NPR News: 05-05-2026 6PM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now — 6PM EDT, May 5, 2026

Host: Ryland Barton
Podcast: NPR News Now
Episode Date: May 5, 2026

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Episode Overview

This concise news roundup covers key national and international events from politics and security to health, arts, and sports. Major topics include U.S. diplomatic moves regarding Iran at the UN, political debates around security funding and election oversight, new research on psychedelics, a Paris museum's reckoning with Nazi looted art, Tony Award nominations, and a WNBA legend’s retirement.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Appeals to UN on Iran’s Actions in the Strait of Hormuz

[00:17–01:10]

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on the UN Security Council to address Iran's attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Rubio labeled his request as "modest"—urging the UN to demand that Iran stop attacking commercial vessels.
• Quote (Commentator, 00:40):

  "These guys are bombing commercial vessels. They're not bombing naval vessels, they're bombing commercial tankers. It's just outrageous. That needs to stop and it needs to end."

• Russia and China recently vetoed a similar UN measure, blaming the crisis on "the unlawful US and Israeli war against Iran."

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2. Senate Republicans Seek $1 Billion for Trump Ballroom Security

[01:10–01:40]

• Senate Republicans are pushing for major security upgrades to President Trump's ballroom project after an assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents dinner.
• Trump has previously stated that taxpayer money would not fund the ballroom.

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3. Georgia Pushes Back on DOJ Subpoena for 2020 Election Worker Data

[01:40–02:19]

• The federal government subpoenaed personal information of Georgia election workers from the 2020 election.
• Fulton County Commission Chair Rob Pitts claims this is part of Trump's "fixation on the 2020 election" and an effort to intimidate local officials.
• Quote (Rob Pitts, 01:58):

  "I think more importantly, to put a chilling effect on participation in the upcoming 2026 elections again, but more importantly in the 2028 election. That's what this is all about."

• Pitts also suggested this is an attempt to nationalize elections.

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4. New Research: Psilocybin’s Effects on the Brain

[02:19–03:11]

• Universities in California and London conducted a study on healthy volunteers using psilocybin (magic mushrooms).
• Findings link more diverse neural activity during psilocybin trips to greater psychological insights and improved well-being even a month later.
• The study, while promising, needs replication on a larger scale.
• The results may help explain the potential of psilocybin as a treatment for depression, with FDA approval possibly on the horizon.

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5. Paris Museum Displays Orphaned Masterpieces Looted by Nazis

[03:11–03:47]

• The Musée d'Orsay opened a gallery dedicated to art plundered during the Nazi era.
• Works are displayed with the backs visible, showing stamps and inventory marks that track their journey from private ownership into Nazi hands.
• This is part of France's ongoing reckoning with art theft from that period.

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6. 79th Annual Tony Award Nominations

[03:47–04:32]

• Leading the nominations:
  • "The Lost Boys" and "Schmigadoon" – 12 nominations each.
  • "Schmigadoon" originated on Apple TV;
    "The Lost Boys" adapts the 1987 vampire movie.
  • Other top contenders: Revivals of Ragtime (11 nominations), Death of a Salesman, Cats, and The Rocky Horror Show (9 nominations each).
• Tony Awards take place June 7 at Radio City Music Hall.

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7. WNBA Legend Tina Charles Retires

[04:32–04:55]

• Tina Charles, the league’s all-time leading rebounder and second all-time scorer, announced her retirement after a 15-year career.
• Career stats include 4,262 rebounds and 8,396 points.
• Charles played for the Connecticut Sun, then the New York Liberty, among other teams.

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Notable Quotes

• Commentator (on Iran’s actions):

  "They're bombing commercial tankers. It's just outrageous. That needs to stop and it needs to end." [00:40]

• Rob Pitts (on DOJ subpoenas and election worker intimidation):

  "To put a chilling effect on participation in the upcoming 2026 elections... but more importantly in the 2028 election. That's what this is all about." [01:58]

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Memorable Moments & Timestamps

• Rubio’s UN plea and global tensions over Iran: [00:17–01:10]
• Security funding request for Trump ballroom post-assassination attempt: [01:10–01:40]
• GA election workers’ data subpoena and local pushback: [01:40–02:19]
• Breakthrough psilocybin brain study: [02:19–03:11]
• Paris museum’s Nazi-looted art gallery opens: [03:11–03:47]
• Tony Award nominations dominate Broadway news: [03:47–04:32]
• WNBA legend Tina Charles retires: [04:32–04:55]

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Summary

This episode of NPR News Now delivers a broad sweep of important developments, from escalating international tensions and contentious U.S. politics to advances in mental health research and highlights from the worlds of art, theater, and sports. The report maintains a balanced, objective tone while capturing key voices and perspectives central to each story.

Transcript

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[Ryland Barton]

In Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is asking the UN Security Council to defend freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and Fortune force Iran to cease its attacks. NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports.

[Michelle Kellerman]

Secretary Rubio calls it a test for the UN And a modest request to call on Iran to stop putting mines and attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

[Commentator/Analyst]

Guys, that's what we're talking about here. These guys are bombing commercial vessels. They're not bombing naval vessels, they're bombing commercial tankers. It's just outrageous. That needs to stop and it needs to end.

[Michelle Kellerman]

Rubio says it's in Russia and China's interest to get Iran to stop blocking the strait. But those two recently recently vetoed a similar measure, arguing that the root cause of this crisis is what they call the unlawful US And Israeli war against Iran. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department.

[Ryland Barton]

Senate Republicans are asking for $1 billion in security upgrades for President Trump's ballroom project. Trump renewed his push for it after a man was charged with trying to assassinate him at the White House Correspondents association dinner. Trump previously said no taxpayer dollars would be used for the new ballroom. Georgia's is pushing back on federal efforts to get the personal information of election workers from the November 2020 elections. Raul Bally from member station WABE reports.

[Rahul Bally]

The federal subpoena is asking for the names, home addresses, email addresses and personal phone numbers to be sent to the Department of Justice and the FBI. Fulton County Commission Chair Rob Pitts says it's part of President Donald Trump's fixation on the 2020 election and his efforts to harass and intimidate the county.

[Rob Pitts]

I think more importantly, to put a chilling effect on participation in the upcoming 2026 elections again, but more importantly in the 2028 election. That's what this is all about.

[Rahul Bally]

Pitts also believes that Fulton county is being targeted as part of an effort to nationalize elections. For NPR News, I'm Rahul Bally in Atlanta.

[Ryland Barton]

Scientists from the University of California, San Francisco and Imperial College London are getting a better picture of how psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, alters the brain. NPR's Will St. More Much of the

[Will Stone]

recent work on psychedelics has focused on people with serious mental illness. This study, on the other hand, included volunteers with no underlying conditions, who had never taken the drug before. They were given a single dose of 25 milligrams, strong enough to provoke a psychedelic trip. The research team looked at brain activity. They linked greater diversity of neural activity to increased psychological insights after the trip and ultimately improvements in a sense of well being a month later. The study authors say the findings need to be replicated in larger studies, but they may help explain the beneficial effects of the drug. Psilocybin could be up for FDA approval for treating depression in the near future. Will Stone, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

This is NPR News from Washington. One of the top art museums in Paris has opened a new gallery dedicated to orphaned masterpieces plundered by the Nazis. The exhibit at the Musee d' Orsay is part of France's reckoning with Nazi era looting. The paintings are hung so visitors can read the backs. That's because the stamps and inventory marks map how each piece of art moved from private homes into Nazi hands. Nominations for the 79th annual Tony Awards, Broadway's highest honors were announced this morning. As Jeff London reports, several shows received multiple nominations.

[Jeff London]

12. That was the number of nominations the musicals, the Lost Boys and Schmigadoon received. Schmigadoon, a gentle parody of Golden Age musicals, began its as an Apple TV series, while the Lost Boys is an adaptation of the 1987 teenage vampire movie. Following close behind are revivals of ragtime with 11 death of a Salesman Cats and the Rocky Horror show. All received nine. The Tonys will be handed out at Radio City Music hall on June 7. For NPR News, I'm Jeff London in New York.

[Ryland Barton]

The WNBA's all time leading rebounder, Tina Charles, is retiring. Charles had 4200 doll, 262 rebounds in her career. Also finished as the league's number two all time scorer behind Diana Taurasi. The 15 year veteran scored 8,396 points in the regular season. Charles played with the Connecticut sun until 2013 before being traded to New York. It's NPR.

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