NPR News: 07-07-2025 6PM EDT - NPR News Now

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NPR News Now: July 7, 2025, 6PM EDT

Hosted by NPR

Catastrophic Flooding in Texas

Coordinates of Destruction

Parts of Central Texas are grappling with ongoing catastrophic flooding caused by unprecedented heavy rainfall. The region, particularly Kerr County, has been severely impacted with the death toll nearing 90 and expected to rise. Sergio Martinez Beltran reported live from Kerr County, highlighting the dire situation:

"They say more floods would mean more damage and devastation to an area that has already endured a lot... The devastation here, it's pretty incredible."
— Sergio Martinez Beltran, 00:26

Search and Rescue Efforts

Despite the increasing number of casualties, search and rescue operations continue tirelessly. Additionally, cleanup efforts are underway, with trucks removing cars and debris from the Guadalupe River. The recovery process is anticipated to be prolonged due to the extensive damage.

Climate Change Exacerbates the Crisis

Rebecca Hersher delves into the underlying causes of the severe weather:

"Flash floods are relatively common in the area, but climate change is making such rain events even worse... The heaviest storms in Texas are dropping about 20% more rain today than they were in the late 1950s."
— Rebecca Hersher, 01:07

Hersher explains that a warmer atmosphere, fueled by climate change, holds more moisture, leading to heavier and more destructive rainfall. The National Climate Assessment underscores that these intense storms are becoming more frequent and severe, posing increased risks as global temperatures continue to climb.

Economic Turmoil: Trump’s Tariff Threats Impact Wall Street

President Trump's Tariff Announcement

In a significant move affecting global trade, President Trump has reiterated his preference for imposing higher tariffs on imports. Scott Horsley reports on the market's reaction to these threats:

"In letters posted on social media, Trump threatened to slap tariffs of 25% on all imports from Japan and South Korea starting August 1... Trump does say in his letters that tariff rates could be adjusted if other countries take steps to open their own markets to U.S. exports."
— Scott Horsley, 02:06

Trump's latest announcement has rattled investors, leading to a notable decline in stock markets. Despite a temporary reduction of tariff rates from 25% to 10% following a previous stock market sell-off in April, the prospect of renewed higher tariffs has instilled uncertainty among investors.

Market Response

The immediate impact was a significant drop in stock indices:

Dow Jones Industrial Average: Down 422 points
Nasdaq Composite: Lost 188 points

These declines reflect investor anxiety over potential trade disruptions and the uncertain future of U.S. trade relations.

Measles Outbreak Surges in the United States

Unprecedented Rise in Cases

The United States is facing its highest number of measles cases this year since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. Maria Godoy provides an overview of the alarming statistics:

"The United States has now surpassed more than 1200 cases... The largest outbreak by far is in Texas."
— Maria Godoy, 03:22

With over 1,200 confirmed cases spread across more than three dozen states and the District of Columbia, the outbreak is particularly severe in Texas, which alone has reported 753 cases. Although the situation in Texas is beginning to slow, the nationwide impact remains concerning.

Health Implications

Measles is highly contagious but preventable through vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that most cases are among unvaccinated individuals or those with unknown vaccination status. The outbreak has resulted in 155 hospitalizations and three deaths, highlighting the critical importance of vaccination in preventing such public health crises.

Jeffrey Epstein Investigation Findings

No Evidence of a Client List or Blackmail

In developments concerning the late Jeffrey Epstein, the Justice Department and the FBI have released a memo summarizing their investigation. Windsor Johnston reports the key findings:

"They have found no evidence that Epstein had a client list. They also say there's no evidence that Epstein... blackmailed prominent associates."
— Windsor Johnston, 04:01

The memo concludes that Epstein did not maintain a client list and there is no substantiated evidence of blackmail activities involving high-profile individuals. Additionally, the investigation reaffirms the conclusion that Epstein died by suicide in his federal lockup in New York City in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. These findings are consistent with previous statements from the department regarding Epstein's death.

Conclusion

Today's episode of NPR News Now covered a range of critical issues, from the devastating floods in Texas exacerbated by climate change, economic concerns sparked by President Trump's tariff threats, a significant measles outbreak across the United States, to the latest findings in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. These reports underscore the interconnectedness of environmental, economic, public health, and legal challenges facing the nation.

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Transcript9 lines

[00:01]
Windsor Johnston
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Parts of Central Texas are bracing for additional rain as first responders continue search and rescue operations amid catastrophic flooding in the region. Close to 90 people have died, with the death toll expected to rise. NPR Sergio Martinez Beltran is in Kerr county, one of the hardest hit areas.
[00:26]
Sergio Martinez Beltran
They say more floods would mean more damage and devastation to an area that has already endured a lot. Now search and rescue operations are ongoing. That is despite an increase in the number of deaths. There's also cleanup operations happening in the area. We've seen trucks pull out cars and other forms of debris from the Guadalupe river, but it's going to take some time. The devastation here, it's pretty incredible.
[00:50]
Windsor Johnston
That's NPR's Sergio Martinez Beltran reporting from Kerr County. The deadly flooding in Texas was CA by extremely heavy rain. NPR's Rebecca Hersher reports climate change is causing even more rain to fall. During the most intense storms, up to.
[01:07]
Rebecca Hersher
12 inches of rain fell in Central Texas in the early hours of July 4th. It was too much water for the ground to soak up, and the excess water was funneled into low areas in the hilly region, causing catastrophic flash floods. Flash floods are relatively common in the area, but climate change is making such rain events even worse. That's because a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. The heaviest storms in Texas are dropping about 20% more rain today than they were in the late 1950s, when the Earth's climate was significantly cooler. That's according to the National Climate Assessment, and the risk is projected to grow as global temperatures continue to rise. Rebecca Hersher, NPR News.
[01:49]
Windsor Johnston
Investors got an unwelcome reminder today that President Trump still likes tariffs. NPR's Scott Horsley reports. Stocks on Wall street fell after Trump threatened to impose higher import taxes on goods from Japan, South Korea and a number of other countries.
[02:06]
Scott Horsley
In letters posted on social media, Trump threatened to slap tariffs of 25% on all imports from Japan and South Korea starting August 1, with even higher rates on goods from other trading partners. Trump had initially proposed similar taxes on imports back in April, but he agreed to temporarily lower the tariff rate to 10% after a sell off in the stock market. In the weeks since, stocks have rebounded and investors seem to be betting that Trump would not follow through on his more draconian tariff threats. A 90 day window for negotiating new trade deals is about to close, however, and few new agreements have been reached. Trump does say in his letters that tariff rates could be adjusted if other countries take steps to open their own markets to U.S. exports. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.
[02:49]
Windsor Johnston
At the close on Wall street, the dow was down 422 points. The Nasdaq composite lost 188. This is NPR News from Washington. The U.S. has reported the highest number of measles this year than in any other year since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. That's according to data from the center for Outbreak Response and Innovation @ Johns Hopkins. NPR's Maria Godoy reports. The United States has now surpassed more than 1200 cases.
[03:23]
Maria Godoy
The previous high was reached in 2019, and this year is only halfway over. Measles cases have been confirmed by more than three dozen states, plus the District of Columbia. The largest outbreak by far is in Texas. The State has reported 753 measles cases this year, though the outbreak there has slowed. Across the US 155 people have been hospitalized and three people have died. Measles is highly contagious, but it is vaccine preventable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vast majority of measles cases have been in unvaccinated people or those whose vaccination status is unknown. Maria Godoy, NPR News.
[04:02]
Windsor Johnston
The Justice Department and the FBI say they have found no evidence that Jeffrey Epstein had a client list. They also say there's no evidence that Epstein, a convicted sex offender, blackmailed prominent associates. Those are some of the conclusions contained in a memo outlining the review the department conducted of the Epstein files. The memo also states that Epstein died by suicide, a finding that aligns with previous department statements. He died at a federal lockup in New York City in August of 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. This is NPR News.