NPR News Now - NPR News: 06-15-2025 4PM EDT

Episode Date: June 15, 2025

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The best kind of celebrity interview is one where you find out that the person who made a thing you love also thinks in a way that you love. Nothing is more foreign than when Ariel says in The Little Mermaid, I want to be where the people are. I don't want to be where the people are. I just don't. I'm Rachel Martin. Listen to the Wild Card Podcast only from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Sch. Listen to the Wild Card Podcast, only from NPR.

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. The Department of Homeland Security is expected to pause its efforts to deport immigrants in the country without legal status who are working in hotels, restaurants, and on farms. NPR's Mara Liason has the latest. President Trump's decision to change course on immigration raids came after he posted that he'd been hearing from farmers and hotel owners that quote, our aggressive policies on immigration are taking good long time workers away that are impossible to replace. About 40% of agriculture workers lack legal status to work in the US.

Trump had originally said he would focus on deporting people in the country illegally who have committed crimes. And polls showed that effort was very popular. But expanding the raids to sweep up construction workers, farm workers, and garment workers is very unpopular. Mara Eliason, NPR News. At least four people have died and several more are missing in West Virginia's northern panhandle after weekend flash flooding. Chris Schultz with member station West Virginia Public Broadcasting reports. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrissey declared a state of emergency for Ohio County Sunday morning after the region received three inches of rain or more in just 30 minutes.

Rushing floodwaters picked up vehicles and washed out roads, bridges, and highways, necessitating swift water rescues. waters picked up vehicles bridges and highways, nec rescues. Lou Vargo, Emerg for Wheeling and Ohio Ca of the flood and the impa has severely limited emer was people in trees. We h that the road on both sid

out. More heavy rains are through Sunday evening, renewing concerns for further flooding. For NPR News, I'm Chris Schultz in Morgantown, West Virginia. A top-level UN conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians has been postponed amid surging tensions in the Middle East. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley has details. The conference was to be held during the UN's General Assembly next week in New York,

with countries like Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Croatia and Greece set to recognize a Palestinian state right away. Larger powers such as France, the UK, Canada and Japan were set to follow suit when the war in Gaza ends. The continuation of the devastating war in Gaza has pushed many more countries toward recognizing a Palestinian state in order to give momentum to the two-state solution. But the effort is being put on hold as Israel and Iran trade rocket fire. Macron said French military forces in the Middle East are ready to protect partners including Israel but would not take part in attacks on Iran. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron visited Greenland today with a quote, message of solidarity

and friendship from France and the European Union. Macron has criticized President Trump's goal of taking over the Danish territory. This is NPR News in Washington. It's hotter and drier this year across much of the western United States. Federal resources are spread thin after workers were fired and resigned amid the Doge purges. From Northwest Public Broadcasting, Lauren Patterson explains. The Deferred Resignation Program allowed federal workers to resign from their jobs while still getting full pay and benefits through September, which has left vacancies in the U.S. Forest Service

offices in northern Idaho. That's according to Jim Weimer, the fire prevention officer for the Nez Perce Clearwater National Forests. Jim Weimer, Fire Prevention Officer, Nez Perce Clearwater National Forests It's an overall capacity issue that we're dealing with nationally. We don't have enough firefighters when all the fires start. More homes have been built near national forests over the past five years, says Weimer. That means agencies have to prioritize protecting homes when the fires hit.

For NPR News, I'm Lauren Patterson in Kamii, Idaho. Gulf's U.S. Open is nearing a conclusion with potential victors sliding off the leaderboard. Rory McIlroy shot a 3 under 67 to finish the U.S. Open at 7 over. Next month's British Open at Royal Port Rush is in his home country of Northern Ireland. Today, the Vatican moved a Congolese candidate for sainthood a step closer to the end of the process with his beatification. 26-year-old Florrie Bair, Duana Chewie Bin Kositi, was a customs worker who in 2007 was killed for resisting a bribe. He'd refused to allow rancid rice from Rwanda to be transported across the border. The Catholic Church today said that to protect the Congolese,

he refused in the name of the gospel and was murdered. I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington. President Donald Trump is testing the power of the presidency in ways that are stressing murdered. I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.