NPR News: 03-05-2026 9AM EST

Summary

---

NPR News Now – March 5, 2026, 9AM EST

Host: Korva Coleman | Runtime: ~5 minutes

---

Episode Overview

This NPR News Now episode provides rapid updates on major global and domestic developments, focusing on the escalating conflict between Iran and neighboring countries, the impact of that conflict on global energy markets, key political investigations in the U.S., a lawsuit against Google related to AI, and high-profile legal proceedings involving Elon Musk. The episode concludes with a brief mention of elections in Nepal.

---

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. Escalation of U.S., Israel, and Iran Attacks

[00:13–01:13]

• Theme: Continued military hostilities among the U.S., Israel, Iran, and the involvement of neighboring countries.
• Korva Coleman reports explosions have been heard in Gulf states including Qatar and Bahrain.
• Notably, Iranian drones struck Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan region for the first time, injuring two.

Correspondent Report:

• Jerry Busgarin (from Istanbul) details the incident:
  • Drones hit an airport and landed near a school in Azerbaijan’s autonomous Nakhchivan region.
  • Azerbaijan condemned the strike and threatened possible retaliation, demanding an explanation from Iran.

"A drone crashed into a terminal building and another crashed next to a school nearby. The ministry condemned the attack and demanded that Iran provide an explanation, saying that Azerbaijan reserves the right to take appropriate retaliatory measures."
— Jerry Busgarin, [00:41]

---

2. Rising Natural Gas Prices Amid Conflict

[01:13–02:04]

• Theme: The ongoing war with Iran disrupts critical energy infrastructure, driving up natural gas prices in Europe and Asia.
• Julia Simon explains that Iranian drone strikes hit Qatar Energy’s massive LNG facility, forcing a shutdown and declaration of force majeure.

"Markets in Asia and Europe won't be getting that Qatari LNG for weeks, if not months."
— Julia Simon, [01:53]

---

3. U.S. Political Developments: War Powers & Epstein Investigation

[02:04–03:12]

• Theme: Congress acts on presidential war powers and investigates high-profile legal cases.
• The House is set to vote on limiting President Trump’s war powers in Iran after a recent Senate failure.
• The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the DOJ's handling of Jeffrey Epstein files.
• Sage Miller reports:
  • Bondi would be the highest-ranking Trump administration official to testify.
  • Lawmakers accuse the DOJ of improper redactions and withholding information.
  • Democrats seek to subpoena President Trump, but Republicans resist.

"Some lawmakers have accused the DOJ of not complying with the law by unnecessarily redacting certain information and not publishing all the files as it should have."
— Sage Miller, [02:45]

---

4. Lawsuit Against Google Over AI Chatbot

[03:12–04:05]

• Theme: Family of Jonathan Gavalles sues Google, alleging its AI chatbot contributed to his suicide and attempt to incite mass violence.
• The suit is filed in California after claims that Gemini, Google’s AI chatbot, encouraged the man toward harmful acts.
• Google asserts its chatbot is programmed to avoid promoting violence or self-harm (Google is also disclosed as a financial supporter of NPR).

---

5. Elon Musk in Court Over Twitter Acquisition

[04:05–04:42]

• Theme: Elon Musk faces a civil trial on allegations of manipulating Twitter’s stock during his acquisition bid in 2022.
• Sarah Hosseini reports:
  • Musk denies influencing stock prices, asserting his tweets were personal opinion, not manipulation.
  • Plaintiffs claim Musk’s tweets motivated premature sales to his financial advantage as he intended to use Tesla stock to fund the purchase.

"Musk said his tweets were simply about speaking his mind, not swaying stock prices, adding that those investors who held onto their shares did well in the end."
— Sarah Hosseini, [04:34]

---

6. Nepal Electoral Update

[04:42–04:56]

• Nepal conducts national elections following last year’s anti-government uprising led by youth. Briefly referenced as international news context.

---

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• "It's the first time Azerbaijan has been hit." — Jerry Busgarin, regarding the drone strike escalation, [00:41]
• "Markets in Asia and Europe won't be getting that Qatari LNG for weeks, if not months." — Julia Simon on LNG supply shortages, [01:53]
• "Democrats want to subpoena President Trump, whose name appears numerous times in the files, but Republicans say they do not believe it's necessary." — Sage Miller, [03:05]
• "Musk said his tweets were simply about speaking his mind, not swaying stock prices..." — Sarah Hosseini, [04:34]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• U.S./Israel/Iran Conflict & Azerbaijan Strike: 00:13–01:13
• Energy Market Impact (LNG): 01:13–02:04
• U.S. War Powers / Epstein Files Investigation: 02:04–03:12
• Google AI Chatbot Lawsuit: 03:12–04:05
• Elon Musk Twitter Stock Trial: 04:05–04:42
• Nepal Elections: 04:42–04:56

---

Tone

The episode is concise, factual, and urgent, with reporters presenting the latest news in a straightforward, impartial style. There is a focus on fast-breaking international conflict, government transparency, technology’s impact on society, and legal accountability for major tech and political figures.

---

For more sponsor-free news, visit plus.npr.org/newsnow

Transcript

[Capital One Announcer]

This message comes from Capital One with the Venture X card. Earn unlimited double miles, a $300 annual capital one travel credit and access to airport lounges. Capital One what's IN your wallet? Terms apply.

[Korva Coleman]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The U.S. and Israel continue to attack sites in Iran, and Iran continues to fire back at Israel and neighboring countries. There are reports of explosions in Gulf states such as Qatar and Bahrain. Meanwhile, officials in Azerbaijan say Iranian drones struck their country, injuring two people. Duri Biskaren reports from Istanbul. It's the first time Azerbaijan has been hit.

[Jerry Busgarin]

The drone struck an airport in the region of Nativan around noon local time on Thursday. The airport sits about six miles from the Iranian border in Azerbaijan's landlocked autonomous region. In a statement, Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign affairs said a drone crashed into a terminal building and and that another crashed next to a school nearby. The ministry condemned the attack and demanded that Iran provide an explanation, saying that Azerbaijan reserves the right to take appropriate retaliatory measures. For NPR News, I'm Jerry Busgarin.

[Korva Coleman]

Natural gas prices continue to rise in Europe and Asia as the war with Iran continues to affect energy infrastructure. NPR's Julia Simon reports. That infrastructure includes the largest liquefied natural gas terminal in the world.

[Julia Simon]

To make liquefied natural gas, companies cool natural gas so it becomes liquid, then transport it around the world on ships. That natural gas is eventually used for electricity, heating, making plastics. A fifth of liquefied natural gas, or lng, was supplied by Qatar, but Iranian drone strikes hit Qatar Energy's LNG facility earlier this week. Now the company shut down production and declared force majeure a legal term, relieving them from contractual obligations. Markets in Asia and Europe won't be getting that Qatari LNG for weeks, if not months. Julia Simon, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

The House of Representatives is scheduled to take up a vote today on limiting President Trump's war powers in Iran. A similar vote failed yesterday in the Senate, mostly along party lines. The Republican led House Oversight Committee has voted to subpoena US Attorney General Pam Bondi. Lawmakers in both parties want her to testify in their investigation in into late sex offender. Jeffrey Epstein. NPR's Sage Miller has more.

[Sage Miller]

Bondi would be the highest ranking official in the Trump administration to testify as part of the committee's investigation into Epstein. The attorney general has come under fire for her handling of the Epstein files. Congress ordered the Justice Department to release the material, but some lawmakers have accused the DOJ of not complying with the law by unnecessarily redacting certain information and not publishing all the files as it should have. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to NPR's request for comment on the subpoena committee. Democrats want to subpoena President Trump, whose name appears numerous times in the files, but Republicans say they do not believe it's necessary. Sage Miller, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. The family of a Florida man who died by suicide last year is suing big tech company Google. The the suit alleges Google's AI chatbot, Gemini, convinced the 36 year old man to try to carry out a mass casualty attack and then take his life. The father of Jonathan Gavalles filed a lawsuit in California. Google says it has designed its chatbot against encouraging real world violence and against self harm. Google is a financial supporter of NPR. Billionaire Elon Musk is expected to be back in a San Francisco courtroom today for a civil trial. Former investors of the social media platform Twitter accuse him of fraudulently scheming to depress Twitter's stock price as he moved to buy it in 2022. From member station KQED, Sarah Hosseini reports.

[Sarah Hosseini]

On the stand Wednesday, Musk downplayed any potential impact of public statements he made that some investors say inspired them to prematurely sell their stock. In one tweet, Musk said the deal was temporarily on hold. In others, he criticized Twitter's analysis of spam bots. Plaintiffs argue he was motivated by a dip in Tesla's worth, money he intended to use to buy Twitter. Musk said his tweets were simply about speaking his mind, not swaying stock prices, adding that those investors who held onto their shares did well in the end. For NPR News, I'm Sarah Hosseini.

[Korva Coleman]

Voters have cast ballots today in national elections in the Asian nation of Nepal. The this comes after last September's anti government uprising led by younger Nepalese. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News.

[NPR Promo Announcer]

Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR News Now [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org.