NPR News: 03-04-2026 3AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: March 4, 2026, 3AM EST

Host: Giles Snyder
Duration: ~5 minutes
Episode Theme:
A concise summary of the day’s top U.S. and global news stories, focusing on the Texas Senate primary, escalating conflict in the Middle East, the Clintons’ depositions over the Epstein investigation, domestic politics with Homeland Security funding, and the cultural celebration of Lantern Festival in Asia.

---

1. Texas Democratic Primary for U.S. Senate Called for James Tallarico

• [00:14] Giles Snyder: Announces that State Representative James Tallarico has won the Democratic Senate primary in Texas, defeating Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett.
• [00:32] Election Analyst (Unnamed):
  • Highlights a historic voter turnout, noting:

    “The number of Texans who have never voted before but showed up in this election is unprecedented. The number of independents and Republicans who voted in this Democratic primary is unprecedented. This is proof that there is something happening in Texas.” (00:32)

• Tallarico will face the winner of the upcoming Republican runoff between Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton.

---

2. Middle East War: Explosions in Iran and Jerusalem

• [00:54] Giles Snyder: Reports on the fifth day of war in the Middle East, with explosions in Tehran and Jerusalem.
  • Iranian state TV confirms pre-dawn explosions in Tehran; Israel reports missile attacks and activation of air defenses.
  • President Trump suggests the war may last for weeks, indicating changing justifications for U.S. strikes on Iran.
• [01:32] Deepa Shivaram (NPR Reporter):
  • Recaps Trump’s shifting statements:

    “Trump had previously said that the US acted in Iran because Tehran's nuclear program was close to having missiles that could reach the US. Now he says he believed an Iranian attack was coming first, though he did not cite any intelligence to that effect.” (01:32)

• [01:48] Donald Trump:
  • Direct quote from a statement:

    “It was my opinion that they were going to attack first. They were going to attack. If we didn't do it, they were going to attack first. I felt strongly about the US struck.” (01:48)

• Despite ongoing negotiations, Trump describes the strike as proactive and claims success so far, without detailing an exit strategy.
  • “Lots of people are coming forward to negotiate a resolution.” (01:57, paraphrased by Shivaram)

---

3. Bill and Hillary Clinton Testify in House Epstein Investigation

• [02:18] Giles Snyder: Announces the release of deposition videos from both Bill and Hillary Clinton, related to the congressional investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
• [02:29] Sage Miller (NPR):
  • Hillary Clinton expresses confusion over her involvement:

    “She said it was her husband… that had a working relationship with the disgraced financier.” (02:29)

  • Missing context and tense exchanges occurred, notably when Rep. Nancy Mace questioned her about a photo of Bill Clinton in a hot tub.
• [02:52] Hillary Clinton:
  • Terse response during questioning:

    “I have no context for even answering that question. And I think, you know, obviously, the innuendo, all the rest of it, I’m asking a black and white question. I’m not putting any leading statements into it or adjectives.” (02:52)

  • Sage Miller clarifies neither Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing.

---

4. Homeland Security Hearings & Department Shutdown

• [03:12] Giles Snyder:
  • Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defends her department at her first Congressional hearing amid immigration crackdown criticism and following the deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis.
  • Funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed last month over Democratic demands for enforcement reform; essential operations continue despite the shutdown.

---

5. Lantern Festival and Lunar Eclipse Celebrations

• [04:11] Emily Feng (NPR):
  • Reports on Lantern Festival celebrations in Taiwan and China, coinciding with a rare blood moon (total lunar eclipse) visible in North America.
  • Cultural details:
    • In Pingsi, Taiwan, communities released calligraphy-covered wish lanterns for the “Year of the Fire Horse.”
    • Parades and dance performances highlighted festivities in China.
    • Traditional foods like tangyuan (glutinous rice balls with sesame filling) are eaten for good luck, their round shape symbolizing the full moon.

  • “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.” (04:11)

---

Notable Quotes

• Election Analyst:

  “This is proof that there is something happening in Texas.” (00:32)

• Donald Trump:

  “If we didn't do it, they were going to attack first.” (01:48)

• Hillary Clinton:

  “I have no context for even answering that question.” (02:52)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Texas Senate Primary: 00:14–00:54
• Middle East War and U.S. Policy: 00:54–02:18
• Clinton Depositions on Epstein: 02:18–03:12
• Homeland Security / Immigration Politics: 03:12–04:11
• Lantern Festival & Lunar Eclipse: 04:11–04:52

---

Tone & Style:
The episode maintains NPR’s hallmark calm, concise, and factual delivery, providing listeners with essential updates and direct quotations from primary actors in national and global news stories.

Transcript

[Commercial Narrator]

This message comes from Schwab. Everyone has moments when they could have done better. Same goes for where you invest. Level up and invest smarter with Schwab. Get market insights, education and human help when you need it.

[Giles Snyder]

Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. The Democratic primary for U.S. senate in Texas has been called in favor of state Representative James Tallarico. Societa Press called the race a short time ago, and Talarico sounded optimistic when he spoke to supporters earlier in the night.

[Election Analyst]

The number of Texans who have never voted before but showed up in this election is unprecedented. The number of independents and Republicans who voted in this Democratic primary is unprecedented. This this is proof that there is something happening in Texas.

[Giles Snyder]

Talarico bested Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. He will now face the winner of a May 26 runoff between Republican incumbent Senator John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. With the war in the Middle east now on its fifth day, explosions have been heard in Iran's capital city and in Jerusalem. Iranian state television reported explosions in Tehran at dawn Wednesday. Israel says its air defenses were activated because of incoming Iranian missile fire. President Trump has suggested the war could last several weeks or longer, and his reasons for attacking Iran continue to shift. NPR's Deepa Chevron reports. He now says it was proactive.

[NPR Reporter]

Trump had previously said that the US Acted in Iran because Tehran's nuclear program was close to having missiles that could reach the US now he says he believed an Iranian attack was coming first, though he did not cite any intelligence to that effect.

[Donald Trump]

It was my opinion that they were going to attack first. They were going to attack. If we didn't do it, they were going to attack first. I felt strongly about the US Struck

[NPR Reporter]

Iran over the weekend after weeks of building up a large military presence in the region, even as negotiations to try to reach a deal with Iran were ongoing. Trump touted the success of the mission thus far, though he has not outlined how he sees the conflict ending. But he did say that, quote, lots of people are coming forward to negotiate a resolution. Deepa Shivaram, NPR News.

[Giles Snyder]

The White House video of this week's depositions from Bill and Hillary Clinton in connection with the House investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey EPSTEIN, now public. NPR's Sage Miller reports.

[Sage Miller]

Hillary Clinton told lawmakers she was confused as to why she was being deposed. She said it was her husband, former President Bill Clinton, that had a working relationship with the disgraced financier. But there were contentious moments between Clinton and some Republican members of the committee. Congresswoman Nancy Mace asked Clinton how she felt about a photo that showed her husband in a hot tub.

[Hillary Clinton]

I have no context for even answering that question. And I think, you know, obviously, the innuendo, all the rest of it, I'm asking a black and white question. I'm not putting any leading statements into it or adjectives.

[Sage Miller]

But Mace kept pressing Clinton on her thoughts. Neither of the Clintons has been accused of any wrongdoing. Sage Miller, NPR News.

[Giles Snyder]

This is npr. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was on Capitol Hill Tuesday, appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where she defended her agency amid a backlash over the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. It was her first congressional hearing since two protesters were killed in Minneapolis in January, and it came amid the shutdown of her department. Democrats have refused to agree to new funding without changes to immigration enforcement practices. Funding lapsed last month, but most immigration enforcement and national security operations are deemed essential and continue. The Lantern Festival was held Tuesday in China and Taiwan. It's celebrated on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, and this year's was a blood moon, a total lunar eclipse, which put on a show Monday night for people in North America. NPR's Emily Fang 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, glutenous 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 Feng, NPR News.

[Giles Snyder]

This is NPR News.

[Commercial Narrator]

This message comes from Jerry. Noticing your car insurance rate creep up even without tickets or claims you're not alone. That's why there's Jerry. Jerry handles the legwork by comparing quotes side by side from over 50 top insurers so you can confidently hit buy. No spam calls, no hidden fees. Jerry even tracks rates and alerts you when it's best to shop. Drivers who save with Jerry could save over $1,300 a year. Don't overpay, download the Jerry app or visit Jerry ainpr Today.