NPR News: 07-13-2025 10AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: July 13, 2025, 10AM EDT

Live from Washington, D.C., NPR's "News Now" for July 13, 2025, delivers the latest updates on critical events shaping our world today. Below is a comprehensive summary of the key stories covered in this episode.

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Deadly Floods Devastate Kerrville, Texas

Timestamp: [00:18]

Kerrville, Texas, is grappling with the aftermath of catastrophic floods that struck on July 4th, resulting in at least 128 fatalities and leaving 160 individuals unaccounted for. The community is deeply affected, with many churches holding special prayer services to support those impacted.

Mayor Joe Herring Jr. addressed the residents, emphasizing the importance of seeking assistance during these trying times:

“[00:51] It’s okay to ask for help. I don’t care how big and burly you are, it’s okay to ask for help.”

Mayor Herring also shared his personal experience with counseling, urging others to prioritize their mental well-being:

“[00:59] I personally went to get counseling this week, and it helped me and I think it can help you.”

In response to the crisis, a free counseling hotline has been established to provide support to those in need. Steve Futterman reports from Kerrville, Texas, highlighting the city's resilience and the ongoing response efforts.

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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Rejects Amnesty for Undocumented Immigrants

Timestamp: [01:23]

At a recent event in Tampa, Florida, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made it unequivocally clear that amnesty for immigrants without legal status is not on the agenda as long as Donald Trump remains president and she leads the department.

“[01:35] I will be very firm in telling all of you there will never be amnesty under my watch or President Trump's watch.”

Noem underscored her commitment to stringent immigration policies, overseeing programs related to citizenship and visa waivers, and ensuring that the U.S. maintains control over its borders and immigration processes.

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Ongoing Ceasefire Talks in Gaza Stall Over Strategic Disputes

Timestamp: [01:51]

Efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza have yet to yield results, despite initial optimism that a deal could be reached within days. Ruth Sherlock provides an update on the delicate negotiations involving representatives from Israel and Hamas.

An Israeli source, speaking confidentially, revealed that the primary obstacle is Israel's insistence on maintaining troop presence in a strategic corridor within Gaza. Discussions are underway to potentially relocate Palestinians to an isolated zone in the southern Gaza Strip—a proposal that Hamas vehemently opposes. The conflict has resulted in a tragic death toll exceeding 58,000 Palestinians over the past 21 months, as reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

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Wildfires Threaten Grand Canyon National Park

Timestamp: [02:53]

Arizona's iconic Grand Canyon National Park is currently under evacuation orders due to the rapid spread of two significant wildfires—Dragon Bravo and White Sage. To date, these fires have burned 25,000 acres, prompting the deployment of hundreds of firefighting personnel in an effort to contain the blazes. Fortunately, there have been no major injuries reported, and authorities continue to monitor the situation closely to safeguard both residents and the natural landmark.

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'Alligator Alcatraz': Florida Immigration Detention Center Faces Backlash

Timestamp: [02:53]

A newly opened immigration detention center in Ocopee, Florida, colloquially dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," has drawn sharp criticism from congressional Democrats. Visitation reports describe the facility as unsanitary, plagued by insect infestations, and excessively overcrowded, with 32 detainees per cage and consistently high temperatures making conditions unbearable. These allegations have spurred calls for immediate reforms and heightened scrutiny of the center's operations.

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UNESCO Honors Former Khmer Rouge Sites as World Heritage

Timestamp: [03:54]

In a move that coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge's rise to power, UNESCO has officially designated three former Khmer Rouge facilities in Cambodia as World Heritage Sites. Michael Sullivan reports from Chiang Rai on this significant recognition:

“[03:54] The Tuol Sleng, Phnom Penh; the Cheongek Killing Fields; and the M13 Prison in Kampong Chang Province have made the transition from 'centers of repression to places of peace and reflection.'”

This designation transforms these somber historical sites into tourist attractions aimed at education and remembrance. However, Cambodia continues to face internal challenges, remaining a one-party state where dissent is often met with severe repercussions, including imprisonment and forced exile for opposition figures.

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North Korea Affirms Support for Russia Amid Ukraine Conflict

Timestamp: [04:40]

In international relations developments, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over the weekend. State media in Pyongyang announced that North Korea has expressed unconditional support for all of Russia’s actions in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, signaling a strengthening of ties between the two nations amidst global geopolitical tensions.

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Stay informed with NPR News Now for the most recent and comprehensive coverage of global events. For more details on these stories, visit NPR.org.

Transcript

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[Louise Schiavone]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. In Kerrville, Texas, many churches today will be saying special prayers as the city continues to respond to the deadly July 4th floods that killed at least 128 in the region. At least 160 remain unaccounted for. Steve Futterman reports The Kerrville mayor has a message for struggling residents.

[Joe Herring Jr.]

There is no escaping the July 4th tragedy. Wherever you go here in Kerrville, there are reminders of what has happened, and mayor Joe Herring Jr. Says people should reach out.

Look, it's okay to ask for help. I don't care how big and burly you are, it's okay to ask for help.

The mayor says he has already done so.

I personally went to get counseling this week, and it helped me and I think it can help you. If you don't want to do counseling, that's fine. But I would encourage you to talk to a friend, talk to family, call someone and visit about this need. You need to take care of yourself.

A special free counseling hotline has been set up to assist. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Kerrville, Texas.

[Louise Schiavone]

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says that as long as Donald Trump is president and she heads the department, amnesty for immigrants in the U.S. without legal status is off the table.

[Kristi Noem]

I also have responsibility for uscis, which is our citizenship visa waiver programs and how we let people come into our country and be our guests. And I will be very firm in telling all of you there will never be amnesty under my watch or President Trump's watch.

[Louise Schiavone]

She spoke in Tampa, Florida, to the conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA Student Action Committee. Stock talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza with representatives from Israel and Hamas have yet to produce any deal. NPR's Ruth Sherlock has the latest.

[Ruth Sherlock]

There were hopes last week for a ceasefire in Gaza with President Trump, indicating the two sides may only be days away from a deal that hasn't happened, but the Israeli prime minister's office confirms talks are ongoing. An Israeli source briefed on the matter, not authorized to speak about it publicly, tells NPR the main disagreement is over Israel's demand to keep troops in a strategic corridor in Gaza. Israeli officials are considering moving Palestinians to an isolated zone in the south of the Gaza Strip. Hamas opposes this. The talks continue as the Palestinian death toll in Gaza in this 21 month war surpassed 58,000 people, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News.

[Louise Schiavone]

Parts of Grand Canyon national park in Arizona are under evacuation orders as two nearby wildfires burn uncontained. At these 25,000 acres have burned. So far, no major injuries have been reported. Hundreds of firefighting personnel have been deployed to both the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires. This is NPR News. In Washington, sharp criticism from congressional Democrats for an immigration detention center newly opened in Ocopee, Florida, nicknamed Alligator Alcatraz. Those who visited this weekend say the 3,000 bed facility is unsanitary insect infested, very hot with wall to wall humans, 32 detainees per cage. Cambodians are beating drums today in ceremonies marking the United nations decision to recognize three former Khmer Rouge facilities as World Heritage Sites, among the first in the world associated with recent conflict. Michael Sullivan has more.

[Michael Sullivan]

The UNESCO recognition coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Communist Khmer Rouge's rise to power. An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died through starvation, torture and mass executions during their four year reign. UNESCO says the Tuol slang President Phnom Penh, the Cheongek killing fields and the M13 prison Kampong Chang Province have made the transition from, quote, centers of repression to places of peace and reflection. They are also now tourist attractions. But Cambodia remains an essentially one party state where opposition politicians and others who speak out against the government are frequently jailed, forced to flee the country or worse. For NPR News, I'm Michael Sullivan in Chiang Rai.

[Louise Schiavone]

North Korea's Kim Jong Un met this weekend with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. State media in Pyongyang says the north has expressed unconditional support for all actions taken by Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. I'm Luis Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.

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