NPR News: 08-04-2026 7PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton.
Which states hold primary elections today and why could they decide control of Congress?
Five states have primary elections today. Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, and Washington could help decide control of Congress. In many of the Democratic primaries, establishment-backed candidates are being challenged from the left. NPR's Sage Miller has more on how that's playing out in the Michigan Senate race.
That heated up match in Michigan puts Congresswoman Haley Stevens against Abdul El-Sayed. Stevens is taking the more establishment, moderate approach. She flipped her suburban House district in 2018. That was the last wave year for Democrats. And El-Sayed's performance is rooted in progressive populism. And I'm talking Medicare for all, getting corporations out of politics and taxing the rich. The Senate race is also important for Democrats if they want to take control of the chamber in November.
NPR's Sage Miller reporting. Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has issued a moratorium on new data centers until the state can complete an audit of the facilities. From Member Station Houston Public Media, Natalie Weber reports.
How is the Michigan Senate primary shaping up between Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed?
The governor says Texas energy agencies must collect information about data centers' water and energy usage. as well as their financing and impact on nearby communities. No new data centers can connect to the Texas power grid until that audit is complete. Rice University political scientist Mark Jones says the governor may be trying to increase turnout in November among rural voters, who tend to be skeptical of data centers. They see data centers bringing little in the way of financial or economic benefit to their county. In a statement, the data center coalition urged state regulators to, quote, move swiftly to complete the audit. For NPR News, I'm Natalie Weber in Houston.
The L.A. County Fire Department has released the results of an investigation into the source of the deadly 2025 Eaton fire. As NPR's Liz Baker reports, it appears that power utility equipment caused the fire that killed 19 people and damaged thousands of homes in Altadena.
The report confirmed what was long suspected, that the fire was sparked by equipment owned by the utility company Southern California Edison. Not long after the firestorm swept through neighborhoods driven by high winds, video surfaced of arcing from an out-of-service transmission tower, and lawsuits piled up against the utility. In filings to the California Public Utility Commission, the company previously admitted that it detected a fault in a transmission line coinciding with the fire's ignition. and it established a compensation fund for victims. A SoCal Edison spokesperson told NPR that it's reviewing the investigation's findings, but believe it is likely that the equipment was associated with the ignition of the Eaton fire.
Liz Baker, NPR News.
U.S. job openings fell slightly in June, but the labor market continued to show resilience in the face of an economic shock from the fighting in Iran. The U.S. job market has remained sturdy despite a surge in energy prices, rebounding from a 2025 slump. And the U.S. stock market rallied today. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Missouri's top election official has rejected a petition for a referendum on new Republican-leaning congressional districts backed by President Trump. Opponents of the new map submitted hundreds of thousands of signatures to try to force a November election on the plan passed by the Republican-led state legislature. But Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins says the petition is unconstitutional because redistricting plans cannot be subject to voter referendums.
Recent Russian attacks on printing facilities in Ukraine have destroyed millions of books. NPR's Hannah Palomarenko reports.
According to Ukraine's Ministry of Culture, more than 1.5 million books and textbooks were destroyed in July. In early August, Russia attacked two more major book printing facilities in Kharkiv. As a result, more than 8 million books, including school textbooks, were burned.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:04
2
Which states hold primary elections today and why could they decide control of Congress?
0:04–1:02
3
How is the Michigan Senate primary shaping up between Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed?
1:02–4:25
4
Why did Texas impose a moratorium on new data centers and what will the audit examine?
4:25–5:04