NPR News: 07-16-2026 12PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh.
What will President Trump address in his primetime speech tonight?
President Trump is expected to address the nation tonight. About what, that is still not certain, but he suggested that elections and voting would be in the primetime speech, something that's historically been reserved for significant moments for the country. Asked about the possibility Trump will use the primetime address to once again assert the 2020 election he lost to President Joe Biden was rigged. Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota says he's not looking back.
How are Republican leaders framing the 2026 election and Georgia's role?
That election was a disaster. closed issue back in 2020. The election in 2026 gives us an opportunity to take a run at and to win one of those seats in Georgia. And we're going to do everything we can to do that. And so, as I said before, I'm focused on 2026.
Georgia was a pivotal state in Trump's loss in 2020 and remained a point of contention for the Republican leader after he was voted back into office. The ACLU has released a new study that documents widespread use of force among federal immigration officers.
What does the ACLU report reveal about ICE use of force in 2025?
NPR's Meg Anderson reports recent fatal shootings in Texas and Maine have brought renewed scrutiny.
The ACLU analyzed 1,200 incidents involving ICE officers or law enforcement working with ICE across eight states in 2025. Nearly a third of the immigration enforcement operations they studied involved the use of force, including hundreds in which officers used rubber bullets, tasers, and chemical irritants. Noreen Shah is one of the authors of the ACLU report.
I think with use of force, you're seeing the threat of using force and actually using it become... the default tool for immigration enforcement agents.
In a statement, ICE told NPR it will not discuss law enforcement tactics, but that the agency is always evaluating its procedures to keep its officers safe. Meg Anderson, NPR News.
Detroit, Minneapolis, Boston, New York and Washington, D.C. are among major cities in the U.S.
Which U.S. cities are affected by Canadian wildfire smoke and what health risks does it pose?
under air quality alerts because of heavy smoke from wildfires in Canada. And Pierre-Isabel Berger says doctors are warning people to take the alerts seriously.
A combination. of extreme heat and dry conditions in Ontario and northern Minnesota led to raging wildfires. Then this week, weather patterns forced the smoke into the Great Lakes region and down the east coast of the U.S. Health experts warn, wildfire smoke is dangerous. It's made up of tiny particles that can be inhaled deep into a person's lungs and even enter the bloodstream. Here's how Dr. David Eisenman, a professor of medicine at UCLA, puts it.
There are studies that show effects on the heart with increased heart attacks and heart failure. There's strokes associated with it, respiratory illnesses.
Eisenman says depending on air quality reports, reduce outdoor activity, use air filters, and wear an N95 mask. Ava Berger, NPR News. This is NPR.
Large parts of Texas are enduring severe floods from days of heavy rainfall.
What flood and tornado impacts are hitting large parts of Texas right now?
They prompted high water rescues and evacuations. Officials have closed stretches of major roads, including Highway 90 west of San Antonio to the Texas-Mexico border in Del Rio. Forecasters say the storm systems also generated multiple tornadoes. One was reported yesterday in the San Antonio area that caused some widespread damage. They're projected some areas could see an additional 10 to 15 inches of rain. A group of former Meta employees is suing the parent company of Facebook. The suit argues that it used artificial intelligence to make layoffs in ways that violated the law.
Why are former Meta employees suing over alleged AI-driven layoffs?
NPR's John Rewich reports Meta says the claims lack merit.
The plaintiffs are a group of 26 unnamed former employees at Meta. Their lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, says Meta used a quote, "...constellation of internal artificial intelligence systems to assess employees on a set of metrics that were then used to inform layoffs in May." The company cut about a tenth of its workforce. The plaintiffs say the company did not take into account protected leave and approved absences like medical, pregnancy, or paternal leave.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:05
2
What will President Trump address in his primetime speech tonight?
0:05–0:34
3
How are Republican leaders framing the 2026 election and Georgia's role?
0:34–1:07
4
What does the ACLU report reveal about ICE use of force in 2025?
1:07–2:04
5
Which U.S. cities are affected by Canadian wildfire smoke and what health risks does it pose?
2:04–3:08
6
What flood and tornado impacts are hitting large parts of Texas right now?
3:08–3:49
7
Why are former Meta employees suing over alleged AI-driven layoffs?
3:49–5:03