NPR News: 07-18-2026 7AM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston.
How is Canadian wildfire smoke affecting U.S. air quality today?
Wildfire smoke from Canada is once again driving air quality to unhealthy levels across a wide stretch of the United States. Alerts are in effect from the Great Lakes through parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Frank Pereira with the National Weather Service says the smoke will remain widespread today.
Conditions are still looking pretty bad from the Great Lakes southeastward through the mid-Atlantic.
Which regions are under air quality alerts and what relief is expected?
And that would include good portions of New York, parts of New England, all the way down into the northern mid-Atlantic, including the Baltimore and Washington area. And that's going to remain the case here through the day.
Rain moving through parts of the region could help clear some of the smoke and improve air quality, but any relief is expected to be uneven, with unhealthy conditions lingering in many areas. The former spouse of the federal immigration officer who fatally shot a Colombian national during a vehicle stop in Maine on Monday says he has a history of violence and domestic abuse. NPR's Vanessa Romo spoke with the ex-wife of David Brouillette.
Ashley Brouillette says her husband David told her he was the officer who fatally shot Juan Sebastian Duran Guerrero.
What new details emerged about the Maine shooting and the officer's background?
She says he called her asking to vouch for his character.
I said, why did you do it? Did you do it? And he said... Yes, it was me. Yes, I was involved, but it was justified.
She told him she wouldn't lie for him, not after suffering abuse at his hands, she says.
He hit me, choked me, and there was an incident where we had been fighting and I walked away and I got in the shower and he comes in with a gun and points it at me and tells me that he's going to blow my brains all over the bathtub.
NPR reached out to David Brouillette, but he did not return those calls. DHS is not confirming or denying the identity of the shooter, but in a statement says the officer involved has, quote, nearly a decade of federal law enforcement experience.
Vanessa Romo, NPR News.
What were the reported impacts of Ukraine's drone strikes inside Russia?
At least seven people have died and dozens more were injured following another wave of drone attacks carried out by Ukraine against Russia. Ukraine has increased its strikes on the Russian interior in what it says is an attempt to force an end to the war. NPR's Charles Maines reports from Moscow.
The deaths and injuries occurred after Ukrainian drones struck two warehouses belonging to the online retailer Wildberries. That's Russia's equivalent of Amazon.com, as workers toiled on the night shift. In the Tambov region, about 300 miles southeast of the capital, The local governor said Russian air defenses had downed more than two dozen drones on approach to the warehouse, preventing further loss of life. Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Moscow, the drones left a second warehouse ablaze, sending huge plumes of black smoke skyward.
Who has President Trump endorsed in the South Carolina Senate race and why does it matter?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later issued a statement saying the warehouses contained parts for Russian attack drones, a claim that NPR could not independently verify. Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.
This is NPR News. President Trump is endorsing South Carolina Senator Darlene Graham for a full six-year term in the upper chamber. Graham, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, was recently appointed to fill the remainder of his term after his death. Trump's endorsement comes ahead of a Republican special primary on August 11th. The World Cup is debuting a new feature at its final game tomorrow.
What public health and cultural headlines are being reported (cyclospora outbreak, World Cup halftime show)?
There will be a halftime show featuring superstar artists from six continents, including BTS, Madonna, and Shakira. NPR's Anastasia Salukis reports.
The halftime show is meant to have very wide appeal. It will also feature Justin Bieber, Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel, and Coldplay. The show will also include a handful of social media viral stars, including the Ugandan dance group Ghetto Kids and a school group from Staten Island, the PS22 Chorus. FIFA seems to be taking a valuable page out of the NFL's playbook. Whether or not you care about the game, you may be tempted to check out the halftime show.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:05
2
How is Canadian wildfire smoke affecting U.S. air quality today?
0:05–0:28
3
Which regions are under air quality alerts and what relief is expected?
0:28–1:14
4
What new details emerged about the Maine shooting and the officer's background?
1:14–1:55
5
What were the reported impacts of Ukraine's drone strikes inside Russia?
1:55–2:44
6
Who has President Trump endorsed in the South Carolina Senate race and why does it matter?
2:44–3:25
7
What public health and cultural headlines are being reported (cyclospora outbreak, World Cup halftime show)?
3:25–5:03