NPR News: 07-30-2025 9AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: July 30, 2025 – Morning Update

Release Date: July 30, 2025

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U.S. Economy Shows Strong Growth in Q2

Host: Dale Willman

In a significant turnaround, the U.S. economy expanded at an annual rate of 3% in the second quarter of 2025, a sharp rebound from the 0.5% contraction experienced in the first quarter. This positive economic news prompted President Trump to take to social media, advocating for lower interest rates in response to the burgeoning growth. The Federal Reserve Board is set to deliberate on this matter, with a rate decision expected later in the afternoon.

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Massive Earthquake Strikes Near Russia’s Far East

Host: Dale Willman

Overnight, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 struck off Russia's far eastern coast, generating tsunami waves poised to impact Japan, Hawaii, and the western United States. Hawaii Emergency Agency Director, Steve Logan, provided updates on the situation:

Steve Logan [01:04]: "A tsunami advisory means that the potential for strong currents or dangerous waves are expected or occurring for those in or near the water. There may be flooding of beach or harbor areas."

While the initial warning has been downgraded to an advisory in Hawaii, Logan emphasized the need for continued vigilance among residents. As of now, there have been no reports of major damage in the affected regions.

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Senate Confirms Susan Menarez as CDC Director

Host: Dale Willman & Reporter: Ping Huang

The Senate has officially confirmed Susan Menarez as the new Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), filling the position vacated earlier this year. Although Menarez was relatively unknown in the public health sphere, her background as a research scientist and her tenure at ARPA-H, a federal agency dedicated to advancing health and biomedical research, positioned her as a strong candidate.

During her Senate confirmation hearing, Menarez reiterated the Trump administration's objectives for the CDC:

Susan Menarez [01:51]: "CDC is moving towards getting back to its core mission of preventing, detecting and responding to infectious disease is an emerging threat."

However, Menarez inherits an agency grappling with internal challenges. Reports indicate that thousands of CDC employees have departed in recent months, numerous programs face budget cuts, and the President has proposed significant reductions to the CDC's fiscal year 2026 budget.

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Research Debunks Claims of Significant Non-Citizen Voting

Host: Dale Willman & Reporter: Miles Parks

Contrary to assertions made by President Trump, new research indicates that non-citizens are voting in American elections at minimal levels. Miles Parks reports on findings that challenge the narrative of widespread non-citizen voting:

David Becker [02:41]: "Even states that are looking everywhere to try to amplify the numbers of non citizens that are possibly on the list, when they actually look, they find a surprisingly shockingly small number."

For example, Texas is investigating 33 cases of potential non-citizen voting out of 11.3 million ballots cast, while Michigan has identified 16 non-citizen voters out of 5.7 million votes. These findings suggest that the fears of significant voter fraud among non-citizens are largely unfounded.

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Texas Lawmakers Conclude Redistricting Hearings Amid GOP Ambitions

Host: Dale Willman & Reporter: Andrew Schneider

State legislators in Texas are nearing the end of hearings on congressional redistricting. Andrew Schneider of Houston Public Media reports that President Trump has urged Republican lawmakers to redraw district maps to secure an additional five seats in the House during the upcoming midterm elections.

John Rosenthal [03:49]: "It's hard for me to believe that they don't launch an effort aimed at, quote, unquote, gaining five seats if they haven't already looked at ways to do that."

State Representative John Rosenthal, a Democrat and vice chair of the Texas House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting, anticipates that Republican legislators will unveil their proposed maps by the week's end. The new boundaries will play a crucial role in determining the political landscape leading up to the 2026 midterms.

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Australia Enforces Stricter Age Verification for YouTube and Other Platforms

Host: Dale Willman

The Australian government announced that by December, YouTube will be required to verify that account holders are at least 16 years old. Previously exempt from this mandate, YouTube, along with platforms like Facebook and TikTok, will face fines if they fail to comply with the new age verification regulations. This move aims to enhance online safety and ensure that younger users are adequately protected from inappropriate content.

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Ceasefire Between Thailand and Cambodia Holds Amid Ongoing Tensions

Host: Dale Willman

A fragile ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia appears to be holding as of this morning, despite minor skirmishes reported overnight. The two nations have been embroiled in conflict over disputed territories along their shared border. Under the current ceasefire agreement, both sides have committed to halting troop movements. However, the Thai government acknowledged that there was additional fighting during the night, indicating that tensions remain high despite the overarching truce.

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This summary captures the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the NPR News Now episode released on July 30, 2025. For comprehensive coverage, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full episode.

Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. The Commerce department says the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 3% in the second quarter of this year. That's a significant Turnaround from the 0.5% contraction posted in the first quarter. After the news was released, President Trump posted on social media that it's now time to also lower interest rates. The Federal Reserve Board is meeting today and will announce its latest decision on rates sometime this afternoon. One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded hit off Russia's far eastern coast overnight. The magnitude 8.8 quake sent tsunami waves heading toward Japan, Hawaii and the west coast of the U.S. hawaii Emergency Agency Director Steve Logan says the warning for his state has now been reduced to an advisory, but he says residents should remain vigilant.

[Steve Logan]

A tsunami advisory means that the potential for strong currents or dangerous waves are expected or occurring for those in or near the water. There may be flooding of beach or harbor areas.

[Dale Willman]

So far, no major damage has been reported across the region. The Senate has confirmed President Trump's nominee to serve as director of the Centers for Disease control and prevention. NPR's Ping Wong has more.

[Ping Huang]

Susan Menarez was not well known in public health before she briefly served as the CDC's acting director from January through March. This year. She stepped down when she was picked for the director role as required. Menarez is a research scientist by training and came from ARPA H, a federal agency that funds cutting edge health and biomedical research. In her Senate confirmation hearing last month, Menarez affirmed the Trump administration's vision for cdc.

[Susan Menarez]

CDC is moving towards getting back to its core mission of preventing, detecting and responding to infectious disease is an emerging threat.

[Ping Huang]

She's taking over an agency in chaos. According to employees, thousands of workers have left in recent months. Support for many programs has been cut, and the president has proposed slashing the CDC's budget for fiscal year 2026. Ping Huang, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

New research shows few non citizens in the U.S. have been voting in American elections. NPR's Miles Parks says these latest findings contradict assertions made by President Trump.

[Miles Parks]

States are devoting more resources than ever to root out non citizen vot after President Trump claimed they would influence last year's election. David Becker is head of the center for Election Innovation and Research, whose report shows even the most conservative states have not found evidence of a widespread problem.

[David Becker]

Even states that are looking everywhere to try to amplify the numbers of non citizens that are possibly on the list, when they actually look, they find a surprisingly shockingly small number.

[Miles Parks]

Texas, for instance, says it's investigating 33 cases of potential noncitizen voting in 2024 out of 11.3 million ballots cast. Michigan found 16 non citizen voters out of that state's 5.7 million votes cast. Myles Parks, NPR News, Washington.

[Dale Willman]

And this is NPR News. State lawmakers in Texas are wrapping up hearings on congressional redistricting as Andrew Schneider with Houston Public Media reports President Trump wants Republican legislators to Dr. New maps to help the GOP retain control of the House in the congressional midterm elections.

[Andrew Schneider]

The new maps will set the lines for congressional districts in Texas prior to the 2026 midterm elections. State Representative John Rosenthal, a Democrat and vice chair of the Texas House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting, expects Republicans will present their maps by the end of this week.

[John Rosenthal]

It's hard for me to believe that they don't launch an effort aimed at, quote, unquote, gaining five seats if they haven't already looked at ways to do that.

[Andrew Schneider]

President Trump has said he wants Texas to redistrict so the GOP can pick up five congressional seats next year. For NPR News, I'm Andrew Schneider in Houston.

[Dale Willman]

The Australian government says YouTube will soon be required to make sure account holders are at least 16 years old. The new rule will take effect in December. Until now, the video sharing service had been given an exemption to the age verification rule. Platforms including Facebook and TikTok also need to comply with the rule or else face fines. A ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia appears to be holding this morning, despite small skirmishes overnight. The two countries have been fighting over disputed territory along their border. Under the ceasefire, both sides have agreed to stop troop movements, but the Thai government said there was more fighting overnight. I'm Dale Willman, and you're listening to NPR News.

[Progressive Insurance]

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