Loading summary
Transcript12 lines
- [00:01]
Dan Ronnan
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronnan. Maine Senator Susan Collins hit the campaign trail Saturday, a day after her Democratic opponent Graham Platner officially withdrew from the race. This following an accusation of rape by a former romantic partner, which Platner denies. Maine Public Radio's Susan Sharon reports.
- [00:23]
Susan Sharon
Appearing at Maine's Moxie Day parade with about 60 supporters, Collins said she has no strong feelings about Platner's departure following an ex girlfriend's allegation that he raped her. Instead, Collins says she's been focused on recruiting town, city and county chairs across the state in an off presidential year election.
- [00:43]
Susan Collins
You always worry about voter turnout, so we've placed a lot of effort on encouraging people to vote and having a lot of direct voter contact.
- [00:57]
Susan Sharon
Maine Democrats, meanwhile, are regrouping. They've scheduled a nominating convention for July 25 to choose a candidate to take on Collins in November. For NPR News, I'm Susan Sharon.
- [01:10]
Dan Ronnan
It was a mixed week on Wall Street. NPR's Scott Horsley reports. Traders mostly shrugged off the renewed fighting in the Strait of Hormuth, and the effect on retail gasoline prices has been limited.
- [01:21]
Scott Horsley
Crude oil prices jumped after President Trump declared an end to the US Ceasefire with Iran. But bond yields rose and so did mortgage rates. The average rate on a 30 year home loan is just under 6.5%. The National association of Realtors says home sales dropped in June, which is ordinarily one of the busiest months for selling. The average sales price of a home jumped to a record high of more than $440,000. The NASDAQ got a boost on Friday when shares of the giant South Korean memory chip maker SK Hynix began trading there for the first time. For the week, the Nasdaq rose 13 4%. The the S&P 500 index rose 1 and a quarter percent, and the Dow Jones industrial average fell about 4/10 of a percent. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.
- [02:01]
Dan Ronnan
The U.S. has conducted air bombing operations against Iran after the U.S. says Iran violated the ceasefire. The on again, off again negotiations to end the war are off for now. Swarthmore College Professor Dominic Turney says it's likely to be a long, slow process.
- [02:18]
Dominic Turney
Arguably the single most difficult task that an American president can face is extricating the US from one of these failed wars. The US Was negotiating for two years to get out of the Korean War. It took five years to negotiate a way out of the Vietnam War. We spent three months in Vietnam just negotiating the shape of the table around which we would negotiate and similarly, it took years to get out of Afghanistan. So this, this is not going to be a quick process.
- [02:49]
Dan Ronnan
A bipartisan bill designed to improve the American housing market became law overnight after President Trump did not sign it. He had 10 days to either sign it or veto it. This is NPR. More than 200 people, including children and camp counselors, were rescued Friday when flash floods hit several counties in central Missouri, dumping more than a foot of rain in a few hours. Missouri's governor says some of the people saved were taken from trees, rooftops and stranded vehicles. At Camp Tomsock in Lesterville, Missouri, eight helicopters were used to get the young people to safety. One person is still missing. A new UN report says 120 million women and girls around the world are in need of basic assistance and protection, but the eight organizations that are meant to help them out are running out of money. NPR's Fatma Tanis reports.
- [03:41]
Fatma Tanis
U.N. researchers surveyed hundreds of organizations serving women and girls in 52 countries, many of them in crisis since the Trump administration's aid cuts in 2025. The report says women who live in remote areas or unstable environments have seen a decrease in basic services like education, health, food and water. Many of the groups reported that women and girls also face sharp increases in mental health distress, school dropouts, gender based violence and forced marriages. At the same time, aid groups say severe budget shortfalls led to major layoffs within their organizations and impending closures. Fatma Tanis, NPR News.
- [04:23]
Dan Ronnan
As Cuba deals with an ongoing fuel shortage, many on the island nation are turning to Chinese made electric powered tricycles to get around. The tricycles have, in many cases replace the vintage automobiles of the 1950s and 60s that have vanished pretty much from most roads. This is NPR support.
- [04:40]
NPR Announcer
Want to hear this podcast without sponsor breaks? Amazon prime members can listen to NPR News now sponsor free through Amazon Music. Or you can also support NPR's vital journalism and get npr@plus.npr.org that's plus.npr.org.