NPR News: 05-07-2026 2AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – May 7, 2026, 2AM EDT

Host: Giles Snyder
Duration: 5 minutes
Main Theme: A concise roundup of overnight U.S. and global headlines, focusing on severe weather, political investigations, legal developments, health scares, notable deaths, and a significant medical study.

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Severe Weather in Mississippi

[00:12]

• Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is appealing for prayers after a series of strong storms, including “multiple reported tornadoes” that struck central and western Mississippi on Wednesday night.
• Hundreds of structures have been damaged. Local media report downed trees and people trapped in the debris.

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Congressional Oversight: Epstein Investigation

[00:12 – 01:10]

• James Comer, House Oversight Committee Chairman, addressed reporters after hearing testimony from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
• Comer asserts Lutnick was “largely forthcoming,” correcting a prior misstatement about a brief family visit to Epstein’s island.
  • Quote:

    “The only thing that I'd seen that Lutnick did wrong was wasn't 100% truthful on the brief visit to the island with his family. He corrected that in his opening statement and, you know, we'll see, we'll continue our investigation. And if we find that there were any misstatements by Lutnick, it's a felony to lie to Congress and he'll be held accountable.”
    — James Comer [00:48]

• Democrats allege Lutnick evaded their questions.
• Separately, a federal judge unsealed a purported Epstein suicide note after the New York Times report.

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Alabama Redistricting Battle

[01:10 – 02:23]

• Alabama’s legislature is expected to adopt new congressional district maps favoring Republicans, following a Supreme Court ruling that bars considering race in districting.
• Civil rights activists are protesting at the Alabama State House.
• The Alabama House has approved using 2023 maps previously struck down for discriminating against Black voters.
  • GOP Statement: Their aim is to ensure “Congress stays red.”
  • Correspondent:

    “Activists refused to move from a State House hallway Wednesday. In a party line vote, the Alabama House approved a plan to use maps drawn in 2023 that were struck down by federal courts for discriminating against black voters. Afterwards, the GOP caucus issued a statement saying they're doing their part to ensure Congress stays red.”
    — Debbie Elliott, NPR [01:42]

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Musk v. Altman Trial in Oakland

[02:23 – 03:12]

• In the lawsuit between Elon Musk and Sam Altman over AI leadership, personal matters come to the fore.
• Siobhan Zillis (mother of four of Musk’s children, former OpenAI board member) testifies:
  • She acted as Musk’s “eyes and ears” on OpenAI’s board after he stepped down, and as a liaison.
  • She contradicts Musk’s testimony, revealing he concealed the intensity of his efforts in AI at Tesla and poached OpenAI talent.
• Testimony also reflects poorly on Sam Altman: His five-day ouster in 2023 was linked to lack of transparency on which OpenAI AI products had passed safety reviews.
• Altman is slated to testify next week.

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Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship

[03:12 – 04:12]

• A cruise ship with a hantavirus outbreak is en route to Spain’s Canary Islands after evacuating three people near Cape Verde.
• Two evacuees reached Amsterdam and were taken by ambulance.
• The UN reports eight known cases and five confirmed via lab testing, with three deaths to date.

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Remembering Ted Turner

[03:12 – 04:12]

• Ted Turner, pioneering television executive, has died at 87.
• Transformed an Atlanta TV station into America’s first “superstation.”
• Founded CNN—first 24-hour all-news cable network.
• Remembered as an “outspoken” media innovator.

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Health: Steps After Surgery Reduce Complications

[04:12 – 04:52]

• New study: An extra 1,000 steps per day after surgery correlates to an 18% reduction in risk of post-surgical complications.
  • Dr. Julie Silver (Wake Forest University):

    “Getting steps in after surgery can help preserve lung function, lower the risk of blood clots and support overall recovery. In this new study that includes health data from nearly 2,000 patients, every thousand steps that a patient took was equivalent to about an 18% reduction in their chance of having a complication.” [04:12]

  • The study is published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
  • Bottom line: Early mobility post-surgery is “an actionable thing that can empower patients.” [04:39]

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Notable Quotes

• James Comer: “If we find that there were any misstatements by Lutnick, it's a felony to lie to Congress and he'll be held accountable.” [00:48]
• Debbie Elliott (on Alabama protests): “Activists refused to move from a State House hallway Wednesday…” [01:42]
• Dr. Julie Silver: “Every thousand steps that a patient took was equivalent to about an 18% reduction in their chance of having a complication.” [04:12]

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Key Timestamps

• Mississippi storms: 00:12
• Epstein/Lutnick Investigation: 00:48
• Alabama redistricting protests: 01:42
• Musk v. Altman trial update: 02:34
• Hantavirus cruise ship outbreak: 03:12
• Ted Turner obituary: 03:12
• Surgical recovery & steps study: 04:12

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For more details and continuous coverage, listen to NPR News Now each hour.

Transcript

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[NPR News Anchor]

Learn [e-mail] Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is asking for prayers following a string of strong storms on social media. Reeves said multiple reported tornadoes hit Wednesday night throughout central and western Mississippi. Hundreds of structures reported damage. Local media reporting downed trees and people trapped. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer of Kentucky spoke to reporters after his panel heard from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as part of the panel's Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

[James Comer]

The only thing that I'd seen that Lutnick did wrong was wasn't 100% truthful on the brief visit to the island with his family. He corrected that in his opening statement and, you know, we'll see, we'll continue our investigation. And if we find that there were any misstatements by Lutnick, it's a it's a felony to lie to Congress and he'll be held accountable.

[NPR News Anchor]

Comer said Lutnick was largely forthcoming in describing his interactions with Epstein. Democrats accused Lutnick of evading their questions. Separately, a federal judge in New York has unsealed a suicide note purportedly written by Epstein after the New York Times reported on it last week. Alabama's legislature poised to adopt congressional districts that favor republic after last week's landmark Supreme Court ruling that removed race as a consideration for drawing district lines. NPR's Debbie Elliott reports that civil rights activists are fighting back.

[Debbie Elliott]

Protestors have descended on the Alabama State House in Montgomery as lawmakers meet in a special session designed to change the state's political power structure. Activists refused to move from a State House hallway Wednesday in a party line vote. The Alabama House approved a plan to use maps drawn in 2023 that were struck down by federal courts for discriminating against black voters. Afterwards, the GOP caucus issued a statement saying they're doing their part to ensure Congress stays red. Debbie Elliott, NPR News, Montgomery.

[NPR News Anchor]

The Musk v. Altman trial in Oakland, California, took a personal turn Wednesday as a mother of four of Elon Musk's children took the witness stand. From member station kqed, Rachel Myro reports.

[Rachel Myro]

Siobhan Zillis served as Musk's eyes and ears on OpenAI's board and as a go between after Musk left. But she contradicted his testimony, revealing he kept the extent of his pursuit of AI at Tesla secret as he poached top talent from OpenAI later testimony shed unflattering light on Sam Altman, too. A former board member explained Altman's five day ouster in 2023 stemmed from concerns that he wasn't being straigh with the board about which AI Products had cleared safety review. Altman has yet to testify. That's set for next week.

[NPR News Anchor]

You're listening to NPR News. A cruise ship with a hantavirus outbreak is heading to Spain's Canary Islands, departing the waters off Cape Verde after three people were evacuated. Two arrived at Amsterdam's airport Wednesday evening and were driven off in ambulances. The UN's health agency says eight cases have been recorded with five confirmed by lab tests. Three people have died. Ted Turner is being remembered as an outspoken television pioneer. He transformed an Atlanta television station into the first superstation and founded CNN, the first 24 hour all news cable network. His company, Turner Enterprises, says he died Wednesday. He was 87. A new study finds taking an extra 1,000 steps per day is linked to a significant decrease in the risk of complications after surgery. NPR's All Aubrey reports on the study that shows tracking steps is one way to monitor recovery.

[Dr. Julie Silver]

Getting steps in after surgery can help preserve lung function, lower the risk of blood clots and support overall recovery. In this new study that includes health data from nearly 2,000 patients, every thousand steps that a patient took was equivalent to about an 18% reduction in their chance of having a complication. Dr. Julie Silver of Wake Forest University School of Medicine says this shows how strong the connection between movement and recovery can be.

[IXL Announcer]

Getting people up and moving right away is so good for them, and this is an actionable thing that can empower patients.

[Dr. Julie Silver]

The study is published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

[NPR News Anchor]

You're listening to NPR News.

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