NPR News: 05-09-2026 5AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – 05-09-2026 5AM EDT

Host: Windsor Johnston, NPR News
Date: May 9, 2026
Duration: 5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This brief news update offers a snapshot of key U.S. and world events, including updates on voting rights legislation in Alabama, a civil liberties lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, a cruise ship hantavirus outbreak, major layoffs at the tech firm Cloudflare amidst the AI boom, and California’s new program to provide free diapers to newborns. The tone is factual and concise, reflecting NPR’s signature delivery style.

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Key News Stories and Discussion Points

1. Alabama Redistricting and Voting Rights Protests

Timestamps: 00:13 – 01:26

• Alabama’s Republican lawmakers have approved special primary election plans and are seeking to overturn a legal embargo preventing changes to electoral maps until 2030.
• The new maps would weaken the power of two black-majority districts, a move that has sparked both inside and outside protests by voting rights activists.
• Context: The state recently elected two Democratic, Black representatives after a Supreme Court decision found the former maps diluted Black voting power.
• Alabama’s GOP, emboldened by a recent Louisiana case and what appears to be a Supreme Court reversal, wants the new plans in place ahead of the midterms.
• The state attorney general has filed an emergency motion in response to these developments.

Memorable Quote:

“Alabama’s Republicans are proposing maps that weaken the power of two current black majority districts.”
— Kyle Gassett, 00:33

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2. DNA Collection Lawsuit Against Homeland Security

Timestamps: 01:26 – 02:27

• A group of protesters has sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after being compelled to provide DNA samples when arrested during a protest against immigration enforcement outside a Chicago ICE facility.
• Of the four plaintiffs, two were never charged, and charges for the other two were dismissed; all say their genetic profiles remain in government databases.
• DHS claims federal law requires DNA collection from arrestees, but plaintiffs argue Supreme Court precedent allows it only for serious crimes.
• The case highlights broader concerns about privacy and federal law enforcement tactics.

Memorable Quote:

“Each was forced to give a DNA sample. Two were never charged, and the other two faced misdemeanor charges that were later dismissed. But they say the government still has their genetic profile.”
— Meg Anderson, 01:40

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3. Hantavirus Outbreak on Dutch Cruise Ship

Timestamps: 02:27 – 03:08

• A Dutch cruise ship experiencing a hantavirus outbreak is sailing to the Canary Islands for passengers to disembark and begin quarantine monitoring.
• 19 American passengers will be treated at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where special protocols are ready in case anyone develops symptoms.
• The CDC has classified the outbreak as a "level three emergency response" due to its seriousness.

Memorable Quote:

“We have a trained team of healthcare workers, including everything from our nursing team to a physician team, including infectious diseases specialists as well as critical care physicians. And we are ready should one of these individuals develop symptoms concerning for hantavirus.”
— Dr. Angela Hewitt, 02:52

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4. Mass Layoffs at Cloudflare Due to AI Automation

Timestamps: 03:08 – 04:23

• Cloudflare becomes the latest tech company to announce job cuts (about 20% of staff—1,100 jobs) citing a shift toward an “agentic AI first operating model.”
• CEO Matthew Prince maintains this is not merely a cost-cutting exercise but an acceleration of the company’s evolution, implementing AI agents to automate tasks.
• This follows similar moves by Coinbase, Amazon, and Meta as the tech sector rapidly increases AI investment.
• Cloudflare reports AI usage across the company has increased by 600% in three months.

Memorable Quote:

“It’s not a cost cutting exercise. Instead, he says the company is accelerating its evolution. To quote an ‘agentic AI first operating model.’ That means using AI that can perform tasks autonomously.”
— John Ruich, 03:31

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5. California Diaper Aid for Newborns

Timestamps: 04:23 – 04:56

• California will become the first state to supply families with 400 free diapers for each newborn at participating hospitals before discharge, aiming to reduce financial strain for new parents.
• Initial rollout will focus on hospitals that primarily serve low-income patients, with a plan to expand statewide in the first year.

Memorable Quote:

“The state will provide 400 diapers to each baby through participating hospitals. The program in its first year will be limited to hospitals largely serving low income patients, and then it’s expected to expand statewide.”
— Windsor Johnston, 04:23

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Kyle Gassett (00:33): “Alabama's Republicans are proposing maps that weaken the power of two current black majority districts.”
• Meg Anderson (01:40): “Each was forced to give a DNA sample... But they say the government still has their genetic profile.”
• Dr. Angela Hewitt (02:52): “We have a trained team of healthcare workers… ready should one of these individuals develop symptoms concerning for hantavirus.”
• John Ruich (03:31): “It’s not a cost cutting exercise. Instead… accelerating its evolution to... an agentic AI first operating model.”
• Windsor Johnston (04:23): “The state will provide 400 diapers to each baby through participating hospitals.”

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Alabama Voting Rights & Redistricting: 00:13–01:26
• DHS DNA Lawsuit: 01:26–02:27
• Hantavirus Cruise Ship Outbreak: 02:27–03:08
• Cloudflare AI Layoffs: 03:08–04:23
• California Diaper Assistance: 04:23–04:56

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This episode provides a quick yet thorough roundup of notable national news for the early hours of May 9, 2026, marked by ongoing debates over voting rights, civil liberties, health emergencies, advancing AI-driven workforces, and innovative social welfare initiatives.

Transcript

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[Windsor Johnston]

[e-mail] live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Republican lawmakers in Alabama have approved plans for special primary elections. Kyle Gassett of Troy Public Radio reports the state attorney general is asking to have a lease embargo on the new

[Kyle Gassett]

maps overturned amid protests both outside and inside the state house from voting rights activists. Alabama's Republicans are proposing maps that weaken the power of two current black majority districts. Alabama has seven representatives and recently elected two Democratic and black representatives following a Supreme Court decision that the state's previous maps diluted the power of black voters. With last week's Louisiana case ruling and a seeming reversal from the Supreme Court, Alabama's GOP wants both new maps and primary election plans in place before the midterm elections. Alabama's attorney general has filed an emergency motion seeking to overturn a ruling that kept the state from changing maps until 2030. For NPR News, I'm Kyle Gassett in Montgomery, Alabama.

[Windsor Johnston]

A group of protesters is suing the Department of Homeland Security to stop federal officers from taking The DNA of U.S. citizens arrested while protesting the agency's immigration enforcement tactics. NPR's Meg Anderson reports.

[Meg Anderson]

The four people who brought the case say they were peacefully protesting outside an ICE detention center near Chicago when they were arrested. Each was forced to give a DNA sample. Two were never charged, and the other two faced misdemeanor charges that were later dismissed. But they say the government still has their genetic profile. DHS did not respond to a request for comment, but NPR has reported on similar cases in recent months across the country. In an earlier statement, DHS told NPR that federal law requires them to collect the DNA of people they arrest. The lawsuit argues, however, that a 2013 Supreme Court case law only allows the practice in the case of serious crimes. Meg Anderson, NPR News.

[Windsor Johnston]

A Dutch cruise ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak is heading toward the Canary Islands, where passengers are expected to disembark and return home for monitoring. 19Americans aboard the ship are expected to be treated at the University of Nebraska Medical center during the quarantine period. During a press briefing on Friday, Dr. Angela Hewitt said staff are prepared to treat any passengers who develop symptoms.

[Dr. Angela Hewitt]

We have a trained team of healthcare workers, including everything from our nursing team to a physician team, including infectious diseases specialists as well as critical care physicians. And we are ready should one of these individuals develop symptoms concerning for hantavirus.

[Windsor Johnston]

The CDC is now classifying the outbreak as level three emergency response. This is NPR News. The tech company Cloudflare is the latest in a string of firms to cut jobs because of artificial intelligence. NPR's John Ruich reports. The company announced that it's eliminating about 20% of its workforce.

[John Ruich]

Cloudflare runs services behind the scenes that aim to make a wide range of websites and apps more secure and faster. In a quarterly earnings call, it announced that it was cutting 1100 jobs. CEO Matthew Prince says it's not a cost cutting exercise. Instead, he says the company is accelerating its evolution. To quote an agentic AI first operating model, that means using AI that can perform tasks autonomously. With the cuts, Cloudflare joins a wave of tech companies that have announced layoffs amid huge AI investments. Those include Coinbase, Amazon and Meta. Cloudflare says its usage of AI has leapt 600% in the last three months, with teams across the organization using more and more AI agents to do work. It says the layoffs don't make for an easy day, but that it's the right decision as the company reimagines how it operates. John Ruich, NPR News.

[Windsor Johnston]

California will become the first state in the nation to provide infants with hundreds of free diapers before they leave hospitals after birth. Officials say the goal is to ease the financial burden on families welcoming newborns. The state will provide 400 diapers to each baby through participating hospitals. The program in its first year will be limited to hospitals largely serving low income patients, and then it's expected to expand statewide. I'm Windsor Johnston, NPR News, in Washington.

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