NPR News: 08-17-2026 3AM EDT
Summary
This episode covers President Trump’s decision to scale back U.S.-South Korea military drills to signal openness to North Korean diplomacy, alongside Attorney General Todd Blanche’s refusal to pledge independence from the president. It also reports on Jared Kushner’s peace talks with Hamas and Israel, Ukraine’s drone strikes on Russian logistics hubs, and the death of pioneering pitcher Tommy John, whose name is synonymous with revolutionary elbow surgery.
Topics discussed
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Trump orders reduction in US-South Korea military drills
Attorney General Blanche refuses to pledge independence
Kushner meets Hamas; Israel rejects Gaza roadmap plan
Ukraine launches drone attacks on Russian logistics
Tommy John, pioneer of elbow surgery, dies at 83
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