NPR News: 07-31-2026 3PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.
What happened as thousands of migrants swam into Spanish Ceuta and what are the casualty reports?
Cheers ring out as more migrants arrive on the shores of the Spanish territory of Ceuta, recorded today by Reuters News Service. Local authorities estimate more than 60,000 people swam from nearby Morocco in the last 24 hours alone, and that at least 57 people died, some by drowning, others in a stampede, to cross a breakwater barrier near a border checkpoint. More from Terry Schultz.
Spanish authorities say they've turned back roughly half the people who arrived in the tiny Spanish town of Ceuta by land or sea from Morocco. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen says she's assigned officials to help Spain manage the situation, insisting the crossings must stop immediately and that smuggling networks must be dismantled. She underscores that people entering the block must be returned quickly. Several EU governments have called for the suspension of Spanish participation in the passport-free Schengen system so that the migrants cannot travel on into other countries. The Italian government says it's temporarily closed its air and sea borders with Spain, and France announced it will step up controls at the Spanish border.
For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz in Brussels.
Hamas denies it agreed to a deal with President Trump's Board of Peace to completely disarm.
How are Spain and the EU responding to the Ceuta crossings and Schengen concerns?
The Palestinian militant group in Gaza is pushing back after Trump announced there was a deal for Hamas disarmament and a simultaneous withdrawal of Israeli forces. NPR's Franco Ordonez has the latest.
The problem seems to be a disagreement over what comes first, whether it's Israel pulling out of Gaza or Hamas handing over their weapons. Now, the Board of Peace says, quote, withdrawal must move in lockstep with the decommissioning. But a senior Hamas official told NPR that they would only give up their weapons if Israel withdraws from Gaza first.
NPR's Frank Ordonez reporting. Michigan's primary is Tuesday. Congresswoman Haley Stevens and former public health official Abdul El-Sayed are in a fierce battle for the Democratic Senate nomination, mirroring national divisions in the party. And PR Sam Greenglass has more.
Air Force veteran Joel Rutherford worries the primary is tearing Democrats apart.
You have candidates that are very different.
What is the disagreement between Hamas and negotiators over disarmament and withdrawal?
And I think what happens is this passion has just become so big.
Rutherford is supporting Al-Sayed and thinks about his choice this way. We're not going to get everything we want, but we have to at least try. The pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC is also spending millions to boost Stevens and oppose Al-Sayed. who supports ending military aid to Israel and has made calling out corporate money in politics a key message. Alan Wolf says he believes Stevens is the one who can beat Republican Mike Rogers this fall.
You cannot win in Michigan without being able to sway independence. Haley is a fairly middle-of-the-road candidate who can actually do that.
Which candidates are competing in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary and why is it contentious?
Sam Greenglass, NPR News, Metro Detroit.
This is NPR. A federal plan for addressing a water crisis affecting seven western states is now public. It seeks to curb usage, and the Bureau of Recreation says the plan would be updated every two years. The Colorado River provides water to tens of millions of people across the region, but it is facing dire drought conditions. Three lower basin states affected, Arizona, California, and Nevada, could face dramatic cuts in their water use over the next two years. Cubans fleeing the island's economic crisis are seeking new destinations after the Trump administration cut off permissions to enter the United States. Catherine Osborne reports many are looking south to Brazil.
More than 41,000 Cubans sought asylum in Brazil last year. That's a record, and this year is on track for similar numbers. 57-year-old Jose Ramirez fled Cuba for Brazil in February, crossing the Amazon. He said many Latin American countries are tightening borders like the U.S.
What does the new federal plan propose to address the Colorado River water crisis?
But Brazil gives asylum seekers work permission and access to social services. Anti-migrant sentiment doesn't dominate local politics, says aid worker Larissa Jechirana.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:08
2
What happened as thousands of migrants swam into Spanish Ceuta and what are the casualty reports?
0:08–1:18
3
How are Spain and the EU responding to the Ceuta crossings and Schengen concerns?
1:18–2:13
4
What is the disagreement between Hamas and negotiators over disarmament and withdrawal?
2:13–2:54
5
Which candidates are competing in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary and why is it contentious?
2:54–4:05
6
What does the new federal plan propose to address the Colorado River water crisis?
4:05–4:28
7
Why are Cubans seeking asylum in Brazil and how is Brazil responding to the influx?
4:28–5:03