NPR News: 07-13-2025 4PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: July 13, 2025, 4 PM EDT – Detailed Summary

Released July 13, 2025

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1. Federal Approval for Camp Mystic’s Flood Map Alterations

[00:14] Nora Raum

Nora Raum opens the episode with a significant environmental and regulatory issue involving Camp Mystic in Texas. Despite facing a high risk of flooding, the federal government permitted Camp Mystic to remove multiple buildings from official flood maps.

[00:35] Lars Sullivan reports that, according to FEMA documents accessed by NPR, Camp Mystic submitted requests in 2013, 2019, and 2020 to exclude over a dozen structures from floodplain maps. Notably, the latest request coincided with a major expansion of the camp, which included the construction of new buildings. However, no cabins were removed from the high-risk FL areas.

Lars Sullivan highlights the potential consequences of such removals: "Removing structures from FEMA's flood maps can eliminate federal requirements to build in ways that help property owners better withstand a flood, as well as requirements to carry flood insurance." Furthermore, NPR’s investigation revealed that at least 17 buildings at the camp are situated in flood-prone areas, a figure significantly higher than government reports. When questioned, FEMA explained that their maps undergo public review, whereas private companies may use different criteria, leading to discrepancies.

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2. Humanitarian Impact of July 4th Flooding and Escalating Conflict in Ukraine

[01:30] Nora Raum

Transitioning to urgent humanitarian concerns, Nora Raum updates listeners on the aftermath of the devastating July 4th flooding. The toll is tragic, with at least 160 people still unaccounted for and 128 fatalities confirmed. The situation remains dire as rescue and recovery efforts continue.

In parallel, tensions in Eastern Europe escalate as Russia intensifies its military operations in Ukraine. Polina Litvinova provides an on-the-ground perspective from Kyiv:

[01:51] Polina Litvinova reports that on Saturday night, Russian forces launched attacks on western Ukraine, resulting in casualties in Chernivtsi and damaging residential areas in Lviv with drone strikes. In response, Poland's air force was mobilized to scramble fighter jets along the Ukrainian border, signaling heightened alertness.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced efforts to bolster Ukraine’s defense capabilities by increasing the domestic production of interceptor drones designed to neutralize Russian aerial threats. Zelenskyy emphasized, "Ukraine is working on increasing domestic production of the interceptor drones aimed to destroy Russian aerial targets," underscoring the nation's commitment to self-sufficiency in defense.

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3. Wall Street Outlook Amid Inflation and Tariff Developments

[02:22] Nora Raum

Looking ahead to the financial week, Nora Raum outlines the key economic indicators and corporate earnings that Wall Street investors are monitoring closely. Rafael Nam delves deeper into the financial landscape:

[02:30] Rafael Nam discusses the lingering uncertainty surrounding the impact of former President Donald Trump’s tariffs on U.S. imports. Although many tariffs have been paused, a 10% tariff remains on nearly all U.S. imports. Rafael explains, "Inflation has been fairly tame so far, in part because companies got ahead of the import taxes, bringing in their shipments as quickly as they could." Additionally, many businesses are absorbing the costs to maintain stability.

Retail sales data releasing on Tuesday will provide insights into consumer behavior, indicating whether shoppers are becoming more cautious amidst economic pressures. Rafael also notes that major financial institutions like Wells Fargo and Citigroup are scheduled to report their earnings, which will be pivotal for market sentiment.

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4. European Union’s Tariff Delays and Concerns Over Plastic Chemicals

[03:13] Nora Raum

Nora Raum shifts focus to international trade tensions and environmental concerns. The European Union (EU) is postponing the implementation of new tariffs on U.S. goods that were set to take effect the following day. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the issue, stating, "The EU hopes to reach a deal with the US before August 1st, when President Trump says he'll impose a 30% tax on European goods." She further added that the EU is preparing "countermeasures if negotiations fail," highlighting the stakes involved in transatlantic trade relations.

In a separate environmental development, Will Stone reports on a groundbreaking study revealing over 16,000 chemicals currently used in plastics, many of which pose significant health risks. Conducted by scientists in Norway and Switzerland, the comprehensive review published in Nature identified more than 4,200 chemicals of concern, including bisphenols, phthalates, and PFAS (forever chemicals). Stone emphasizes the pervasive presence of these harmful substances, noting they are found in everyday items from toys and food packaging to tires.

The study underscores a critical gap in regulatory oversight: "Nearly 11,000 of the 16,000 chemicals identified lack official hazard classifications," the authors state. This vast number exceeds the capacity of governments and manufacturers to assess and ensure their safety. The researchers advocate for replacing these hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives, calling for urgent action to protect public health and the environment.

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5. USPS Increases Forever Stamp Prices

[04:38] Nora Raum

Concluding the news segment, Nora Raum reports on a significant change in postal services: the cost of a first-class forever stamp has risen to 78 cents, a nearly 7% increase effective immediately. The U.S. Postal Service attributes the hike to declining mail volumes, driven by decreased usage by individuals and businesses alike. This adjustment aims to sustain postal operations amidst shifting communication trends and financial challenges.

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This episode of NPR News Now delivers a comprehensive overview of pressing issues ranging from environmental policy and humanitarian crises to international trade tensions and economic indicators. By integrating expert reports and direct quotes, the podcast ensures listeners are well-informed on the latest developments shaping the national and global landscape.

Transcript

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[Nora Raum]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Raum. The federal government allowed Camp mystic in Texas to remove multiple buildings from government flood maps even though the camp faced a significant risk of flooding. That's according to federal records seen by NPR's Lars Sullivan.

[Lars Sullivan]

FEMA documents examined by NPR show the camp requested FEMA remove more than a dozen structures from its floodplain maps, even though FEMA had previously found significant flood risk. The request came in 2013, 2019 and 2020. The last request coincided with a major expansion the camp undertook in which it built new structures, but it does not appear to have taken down any cabins from dangerous FL areas. Removing structures from FEMA's flood maps can eliminate federal requirements to build in ways that help property owners better withstand a flood, as well as requirements to carry flood insurance. NPR found new data by private companies Show at least 17 of the camp's buildings were in the path of floodwaters compared to what the government has reported. FEMA told NPR its maps differ from private maps because they must face public discussion and review. Laura Sullivan, NPR News.

[Nora Raum]

There are still at least 160 people unaccounted for after the 4th of July flooding. At least 128 people died. Russia is increasing attacks across Ukraine. Ukrainian officials say Russian forces have fired hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles this weekend. Polina Litvinova reports from Kyiv.

[Polina Litvinova]

Saturday night, Russia targeted western Ukraine, leading to dead and wounded in the city of Chernivtsi. Also, a Russian drone hit a residential building in Lviv. Poland's air force scrambled fighter jets in areas bordering Ukraine in response to the overnight attacks. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine is working on increasing domestic production of the interceptor drones aimed to destroy Russian aerial targets. Polina Litvinova, NPR News, Kyiv.

[Nora Raum]

It will be a busy week on Wall street with the latest inflation data coming out on Tuesday. NPR's Rafael Naem has more.

[Rafael Nam]

One of the big questions for investors is when we are going to start seeing the effects of President Trump's tariffs, although he's put on hold many of them. Others are still in place, including a 10% tariff on nearly everything the U.S. imports. But inflation has been fairly tame so far, in part because companies got ahead of the import taxes, bringing in their shipments as quickly as they could. And many companies have also chosen to eat the cost for now. We'll also get the latest retail sales data giving us an indication of whether consumers are getting cautious. And several big companies will start reporting earnings, including Wells Fargo and Citigroup. Rafael Nam, NPR News.

[Nora Raum]

This is NPR News. In Washington. The European Union is delaying new tariffs on US Goods set to go into effect tomorrow. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today the EU hopes to reach a deal with the US before August 1st, when President Trump says he'll impose a 30% tax on European goods. She says the EU is preparing countermeasures if negotiations fail. A new study has identified more than 16,000 chemicals in plastic, many of which are considered chemicals of concern because of risk to human health. NPR's Will Stone has more.

[Will Stone]

Even though plastic is pervasive in our lives, there are still major gaps in our understanding of their chemical composition. The team of scientists based in Norway and Switzerland did a comprehensive review and identified more than 4,200 chemicals of concern. Bisphenols, phthalates and PFAS, or forever chemicals, are just a few examples. Those can show up everywhere, from toys to food packaging to tires. The results were published in the journal Nature. The authors report the sheer number of chemicals is far beyond what governments and manufacturers can study to ensure their safety. In fact, nearly 11,000 of the 16,000 chemicals identified lack official hazard classifications. The authors say many of these harmful chemicals can be replaced with safer alternatives. Will Stone, NPR News.

[Nora Raum]

The cost of a first class forever stamp is now 78 cents. It went into effect today almost a 7% increase. The U.S. postal Service says it needs to charge more because people and businesses are mailing less. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News, in Washington.

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