NPR News: 07-25-2025 9PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: July 25, 2025, 9PM EDT

Hosted by Kristen Wright

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1. Gaza Starvation Concerns and U.S. Ceasefire Stance

Aid organizations are sounding alarms over potential starvation in Gaza amid escalating tensions. The Trump administration has attributed the humanitarian crisis to Hamas's refusal to accept Israel's ceasefire terms.

President Trump criticized Hamas for their stance, stating at [00:53], "Hamas didn't really want to make a deal. I think they want to die and it's very, very bad." He further emphasized the challenges in achieving a diplomatic resolution, noting at [01:02], "Hamas understands what will happen once the remaining hostages are released. Hamas will, quote, lose their shield and lose their cover."

Trump also announced the withdrawal of U.S. and Israeli negotiating teams from Qatar after Hamas presented a counterproposal for a ceasefire that included the release of some hostages from Gaza. He described the situation as "disappointing" and expressed skepticism about the possibility of a diplomatic deal, suggesting that Israel might need to continue its efforts to eliminate Hamas in Gaza.

Source: Kristen Wright, NPR News

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2. Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz" and Deportation Efforts

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has initiated deportation flights from an immigration detention center in the Everglades, colloquially dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz." This facility, located at an airport in the heart of the Everglades, has seen the deportation of 100 detainees with final removal orders, with plans to increase the number and frequency of these operations.

At [01:39], Governor DeSantis stated, "100 detainees who had final removal orders have been deported from the facility located at an airport in the heart of the Everglades." He added that "hundreds more have been flown from the facility to other locations in the US before being deported."

However, the operations have faced legal challenges. Several lawsuits have been filed by elected officials and detainees' lawyers, who allege denial of access to the facility. A Florida emergency management director attributed these access issues to technology problems, promising that on-site legal representation would be available by Monday.

Source: Greg Allen, NPR News, Miami

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3. Education Department Grants and Ukrainian Cyberattack

Next week, the U.S. Department of Education is set to release $5 billion in grant funding to states after a period of withholding for review. Concurrently, Ukrainian intelligence has reportedly launched a cyberattack against Russian authorities' servers in occupied Crimea.

Ukrainian military intelligence sources revealed that they accessed a substantial amount of sensitive documents detailing Russian military facilities and supply routes in Crimea. Ukrainian media reports indicated that some of these documents were marked as secret. After extracting the valuable information, Ukrainian operatives destroyed all data stored on the compromised Russian government servers. These documents are expected to play a crucial role in documenting alleged Russian war crimes in Crimea.

At [02:42], a Ukrainian Military Intelligence Source explained, "Ukraine's military intelligence... does not officially reveal any details of the operation," but emphasized the significance of the captured data for future records on Russian activities in Crimea.

Source: Paulina Litvinova, NPR News, Kyiv

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4. Wastage of MPOX Vaccines Intended for Africa

Hundreds of thousands of doses of the MPOX vaccine are slated to expire without being utilized. These immunizations were part of a commitment by the United States to send vaccines to Africa to curb a significant outbreak of the virus. President Biden had pledged to deliver 1 million MPOX vaccines to Africa ten months prior, but only approximately 90,000 doses reached countries like Nigeria, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Of the remaining vaccines stored in warehouses, about half have lost their viability due to shelf life constraints, requiring at least six months to remain usable. Yap Boom from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted the financial implications, stating at [03:59], "They can no longer be sent to the continent, which is a huge loss because one dose of vaccine is $100."

Efforts to transfer the remaining 300,000 doses have been stalled by bureaucratic hurdles, exacerbated by changes in the U.S. administration and significant cuts to foreign assistance under President Trump.

Source: Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR News

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5. University of New Mexico Dorm Shooting and Deportation of Former Congressman

A tragic incident occurred at the University of New Mexico when a man was arrested for a shooting at a dormitory during new student orientation. The attack resulted in one fatality and another person being wounded.

In related political news, former New York Congressman George Santos has reported to a federal prison in New Jersey to begin serving a seven-year sentence for fraud. Santos pleaded guilty to charges including wire fraud and identity theft, admitting to deceiving donors and stealing identities to fund his congressional campaign. His tenure in Congress was brief; he was expelled in 2023 after serving less than a year.

Source: Kristen Wright, NPR News

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Notable Quotes

• Donald Trump at [00:53]: "Hamas didn't really want to make a deal. I think they want to die and it's very, very bad."
• Donald Trump at [01:02]: "Hamas understands what will happen once the remaining hostages are released. Hamas will, quote, lose their shield and lose their cover."
• Governor Ron DeSantis at [01:39]: "100 detainees who had final removal orders have been deported from the facility located at an airport in the heart of the Everglades."
• Yap Boom, Africa CDC at [03:59]: "They can no longer be sent to the continent, which is a huge loss because one dose of vaccine is $100."

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Released on July 26, 2025

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This summary excludes advertisements, intros, outros, and non-relevant sections to provide a comprehensive overview of the key news topics covered in the episode.

Transcript

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[Kristen Wright]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kristen Wright. As aid groups warn of starvation in Gaza, the Trump administration is blaming Hamas for not accepting Israel's terms for a ceasefire. NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports. President Trump is suggesting a diplomatic deal may not be possible.

[Donald Trump]

The US And Israel pulled their negotiating teams out of Qatar after receiving Hamas latest counter proposal for a ceasefire that would have seen some hostages get out of Gaza. President Trump calls the situation disappointing.

It was too bad. Hamas, Hamas didn't really want to make a deal. I think they want to die and it's very, very bad.

Trump says Hamas understands what will happen once the remaining hostages are released. Hamas will, quote, lose their shield and lose their cover. Now Trump says Israel will have to fight, clean it up and get rid of them. Those were his words. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department.

[Kristen Wright]

Florida's governor says deportation flights have begun from an immigration detention center in the Everglades that he and other officials have dubbed alligator Alcatraz. And NPR's Greg Allen reports elected officials and lawyers for the detainees have filed lawsuits after being denied access to the facility.

[Ron DeSantis]

Governor Ron DeSantis says 100 detainees who had final removal orders have been deported from the facility located at an airport in the heart of the Everglades.

[Florida Official]

This provides an ability to enhance the mission, to increase the number and frequency of deportations.

[Ron DeSantis]

DeSantis says hundreds more have been flown from the facility to other locations in the US before being deported. Several lawsuits are challenging operations at the facility, including one filed by attorneys who've been denied access to their clients. Florida's emergency management director says the lawyers weren't allowed to speak to their clients for technology issues, but that on site representation will be possible by Monday. Greg Allen, NPR News, Miami.

[Kristen Wright]

The Education department is releasing $5 billion in grant funding to states next week after withholding it for review. Ukrainian intelligence launched a cyberattack on the servers of Russian authorities in occupied Crimea. NPR's Paulina Litvinova reports from Kyiv. Sources in the military intelligence office told NPR that it got access to a large array of documents.

[Ukrainian Military Intelligence Source]

Ukraine's military intelligence, known as ur, does not officially reveal any details of the operation, but Ukrainian media report that some of the documents were marked secret as they contain data about military facilities and supply routes of Russian forces in Crimea. After copying valuable information, Ukrainian cyberspies destroyed all data stored on the government servers. Intelligence sources say that the documents will help to record Russian war crimes in Crimea. Polina Litvinova, NPR News.

[Kristen Wright]

This is npr. Hundreds of thousands of doses of the MPOX vaccine are going to waste. These are immunizations the US Promised to send to Africa to help control a large outbreak of the virus. NPR's Gabrielle Emmanuel has more.

[Gabrielle Emanuel]

Ten months ago, President Biden pledged to send 1 million Mpoke vaccines to Africa. Only about 90,000 ever made it there, going to Nigeria, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Of the ones left in warehouses, about half are now too old to send. They need at least six months of shelf life. Yap Boom is with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

[Yap Boom]

They can no longer be sent to the continent, which is a huge loss because one dose of vaccine is $100.

[Gabrielle Emanuel]

He says there are about 300,000 doses left that could be sent, but they are caught in bureaucratic challenges given the change in administration and Trump's major cuts to foreign assistance. Gabriela Emanuel, NPR the mayor of Albuquerque.

[Kristen Wright]

Says a man has been arrested in a shooting this morning at a dorm at the University of New Mexico. It happened during new student orientation. One person was killed and another wounded. Former New York Congressman George Santos has reported to a federal prison in New Jersey. He's beginning a seven year sentence for fraud. Santos committed wire fraud and identity theft, admitting to tricking donors and stealing identities to fund his congressional campaign. Santos was expelled from Congress in 2023 after serv less than a year. I'm Kristen Wright and this is NPR News.

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