NPR News: 03-03-2026 9PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now – March 3, 2026, 9 PM EST

Host: Jeanine Herbst
Date: March 4, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this concise five-minute news update, NPR delivers key stories from the U.S. and around the globe. The episode highlights the set matchups for the high-stakes North Carolina Senate race, U.S. evacuation efforts in the Middle East following renewed conflict with Iran, economic impacts from rising energy prices, a legal showdown over Medicaid funding in Minnesota, a high-profile trial holding a parent accountable for a tragic school shooting, celebrations of the Lantern Festival in Asia, and market reactions in Japan.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. 2026 U.S. Midterms: North Carolina Senate Race Set

• [00:18] Jeanine Herbst reports that Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley have won their respective primaries, setting up a highly competitive duel for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina.
• Also notes that primaries took place in Texas and Arkansas.

2. Middle East Tensions: U.S. Evacuations After Iran Conflict

• [00:34] Former President Trump stated there were no advance evacuation plans for U.S. citizens in the Middle East after deciding to strike Iran, leading to a quickly escalating conflict.

• [00:59] NPR’s Michelle Kellerman details State Department efforts:

  • Charter flights are being facilitated from UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.
  • 300 Americans have already been evacuated from Israel.
  • About 3,000 Americans are in communication with the State Department; 9,000 left on their own recently.
  • U.S. is waiving repayment laws for evacuation flights.
  • Many U.S. embassies sent home nonessential personnel.
  • Notable incident: Iranian drones struck the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, causing a fire but no injuries.

  Notable quote:

  “The State Department says it’s in touch with about 3,000 Americans so far, and about 9,000 managed to leave on their own in recent days.”
  — Michelle Kellerman (01:20)

3. Economic Impact: Wall Street and Gas Prices React to Iran War

• [01:41] NPR’s Scott Horsley covers financial updates:

  • U.S. war with Iran causes gas prices to surge above $3 for first time in 3 months.
  • Average gasoline price rose 11 cents overnight to $3.11/gallon, now pricier year-over-year.
  • Rising oil and natural gas prices threaten to increase heating and electricity bills.

  Notable quote:

  “Low gasoline prices had been a counterweight to inflation for most of the last year, but at $3.11 a gallon, gasoline is now slightly more expensive than it was a year ago.”
  — Scott Horsley (01:52)

4. Minnesota Sues Trump Administration Over Medicaid Funding

• [02:16] NPR’s Selena Simmons Duffin outlines the dispute:

  • Trump administration plans to withhold $260 million from Minnesota Medicaid, citing “non-compliance.”
  • State’s lawsuit highlights past efforts to comply and notes its Medicaid fraud rate (2%) is below national average (6%).
  • The complaint alleges the move is “arbitrary and capricious” and part of “political punishment.”

  Notable quote:

  “The complaint says that the Trump administration’s move to withhold federal funds is arbitrary and capricious and, quote, part of the administration’s pattern and practice of political punishment against the state.”
  — Selena Simmons Duffin (02:54)

5. Parental Accountability in School Shootings: Colin Gray Verdict

• [03:13] Jeanine Herbst reports:
  • Colin Gray found guilty of murder and manslaughter after buying son Colt an AR-15-style rifle, despite warnings about risks.
  • Son used the weapon to kill students and teachers at a Georgia high school.
  • Case part of broader efforts to hold parents legally responsible for children’s actions in school shootings.

6. Culture: Lantern Festival and Lunar Eclipse Celebrated in Asia

• [04:06] Emily Feng shares details of the Lantern Festival:

  • Celebration marks first full moon in lunar calendar, observed in China and Taiwan.
  • Traditions: launching paper lanterns in Taiwan’s Pingsi, parades and performances in China, and eating tangyuan (sweet rice balls) for good luck.
  • This year coincided with a blood moon—a total lunar eclipse visible in North America.

  Notable quote:

  “Across Taiwan and China, people celebrated Yuan Xiao Jie, or the lantern festival, the 15th day of the lunar new year and a time for family and friends to gather.”
  — Emily Feng (04:06)

7. Markets: Asian Indices Down Sharply

• [04:47] Jeanine Herbst notes that Asian markets are trading lower, with Japan’s Nikkei down 3.1%, reflecting ongoing financial uncertainty.

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “The State Department says it’s facilitating charter flights from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, and it has helped 300 Americans leave Israel.”
  — Michelle Kellerman (01:00)

• “Low gasoline prices had been a counterweight to inflation for most of the last year, but at $3.11 a gallon, gasoline is now slightly more expensive than it was a year ago.”
  — Scott Horsley (01:52)

• “The complaint says that the Trump administration’s move to withhold federal funds is arbitrary and capricious and, quote, part of the administration’s pattern and practice of political punishment against the state.”
  — Selena Simmons Duffin (02:54)

• “Across Taiwan and China, people celebrated Yuan Xiao Jie, or the lantern festival, the 15th day of the lunar new year and a time for family and friends to gather.”
  — Emily Feng (04:06)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:18 – North Carolina Senate primary results
• 00:59 – U.S. evacuation efforts in Middle East (Michelle Kellerman)
• 01:41 – Gas and energy prices rise amid Iran conflict (Scott Horsley)
• 02:16 – Minnesota’s Medicaid lawsuit (Selena Simmons Duffin)
• 03:13 – Parental accountability verdict in Georgia school shooting
• 04:06 – Lantern Festival celebrations in Asia (Emily Feng)
• 04:47 – Update on Asian financial markets

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This NPR News Now episode delivers quick, crucial updates on politics, conflict, economics, laws, and culture, providing listeners with a reliable snapshot of an eventful news day.

Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst in North Carolina. The matchup in one of the most competitive US Senate races in the 2026 midterms is set as Democrat Roy Cooper and Repub Republican Michael Whatley clinched their party's primary nominations today. That's according to a race call by the ap. Primaries were also held in Texas and Arkansas. President Trump says there were no evacuation plans in place for Americans in the Middle east because things happened quickly after he decided to strike Iran several days into the war. The State Department is now arranging some buses and evacuation flights in several countries, as NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports.

[Michelle Kellerman]

The State Department says it's facilitating charter flights from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, and it has helped 300Americans leave Israel. An official says Americans should call a hotline to get on a list for potential flights and buses. The US Is waiving a law that requires Americans to pay back the government for such flights. The State Department says it's in touch with about 3,000Americans so far, and about 9,000 managed to leave on their own in recent days. Many, many U.S. embassies in the region have sent home non essential personnel. Iranian drones struck the US Embassy in Riyadh, where there was a fire, but no reports of injuries. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Wall street closed lower today as the U.S. war with Iran pushed gas prices back above the $3 mark. NPR Scott Horsley reports.

[Scott Horsley]

The average price of gasoline jumped 11 cents overnight, topping $3 a gallon for the first time in three months. Low gasoline prices had been a counterweight to inflation for most of the last year, but says at $3.11 a gallon, gasoline is now slightly more expensive than it was a year ago. The war with Iran has not only pushed up global crude oil prices, but also caused a spike in the cost of natural gas that could drive up already high heating and electricity bills. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Minnesota is suing the Trump administration over its plan to withhold $260 million in Medicaid funding from the state. NPR Selena Simmons Duffin has more.

[Selena Simmons Duffin]

At the beginning of January, the Trump administration's health agency that runs Medicaid told Minnesota it would withhold $2 billion in federal funding over quote non compliance. A few weeks later, the same federal agency said it would hold back $260 million. Now the state has sued over these actions in federal district court. The complaint outlies the ways that the state has tried to comply with the federal government's demands and and points out that Minnesota's Medicaid fraud rate is 2% while the national average is 6%. The complaint says that the Trump administration's move to withhold federal funds is arbitrary and capricious and, quote, part of the administration's pattern and practice of political punishment against the state. Selena Simmons Duffin, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Colin Gray, the father of teenaged school shooter Colt Gray, has been found guilty of murder and manslaughter. Prosecutors say he bought the then 14 year old Colt an AR15 style rifle and allowed him access to both the weapon and ammunition despite warnings his son was a danger to others. The teen admitted to shooting and killing students and two teachers at a Georgia high school last year. Colin Gray says he didn't know about his son's plans. The trial is part of a wider push to hold parents accountable for a child's actions in school shootings. Today, the Lantern Festival was held in China and Taiwan. It's celebrated on the first full moon of the lunar calendar. And this year was a blood moon, a total lunar eclipse which darkened the moon last night for people in North America. NPR's Emily Feng has more.

[Emily Feng]

Across Taiwan and China, people celebrated Yuan Xiao Jie, or the lantern festival, the 15th day of the lunar new year and a time for family and friends to gather. In Taiwan's Pingsi district, people gathered as tradition and let go large paper wish lanterns on which they'd written with ink calligraphy their wishes for the year of the Fire horse. And in China, people held parades and dance performances to celebrate the full moon. And people ate tangyuan, sweet glutinous rice balls often filled with sesame paste because their shape resembles the full moon and they're eaten for good luck on Lantern Festival and the winter solstice. Emily Fang, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Asian markets are trading lower at this hour than Nikkei, the main market In Japan, down 3.1%. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington.

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