's hoping the talks could lead to peace in Ukraine.

In an interview on state television, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was not refusing any format of meetings, be they between Putin and Zelensky or eventually including President Trump.

Yet Lavrov warned preparations for such events take time.

His comments suggested Moscow was looking to slowwalk Trump's calls for a Putin-Zelensky meeting in the coming days or weeks.

Trump says Putin agreed agreed to the bilateral talks to be followed by a trilateral meeting, including Trump, following a phone call he placed to the Russian leader Monday.

Kremlin aide Yurius Shakov was more circumspect, saying only Moscow was considering the possibility of holding higher-level direct talks with Ukraine.

Charles Mains, NPR News, Moscow.

U.S.

citizenship and immigration services is stepping up its screening process.

NPR's Jasmine Guards reports the agency has updated its policy manual on immigration benefit requests with a new focus on anti-American and anti-Semitic activity.

Certain benefit requests require an immigration officer's discretion, requests like adjustment of status and certain employment authorizations.

Starting on Tuesday, the agency has said a primary focus will be reviewing evidence of an applicant's endorsement or espousal of views from anti-American or terrorist organizations, including those that promote anti-Semitic ideologies.

Additionally, the agency has expanded its social media vetting.

Benefits that are subject to officers' discretion include advanced permission to enter as a non-immigrant, humanitarian parole, temporary protected status, and asylum.

Jasmine Garst and Pure News, New York.

People who live along the eastern seaboard of the U.S.

are keeping a close watch on Hurricane Aaron, is now a category two hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour.

North Carolina's Governor Josh Stein Tuesday declared a state of emergency to assist in the state's response and mobilize the resources.

The outer edges of the storm are expected to bring damaging tropical force winds, life large swells, and life-threatening rip currents.

The biggest swells are expected Wednesday into Thursday.

Michael Brennan is the director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

All the way from Florida up through New England, it's not going to be safe to get into the ocean.

High to moderate risk of rip currents everywhere along the U.S.

East coast, pretty much.

So stay out of those ocean waters if they appear dangerous, if those warning flags are flying, and don't become a statistic to Aaron as its center passes well offshore.

Aaron is now 500 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

You're listening to NPR News.

Officials in Las Vegas say tourism in that city is slumping this summer with resorts, casinos, and convention centers reporting significantly fewer visitors, especially from overseas.

Some are blaming the Trump administration tariffs and immigration policies for the decline.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority says that 3.1 million people visited the city in June.

That was an 11% drop compared to the same month a year ago.

International travel is down by 13%, hotel occupancy down by 9%.

The U.S.

is sending multiple military warships to the southern Caribbean coast off of Venezuela, this to combat drug operations.

Meanwhile, Venezuela's president says he's preparing to, quote, have hundreds of militia members there to protect the homeland, Kerry Kahn reports.

According to a U.S.

source familiar with the deployment who spoke on condition of anonymity, three destroyers will head to the Caribbean.

A military official confirmed to member station WHRO that the USS Iwo Jima amphibious ready group with more than 4,000 sailors and Marines is also to be deployed.

White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt wouldn't comment directly on the deployment, but did say President Trump is prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from reaching the U.S.

President Nicolas Maduro says Venezuela will fight back against, quote, the U.S.

imperialists who have gone mad.

He says more than 4.5 million militia members are readying.

Carrie Khan, NPR News.

And from Washington, you're listening to NPR News.

I'm Dan Romron.

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