by Brittney Melton

August 13, 2025

Good morning. Tropical Storm Erin may become the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2025 season by late tomorrow. Here’s the news we’re following today:

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has described Friday’s summit between President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin as a “listening exercise.” Leavitt’s wording downplays the chances of a breakthrough on a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. Preparations for the gathering in Alaska between the leaders are underway, and it will be their first meeting of Trump’s second term.

U.S. President Trump (Center L) and Russia's President Vladimir Putin (Center R) walk next to each other as they arrive for a meeting at Finland's Presidential Palace on July 16, 2018. Multiple people line the entrance and look at them as they walk into the room.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

🎧 NPR’s Tamara Keith tells Up First she asked Leavitt yesterday about expectations for the Trump-Putin meeting because wording surrounding it has shifted. Leavitt stated that the president wants a peace deal, but the meeting is with only one party involved in the war. Trump does plan to meet virtually with European leaders, including the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, before and after his summit with Putin. Leavitt says there is value in Trump sitting face-to-face with Putin to gauge his seriousness about ending the war.

Washington, D.C.’s homeless population will be given the option to leave their encampment to be taken to a shelter or offered services for addiction or mental health, Leavitt said yesterday. If they refuse either option, they could face fines or jail time. Advocates are worried about the punishments homeless people could face.

🎧 There are not enough shelters in the nation’s capital for people living on the streets, people in Washington tell NPR’s Brian Mann. Experts say shelters are also not a permanent fix. Because apartments and homes are not affordable for many Americans, many people will wind up back on the streets or in jail after staying at a shelter. Crackdowns like this can make things worse for people who live on the streets with addiction, says Dr. Steven Taylor, who heads the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Taylor says addiction is a chronic illness, and it isn’t the kind of thing where people can be removed from the street, given treatment and then be cured.

The Labor Department released an inflation report yesterday showing that consumer prices in July were up 2.7% compared to a year ago. The annual increase was similar to the month before. The report shows evidence of tariff-related price hikes on items such as toys and furniture. The Treasury Department says it collected $28 billion in tariff revenue last month.

🎧 Consumers are likely to bear more and more of the tariff price tag, according to Michael Pearce, who is with forecasting firm Oxford Economics. Tariffs are not the only factors driving inflation. In July, airfares, used cars and rent also saw price increases, says NPR’s Scott Horsley. Despite inflation remaining elevated, investors are betting that it is low enough that the Federal Reserve will be able to cut interest rates when members meet in September. The reason the Feds are discussing a rate cut is to address the sagging job market, Pearce says.

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Born Ruffians, four members of the rock band sitting on chairs in front of a blue and white backdrop.

Courtesy of the artist

Born Ruffians frontman Luke Lalonde drew inspiration for the band's latest album, Beauty's Pride, from a trip to India. In fact, he couldn’t get the phrase out of his head after he borrowed a purple children’s bike adorned with the phrase. The album was written largely while Lalonde was preparing for the birth of his first child. His little one even made an adorable debut on one of the tracks. Now, nearly two decades into their career, the Toronto indie rock band continues to evolve musically. Lalonde joins World Cafe to discuss the making of the new album and perform some of the new songs.

Living better

A packet of birth control pills with the abbreviations for Sunday-Saturday above the columns of meds. The pills are blue, white and brown.

Jena Ardell/Moment RF/Getty Images

Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.

TikTok posts are making claims that hormonal birth control can cause a nearly unlimited list of ailments, including depression, irreversible infertility, balding and a decreased libido. A growing number of influencers are advocating for people to avoid birth control and track fertility cycles naturally or with apps. Researchers and doctors discuss how birth control got such a bad reputation.

💊 A study found that TikTok videos on contraception had “poor reliability and quality.” Only 10% were created by medical professionals.
💊 More common side effects of hormonal birth control include headaches, mood changes and breast tenderness. Contraceptives are safe for most people, but clinicians stress that people should evaluate their individual risks with a doctor.
💊 Concerns about birth control are often mixed with a significant issue: Women frequently feel overlooked in medical environments, says Emily Pfender, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania.

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This postcard shows the Seine River and multiple people sitting or walking past it on a dock area. In the background, the Eiffel Tower can be seen. At the bottom of the postcard, it reads, “The Seine River in Paris, France—Eleanor Beardsley.”

Eleanor Beardsley, Jackie Lay/NPR

Bonjour! This week, Far-Flung Postcards takes you to the Seine River in Paris. For the first time since the 1920s, the river is open for swimming this summer.

Trump announced yesterday that the 48th annual Kennedy Honors recipients would be revealed today, catching the Kennedy Center staff off guard.

Taylor Swift surprised fans early yesterday by announcing her next album, The Life of a Showgirl. More details about the new music are expected to be unveiled today during a New Heights podcast episode hosted by her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and his brother, retired fellow footballer Jason Kelce.

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This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.

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