NPR News: 09-20-2026 8PM EDT
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What is President Trump's proposed 250‑foot arch and why is it sparking legal battles?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Linda Kenyon. President Trump says he plans to make his proposed two hundred fifty foot arch in Washington DC a military complex that will include areas for military snipers and weaponry. NBR's Christian Wright has the story.
President Trump says on true social military operations at the proposed triumphal arch near the national mall are needed for national security purposes. He says at the request of the military, the arch will post snipers and house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones and ammunition. The administration's plans to build the arch between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial have been met with opposition. Three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian sued, claiming the president needs congressional approval and that the arch would obscure a historically symbolic sight line. The National Park Service hasn't given final approval. Trump has also framed plans for a White House ballroom and underground bunker as a matter of national security.
NPR's Joanna Kakisis in Kyiv reports the meeting comes as Russia and Ukraine have escalated attacks.
How is Zelensky’s recent phone call with Trump influencing sanctions and negotiations with Russia?
On social media, Zelensky said he spoke with Trump by phone and thanked him for signing a bill that would allow more sanctions on Russia. Zelensky said the meeting in New York could, quote, change a lot. There is diplomatic momentum, he wrote. U.S. led talks to end Russia's war on Ukraine stalled early this year as the Trump administration focused on the U.S. war on Iran. Zelensky says he expects negotiations to resume next month. But he has also authorized the expansion of long range strikes on Russia's energy sites in retaliation for daily Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities. Joanna Kakisis and PR News, Kyiv. New reports
out this week could show how rising costs are reshaping the housing market, NPR Stephen Basaha reports.
Why are mortgage rates expected to climb above 7 % and what does it mean for homebuyers?
It's possible average mortgage rates will rise above seven percent for the first time since January 2025. We'll find out Thursday when Freddie Mac releases its weekly average for the 30-year fixed rate mortgage. The cost of borrowing across the economy has been climbing, both because the Federal Reserve raised interest rates last week and because the bond market has been shaken for months over concerns about government debt and inflation. On Thursday, we'll also get sales numbers on newly built homes in August from the US Census Bureau. According to the National Association of Realtors, existing home sales in August fell two percent from a month earlier. Steven Masaha in Pure News.
Local authorities say an ICE officer has shot and wounded a man in Austin, Texas, where ICE protesters were gathered. You're listening to NPR News. California health officials are warning of a possible measles exposure after an infected and unvaccinated passenger traveled across the state via Amtrak trains and throughway buses.
What’s driving the measles exposure warning in California and how are health officials responding?
NPR's Lillia Lydia Kalitri has the story.
The California Department of Public Health says the passenger traveled through at least six different counties by train and bus and was later hospitalized. The agency says it's working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify and notify people who may have been exposed. In a statement, California's assistant public health officer, Dr. Rita Wynne, says this case serves as a reminder of the importance of vaccination against measles. More than thirty four hundred cases of measles have been confirmed in the US this year, according to the CDC. Pennsylvania is currently dealing with the country's largest outbreak, with the state reporting 760 confirmed cases and at least four deaths.
Lydia Cleetri, MPR News.
The movie Resident Evil is giving the North American box office a boost. Sony Pictures says the film has earned an estimated sixty million dollars in ticket sales from more than thirty six hundred locations in the US and Canada in its first weekend in the theaters.
How is the new Resident Evil release boosting the North American box‑office this weekend?
The ticket sales mark a franchise best, surpassing most previous films for their entire domestic runs.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is President Trump's proposed 250‑foot arch and why is it sparking legal battles?
0:01–1:20
2
How is Zelensky’s recent phone call with Trump influencing sanctions and negotiations with Russia?
1:20–2:11
3
Why are mortgage rates expected to climb above 7 % and what does it mean for homebuyers?
2:11–3:11
4
What’s driving the measles exposure warning in California and how are health officials responding?
3:11–4:12
5
How is the new Resident Evil release boosting the North American box‑office this weekend?
4:12–5:04