NPR News: 07-18-2026 9AM 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 widespread is the Canadian wildfire smoke affecting the eastern U.S.?
Tens of millions of people across the eastern United States are again dealing with smoke from Canadian wildfires. NPR's John Stonis reports forecasters say air quality could begin improving later today.
Smoke will be present for much of the Great Lakes, northeast and mid-Atlantic regions, but relief is on the way today. National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira says a string of heavy storms will help. We are expecting a break, some clear air spreading down. across the northeast behind that. Pereira says the storms are expected to sweep much of the smoke up into New England. Hundreds of wildfires continue to burn in Canada, and forecasters say more wildfire smoke could return next week. John Stolnes, NPR News.
President Trump's social media company is planning to sell faster access to the president's posts. NPR's Bobby Allen reports the service is being offered to banks and Wall Street trading firms.
The company that runs Trump's Truth Social platform is offering to give customers faster access to the president's often long and rambling social media posts. At times, Trump makes major announcements about policy or foreign affairs from his Truth Social account, whether about tariffs or the war in Iran. Those posts can move financial markets. And now for a fee reportedly up to $100,000, customers can access these updates faster than the general public. Critics of the licensing fee for presidential announcements say it's an abuse of government power that would allow Wall Street investors to profit from White House developments, potentially at the expense of American citizens. Government ethics disclosures show Trump earned more than $2 billion in his first year back in office.
Bobby Allen, NPR News.
Authorities in Colorado are continuing to investigate the shooting of a woman outside of an ICE detention center in Aurora. Kiera Damari from Colorado Public Radio reports the shooting did not involve ICE officers but comes amid heightened tensions over immigration enforcement in a number of states.
Police say the suspect, Brandon Booth, and other employees of the facility, run by the private prison contractor GeoGroup, had been blocked from entering.
When will storms and weather patterns improve air quality in the Northeast?
They say after a verbal confrontation with protesters, Booth fired a shot at two women as they walked away, hitting one in her lower body. Booth then drove off but was detained down the road by police. He was booked on suspicion of charges including attempted second-degree murder and unlawful carrying of a concealed weapon. Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper said in a statement that ICE and their contractors are, quote, completely out of control. A GeoGroup spokesperson said that Booth has been placed on unpaid administrative leave and the company is cooperating with law enforcement. For NPR News, I'm Kiara Damari in Denver.
This is NPR News in Washington. A nationwide outbreak of cyclospora is sending more shoppers to local farms for fresh produce. At Young Family Farm KC near Kansas City, farmer Alana Henry says the outbreak is underscoring the value of food grown closer to home. I anticipate in the coming days and weeks that we'll see an influx of new customers. More than 1,600 people have been sickened in the outbreak linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in five states. The affected restaurants are in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. The contaminated produce was sourced in central Mexico. A massive recall has been issued. One of Cuba's most prominent dissidents is expected to leave the island today in forced exile.
NPR's Ada Peralta reports the musician and performance artist served five years in prison.
Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara was sentenced to five years in prison for public disorder. Otero was arrested following nationwide government protests in 2021. He was part of a group who composed an anti-government song that went on to win two Latin Grammys. It's over. We're no longer scared. The government's lies are over, they sang.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:05
2
How widespread is the Canadian wildfire smoke affecting the eastern U.S.?
0:05–2:16
3
When will storms and weather patterns improve air quality in the Northeast?
2:16–4:32
4
What is Truth Social selling to banks and Wall Street and why does it matter?
4:32–5:04