NPR News: 08-05-2026 8PM EDT
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Why did Abdul El‑Sayed’s win signal a shift in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Libby Casey. The results of Michigan's Democratic Senate primary are giving the party's left flank a reason to celebrate. Epidemiologist Abdul El-Sayed defeated a more moderate Democrat, Representative Haley Stevens. Stevens had the backing of corporate interest groups and the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, whereas El-Sayed refused corporate PAC donations. he did have the endorsement of independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Sanders told NPR today that Al-Sayed's win is a rejection of the establishment.
The way you win elections, to my mind, is that you have to generate excitement. The American people now are very frustrated with the Democratic Party and the Republican Party and Donald Trump. They are hurting. They can't afford health care.
How are Maine mothers fighting to keep the Lincoln Hospital birthing unit open?
They can't afford housing. Can't afford a decent retirement. And they're looking around them and they're saying, does the government do anything for me? And the answer is not much.
Al-Sayed now goes up against Republican Mike Rogers in a seat that both parties see as key to winning Senate control in November. Supporters of a birthing unit at a Maine hospital are seeking an emergency court injunction to prevent its closure. The hospital system's board is scheduled to take a vote on the fate of labor and delivery services tomorrow. Maine Public's Patty Wright reports.
MaineHealth announced in the spring that it was assessing maternity services at Lincoln Hospital because of low birth rates and staffing challenges. The lawsuit filed by a pregnant woman alleges that the health care system's review has not been fair or transparent.
What happened to the Russian drone‑maker’s founder in the alleged car‑bomb attack?
Her attorney, Michael Van Der Veen, says that eliminating maternity services is a violation of MaineHealth's legal obligation as a nonprofit that receives state and federal funding.
To be clear, Maine Health is putting their annual revenue over the safety of my client's child unborn. We will stop that.
A coalition formed by local mothers is also urging the health care nonprofit to preserve maternity care at the hospital. Maine has lost a third of its birthing hospitals in the past decade. For NPR News, I'm Patty White in Portland, Maine.
The head of a Russian company that manufactures attack drones used against Ukraine has been seriously wounded in an apparent assassination attempt. As NPR's Charles Maines reports from Moscow, he was targeted in a car bomb explosion.
Vladimir Tukhachuk founded a drone company in his hometown of Ekaterinburg in the Earl Mountains in 2023, within a year of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Soon, Tukhachuk was demonstrating a new attack model called the Vampire to senior Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin.
How did firefighters describe battling the unprecedented wildfires in Bordeaux, France?
The drone has gone on to widespread use by Russia's military in Ukraine. Doctors say Tikhachuk is now fighting for his life after a bomb detonated under his car, an explosion that killed his driver instantly. Investigators say they suspect Ukrainian special services were behind the attack. The incident comes against a recent backdrop of assassinations and attempted killings of Russian military officials and pro-war businessmen. Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.
You're listening to NPR News Live in Washington. The Senate has confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ending a nearly year-long vacancy. The last permanent director was fired over vaccine policies. The forest fires are under control now in the Bordeaux region of France, and firefighters describe something they've never confronted before. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley spoke with a firefighter who battled the blazes for a week.
Why is China imposing new export controls and bans on U.S. companies?
Benjamin Betting is not from the Bordeaux region, but was called in to help. He says he's never battled anything like it. We had walls of fire in front of us 60 feet high and the wind had it constantly changing direction, he said. None of our regular tactics worked. It felt like the fire had a mind of its own. He says he's exhausted by the whole experience, but he's happy for the houses and animals they could save.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
Why did Abdul El‑Sayed’s win signal a shift in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary?
0:00–0:45
2
How are Maine mothers fighting to keep the Lincoln Hospital birthing unit open?
0:45–1:27
3
What happened to the Russian drone‑maker’s founder in the alleged car‑bomb attack?
1:27–2:28
4
How did firefighters describe battling the unprecedented wildfires in Bordeaux, France?
2:28–3:24
5
Why is China imposing new export controls and bans on U.S. companies?
3:24–4:20
6
What does Abdul El‑Sayed’s primary victory mean for the upcoming midterm elections?
4:20–5:04