NPR News: 07-27-2025 4PM EDT

Summary

NPR News: July 27, 2025, 4 PM EDT

Host: Nora Rahm
Release Date: July 27, 2025

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President Trump Secures Trade Deal with the European Union

Timestamp: [00:16]

In a significant development just days before a looming tariff deadline, President Donald Trump announced a new trade agreement with the European Union. The deal reduces the tariffs on most EU exports to the U.S. from the initially threatened 30% down to 15%. Notably, the agreement excludes steel, aluminum, and pharmaceutical products.

President Trump highlighted the magnitude of the agreement, stating, “It's the biggest of all the deals” [00:58]. He also emphasized mutual commitments, revealing that the EU has agreed to purchase $750 billion worth of U.S. energy and invest $600 billion in the United States [01:02].

Speaker: President Donald Trump
Reporter: Franco Ordonez, NPR News, Turnberry, Scotland

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Texas Lawmakers Confront Racial Gerrymandering

Timestamp: [01:19]

Texas state legislators convened in Houston to address allegations of unconstitutional racial gerrymandering identified by the Justice Department. Four districts, predominantly comprising black and Latino residents, have been flagged for needing redistricting to comply with the Voting Rights Act.

Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett criticized the current maps, asserting, “To comply with the Voting Rights Act, we should have 60% of the seats that allow people of color to elect their representatives. That would be 24 seats. Instead, we currently only have 14” [01:53]. Crockett is part of a small group of black Democrats in Texas, and her district remains unaffected by the Justice Department's directive [02:06].

Speaker: Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett
Reporter: Andrew Schneider, Houston

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Escalating Tensions Between Cambodia and Thailand

Timestamp: [02:18]

For the fourth consecutive day, Cambodia and Thailand have exchanged artillery fire along their disputed border. Both nations accuse each other of initiating the hostilities—Cambodia alleges that Thai forces were preparing for an attack, while Thailand maintains it was responding to Cambodian provocations.

Cambodia’s Prime Minister expressed support for President Trump’s call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Conversely, Thailand’s Acting Prime Minister Puntam Weichaya Cai acknowledged Trump's efforts but preferred bilateral negotiations. Puntam announced plans to travel to Malaysia on Monday to engage in talks aimed at establishing a ceasefire [02:26].

Reporter: Michael Sullivan, Chiang Rai, Thailand

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Israeli Military Implements Ceasefire in Gaza for Humanitarian Aid

Timestamp: [03:12]

The Israeli military has declared a temporary halt to its operations in certain areas of Gaza, instituting a daily 10-hour pause to allow UN convoys to deliver essential food and medicine. Additionally, new aid corridors will be established to facilitate these deliveries. This move comes amid growing international criticism over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where the World Food Program reports that approximately one-third of the two million residents have not eaten in days. The Israeli government denies allegations of intentionally starving the population.

Reporter: Nora Rahm, NPR News

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Decline in Violent Crime Rates Across the U.S.

Timestamp: [03:12]

A mid-year analysis by the Council on Criminal Justice reveals a downward trend in homicide and other violent crimes across the United States. The study examined 13 different crimes in over three dozen U.S. cities, finding that most have decreased in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year. While drug-related offenses remained steady and domestic violence saw a slight uptick, overall violent crime rates are notably lower than pre-pandemic levels.

Researchers suggest that reinvestment in communities by local governments post-pandemic has been a key factor in reducing crime rates [04:03].

Reporter: Meg Anderson, NPR

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Tadek Pogachev Secures Fourth Tour de France Title

Timestamp: [04:47]

Slovenian cyclist Tadek Pogachev has triumphed in today's Tour de France, marking his fourth victory in the prestigious cycling event. Pogachev's consistent performance and strategic prowess have solidified his standing as one of the sport's elite athletes.

Reporter: Nora Rahm, NPR News

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Transcript

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[Nora Rahm]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Ram. President Trump says he's reached a new trade deal with the European Union. NPR's Franco Ordonez reports. The agreement comes just days before a deadline that would have kicked off new tariffs.

[Franco Ordonez]

President Trump met with European Union President Ursula von der Leyen at his golf club in Scotland. The two sides talked for just over an hour when Trump called the press back.

[Donald Trump]

So we have good news. We've reached a deal.

[Franco Ordonez]

Under the agreement, Trump says most European Union exports to the US will face a 15% tariff, down from the 30% tariff that Trump threatened would go into effect on Friday to the US Would pay no tariffs.

[Donald Trump]

It's the biggest of all the deals. It will be the biggest of all the deals.

[Franco Ordonez]

The deal will not cover steel and aluminum, nor pharmaceuticals. Trump said the EU has also agreed to buy $750 billion worth of US energy as part of the agreement and invest $600 billion into the United States. Franco Ordonez, NPR News, Turnberry, Scotland.

[Nora Rahm]

Texas state lawmakers met in Houston this weekend to take public testimony. It's part of a rare mid decade round of congressional redistricting. Houston Public Media's Andrew Schneider reports.

[Andrew Schneider]

The Justice Department has identified four districts in which black and Latino residents dominate as unconstitutional racial gerrymanders, which it is ordering Texas to redraw. Dallas Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett told state representatives that the 2021 maps are already heavily gerrymandered against the state's non white majority.

[Jasmine Crockett]

To comply with the Voting Rights act, we should have 60% of the seats that allow people of color to elect their representatives. That would be 24 seats. Instead, we currently only have 14.

[Andrew Schneider]

Crockett is one of three black Democrats in the Texas congressional delegation and the only one whose district is not targeted in the Justice Department letter. For NPR News, I'm Andrew Schneider in Houston.

[Nora Rahm]

Thailand and Cambodia exchanged artillery fire across their disputed border for a fourth straight day today. Michael Sullivan reports.

[Michael Sullivan]

Cambodia and Thailand both say the other opened fire first early Sunday morning. The Cambodians insisting Thai forces were massing for attacks across the border, while the Thai said they were simply responding to attacks from Cambodia. Cambodia's prime minister said he agreed with President Trump's proposal for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Thailand's acting Prime Minister Puntam Weichaya Cai said he was grateful for President Trump's efforts, but said he preferred bilateral talks between the two countries. In a statement, Puntam's office now says he will travel to Malaysia Monday for negotiations with his Cambodian counterpart to work towards a ceasefire. For NPR News, I'm Michael Sullivan in Chiang Rai, Thailand.

[Nora Rahm]

This is NPR News. The Israeli military says it's halted military operations in parts of Gaza, a pause. It will carry out each day for 10 hours to allow UN convoys to deliver food and medicine. It will also establish new aid corridors to facilitate deliveries. Israel has been under growing international criticism for the crisis in Gaza. The World Food Program says about a third of the 2 million people there haven't eaten in days. Israel denies it's deliberately starving them. Homicide and other violent crime rates are falling in the U.S. according to a mid year analysis of crime data released by the Council on Criminal Justice, a Nonpartisan think tank. NPR's Meg Anderson reports. The analysis mirrors the findings of other researchers.

[Meg Anderson]

The Council on Criminal justice looked at the rates of 13 crimes in more than three dozen US cities. Those included violent crimes like homicide and sexual assault and property crimes like shoplifting and motor vehicle theft. Researchers found that the levels of nearly all crimes they examined were lower in the first half of this year than the first half of last year. Drug offenses remained the same, and domestic violence rates rose slightly. Violent crime in particular, is especially down. Those types of crimes are lower now than they were before the pandemic. Some crime analysts say a reinvestment in communities after the pandemic from local governments is a key reason why crime is falling. Meg Anderson, NPR News.

[Nora Rahm]

In cycling, Tadek Pogachev, Slovenia, won the Tour de France today. It's his fourth title. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News.

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