NPR News Now: July 12, 2025, 1AM EDT

The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly.

I. President Trump's Visit to Flood-Stricken Texas

Overview: In the wake of devastating floods in Kerrville, Texas, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited the affected area on Friday. The floods, which occurred a week prior, have resulted in over 100 fatalities, highlighting the severity of the disaster.

Key Points:

• President Trump's Remarks: During a roundtable with first responders and local officials, President Trump expressed his astonishment at the disaster's magnitude.

  • Donald Trump at 00:45: "I've never seen anything like it. I've seen a lot of bad ones. I've gone to a lot of hurricanes, a lot of tornadoes. I've never seen anything like this."

• Administration Delegation: The Trumps were accompanied by key administration officials, including Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner.

• FEMA's Future Under Trump: The flooding has reignited discussions about President Trump's prior statements on phasing out the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Despite earlier intentions to reduce FEMA's role in disaster response, administration officials remained non-committal regarding the agency's future during the visit.

  • Danielle Kurtzleben at 00:52: "Prior to the floods, Trump had said he planned to phase out the agency that responds to natural disasters. But this week, administration officials were non-committal about whether that's going to happen."

II. Canada’s Response to Increased US Tariffs

Overview: Canada is reacting to President Trump's announcement to raise tariffs on certain Canadian goods to 35% effective August 1. Industry Minister Melanie Jolie outlined Canada's strategic response to the tariff imposition.

Key Points:

• Canada's Countermeasures: Canada has implemented numerous countermeasures, positioning itself alongside China as one of the few countries imposing substantial retaliatory tariffs.

  • Melanie Jolie at 01:28: "Canada is the only country on earth, along with China, that has imposed so many counter tariffs. So we have had already a very strong response. And we want to make sure that while we are putting pressure on the American administration, that at the same time we're protecting jobs while creating jobs."

• Ongoing Negotiations: Canadian Prime Minister has stated that negotiations with the United States will continue despite the tariff hike, indicating a preference for diplomatic resolution over sustained economic confrontation.

  • Dale Willman at 01:52: "Canada's prime minister, meanwhile, says negotiations with the US will continue."

III. Legal Developments in Guantanamo Plea Deals

Overview: A federal appeals court has annulled plea deals with three Guantanamo Bay detainees accused of orchestrating the September 11 attacks, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, regarded as the principal architect of the attacks.

Key Points:

• Plea Deal Cancellation: The deals, initially arranged last summer, would have allowed the defendants to plead guilty in exchange for up to life imprisonment without parole. Former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sought to void these agreements, advocating for death penalty trials instead.

  • Sacha Pfeiffer at 02:08: "Were reached last summer and would have let the defendants plead guilty in return for up to life in prison with no parole. But former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin tried to nullify the agreements. He said he was caught off guard by them and wanted a death penalty trial."

• Court Rulings: A military court judge and the military appeals court had previously supported the continuation of the plea deals. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has now ruled in favor of Austin, effectively canceling the agreements.

• Impact on Families: Liz Miller, whose father perished in the 9/11 attacks, expressed frustration over the ongoing legal uncertainties.

  • Danielle Kurtzleben at 02:40: "Exhausting because the main theme is waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting. And I'm really not sure how this is going to end, if it's ever going to end."

• Future Proceedings: Defense lawyers for the detainees are considering whether to file an appeal against the recent decision.

  • Sacha Pfeiffer at 02:49: "Lawyers for the defendants are now weighing whether to appeal."

IV. US Expands Deportation Efforts to Rwanda and Other Countries

Overview: The Trump administration is negotiating with Rwanda to accept migrants deported from the United States. Additionally, South Sudan has agreed to take eight individuals, while Nigeria has so far declined to participate.

Key Points:

• Rwandan Negotiations: Rwanda is in talks with U.S. officials to become a destination for deported migrants, marking a significant expansion of the administration's deportation policies.

  • Dale Willman at 02:54: "Rwandan officials say they're in talks with the Trump administration to take migrants deported from the U.S."

• South Sudan's Acceptance: South Sudan has consented to accept eight deportees, illustrating a willingness to participate in the U.S. deportation strategy.

• Nigeria's Refusal: Despite pressure from the U.S., Nigeria has refused to accept deported individuals, highlighting challenges in finding partner countries for this initiative.

• Policy Implications: These developments reflect the administration's broader effort to deport individuals to countries other than their home nations, aiming to reshape U.S. immigration enforcement practices.

V. Preliminary Findings on Air India Plane Crash

Overview: An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London, resulting in 260 fatalities. Preliminary investigations suggest that fuel to the engines was cut off moments after liftoff, leading to the loss of thrust and altitude.

Key Points:

• Engine Fuel Supply Issue: Investigators have determined that the fuel switches were turned from "run" to "cutoff" approximately three seconds post-liftoff.

  • Joel Rose at 03:32: "Investigators in India say the switches that control the fuel supply to the engines were flipped from run to cutoff about three seconds after liftoff, that that starved the engines of fuel, causing the plane to lose thrust and altitude."

• Unclear Motives: The reason behind flipping the switches remains unknown. The cockpit voice recording reveals confusion among the pilots.

  • Joel Rose at 03:32: "In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots can be heard asking the other, why did he cut off, according to the preliminary report, while the other pilot responded, quote, that he did not do so."

• Historical Context: This crash stands as one of the worst aviation disasters in India’s history, underscoring the need for thorough investigation and enhanced aviation safety measures.

VI. US Sends Weapons to NATO Allies for Ukraine; Walmart Recalls Water Bottles

A. US Military Support for Ukraine

Overview: President Trump announced that the United States is supplying weapons to NATO allies, enabling them to provide military aid to Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. Additionally, he stated that NATO would bear the costs of these deliveries.

Key Points:

• Weapon Shipments: The US is actively sending arms to NATO members, which, in turn, will supply them to Ukrainian forces.

  • Dale Willman at 04:12: "President Trump says that the US is sending weapons to its NATO allies so they can provide them to Ukraine."

• Funding Arrangement: Trump emphasized that NATO allies will finance the weapon deliveries, distributing the financial responsibility among member nations.

  • Dale Willman at 04:12: "Speaking in an interview with NBC, Trump also said NATO would pay for those deliveries."

• Engagement with Ukraine: The administration is also engaged in discussions with Ukraine regarding direct assistance, with Ukrainian President affirming the constructive nature of these talks.

  • Dale Willman at 04:12: "Ukraine's president says those talks have been very constructive."

B. Walmart Recalls Stainless Steel Water Bottles

Overview: Walmart is recalling approximately 850,000 stainless steel Ozark Trail 64-ounce water bottles due to a safety hazard where the lids may forcibly eject upon opening, posing a risk of injury.

Key Points:

• Safety Hazard: The Consumer Product Safety Commission identified that the faulty lids can forcefully eject, leading to potential accidents.

  • Dale Willman at 04:12: "The Consumer Product Safety Commission says the lid from The Ozark Trail 64 ounce bottle can sometimes forcefully eject when the bottle is being opened and hit consumers."

• Injuries Reported: At least two individuals have suffered permanent vision loss attributable to the defective product.

  • Dale Willman at 04:12: "At least two people have suffered permanent vision loss because of that problem."

• Recall Details: Consumers are advised to stop using the affected water bottles and seek replacements or refunds as per Walmart's recall instructions.

Conclusion: This episode of NPR News Now covered a range of significant topics, including President Trump's response to Texas floods, international trade tensions with Canada, legal proceedings related to the 9/11 attacks, expanded U.S. deportation policies, the tragic Air India crash, military support for Ukraine, and a major product recall by Walmart. Notable quotes from key figures provided personal insights into these events, offering listeners a comprehensive update on current affairs.

For more detailed updates, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full NPR News Now episodes.