NPR News: 08-18-2026 5AM EDT
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What elections are happening today and why are they important?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dave Mattingley. There are election primaries today in Alaska, Florida, Wyoming, and a special election runoff in California. As Catherine Welch reports, voters in Florida will be choosing candidates for Congress as well as the governor's mansion.
Florida voters will pick candidates to replace term limited Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. Republican Congressman Byron Donalds is the favorite in that crowded primary, while former Republican Congressman turned Democrat David Jolly is one of six Democrats running and is leading in the polls. Florida voters will also pick candidates seeking to serve out the rest of Marco Rubio's term in the Senate after he was named Secretary of State, and voters will select candidates in all but one congressional district, with most candidates running in newly redrawn districts that favor Republicans. For MPR News, I'm Katherine Welch in Orlando.
In California, voters will be choosing a replacement for former Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell. He resigned from the House several months ago and ended his bid for governor amid allegations of sexual assault, accusations he denies.
Who are the leading candidates in Florida’s gubernatorial and Senate primaries?
Either state Senator Aisha Wahhab or Bay Area Rapid Transit Board President Melissa Hernandez will serve out the remainder of Swalwell's term in Congress. President Trump is offering more details on why he directed the Pentagon to scale back joint US South Korean military exercises currently underway. Here's NPR's Tamara Keith.
Trump cited South Korea's unwillingness to get involved in the war with Iran and his own relationship with Kim Jong un in explaining the decision to pull back on the exercises. А
микідімачсайфер. You see, I'm actually making it much safer. Uh Kim Jong un has always treated me with great respect.
Trump was answering questions in the Oval Office. Why hasn't uh
Kim Jong un responded to your request to have a conversation?
Why is President Trump scaling back joint U.S.–South Korea military exercises?
How do you know he hasn't responded? Has he? Um Yeah, yes.
During his first term, Trump met with the North Korean leader three times. Other presidents have sought to isolate Kim. Tamar Keith, NPR News, the White House.
In New York, the state murder trial of Luigi Mangioni has been postponed indefinitely. It was slated to begin September eighth.
What are the developments in the Luigi Mangioni murder trial and its legal implications?
Defense attorneys are seeking to have the state charges dismissed now that Mangioni has pleaded guilty to federal charges of stalking and killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He was shot to death outside a midtown Manhattan hotel in twenty twenty four. Mangioni's lawyers want the state case thrown out arguing legal double jeopardy. Economists will get their latest look at consumer spending in the US when retailer Home Depot reports its latest quarterly earnings today. This is NPR News. A federal judge is blocking plans by the Trump administration to move the FBI's headquarters to downtown Washington. Saying the administration acted illegally when it scrapped plans approved by Congress to build the the facility in the Maryland suburbs.
The Trump administration is appealing the decision of a federal judge in Tennessee to dismiss charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Charges were brought against Abrego Garcia after he was wrongfully deported to El Salvador.
How will Home Depot’s quarterly earnings affect U.S. consumer‑spending trends?
Mariana Backayao with member station WPLN has more from Nashville.
Prosecutors charged Obrego Garcia with human smuggling based on a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee. A federal investigation into Obrego Garcia began two and a half years later after the Supreme Court ordered he be returned to the U.S. from El Salvador, where he had been mistakenly deported. The court found issue with that delayed timing and dismissed the charges as vindictive. Now the Trump administration is appealing, arguing that the judge did not follow Supreme Court precedent in his decision. At the same time, a judge in Maryland has ruled that the Trump administration cannot deport Abrego Garcia to a third country until at least October. For NPR News, I'm Mariana Baccayau in Nashville.
The state of Florida has carried out more than half of the twenty-two executions of death row inmates in the U.S.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What elections are happening today and why are they important?
0:01–1:16
2
Who are the leading candidates in Florida’s gubernatorial and Senate primaries?
1:16–2:03
3
Why is President Trump scaling back joint U.S.–South Korea military exercises?
2:03–2:27
4
What are the developments in the Luigi Mangioni murder trial and its legal implications?
2:27–3:30
5
How will Home Depot’s quarterly earnings affect U.S. consumer‑spending trends?
3:30–4:22
6
What’s the controversy over moving the FBI headquarters to downtown Washington?
4:22–5:02