NPR News: 08-05-2026 9PM EDT

Summary of NPR News: 08-05-2026 9PM EDT

by NPR

4m•August 6, 2026
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Overview of NPR News: 08-05-2026 9PM EDT

This NPR evening roundup covered a mix of U.S. politics, public health, disaster response, and business news. Major themes included President Trump’s economic messaging ahead of the midterms, new research on a possible mechanism behind long COVID, federal action on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, wildfire evacuations in Washington state, and Disney’s strong quarterly results.

U.S. Politics and the Economy

Trump campaigns on his economic agenda

  • President Trump traveled to Las Vegas to promote his economic policies as his approval rating continues to fall.
  • He highlighted:
    • The “no tax on tips” policy, which lets workers deduct up to $25,000 in tips from income taxes.
    • Energy and oil prices, saying lower oil and gas prices help bring down broader costs.
  • NPR noted that Trump’s approval rating is now just below 40% in several polling aggregators.

Public Health and Science

New clue in long COVID research

  • Scientists say they may have found a new lead on how COVID-19 can contribute to long COVID.
  • In a study of more than 1,100 hospitalized patients across 20 hospitals, researchers found that the coronavirus may reactivate dormant viruses already present in the body.
  • The finding could help explain long COVID symptoms and eventually lead to new treatments.

CDC gets a permanent director

  • The Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the CDC.
  • This ends a nearly year-long vacancy at the agency.

U.S. funding for Ebola response

  • The State Department announced $242 million in new funding for Ebola response efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  • That brings total U.S. support to $512 million.
  • NPR reported that:
    • The outbreak has caused at least 1,751 deaths.
    • It is now the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record.
  • Public health experts warned that past U.S. aid cuts and USAID dismantling may have weakened local health systems and slowed detection.

Wildfires in Washington State

Evacuees and livestock at Spokane fairgrounds

  • Wildfire evacuees in Spokane are growing weary of staying in hotels and evacuation centers.
  • Horses, cattle, dogs, and cats have also been evacuated to the fairgrounds.
  • The report emphasized the stress on both people and animals, while noting that caring for livestock is helping some evacuees cope.

Business and Media

Disney posts strong results

  • Disney reported a solid third quarter and beat earnings expectations.
  • Key drivers included:
    • A $1 billion box office haul from Toy Story 5
    • Strong performance at U.S. theme parks
  • Weak international tourism continued to weigh on the company.

Disney and TikTok partnership

  • Disney also announced a global short-form content-sharing deal with TikTok.
  • The arrangement will bring Disney-focused, fan-created TikTok content into the Disney+ app.

Key Takeaways

  • Trump is leaning on familiar economic talking points as political pressure builds.
  • Researchers are making progress on understanding long COVID.
  • The U.S. is increasing support for Ebola response in Africa amid criticism of earlier aid cuts.
  • Wildfire evacuations continue to disrupt lives in Washington state.
  • Disney’s parks and film businesses remain strong despite international headwinds.