NPR News: 07-09-2025 6AM EDT

Summary

NPR News: July 9, 2025, 6AM EDT

Hosted by Kristen Wright

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Central Texas Flash Floods: Ongoing Search Efforts

[00:19] Kristen Wright opens the broadcast by discussing the severe flash floods that devastated Central Texas six days prior. Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that at least 161 individuals remain missing in the Kerr County area. Despite the passage of time, search efforts continue unabated, with hopes of locating more victims.

[00:45] Frank Morris reports that the Guadalupe River has submerged many victims beneath a tangled mass of logs and steel debris, complicating recovery operations. Volunteers from Texas Equisearch, led by field operation manager Mark Edwards, are making progress in the difficult terrain.

[01:06] Mark Edwards shares insights on the challenging conditions:

"And so we begin to remove that tree pile. And some of those tree piles were 30 and 40 foot tall, wrapped in RVs and cars up against the trees." [01:06]

Edwards anticipates that identifying all the deceased will take several weeks due to the extensive and hazardous search areas along the river. The current death toll has risen to 109.

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Diplomatic Tensions and Cybersecurity Threats

[01:28] Kristen Wright transitions to international news, highlighting meetings between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington. A key agenda item is Trump's push for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Simultaneously, the State Department is grappling with cybersecurity threats, including a sophisticated phishing campaign targeting high-level officials. Notably, a fake Signal account impersonated Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marking the latest in a series of such attacks.

[01:59] Michelle Kellerman, NPR reporter, elaborates:

"According to a diplomatic cable, several foreign ministers received either texts or AI generated voice messages purporting to be from Secretary of State Marco Rubio." [01:59]

[02:14] Tammy Bruce, State Department spokesperson, responds:

"The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents." [02:14]

Bruce also mentions investigations into a Russian-linked phishing campaign utilizing counterfeit State Department emails. This issue, first reported by The Washington Post, underscores ongoing cyber vulnerabilities within governmental institutions.

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Changes in U.S. Airport Security Procedures

[02:35] Kristen Wright reports on a significant policy shift in U.S. airport security: passengers will no longer be required to remove their shoes during screening processes. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem states that this change aims to "streamline the security checkpoint process and shorten wait times." [02:52]

[03:05] Tammy Bruce adds:

"Passengers will still pass through multiple layers of screening. They'll also go through identity verification. And in fact, TSA has recently experienced some fantastic success with implementing real ID." [03:05]

Furthermore, the TSA is experimenting with new technologies at certain airport checkpoints to enhance security efficiency.

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Middle East Tensions: Israeli Airstrikes in Lebanon

[03:05] Kristen Wright shifts focus to the Middle East, reporting on recent Israeli drone strikes in northern Lebanon. The Lebanese Health Ministry confirms three deaths and over a dozen injuries resulting from an airstrike near Tripoli.

[03:37] Jawad Rizkhalla, NPR reporter in Beirut, provides context:

"Israel has launched regular airstrikes in south Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs despite a ceasefire reached last November. But attacks in north Lebanon are rare." [03:37]

Rizkhalla notes that Israel claims the strike targeted a key Hamas operative involved in prior rocket attacks on Israel during last year's conflict with Hezbollah. However, sources close to Hamas report no militants were killed, and local accounts suggest the casualties included a garage mechanic and bystanders.

The United States is attempting to negotiate with the Lebanese government for Hezbollah's disarmament, but Hezbollah remains defiant, insisting that Israeli aggression must cease before any disarmament occurs.

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International Legal Actions and Environmental Updates

[04:18] Kristen Wright reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for two Taliban leaders in Afghanistan. The ICC accuses them of persecuting girls and women, a continuation of the Taliban's restrictive policies since their return to power in 2021. The United Nations has called for an end to these repressive measures, emphasizing the global concern over women's rights in Afghanistan.

Additionally, [04:18] updates on environmental issues highlight progress in combating a wildfire near Marseille, France. Firefighters have largely contained the blaze, and evacuees are being permitted to return to their homes, though vigilance remains for potential flare-ups.

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This summary encapsulates the key discussions and developments featured in the July 9, 2025, episode of NPR News Now, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of critical national and international events.

Transcript

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[Kristen Wright]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kristen Wright. Texas Governor Greg Abbott says at least 161 people are known to be missing in the Kerr county area. Officials say they'll keep searching for the missing even as the days pass. Today is day six since devastating flash floods upended life in Central Texas. NPR's Frank Morris reports. The death toll is now at 109.

[Frank Morris]

The Guadalupe river buried some of its victims in huge, dense jumbles of logs and steel debris. That's why they're hard to find on a well searched section of river near Ingram, Texas. Volunteers with the group Texas Equisearch think they found another body. Mark Edwards, the group's field operation manager, points to heavy equipment carefully disassembling a tangled mess.

[Mark Edwards]

And so we begin to remove that tree pile. And some of those tree piles were 30 and 40 foot tall, wrapped in RVs and cars up against the trees.

[Frank Morris]

Edwards says there are miles and miles of scenes like this along the Guadalupe River. He thinks finding all the bodies will take weeks for. Frank Morris, NPR News, Kerrville, Texas.

[Kristen Wright]

President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been meeting in Washington this week. Trump is pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza. The State Department is investigating a number of cybersecurity threats, including a fake signal account impersonating Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He's the latest high level Trump administration official to be targeted after a similar incident earlier this year involving the White House chief of staff. The story was first reported by The Washington Post. NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports.

[Michelle Kellerman]

According to a diplomatic cable, several foreign ministers received either texts or AI generated voice messages purporting to be from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce says the department is addressing the matter.

[Tammy Bruce]

The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents.

[Michelle Kellerman]

The department is also looking into a Russian linked phishing campaign that was using fake State Department emails. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News. The State Department.

[Kristen Wright]

You won't have to take off your shoes anymore to get through airport security. The new policy takes effect now at domestic airports and applies to most people. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says ending the shoe removal policy will streamline the security checkpoint process and shorten wait times.

[Tammy Bruce]

Passengers will still pass through multiple layers of screening. They'll also go through identity verification. And in fact, TSA has recently experienced some fantastic success with implementing real id.

[Kristen Wright]

She says the TSA is also piloting new technologies at security checkpoints at some airports. This is NPR News from Washington. The Lebanese Health Ministry is reporting three deaths and more than a dozen injuries from an Israeli airstrike in northern Lebanon. Israel says the drone strike near the city of Tripoli killed a key Hamas operative involved in rocket attacks on Israel during the war with Hezbollah last year. NPR's Jawad Razala has more.

[Jawad Rizkhalla]

Israel has launched regular airstrikes in south Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs despite a ceasefire reached last November. But attacks in north Lebanon are rare. Hamas has been allied with Iran backed Hezbollah during the conflict. A Hamas official who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons told NPR none of its militants were killed. A local resident who asked not to be identified for his own safety said the targeted militant had already fled the scene and the dead were a garage mechanic, one of his employees and a passerby. The US Is trying to broker an agreement with the Lebanese government for Hezbollah to disarm. Hezbollah says it won't while Israel is still attacking and occupying Lebanese territory. Jawad Rizkhalla, NPR News, Beirut.

[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 Tal returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021 and has restricted the rights and freedoms of girls and women. The UN adopted a resolution on Monday calling on the Taliban to end its repressive policies. Firefighters in France are making progress on a wildfire near Marseille. It's under control and firefighters are watching for flare ups. People who were evacuated are now allowed to go back home. I'm Kristen Wright and this is NPR News from Washington.

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