NPR News: 07-17-2026 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 details link shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico to the cyclospora outbreak at Taco Bell?
Lettuce grown in Mexico is linked to a cyclospora outbreak in multiple states. NPR's Allison Aubrey reports the Food and Drug Administration is advising people not to consume shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in the affected states.
The multi-state outbreak includes cyclospora cases in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
How many people and which states are affected by the cyclospora illnesses?
Investigators at the CDC found 1,644 people infected with cyclospora reported eating Taco Bell in these five states. An analysis of 190 cyclospora cases in Michigan, where the person reported eating a Taco Bell, found 90 percent of those interviewed reported eating iceberg lettuce. In a statement from Taco Bell, The company says it's taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce in these states.
What actions have Taco Bell and the FDA taken after the lettuce traceback?
FDA's traceback investigation has identified a single supplier of iceberg lettuce from Mexico. The diarrheal illness, which also leads to fatigue and loss of appetite, was first identified in May and has hospitalized dozens. Alison Aubrey, NPR News.
Hundreds of wildfires are burning across parts of Canada as well as in the United States, and they're sending thick plumes of smoke across the Midwest and the Northeast, triggering alerts for dangerously poor air quality. Many people are opting to wear masks today, despite the oppressive heat. Meteorologist Jeff Masters with Yale Climate Connections tells MPR News what he's been seeing outside his home in Michigan.
How are wildfires and smoke affecting air quality across the Midwest and Northeast?
Second straight dystopian sunrise this morning, that kind of a hazy orange glow. I've been shut up inside my house here with five HEPA units running, and I don't go outside without a mask on.
Meanwhile, Texas is enduring the aftermath of severe flooding that killed at least two people and resulted in hundreds of water rescues. Chelsea Zhu of member station KUT has that story.
Some cities in Texas have seen more than 20 inches of rain since Monday. Slow-moving storms have repeatedly drenched large parts of the state, culminating in multiple flash flood emergencies. That's a rare designation from the National Weather Service for potentially historic, life-threatening floods. Nim Kidd with the Texas Division of Emergency Management said the impact of the storms is hard to predict.
The way that this weather pattern is setting up is difficult for the models that the meteorologists use to tell us exactly where it's going to fall and exactly how much is going to fall.
This week's flooding comes a little more than a year after the devastating July 4th weekend flood swept Texas, killing over 130 people.
What caused the historic flash flooding in Texas and how severe is the damage?
For NPR News, I'm Chelsea Zhu in Austin.
The U.S. has carried out more military strikes against Iran. They struck a tower at a key Iranian port as well as bridges this morning. President Trump had threatened to begin attacking Iranian infrastructure as both carry out retaliatory strikes. From Washington, this is NPR News. The United Kingdom's ruling party has named the former mayor of Manchester, England, Andy Burnham, as its leader. And that paves the way for him to succeed Keir Starmer as prime minister on Monday.
What major political and aviation developments were reported internationally and nationally?
NPR's Lauren Frayer has more from London.
My honour to declare that the duly elected leader of the Labour Party is Andy Burnham. Burnham succeeds caretaker Prime Minister Starmer, whom polls showed failed to convince voters that change was coming amid rising costs of living and slow growth. In his first speech as ruling party leader, Burnham said the UK has, quote, turned its back on working class communities that were once the centre-left Labour Party's base.
That's what we're going to do, everybody. We're going to give them hope back.
He promised to unite his party, reverse the privatization of various industries, and devolve power away from the capital to municipal and regional authorities. Burnham's expected to meet the king and get sworn in as prime minister on Monday. Lauren Freyer, NPR News, London.
The Federal Aviation Administration is allowing Boeing to resume the certification of its 737 MAX and 787 planes starting next week.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:05
2
What details link shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico to the cyclospora outbreak at Taco Bell?
0:05–0:28
3
How many people and which states are affected by the cyclospora illnesses?
0:28–0:54
4
What actions have Taco Bell and the FDA taken after the lettuce traceback?
0:54–1:35
5
How are wildfires and smoke affecting air quality across the Midwest and Northeast?
1:35–2:37
6
What caused the historic flash flooding in Texas and how severe is the damage?
2:37–3:14
7
What major political and aviation developments were reported internationally and nationally?
3:14–5:04