Overview of NPR News: 06-07-2026 2PM EDT
This NPR News update covered a mix of U.S. politics, international conflict, public safety, agriculture, and culture. Major stories included President Trump naming housing official Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, escalating violence in the West Bank and Israel, protests against Jared Kushner’s luxury development plan in Albania, a Ukraine summit in London, a mass shooting in Toledo, concerns about the New World Screwworm in Texas, and the Tony Awards in New York.
Top National and Political Stories
Trump names Bill Pulte as acting intelligence chief
- President Trump appointed Bill Pulte, currently a housing official, as the acting director of national intelligence.
- Pulte has no intelligence background and will keep overseeing:
- the Federal Housing Finance Agency
- Fannie Mae
- Freddie Mac
- Senate Intelligence Committee Democrat Mark Warner criticized the move, warning that Pulte’s loyalty to Trump could create risks of abuse and unpredictability across the intelligence agencies.
Toledo mass shooting under investigation
- Police in Toledo, Ohio, are investigating a mass shooting at a street festival.
- Twelve people were wounded, including two critically.
- Authorities believe at least two shooters may have been firing at each other.
- Police are asking attendees to share photos or video that could help identify those involved.
International News
Deadly shooting in the West Bank / Israel
- A drive-by shooting in the West Bank area near central Israel left one Israeli man dead and five others injured.
- NPR reported that the suspect, described as a Palestinian citizen of Israel, was shot dead by police.
- The attack is notable because violence is more common in the West Bank than inside Israel proper.
- NPR also noted a separate incident on Friday in which Israeli troops shot into a car at a checkpoint, killing a 7-month-old boy; the military said it is investigating.
London summit on Ukraine
- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is hosting a summit in London on the war in Ukraine.
- Leaders from Ukraine, France, and Germany are expected to attend.
- The meeting comes after Ukraine’s drone attack on St. Petersburg, highlighting Ukraine’s growing ability to strike deeper into Russia.
Protest backlash over Kushner-linked resort in Albania
- A large luxury resort project backed by Jared Kushner is facing increasing resistance in Albania.
- Protesters in Tirana are criticizing the government for a lack of transparency.
- The resort is planned for an environmentally protected coastal wildlife area.
- Albanian state prosecutors have reportedly frozen the bank accounts of a landholding company tied to the project.
Agriculture and Public Health
New World Screwworm threat returns to South Texas
- Federal agriculture officials and ranchers in South Texas are on alert after detection of the New World Screwworm.
- This is the first detection in Texas since the 1960s.
- The screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on wounds in livestock and other animals.
- Officials say the threat can be contained and ultimately eradicated again.
- The main strategy involves releasing sterile male flies to reduce the wild population.
Arts and Culture
Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall
- Broadway is celebrating its own at the Tony Awards in New York City.
- New musicals The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon led the nominations with 12 each.
- Broadway had a record year, bringing in more than $1.9 billion in gross revenue.
Key Takeaways
- U.S. political leadership in intelligence is shifting in a controversial way.
- Conflict and instability continue in both the West Bank and Ukraine-related geopolitics.
- Public safety concerns remain high, from mass shootings to renewed agricultural pest threats.
- Broadway is ending a strong season with major recognition at the Tony Awards.