NPR News: 07-09-2025 11AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: July 9, 2025, 11AM EDT – Detailed Summary

Presented by NPR, hosted by Kristen Wright

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1. Texas Floods Update

Timestamp: [00:18]

Kristen Wright opens the episode with an urgent update on the devastating floods in Texas, marking the sixth day of an extensive search for victims in Kerr County. The disaster has left 161 people missing, with officials anticipating further updates imminently.

Volunteer Efforts:

Brian Trasher, Vice President of the United Cajun Army and Cajun Navy—a volunteer-based rescue group—provides crucial insights into the ongoing search operations.

“When you get past the 48 to 60-hour mark, the survivability index really goes down a lot. We always hold out hope for a miracle,” [00:41] says Trasher.

He emphasizes the dedication of the rescue teams, noting the significant role of K9 units:

“Our K9 team has had 11 hits now, 11 recoveries since they've been here. Sometimes it's bringing someone's loved one home so they can bury him, observe their religious custom, brings closure,” [00:41] adds Trasher.

The state death toll has surpassed 100, underscoring the severity of the flooding. In response to the crisis, President Trump plans to visit Texas on Friday to assess the situation and offer federal support.

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2. New Mexico Flash Floods and Copper Market Surge

Timestamp: [01:01]

Kristen Wright transitions to cover the impact of monsoon rains in New Mexico, which have triggered severe flash flooding. In the village of Ruidoso, three people lost their lives when a man and two children were swept away by the rushing floodwaters. The heavy rainfall exacerbated conditions in areas previously affected by wildfires last year, causing the Rio Ruidoso to rise 20 feet.

Economic Implications:

The discussion shifts to the U.S. copper market, which has experienced a significant surge. Copper prices have jumped to an all-time high following President Trump's threat to impose a new 50% tariff on copper imports. NPR's Maria Aspen elaborates on this development:

“Copper is a crucial component for all kinds of American businesses and for consumers. It's used to manufacture everything from cars and smartphones to power grids and the data centers powering the artificial intelligence boom,” [01:39] explains Aspen.

She highlights that the U.S. imports about half of its copper from countries like Chile and Canada, making it susceptible to price fluctuations due to potential tariffs. Manufacturers have been preparing by stockpiling copper in anticipation of these tariffs, which, along with existing taxes on steel and aluminum, are expected to increase business costs significantly.

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3. President Trump's Summit with African Leaders

Timestamp: [02:24]

Kristen Wright reports on a pivotal diplomatic event: President Trump welcoming leaders from five African nations to the White House for a three-day summit focused on economic opportunities. NPR's Drew Bright provides deeper context:

“The summit is in line with the Trump administration's pivot away from aid to economic cooperation with African nations,” [02:35] Bright states.

The summit aims to counter China and Russia's growing influence in Africa by negotiating lucrative mineral deals. This marks the first meeting between Trump and African leaders since the South Africa's office meeting in May, signaling a strategic shift in U.S. foreign policy toward increased economic engagement on the continent.

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4. Attacks on Shipping in the Red Sea

Timestamp: [03:13]

Kristen Wright covers a concerning maritime incident where a Greek ship was attacked and sunk in the Red Sea, likely by Yemen's Houthi rebels. NPR's Ruth Sherlock provides detailed reporting:

“Rescue operations began overnight, but so far few people have been pulled from the water. Those who were rescued had survived in the sea for over 24 hours,” [03:34] Sherlock reports.

The attack involved rocket-propelled grenades and explosives dropped from drones, leading to significant damage to lifeboats. This incident follows a similar attack on another vessel earlier in the week. The Yemeni militia claims that their campaign against ships in this critical trade route is intended to pressure Israel to end its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with authorities committed to searching for survivors until nightfall.

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5. International Criminal Court Targets Taliban Leaders

Timestamp: [04:18]

Kristen Wright brings attention to a significant international legal development. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for two Taliban leaders in Afghanistan. The ICC accuses them of persecuting girls and women, highlighting the Taliban's continued suppression of women's rights since their return to power in 2021.

This action by the ICC reinforces the global commitment to upholding human rights and holding perpetrators accountable, despite the challenging political landscape in Afghanistan.

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6. Nvidia Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation

Timestamp: [04:18]

In economic news, Kristen Wright announces that Nvidia has become the world's most valuable company, with its stock surging by more than 2% at the open today to reach a $4 trillion valuation. This milestone makes Nvidia the first company ever to achieve such a valuation, following its recent surpassing of the $3 trillion mark last month.

Nvidia's ascent is attributed to its pivotal role in advancing artificial intelligence technologies, making it an indispensable player in the tech industry and a bellwether for market trends.

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Conclusion

Kristen Wright wraps up the update on the current global and national events, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of the day's most pressing issues—from natural disasters and economic shifts to international diplomacy and corporate milestones.

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This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the NPR News Now episode released on July 9, 2025. For the full transcript and more detailed coverage, listeners are encouraged to tune into the podcast.

Transcript

[Capital One Representative]

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[Kristen Wright]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kristen Wright. Texas officials are giving an update any moment. It's day six of the massive search for flood victims. 161 people are known to be missing in the Kerr county area. Brian Trasher is vice president of the United Cajun Army Cajun Navy, a volunteer based group helping with the search. He spoke with NPR's All Things Considered.

[Brian Trasher]

When you get past the 48 to 60 hour mark, the survivability index really goes down a lot. We always hold out hope for a miracle. But you know, sometimes and our K9 team has had 11 hits now, 11 recoveries since they've been here. Sometimes it's bringing someone's loved one home so they can bury him, observe their religious custom brings closure.

[Kristen Wright]

The state death toll has surpassed 100. President Trump plans to visit Texas on Friday. Monsoon rains triggered flash flooding in New Mexico. Three people were killed in the village of Ruidoso yesterday. A man and two children got swept up in rushing floodwaters. Heavy rain fell on burned areas from last year's wildfires, and officials say the rio Ruidoso rose 20ft. US copper prices jumped to an all time high after President Trump threatened new 50% tariffs on imports of the metal. As NPR's Maria Aspen reports, copper futures fell back a little overnight, but they're still trading near their record high.

[Maria Aspen]

Copper is a crucial component for all kinds of American businesses and for consumers. It's used to manufacture everything from cars and smartphones to power grids and the data centers powering the artificial intelligence boom. The United States imports about half of its copper from countries including Chile and Canada, and it's been getting more expensive. US Manufacturers have spent this year bracing for new tariffs on copper and stockpiling supplies to get ahead of them. Now President Trump is threatening to add a 50% tax onto those imports. The new tariffs combined with the president's taxes on steel and aluminum are expected to boost costs for businesses. Maria Aspen, NPR News.

[Kristen Wright]

President Trump welcomes the leaders of five African countries to the White House today. They're in Washington for a three day summit centered around economic opportunities. NPR's Jewel Bright reports.

[Drew Bright]

The three day summit with the African nations of Gabon, Liberia, Senegal, Guinea, Pusau and Mauritania starts with lunch at the White House and runs through Friday The White House says the summit is in line with the Trump administration's pivot away from aid to to economic cooperation with African nations. Experts say the administration is looking to counter China and Russia's growing influence in the region by striking lucrative mineral deals with African nations. This will be the first meeting between Trump and African leaders since South Africa's over office meeting in May. For NPR News, I'm Drew Bright in Lagos.

[Kristen Wright]

This is NPR News in Washington. A Greek ship that came under attack, likely by Yemen's Houthi rebels, has now sunk in the Red Sea. Rescue efforts are underway. And as NPR's Ruth Sherlock reports, so far only five of the 22 member crew have been found, according to the.

[Ruth Sherlock]

UK Maritime Trade Organisation. Rescue operations began overnight, but so far few people have been pulled from the water. Those who were rescued had survived in the sea for over 24 hours. It appears lifeboats were damaged when the ship was attacked with rocket propelled grenades and explosives dropped from drones. The attack followed a similar assault on another vessel earlier this week that was claimed by Houthi rebels. The Yemeni militia says its campaign against ships in this critical Red Sea trade route is intended to pressure Israel to end its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Rescuers tell Reuters they will continue their search for survivors from this latest assault until dark. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News.

[Kristen Wright]

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for two Taliban leaders in Afghanistan. The ICC accuses them of persecuting girls and women. The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021 and has restricted the rights and freedoms of girls and women. Nvidia continues to be the world's most valuable company. Its stock jumped more than 2% at the Open today to become the first company to be worth $4 trillion. It's been on a tear recently, only surpassing the $3 trillion mark last month. I'm Kristen Wright, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.

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