NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-22-2025 7AM EDT

Episode Date: August 22, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Corva Coleman. The World Authority on Food Insecurity has declared famine now exists in northern Gaza. The group of experts says over half a million people there could die of starvation. Israel rejects the findings and says the panel overlooked Israeli data on aid deliveries. California Democratic lawmakers have passed a controversial redistricting proposal. It seeks to redraw congressional districts held by Republicans and flip them to Democratic control. This comes as Texas lawmakers consider a similar effort to boost Republicans. CAP Radio's Laura Fitzgerald reports.

The California proposal could yield five new congressional seats for Democrats next year. Governor Gavin Newsom says the plan will nullify the Texas redistricting proposal. Because when all things are equal, we're all playing by the same set rules, there's no question that the Republican Party will be the minority party in the House of Representatives next year. Republicans oppose the legislation, are used? viewing it sidelines California's independent redistricting commission. The measure now heads to voters who will weigh in during a special election on November 4th. For NPR News, I'm Laura Fitzgerald in Sacramento.

President Trump visited with National Guard and Federal Law Enforcement forces in Washington, D.C. yesterday. NPR's Franco Ortonia's reports Trump is boasting he's reduced crime in the city. Carrying a handheld microphone, President Trump strolled into a group of law enforcement officers, wearing vests that identified them as FBI and Secret Service, D.C. Metropolitan Police, and National Guard troops in fatigues. The President thanked them for their efforts to address what he has described as rampant crime and homelessness. We've had some incredible results. The results have come out, and it's like a different place.

It's like a different city. It's the capital. It's going to be the best in the world. He also promised to improve areas maintained by the national. Park Service, including planning new grass. Trump had earlier suggested he would be going out on patrol with the officers. Instead, he brought them hamburgers and pizza. Franco, Ordonez, NPR News, the White House. The Trump administration has rescinded longstanding guidance for schools on the rights of students who are learning English. NPR's Janet Ujung Lee reports. Crafters of the Obama-era guidance argued that its purpose was to comply with the Civil Rights Act, that all students

shouldn't be discriminated by their national origin and can, quote, have equal access to high-quality education. An ed department spokesperson wrote in a statement to NPR that the now rescinded guidance was overly prescriptive and micromanaging of how states implement English learning programs and that each state should be able to independently decide how to best educate non-English-speaking students. Roughly five million public school students in the United States don't yet speak English. Janet Ujongli, NPR News. And you're listening to NPR News. The migrant who was wrongfully deported from Maryland to El Salvador could be released from detention today.

Kilma Abrego-Garcia has been held in Tennessee. Federal officials accuse him of human smuggling, a charge he denies. But if Abrago-Garcia is released and returned to Maryland, he faces another challenge. Trump administration officials say they may detain him again and attempt to deport him. Many Americans think that using health insurance means they'll get the best deal on health care. But in fact, sometimes it's much cheaper to pay for health care and cash. Alex Olgin explains. The differences can be stark.

One woman's insurance was billed more than 10 times the cash rate for a genetic test during pregnancy. G. Buy, with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, found among hospitals that publish prices, half of them set cash rates lower than their middle of the road insurance. sure price for lab tests, x-rays, and some surgeries. So this is totally surprising and ruined my faith in the pricing advantage of insurance companies. Buy says health care providers like cash because they can collect fast and avoid administrative headaches. But for consumers shelling out hundreds or thousands every month for insurance coverage, it's a frustrating dynamic.

For NPR News, I'm Alex Olgan. Hurricane Aaron continues to pull away from North America. America, it never hit land, but the storm is so gigantic it's still causing dangerous rip currents. Forecasters have posted rip current warnings from Florida up to the Canadian border. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News.