NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-13-2025 9AM EDT

Episode Date: August 13, 2025

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As AI permeates every aspect of our lives, who are the people behind this huge inflection point? What keeps them up at night? I fear that what it means to be human may suddenly not be our own. We've got a special series from NPR's TED Radio Hour. It's called The Prophets of Technology. What they got right, wrong, and where these pioneers think we're headed next. Listen to the TED Radio Hour, wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kristen Wright.

National Guard troops have arrived in Washington, D.C. Guard members and armored vehicles appeared near the Washington Monument and other locations as part of what President Trump says is his plan to address crime. Many residents, though, feel federal control over D.C.'s Police Department is unnecessary, given declining violent crime rates in Washington. Mayor Muriel Bowser met with people who live in D.C., including community leaders for a roundtable talk. This is a time where community, needs to jump in, and we all need to do what we can in our space in our lane to protect our city and to protect our autonomy, to protect our home rule, and get to the other side of this guy

and make sure we elect a Democratic House so that we have a backstop to this authoritarian push. Bowser called on residents and the police to act lawfully. A court hearing in Miami is scheduled to resume today in a lawsuit that seeks to temporarily shut down an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades. As NPR's Greg Allen reports, the Trump administration and state officials have been unable to clarify details about the facility, and that's left a federal judge frustrated. Several times during the three days of hearings, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams has asked, who's running the show at the detention center dubbed Allegiance. Gator Alcatraz. It's a question that lawyers for Florida and the Trump administration have avoided answering directly. Environmental groups cite comments by Trump administration officials that it's an immigration and customs enforcement facility. Lawyers for Florida say it's a state

detention center operating under ICE authority, but couldn't tell the judge who actually is in charge at the site. The plaintiffs say it's rust construction without public input or an environmental impact assessment violate federal law, and they're asking the judge to shut it down. Greg Allen, NPR News, Miami. Head of the CDC addressed staff members to calm fears after last Friday's attack targeting the agency's main campus in Atlanta. A man opened fire before being confronted by police and eventually taking his own life. They say he fired nearly 500 rounds. A responding officer was killed. NPR's Ping Huang reports. Susan Menares had been the CDC director for less than two

weeks when a gunman attacked its main campus in Atlanta. In an all-staff meeting, Monars contrasted the beginning of last week. She described it as being filled with hope, optimism, gratitude with how it ended, with the agency reeling from an attack on its community, campus, and mission. That's based on a transcript and recording of the meeting obtained by NPR. Manas acknowledged that staff would feel unsettled for some time to come. Even before the shooting, CDC employees had lost thousands of colleagues who were let go or left and face deep cuts to their programs and budgets by the Trump administration. Ping Huang, NPR News. This is NPR News. The Trump administration wants to privatize or eliminate the Energy Star program for efficient

appliances. NPR's Jeff Brady reports Congress may decide the fate of the program soon. Most Americans recognize the blue Energy Star logo, which is awarded to the most efficient appliances. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates Energy Star has saved Americans over a half trillion dollars in energy cost since 1992. But EPA Administrator Lee Zeldon questioned his own agency's estimates in a May congressional hearing and hinted Energy Star could be privatized. This program is an example of one that can be run outside of the government. And I've actually had multiple entities reach out to EPA over the course of last few weeks

because they want to take over Energy Star. Supporters say Energy Star is popular and they've launched letter writing campaigns, urging Congress to keep the program in the government. Jeff Brady, NPR News. People in parts of Juneau, Alaska, are evacuating ahead of what could be record flooding. A glacial outburst is sending water flowing into the Mendenhall River. Ice melting as a result of the warming climate

triggers the rising water and it's caused serious flooding in years past. There is a flood warning for Mendenhall Lake and River. Tropical storm, Erin, is on track to become the first Atlantic hurricane of the season. The storm is about 1,400 miles east of the northern leeward islands. Aaron will likely become a hurricane late Thursday. I'm Kristen Wright, and this is NPR News in Washington. These days, there's so much news. It can be hard to keep up with what it all means for you, your family, and your community. The Consider this podcast from NPR features our award-winning journalism. Six days a week, we bring you a deep dive on a news story and provide the context and

analysis that helps you make sense of the news. We get behind the headlines. We get to the truth. Listen to the Consider This podcast from NPR.