NPR News: 08-05-2026 2PM EDT - NPR News Now

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Transcript15 lines

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kristen Wright. In a test of the political power of the Democratic Party's left wing epidemiologist and former Detroit public health official Abdul El Sayed, who was a political newcomer, beat out moderate Congresswoman Haley Stevens for Michigan's U.S. senate Democratic nomination. The Associated Press called the race this morning after ballots were too close to call all night and into the early morning. Al Said talked to MORNING EDITION just before he was declared the winner.
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What unites us is way bigger than what divides us. We know that Trumpism has been just a colossal failure. We know that to defeat Trumpism, we're going to have to defeat Trump's hand picked candidate for U.S. senate. And we know that the responsibility we have to come to make sure that we're protecting people's health care, that we're standing up for clean air, clean water, that we're fighting for affordability for working people is way bigger than anything that divides us.
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El Sayed will run against Republican Mike Rogers in the general election in November. Rogers ran unopposed in the primary. He served in the House previously and has a background in law enforcement. He's also an army veteran. Missouri Congressman Wesley Bell defeated former Congresswoman Cori Bush to represent the Democratic Party in the state's first congressional district. St. Louis Public Radio's Chad Davis reports.
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Bell, who won the seat from Bush in 2024, ran a campaign on Medicare for All, abolishing U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement and criticizing the Iran war. Bush campaigned on many of the same issues, but criticized Bell for his support of Israel, AIPAC funding and his refusal to call Israel's actions in Gaza a genocide. In his victory speech, Bell says it's time to work together for the St. Louis region.
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When we talk about the progress that we need to make, I think the folks in St. Louis know that I'm going to always wake up working for you.
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Bell will face off against Paul Berry III, the Republican nominee in the November 3rd election. For NPR News, I'm Chad Davis.
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In the Middle East, Iran says it's getting closer to an agreement that would temporarily open the strait of Hormuz. NPR's Hadil Al Shalchi reports. Qatari and U.S. officials are citing progress in a broader deal to reopen the critical waterway.
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Qatar's Foreign Ministry said that talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz were in the, quote, very progressive stages and that a draft was being circulated among parties. It said that no deal has been reached yet. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that there were progress in talks, but not finality yet. Iran and Oman said they were getting close to their own deal to temporarily open the strait. Iranian officials said they would use an intermediate route whereby ships enter the Persian Gulf using an Iranian controlled route and exit using an Omani controlled one. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said a deal was contingent on the US Lifting its blockade on Iranian ports. Hadil Al Shalgi, NPR News, Istanbul.
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You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Paramount's $111 billion bid to take over Hollywood rival Warner Bros. Discovery is facing an antitrust case from 12 Democratic state attorneys general. Now in a New York Times op ed, Paramount's chairman says the lawsuit is really about politics and the attorney's general opposition to not wanting him to own Both CNN and CBS. NPR's David Folkenflick reports.
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Paramount Chairman David Ellison said that was the real sticking point for the Democratic attorneys general. He disclaimed any interest in putting a finger on the scale in news writing that he supported Republicans and Democrats. But Ellison didn't mention either of the two figures hovering over this deal. His father, Larry Ellison, the co founder of Oracle, is the money behind the bid for Warner and a close ally of the second figure. That's President Trump, whose regulators have given the Ellisons the green light to investors. Ellison said he welcomes a swift resolution, however it may arrive.
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We're absolutely open to finding a solution out of court, but we also really believe that we'll win at trial.
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Paramount had asked for the trial to start in November. The judge set it for early next March. David folkenflick, NPR News.
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SpaceX has reported financial results for the first time since going public. The company, run by Elon Musk, lost more than half a billion dollars as strong revenues eclipsed by big spending, especially on artificial intelligence. The Senate is voting today on the nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I'm Kristen Wright, NPR News, from Washington.
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[04:40]
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Summary4 min read

NPR News Now: August 5, 2026, 2PM EDT

Episode Overview

This concise news episode, hosted by Kristen Wright, provides listeners with the latest political, international, business, and science headlines as of early August 2026. It covers significant developments in Democratic primary contests, progress in Middle Eastern negotiations, a major entertainment industry acquisition facing antitrust scrutiny, financial news from SpaceX, and a key Senate nomination.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Michigan Senate Democratic Primary Upset

Summary: Abdul El Sayed, an epidemiologist and former Detroit public health official aligned with the Democratic Party's left wing, secured the Democratic nomination for Michigan's U.S. Senate seat, narrowly defeating moderate Congresswoman Haley Stevens. The race was called after a prolonged ballot count.
Quote [00:33]: Abdul El Sayed (to MORNING EDITION before the win):

“What unites us is way bigger than what divides us. We know that Trumpism has been just a colossal failure. We know that to defeat Trumpism, we're going to have to defeat Trump's hand picked candidate for U.S. senate. And we know that the responsibility we have to come to make sure that we're protecting people's health care, that we're standing up for clean air, clean water, that we're fighting for affordability for working people is way bigger than anything that divides us.”
Next Steps: El Sayed will face Republican Mike Rogers in the general election. Rogers ran unopposed and brings experience from the House and military.

2. Missouri Democratic Congressional Race

Summary: Missouri Congressman Wesley Bell defeats former Congresswoman Cori Bush for the Democratic nomination in the state’s first congressional district. Bush’s campaign challenged Bell’s positions on Israel and Gaza, while Bell campaigned on progressive issues like Medicare for All and abolishing ICE.
Quote [01:44]: Wesley Bell (victory speech):

“When we talk about the progress that we need to make, I think the folks in St. Louis know that I'm going to always wake up working for you.”
Next Steps: Bell now faces Republican Paul Berry III in the November 3rd election.

3. Middle East: Strait of Hormuz Nearing Reopening

Summary: Iran claims progress in negotiations to temporarily open the Strait of Hormuz for shipping, with critical involvement from Qatar, the US, and Oman. The tentative deal involves a new routing arrangement, with conditions hinging on the US lifting blockades on Iranian ports.
Notable Quotes:
- [02:15] Hadil Al Shalchi (NPR):
  
  “Qatar's Foreign Ministry said that talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz were in the, quote, very progressive stages and that a draft was being circulated among parties. It said that no deal has been reached yet.”
- [02:36]
  
  “Iran and Oman said they were getting close to their own deal... Iranian officials said they would use an intermediate route whereby ships enter the Persian Gulf using an Iranian controlled route and exit using an Omani controlled one.”

4. Media Industry: Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Merger Blocked

Summary: Paramount’s $111 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery is facing an antitrust lawsuit from 12 Democratic state attorneys general. Paramount Chairman David Ellison frames the suit as politically motivated, citing concerns over his potential combined ownership of CNN and CBS.
Quotes:
- [03:25] David Ellison (via NYT Op-Ed, summarized):
  
  “...disclaimed any interest in putting a finger on the scale in news writing that he supported Republicans and Democrats.”
- [03:57] Paramount Spokesperson:
  
  “We're absolutely open to finding a solution out of court, but we also really believe that we'll win at trial.”
Legal Update: Paramount asked for a November trial start, but the judge set it for early March 2027.

5. Business & Science: SpaceX Posts Losses

Summary: SpaceX, having recently gone public, announced a net loss of more than half a billion dollars. Strong revenues are currently being outpaced by heavy investment—particularly in artificial intelligence.
Additional News: The Senate is voting today on Dr. Erica Schwartz’s nomination as the new CDC Director.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Abdul El Sayed on Party Unity & ‘Trumpism’ [00:33]:

“What unites us is way bigger than what divides us... We know that Trumpism has been just a colossal failure.”
Wesley Bell’s Commitment to St. Louis [01:44]:

“...the folks in St. Louis know that I'm going to always wake up working for you.”
Paramount Chairman David Ellison on Political Motives [03:25]:

“...the real sticking point for the Democratic attorneys general” over controlling both CNN and CBS.

Timeline & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------| | 00:02 | Michigan Senate Democratic Primary update & El Sayed’s remarks | | 00:56 | Michigan general election preview (El Sayed vs. Rogers) | | 01:21 | Missouri 1st District Democratic Primary summary | | 01:44 | Wesley Bell’s victory speech | | 02:00 | Iran-Qatar-US negotiations on Strait of Hormuz | | 02:55 | Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger antitrust update | | 03:57 | Paramount’s legal strategy and trial timeline | | 04:11 | SpaceX financial news and CDC nomination |

Episode Tone & Style

The reporting remains direct, factual, and fast-paced—hallmarks of the NPR News Now format. Key political and business developments are delivered with clarity and an emphasis on the broader implications for listeners nationwide.

Loading summary

Transcript15 lines

[00:02]
A
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kristen Wright. In a test of the political power of the Democratic Party's left wing epidemiologist and former Detroit public health official Abdul El Sayed, who was a political newcomer, beat out moderate Congresswoman Haley Stevens for Michigan's U.S. senate Democratic nomination. The Associated Press called the race this morning after ballots were too close to call all night and into the early morning. Al Said talked to MORNING EDITION just before he was declared the winner.
[00:33]
B
What unites us is way bigger than what divides us. We know that Trumpism has been just a colossal failure. We know that to defeat Trumpism, we're going to have to defeat Trump's hand picked candidate for U.S. senate. And we know that the responsibility we have to come to make sure that we're protecting people's health care, that we're standing up for clean air, clean water, that we're fighting for affordability for working people is way bigger than anything that divides us.
[00:57]
A
El Sayed will run against Republican Mike Rogers in the general election in November. Rogers ran unopposed in the primary. He served in the House previously and has a background in law enforcement. He's also an army veteran. Missouri Congressman Wesley Bell defeated former Congresswoman Cori Bush to represent the Democratic Party in the state's first congressional district. St. Louis Public Radio's Chad Davis reports.
[01:21]
C
Bell, who won the seat from Bush in 2024, ran a campaign on Medicare for All, abolishing U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement and criticizing the Iran war. Bush campaigned on many of the same issues, but criticized Bell for his support of Israel, AIPAC funding and his refusal to call Israel's actions in Gaza a genocide. In his victory speech, Bell says it's time to work together for the St. Louis region.
[01:44]
D
When we talk about the progress that we need to make, I think the folks in St. Louis know that I'm going to always wake up working for you.
[01:53]
C
Bell will face off against Paul Berry III, the Republican nominee in the November 3rd election. For NPR News, I'm Chad Davis.
[02:01]
A
In the Middle East, Iran says it's getting closer to an agreement that would temporarily open the strait of Hormuz. NPR's Hadil Al Shalchi reports. Qatari and U.S. officials are citing progress in a broader deal to reopen the critical waterway.
[02:15]
E
Qatar's Foreign Ministry said that talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz were in the, quote, very progressive stages and that a draft was being circulated among parties. It said that no deal has been reached yet. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that there were progress in talks, but not finality yet. Iran and Oman said they were getting close to their own deal to temporarily open the strait. Iranian officials said they would use an intermediate route whereby ships enter the Persian Gulf using an Iranian controlled route and exit using an Omani controlled one. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said a deal was contingent on the US Lifting its blockade on Iranian ports. Hadil Al Shalgi, NPR News, Istanbul.
[02:55]
A
You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Paramount's $111 billion bid to take over Hollywood rival Warner Bros. Discovery is facing an antitrust case from 12 Democratic state attorneys general. Now in a New York Times op ed, Paramount's chairman says the lawsuit is really about politics and the attorney's general opposition to not wanting him to own Both CNN and CBS. NPR's David Folkenflick reports.
[03:26]
F
Paramount Chairman David Ellison said that was the real sticking point for the Democratic attorneys general. He disclaimed any interest in putting a finger on the scale in news writing that he supported Republicans and Democrats. But Ellison didn't mention either of the two figures hovering over this deal. His father, Larry Ellison, the co founder of Oracle, is the money behind the bid for Warner and a close ally of the second figure. That's President Trump, whose regulators have given the Ellisons the green light to investors. Ellison said he welcomes a swift resolution, however it may arrive.
[03:58]
G
We're absolutely open to finding a solution out of court, but we also really believe that we'll win at trial.
[04:04]
F
Paramount had asked for the trial to start in November. The judge set it for early next March. David folkenflick, NPR News.
[04:12]
A
SpaceX has reported financial results for the first time since going public. The company, run by Elon Musk, lost more than half a billion dollars as strong revenues eclipsed by big spending, especially on artificial intelligence. The Senate is voting today on the nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I'm Kristen Wright, NPR News, from Washington.
[04:39]
H
Support for nprg.
[04:40]
I
This message comes from Mint Mobile. If you're tired of spending hundreds on big wireless bills, bogus fees and free perks, Mint Mobile is for you. Shop plans@mintmobile.com Switch taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details.