NPR News: 08-04-2026 5AM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dave Mattingly.
Which states are holding primaries today and what races are on the ballot?
There are election primaries today in five states, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, and Washington. Each state has races for congressional seats. In Michigan, voters will be choosing Republican and Democratic nominees to replace outgoing Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Rick Pluta with Michigan Public Radio reports.
Whitmer is a two-term Democrat who cannot run again under Michigan's term limits. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson faces only a token challenge on what appears to be a glide path for the Democratic nomination. In the Republican primary, Congressman John James has President Donald Trump's support, but multimillionaire businessman Perry Johnson is spending big money in an almost entirely self-funded campaign anchored in a promise to eliminate the state income tax. More than 1.2 million Michigan voters have already cast ballots in early voting. For NPR News, I'm Rick Pluta in Ann Arbor.
Voters in Kansas will be choosing gubernatorial candidates to replace outgoing Governor Laura Kelly. President Trump says the latest talks with Iran are that country's last chance to reach a deal to end the war and avoid an escalation of U.S. strikes in the Middle East. Iran insists it's only holding discussions with Oman. More than two dozen states are suing the Trump administration over new tariffs imposed on some of the U.S. 's largest trading partners.
Who are the leading Michigan candidates to replace Governor Whitmer and what are their campaigns promising?
NPR's Daniel Kurtzleben says the levies were imposed on countries accused of exporting goods made with forced labor.
Twenty-five states in all are suing the administration, saying in their suit that, quote, "...the administration cannot use forced labor as a pretext to continue its illegal tariff scheme. The administration imposed the tariffs under a law meant to fight discriminatory practices by trading partners. They set the new tariffs to take effect last month at the moment that another global blanket tariff expired." The lawsuit uses that continuity, as well as the president's own words, to argue that the new tariffs are not a good-faith effort to fight forced labor. The states furthermore called the investigation that preceded the new tariffs a sham. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News, the White House.
As crews continue battling wildfires across much of the western U.S., authorities in Spokane, Washington, say they've arrested a man suspected of starting a wildfire there. County Sheriff John Knowles says a witness helped lead to the man's arrest.
He noticed the male was bending down near some grass. At that point, the male stood up and looked very nervous, according to our citizen witness.
37-year-old Aaron Farinacci is being held on a million dollars bond he suspected of starting the Old Trails fire. Three days ago, fires near Spokane destroyed hundreds of buildings, mostly houses, and resulted in tens of thousands of evacuations. This is NPR News from Washington. Major League Soccer is getting a new commissioner. Don Garber plans to step aside after more than a quarter century at the helm. NPR's Becky Sullivan says a co-owner of the league's Los Angeles Football Club will succeed Garber.
Larry Berg will be just the third commissioner in MLS history. He made his money in private equity, and as co-owner of LAFC, he has been a major voice in changes adopted by the league in recent years. It's a critical time for MLS, which hopes for a boost in attendance and ratings after this summer's World Cup. Next year, the league will switch its season calendar to align with Europe's professional leagues, and ahead lay challenges like a new union contract that could alter roster rules and spending limits, and a new media rights deal when the current Apple TV agreement expires in 2029. The outgoing commissioner, Don Garber, has overseen MLS for 27 years, guiding the league as it grew from 10 teams to 30.
Garber's contract runs through next summer, though he could step away sooner. Becky Sullivan in Pierre News.
Berg was selected to be the next MLS commissioner the same day the U.S.
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