NPR News: 08-02-2026 6PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Hurst.
What key races are shaping Democrats' chances in Midwestern swing states?
Over the next two weeks, two Democratic primaries in Midwestern swing states could determine Democrats' chances in November. NPR's Mara Liason has more.
On Tuesday, Michigan voters will decide between a left-wing candidate, Abdul Al-Sayed, and a more moderate candidate, Haley Stevens. They agree on most economic issues, policies to make housing, health care, and education more affordable, but they disagree on abolishing ICE and support for Israel. A new poll shows Al-Sayed way ahead of Stevens in the primary, but losing by similar margins to the Republican candidate in the general election. In Wisconsin, left-wing candidate Francesca Hong is polling ahead in the Democratic primary for governor. If she's nominated, she could face Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany, an election denier who voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Both races could help answer the question, can left-wing Democrats win general elections in swing states?
Mara Liason, NPR News.
Years after COVID appeared, there's still no definitive answer on how it started. Early in the pandemic, U.S. officials speculated it started in a Chinese market where live animals were sold. Another theory is that it started in a lab in China. Dr. Ashish Jha served as COVID response coordinator for President Biden.
How do Abdul Al‑Sayed and Haley Stevens differ on immigration and Israel policy?
He says he's now leaning toward the lab theory, but... Here's the bottom line.
No one in the United States knows for sure. The only people who know for sure are people
Speaking there on CNN's State of the Union, Dr. Anthony Fauci was called before a Senate committee last week over his handling of the virus, but refused to answer, citing his Fifth Amendment rights. A Spanish government representative visiting the enclave of Ceuta says the death toll from last week's surge of migrants arriving from Morocco has risen to at least 72. Spain says most of those who made it to the territory have now returned home to Morocco. But Terry Schultz reports the diplomatic uproar the incident caused in the EU continues.
The dramatically different responses to the Ceuta crisis from the European Union's top leaders illustrate how deeply divided the 27 governments are on migration and how worried they are about threats to the passport-free travel rights granted inside the bloc's borders. European Council President Antonio Costa, who's from Portugal, expressed his personal solidarity with Spain. But Costa was not able to speak on behalf of the EU because there's no unified stance. The majority of governments sound more like EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who focuses on reinforcing control of EU borders. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has expressed outrage at what he calls polarizing positions.
EU ambassadors meet Monday and Interior Ministers Tuesday to debate a collective response. For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz in Brussels.
You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Americans' ideas about how to dispose of their bodies when they die are changing. Many people are considering greener methods like human composting.
What do polls say about left‑wing Democrats' prospects in general elections?
Scott Macione from Member Station WIPR reports, Maryland is the home of the largest human composting facility in the country.
Human composting is when a body is put into a container with mulch and fungi to naturally decompose and come out as soil. That soil can go to loved ones or be donated to environmental projects. Earth Funeral in Elkridge, Maryland, runs the largest body composting facility in the country and has the capacity to process 126 bodies at once. Adrian Mathura bought a plan to be composted. It's like my final gift to the earth. When I die. 14 states have legalized composting as a way to dispose of bodies. For NPR News, I'm Scott Mascione in Baltimore.
At the weekend box office, Spider-Man, Brand New Day, made box office history in its debut weekend, becoming the second biggest North American opening ever, with an estimated $355 million in ticket sales. The film also made $572 million internationally, with China contributing about $121 million alone.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:05
2
What key races are shaping Democrats' chances in Midwestern swing states?
0:05–1:25
3
How do Abdul Al‑Sayed and Haley Stevens differ on immigration and Israel policy?
1:25–3:10
4
What do polls say about left‑wing Democrats' prospects in general elections?
3:10–5:04