NPR News: 05-17-2026 1AM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now — May 17, 2026, 1AM EDT

Host: Dale Willman
Duration: 5 minutes
Main Theme: A concise roundup of top U.S. and world news stories including U.S. politics, voting rights protests, Middle East negotiations, a health crisis in Africa, major sports updates, and more.

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1. U.S. Political Developments: Louisiana Senate Primary

• [00:01–00:36]
  • Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy lost the Republican primary, a notable turn as he was one of seven GOP senators who voted to convict former President Donald Trump after the January 6 Capitol insurrection.
  • Cassidy addressed his supporters with humility regarding the democratic process:
    • Quote (Bill Cassidy, 00:17):
      "I've had the privilege of representing the state of Louisiana for 12 years. I've been able to participate in democracy. And when you participate in democracy, sometimes it doesn't turn out the way you want it to. But you don't pout, you don't whine, you don't claim the election was stolen."
  • The race will proceed to a runoff unless a candidate receives over 50% of the votes.
  • Rep. Julia Letlow, endorsed by Trump, is one of the remaining candidates and previously won a special election after her husband’s death. She emphasized her platform:
    • Quote (Julia Letlow, 00:55):
      "Tonight, Louisiana sent a clear message that they want a candidate to represent them in the Senate who will always put America first and never turn her back on Louisiana voters."

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2. Voting Rights Rally in Montgomery, Alabama

• [01:07–01:48]
  • Thousands gathered for a national day of action in support of voting rights, following a Supreme Court decision weakening the Voting Rights Act.
  • Political and faith leaders attended, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, in response to new congressional maps in Southern states potentially diluting voting power in Black-majority districts.
    • Quote (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 01:44):
      "This is absolutely a racist attack on our voting system."
  • Alabama legislators moved to redraw districts that could eliminate one or both Black-majority Democratic seats.

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3. Diplomatic Tensions and Blockades: Pakistan and Iran

• [02:02–02:56]
  • Pakistan’s Interior Minister made an unannounced visit to Iran amid continuing tensions with the United States and Israel, who have been conducting strikes since late February.
  • A fragile ceasefire holds, but both Iran and the U.S. are blockading the Strait of Hormuz:
    • This strait is critical, channeling about 20% of the globe's oil and gas, and a third of the world’s traded fertilizer, causing global price increases and shortages.
  • Dia Hadid summarized the implications for global trade and regional diplomacy.

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4. Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo

• [02:56–03:42]
  • The death toll in the latest Ebola outbreak in the DRC rose to at least 87, with health officials confirming active community transmission.
  • 336 suspected cases and upwards of 60 deaths had been reported as of Sunday, according to Africa CDC.

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5. PGA Championship: Alex Smalley Leads

• [03:42–04:26]
  • Alex Smalley, 29, holds a two-shot lead going into the final round, the first time leading a major in his PGA Tour career.
  • Smalley has been the only player with under-par rounds for the first three days.
    • Quote (Alex Smalley, 03:59):
      "My parents and I have been joking that maybe this would be a tournament that I would win just because of that kind of fact."
      (Referring to his days living in Duke’s Wanamaker dorm and the tournament’s Wanamaker Trophy)
  • Notable: Masters champion Rory McIlroy is close behind, only three shots off the lead.

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6. Ice Hockey World Championship Results

• [04:26–04:41]
  • Macklin Celebrini, teenage captain of Team Canada, scored twice in Canada’s 6–0 shutout over Italy.
  • Host Switzerland beat Latvia 4–1.

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Notable Quotes

• Bill Cassidy (00:17):
  "But you don't pout, you don't whine, you don't claim the election was stolen."
• Julia Letlow (00:55):
  "Louisiana sent a clear message that they want a candidate to represent them in the Senate who will always put America first..."
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (01:44):
  "This is absolutely a racist attack on our voting system."
• Alex Smalley (03:59):
  "Maybe this would be a tournament that I would win just because of that kind of fact."

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:01] Louisiana GOP Primary Results
• [00:36] Runoff Information & Julia Letlow Statement
• [01:07] Montgomery Voting Rights Rally & Ocasio-Cortez’s Comments
• [02:02] Pakistan-Iran Diplomatic Visit
• [02:56] Ebola Outbreak in DRC
• [03:42] PGA Championship Update
• [04:26] Ice Hockey World Championship Scores

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Transcript

[Dale Willman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy has lost the Republican primary there. Cassidy was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict President Trump after the insurrection at the Capitol. In acknowledging his loss, Cassidy told supporters he was honored to serve them.

[Bill Cassidy]

I've had the privilege of representing the state of Louisiana for 12 years. I've been able to participate in democracy. And when you participate democracy, sometimes it doesn't turn out the way you want it to. But you don't pout, you don't whine, you don't claim the election was stolen.

[Dale Willman]

Two other candidates were also in the race, which will head to a runoff if neither get at least 50% of the final vote total. Representative Julia Letlow is one of the other two candidates and was endorsed by Trump. She won a special election in 2021 for the House seat her late husband was set to assume before he died. From.

[Julia Letlow]

Tonight, Louisiana sent a clear message that they want a candidate to represent them in the Senate who will always put America first and never turn her back on Louisiana voters.

[Dale Willman]

Thousands of people gathered in Montgomery, Alabama, Saturday for a national day of action in support of voting rights. The Gulf States Newsroom's Joseph King reports that it was in response to the Supreme Court's recent decision that gutted the Voting Rights Act.

[Joseph King]

A large crowd made up of faith and political leaders and people from all over the country rallied together in Montgomery. The rally comes as Republican lawmakers in the south redraw congressional maps following the Louisiana vs. Kalaid decision. U.S. representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez appeared at the rally. She says she believes legislators proposing new maps are driven by race.

[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]

This is absolutely a racist attack on our voting system.

[Joseph King]

Almost immediately after the ruling, Alabama legislators proposed to redraw their maps. The state has only two Democratic districts that are majority black. Redrawing could eliminate one or both. For NPR News, I'm Joseph King in Montgomery.

[Dale Willman]

Iranian state media says Pakistan's powerful interior minister has made an unannounced visit to Iran. As NPR's Dia Hadid reports, the visit comes during continuing tension between Iran and

[Dia Hadid]

the US Iranian state backed media reports that the Pakistani interior minister Naqvi met with his counterpart in Tehran, Iskander Momini, but offered no further detail. Naqvi has been a key interlocutor in Pakistan's efforts to mediate an end to the war, which began when the US And Israel began striking Iran in late February. While a ceasefire has held for weeks, both Iran and the US Are blockading the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea route that funnels about a fifth of the world's oil and gas and about a third of the world's globally traded fertiliser. That's wreaked havoc across the globe, contributing to increasing gas prices and fertiliser shortages. Dear Hadid, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

And you're listening to NPR News. The death count continues to rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where health officials say at least 87 people have died from an Ebola outbreak there. The organization Africa CDC also Sundays there are 336 suspected cases. The outbreak was confirmed on Friday when 6065 deaths were reported. Health officials are warning of what they are calling active community transmission of the virus. For the first time in his PGA Tour career and at a major championship, 29 year old Alex Smalley of Greensboro, North Carolina, holds sole possession of the lead going into Sunday's final round. SMalley leads by two shots over a group of five second place golfers at the PGA Championship as Greg Eklund reports from outside Philadelphia.

[Greg Eklund]

Alex smalley shot a 2 under par 68 capped by this birdie putt. The winner of the PGA Championship will be awarded the Wanamaker Trophy. Smalley recalled his college days at Duke University when he lived in the Wanamaker dorm.

[Alex Smalley]

My parents and I have been joking that maybe this would be a tournament that I would win just because of that kind of fact.

[Greg Eklund]

Smalley, seeking his first professional win, is the only golfer on the field to shoot under par rounds in each of the first three days. Masters champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland is only three shots off the lead. For NPR News, I'm Greg Ecklin in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

[Dale Willman]

Teenage captain Macklin Celebrini scored twice as Canada shut out Italy 60 at the ice Hockey World Championship underway in Switzerland. Host Switzerland beat Latvia 4 to 1. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

[David Remnick]

Right now we are living through some of the most tumultuous political times our country has ever known. I'm David Remnick. And each week on the New Yorker Radio Hour, I'll try to make sense of what's happening alongside politicians and thinkers like Cory Booker, Nancy Pelosi, Liz Cheney and so many more. That's all on the New Yorker Radio Hour. Wherever you listen to podcasts.