Loading summary
A
Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. U.S. secretary of State Marco Rubio is running the White House briefing this hour. Reporters are peppering him with questions about the US And Iran's dueling blockades in the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio defends the administration's attempt to guide commercial ships through the strategically important global oil shipping route.
B
This is not an offensive operation. This is a defensive operation. And what that means is very simple. There's no shooting unless we're shot at first. Okay, we're not attacking them. We're not. But if they are attacking us or they're attacking a ship, you need to respond to that. You're not going to let some fast boat come up on a ship and shoot it up.
A
Rubio is the first to fill in for White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt, who's on maternity leave. He engaged with reporters from a broad range of news organizations and at times joked with the media over his attempt to stick to White House briefing protocol. Rubio also repeatedly credited President Trump on foreign policy matters. Rubbish. Rubio is one of the key members of this administration widely viewed as a likely contender for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. Vice President J.D. vance is another. Vance was voting today in Ohio's Republican primary for governor. He's also scheduled to visit Iowa. In the fallout of the war and rising fuel prices, air travel is getting more expensive. NPR's Stephen Bazaha has that story.
C
An international flight on average cost about $150 more than it did a year ago. Some flights and destinations are up a lot more, like a ticket to London going up about 350 bucks. This is also causing some in the United States to change their travel plans. Lee Collins was flying back to Atlanta after visiting family in D.C. and said he is not planning a summer vacation
D
trip as of now. No, not really because like I said, air travel is very expensive. It's going to be a staycation this year.
C
Airfare hikes are due to the price of jet fuel nearly doubling since the start of the year due to the war against Iran and its proxies. Stephen Bassaha, NPR News.
A
Civil rights organizations have filed a new class action lawsuit to pause a 2023 Texas Immigration Enforcement law from taking effect next week. Texas Public Radio's Marianne Navato reports.
E
What's known as Senate Bill 4 makes entering Texas illegally from another country a state level crime. It then allows local and state law enforcement to arrest, detain and remove individuals suspected of doing so. The law is set to go into effect May 15 after surviving previous challenges in court. The Texas Civil Rights Project, the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups argue SB4 is unconstitutional since immigration enforcement is solely under the jurisdiction of the federal government. They also say the law will lead to the separation of families, racial profiling, and turn police and judges into immigration agents. I'm Marianne Navarro in San Antonio from Washington.
A
This is NPR News. Georgia officials are attempting to block the Justice Department from getting hold of the full roster of thousands of volunteers and staffers who work the 2020 election that President Trump alleges was rigged against him. The DOJ's request went public yesterday when Fulton county officials filed a motion challenging the subpoena. Pennsylvania is suing the artificial intelligence company character AI, alleging that the chatbot has been illegally practicing medicine. NPR's John Ruich with more.
F
Pennsylvania says an investigation found that AI chatbot characters on character AI claimed to be licensed medical professionals. It says some acted like psychiatrists available to discuss mental health symptoms. In one case, the state says a chatbot falsely stated it was licensed in Pennsylvania and even provided an invalid license number. According to a Gallup poll last month, a quarter of Americans have used an AI tool or chatbot for health information or advice. The lawsuit alleges that is engaging in the unauthorized practice of medicine. It's seeking a court injunction against the practice. Pennsylvania's Department of State Secretary Al Schmidt says they'll continue to take action to protect the public from misleading or unlawful practices, whether they come from humans or emerging technologies. John Ruich, NPR News.
A
It's May 5, Cinco de Mayo marking the anniversary of Mexican troops 1862 victory over invading French forces at the Battle of Puebla. Not not to be confused with Mexican Independence Day, which is in September. In the US Communities stage Cinco de Mayo parades, reenactments, block parties and other festivities to celebrate Mexican culture. This is NPR News.
G
This message comes from Amazon Business. You can't rely on guesswork to run your business with smart business. Buying innovative AI tools optimize your purchasing experience paired with delivery options, empower your team today. More@AmazonBusiness.com.
Main Theme:
This episode delivers a concise roundup of key national and international stories, focusing on U.S.–Iran tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, rising air travel costs due to war, legal battles over Texas immigration law, concerns over AI chatbots in healthcare, and a reminder of the significance of Cinco de Mayo.
[00:01 – 00:40]
"There's no shooting unless we're shot at first. ...You need to respond to that. You're not going to let some fast boat come up on a ship and shoot it up."
— Marco Rubio ([00:22])
[01:22 – 01:51]
"No, not really because like I said, air travel is very expensive. It's going to be a staycation this year."
— Lee Collins, traveler ([01:43])
[02:02 – 02:56]
"They also say the law will lead to the separation of families, racial profiling, and turn police and judges into immigration agents."
— Marianne Navato, reporter ([02:14])
[02:56 – 03:31]
[03:31 – 04:18]
"In one case, the state says a chatbot falsely stated it was licensed in Pennsylvania and even provided an invalid license number."
— John Ruich, NPR ([03:31])
[04:18 – 04:40]
Rubio on U.S.–Iran Standoff:
"There's no shooting unless we're shot at first. ...You need to respond to that." ([00:22])
— Marco Rubio
Traveler on Price Hikes:
"Air travel is very expensive. It's going to be a staycation this year." ([01:43])
— Lee Collins
Reporter on SB4 Lawsuit:
"They also say the law will lead to the separation of families, racial profiling, and turn police and judges into immigration agents." ([02:14])
— Marianne Navato
Reporter on AI Medical Risks:
"A chatbot falsely stated it was licensed in Pennsylvania and even provided an invalid license number." ([03:31])
— John Ruich
This summary distills the top headlines and insights from the 05-05-2026 4PM EDT episode of NPR News Now, offering context, quotes, and key takeaways for listeners and non-listeners alike.