NPR News: 07-05-2026 7PM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now – 07-05-2026 7PM EDT

Episode Overview

This NPR News Now episode, hosted by Dan Ronan, delivers a concise roundup of national and international headlines in under five minutes. Coverage includes major developments in Iran, a police shooting in Memphis, surging healthcare costs in U.S. schools, heat waves across the U.S., UK World Cup festivities, and significant baseball retirements.

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Key News Highlights

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Ongoing Funeral Services for Iran’s Late Supreme Leader

Reported by Hadil Al Shalchi (Istanbul)
[00:32 – 01:12]

• Tens of thousands in Tehran attended funeral prayers for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and four family members.
• Iranian state media showed military and political officials openly weeping.
• High temperatures (90s Fahrenheit) prompted workers to spray water over mourners.
• Three of Khamenei’s sons were present; his fourth son, Mujtaba Khamenei—now the new supreme leader—was notably absent.
• A funeral spokesperson cited delays due to "the war."
• Burial is scheduled for Thursday in Mashhad, Khamenei’s birthplace.

“Missing was his fourth son, Mujtaba Khamenei, who took over as supreme leader from his father.”
—Hadil Al Shalchi [00:44]

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National Guard Involved in Deadly Shooting in Memphis

Reported by Joel Rose
[01:12 – 02:06]

• Police responded to downtown Memphis at 4am following reports of gunshots.
• Officers confronted an armed man, 20-year-old Tyron Johnson, who fled on foot.
• Memphis Police and Tennessee National Guard soldiers were involved in the pursuit.
• Circumstances unclear, but Johnson “turned toward the National Guard members with his weapon before they fired and struck him.”
• He was pronounced dead at the scene; no officers injured.
• Incident is under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).

"The TBI says, quote, the situation escalated for reasons that are still under investigation."
—Joel Rose [01:36]

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Surging Healthcare Costs Squeeze School Districts

Reported by Sequoia Carrillo
[02:06 – 03:01]

• New study: 98% of school district leaders say rising healthcare costs impact their budgets.
• During 2025-26, 92% of districts spent nearly a third of their budgets on employee insurance.
• Over half of districts now rely on reserves or rainy day funds for premium hikes.
• Many districts are delaying hiring, freezing positions, or postponing new instructional material spending.

“92% of districts spent nearly a third of their operating budget on employee insurance benefits.”
—Sequoia Carrillo [02:32]

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Other Notable Headlines

[03:01 – 04:55]

• Reflecting Pool Repairs (Washington, D.C.)

  • Trump administration will not put Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool repairs out to bid; previous contractor chosen again.

• US Heat Wave

  • Massive heat wave sweeps the U.S., with temperatures reaching the high 90s and above 100 from the Rockies to the Atlantic.

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World Cup: Britain Cheers England with Late-Night Pub Openings

Reported by Vicki Barker (London), with quote from Community Secretary Steve Reid [03:39 – 04:12]

• England plays host Mexico in the World Cup, 1am Monday local time.
• Emergency legislation allows UK pubs to stay open until 5am for the match.
• England captain Harry Kane encourages fans to “pull all nighters.”
• Government aims for every fan to "have a pint in their hand" for the match.

“Every England fan that wants to have a pint in their hand as they cheer Harry Kane and the boys onto victory, they can now do it.”
—Steve Reid, Community Secretary [04:06]

• Experts predict up to 1 million extra pints of beer will be sold, helping struggling pubs.

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Major League Baseball: Umpire Retirements

[04:24 – 04:55]

• Seven umpires, including four crew chiefs, to retire after this season.
• CB Buckner, umpiring since 1996, retiring after suffering a head injury.
• Jen Powell, a Triple-A call-up, could become baseball’s first woman umpire.

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Notable Quotes

• “The situation escalated for reasons that are still under investigation.”
  —Joel Rose, on Memphis shooting [01:36]
• “Missing was his fourth son, Mujtaba Khamenei, who took over as supreme leader from his father.”
  —Hadil Al Shalchi [00:44]
• “Every England fan that wants to have a pint in their hand as they cheer Harry Kane and the boys onto victory, they can now do it.”
  —Steve Reid [04:06]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:32] Iran funeral services coverage
• [01:12] Memphis National Guard shooting
• [02:06] School district healthcare cost crisis
• [03:01] Lincoln Memorial repairs & US heat wave update
• [03:39] UK World Cup pub openings
• [04:24] Major League Baseball umpire retirements

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Summary prepared for listeners seeking quick yet comprehensive global and national news insights, in the precise, neutral language characteristic of NPR broadcasting.

Transcript

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[Dan Ronan]

Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. Funeral services for Iran's late supreme leader continue. Today in Tehran, NPR's Hadil Al Shashi reports.

[Hadil Al Shalchi]

Tens of thousands of Iranians lined up to perform the ritual Islamic funeral prayers facing the caskets of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his four family members. Iranian state media showed Iranian military and political officials sobbing as they performed the prayers. Water sprayed over the mourners to keep them cool as the temperatures reached the 90s. Three of Khamenei's sons were seen at the prayers. Missing was his fourth son, Mujtaba Khamenei, who took over as supreme leader from his father. A funeral preparation spokesperson said the funeral was delay until now because of the war. Khamenei will be buried in his birthplace of Mashhad on Thursday. Hadil Al Shalchi, NPR News, Istanbul.

[Dan Ronan]

Police in Memphis say National Guard troops fired their weapons in the early morning hours today, killing a man who is armed with a handgun. NPR's Joel Rose reports. The incident is under investigation.

[Joel Rose]

Police say officers were responding to calls of shots fired in downtown Memphis just before 4am local time when when they saw, quote, an armed male carrying a handgun. The man, identified by the Tennessee Bureau of investigation as 20 year old Tyron Johnson, fled on foot, pursued by Memphis police officers, along with Tennessee National Guard soldiers who are assigned to the area. What happened next is unclear. The TBI says, quote, the situation escalated for reasons that are still under investigation. Memphis police said the man turned toward the National Guard members with his weapon before they fired and struck him. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene nearby. No law enforcement officers were injured. Joel Rose, NPR News.

[Dan Ronan]

Health care costs have surged in recent years in school districts, with many experiencing the same pressures impacting employers nationwide. A new study shows the difficulties that superintendents are facing to make ends meet. NPR's Sequoia Carrillo reports.

[Sequoia Carrillo]

98% of school district leaders report that rising healthcare costs have had a measurable impact on their budgets. That's according to a new study from the School Superintendents association. During the 2025-2026 fiscal year, 92% of districts spent nearly a third of their operating budget on employee insurance benefits. More than half of districts report relying on reserves or rainy day funds to cover premium increases. Many districts report delaying or freezing hiring of staff and reducing or postponing spending on new instructional materials in order to cover the difference. Sequoia Carrillo, NPR News.

[Dan Ronan]

The Trump administration says repairs that are needed for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool will not be put out to bid. The interior secretary said the administration will use the same company that did the original work. It's npr. A massive heat wave continues to swelter a large part of the US with temperatures reaching the high 90s in more than 100 degrees from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Oceans. British pubs have been handed a special dispensation to stay open all night Sunday night, this so fans can watch their team play in soccer's World Cup. Vicki Barker reports from London.

[Vicki Barker]

When England kicks off against hosts Mexico and soccer's World Cup Sunday, it will actually be 1am Monday local time. Team captain Harry Kane has urged the fans back at home to pull all nighters, and many will be doing so in their local pubs after the government enacted emergency legislation to allow pubs to stay open till 5am Community Secretary Steve Reid telling the BBC, every England fan

[Steve Reid]

that wants to have a pint in their hand as they cheer Harry Kane and the boys onto victory, they can now do it.

[Vicki Barker]

Industry experts say up to 1 million extra pints of beer will be sold as a result, a rare shot in the arm to an increasingly beleaguered industry. For NPR News, I'm Vicki Barker in London.

[Dan Ronan]

Major League Baseball will have at least seven vacancies on its umpiring staff next season, according to USA Today. Seven longtime umpires, including four crew chiefs, will retire when this season ends. One of those retiring is umpire CB Buckner, who has been on the field since 1996 but this year has been on medical leave after suffering a head injury in April. The retirements could mean baseball hiring its first woman umpire, Jen Powell, who's been a Triple A call up. I'm Dan Ronan, npr.

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