NPR News: 05-07-2026 2PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – May 7, 2026, 2PM EDT

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Duration: ~5 minutes
Episode Theme: A concise roundup of the latest national and international news as of 2PM EDT, with coverage ranging from ongoing diplomatic tensions in the Middle East to domestic political controversy and the latest health and education research.

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1. White House Awaits Iran’s Response on Peace Conditions

[00:29]

• Discussion Points:

  • The US, under President Trump, awaits Iran’s agreement on specific demands to end the war initiated by the US and Israel over two months ago.
  • Key demands:
    • Iran must halt all uranium enrichment.
    • Iran must fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio engaged in diplomatic discussions at the Vatican with Pope Leo, focusing on easing tensions.
  • The US State Department is also working with the Catholic Church to deliver humanitarian aid to Cuba amidst a US-imposed fuel cutoff and “friendly takeover” talk regarding the island.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “President Trump has demanded that a deal must include Iran's agreement to halt uranium enrichment. He's also demanding Iran fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.” (Lakshmi Singh, 00:33)
  • “The meeting underscored the strong relationship between the US and the Holy See and said they discussed the situation in the Middle East and topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere.” (Michelle Kellerman, 01:17)

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2. US Domestic Political and Religious Tensions

[01:50]

• Discussion Points:

  • A year since Pope Leo was chosen as the first American pope.
  • A major public survey shows:
    • A majority of Americans disapprove of President Trump’s religious rhetoric, notably a controversial social media post likening himself to Jesus.
    • Disapproval is even starker among white evangelical voters.
    • In contrast, two-thirds of Americans have a positive view of Pope Leo’s consistent calls for peace.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “87% of US adults view Donald Trump posting a picture of himself as Jesus negatively. Disapproval was even higher among white evangelicals, an important political base for the president.” (Jason DeRose, 02:10)
  • “The poll also found that two thirds of Americans have a positive reaction to Pope Leo, urging people to contact their elected representatives in support of peace.” (Jason DeRose, 02:24)

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3. Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak

[02:30]

• Discussion Points:

  • Eight confirmed cases (five laboratory confirmed), three deaths traced to a cruise ship off the coast of Africa.
  • Passenger tracking is underway across more than a dozen countries, including the US, after some passengers disembarked before detection.
  • Unique aspect: The strain can transmit person-to-person with close contact (rare for hantaviruses), but public health officials emphasize the risk remains low and there is no vaccine or specific treatment as of now.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “Usually, hantaviruses transmit through rodent, urine, feces and saliva. However, this particular strain can transmit person to person, yet it requires very close contact...” (Gabriela Emanuel, 02:47)
  • “This is not Covid. This is not influenza. It spreads very, very differently.” (Maria Van Kerkhoff, World Health Organization, 03:13)
  • “She says the risk to the general public is very low. However, there's no vaccine or specific treatment for the virus.” (Gabriela Emanuel, 03:17)

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4. Severe Tornado Damage in Mississippi

[03:26]

• Discussion Points:
  • Recovery efforts are ongoing in Mississippi after at least three tornadoes destroyed about 500 homes and injured at least 17 people.

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5. Tennessee Redistricting and Protests

[03:26]

• Discussion Points:
  • Tennessee GOP lawmakers advance a controversial redistricting bill that breaks up a majority-Black congressional district.
  • Protests and strong opposition, with demonstrators and Democratic lawmakers referencing the legacy of Jim Crow and voting rights abuses.

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6. Effectiveness of School Cell Phone Bans

[04:26]

• Discussion Points:

  • New research shows that school cell phone bans drastically reduce in-class phone use (from 61% to 13%).
  • Bans are popular across political and professional lines.
  • Surprisingly, these rules have almost no measurable effect on test scores.
  • Experts view this as a preliminary step in rethinking educational policy.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “Teachers reported that the number of students using cell phones in class dropped on average from 61% to just 13%... the research found that the bans had a close to zero effect on test scores.” (Sequoia Carrillo, 04:31)
  • “Thomas Dee, a professor of economics at Stanford and a co-author on this study, characterized this research as the first draft of a new approach to schooling, even though these bans are very popular with teachers and across party lines. And this is new territory.” (Sequoia Carrillo, 04:47)

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7. Closing and Sign-off

[05:03]

• “I’m Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, in Washington.” (Lakshmi Singh, 05:03)

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This five-minute news episode provides a rapid-fire but nuanced update on major developments in US foreign policy, the intersection of politics and religion, a new infectious disease scare, domestic political maneuvers on voting districts, natural disasters, and evolving approaches in educational policy. The blend of international, national, and health news—punctuated by public opinion surveys and expert voices—reflects NPR's hallmark balanced and fact-focused style.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The White House is waiting to hear if Iran accepts its conditions for ending the war the US And Israel initiated against Iran more than two months ago. President Trump has demanded that a deal must include Iran's agreement to halt uranium enrichment. He's also demanding Iran fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spent a couple of hours at the Vatican today trying to smooth over tensions between the Trump administration and the first American pope. NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports. Iran and Cuba were among the topics discussed.

[C]

President Trump has called the pope soft on crime and on Iran, but none of those tensions were on display as Rubio exchanged gifts with the pope and met with him privately. The State Department says the meeting underscored the strong relationship between the US and the Holy See and said they discussed the situation in the Middle east and topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere. Rubio, State Department has been working with the Catholic Church in Cuba to deliver aid. The Vatican has expressed concerns about a humanitarian crisis there as the US Cuts off most fuel shipments and as Trump talks about a friendly takeover of the Communist island. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department.

[B]

By the way, tomorrow marks a year since Pope Leo was selected to lead the Roman Catholic Church. Another public survey finds many Americans disapprove of the religious rhetoric used by The Trump admin. NPR's Jason DeRose reports. A survey also finds support for Pope Leo, who has pushed back against the war.

[D]

The Washington Post ABC News Ipsos poll found that 87% of US adults view Donald Trump posting a picture of himself as Jesus negatively. Disapproval was even higher among white evangelicals, an important political base for the president. The poll also found that two thirds of Americans have a positive reaction to Pope Leo, urging people to contact their elected representatives in support of peace.

[B]

And NPR's Jason DeRose reporting. There are now eight cases of hantavirus linked to a cruise ship off the coast of Africa. NPR's Gabriella Emanuel reports. Five of those have been confirmed and three passengers died.

[E]

Public health authorities are tracking down passengers who previously disembarked and then flew to 12 or more countries around the world, from Turkey to Singapore to Denmark and the United States. Usually, hantaviruses transmit through rodent, urine, feces and saliva. However, this particular strain can transmit person to person, yet it requires very close contact in a household or with a medical professional. Maria Van Kerkhoff is with the World Health Organization.

[F]

This is not Covid. This is not influenza. It spreads very, very differently.

[E]

She says the risk to the general public is very low. However, there's no vaccine or specific treatment for the virus. Gabriela Emanuel, NPR News.

[B]

It's npr. Recovery is underway across Mississippi, where tornadoes have left a trail of destruction and injured at least 17 people. Local authorities estimate at least three twisters tore through several counties and damaged about 500 homes. Republican state lawmakers in Tennessee are advancing a redistricting bill to divide a majority black congressional district in line with Trump backed efforts across the shaft to redraw maps and improve the GOP's chances of picking up more House seats. Today's actions in Tennessee spurred protests outside state House and Senate chambers. Democratic lawmakers locked arms while protesters yelled no Jim Crow in opposition to mid decade redistricting. There's new research on cell phone bans in schools and their effectiveness. More than two thirds of states have implemented some type of restriction. NPR's Sequoia Carrillo has the latest.

[G]

This week's study found that states with restrictions saw dramat radically reduced cell phone activity in schools. Teachers reported that the number of students using cell phones in class dropped on average from 61% to just 13%. On the other hand, the research found that the bans had a close to zero effect on test scores. But Thomas Dee, a professor of economics at Stanford and a co author on this study, characterized this research as the first draft of a new approach to schooling, even though these bans are very popular with teachers and across party lines. And this is new territory. Sequoia Carrillo, NPR News.

[B]

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, in Washington.

[F]

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