NPR News: 05-06-2026 7AM EDT

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. There's a new NPR-PBS News Marist pullout today, and it finds President Trump at the lowest point in his presidency politically. NPR's Domenico Montanaro reports high gas prices and an unpopular war in Iran are factors. Eight in ten of the more than 1,300 respondents say the recent rise in gas prices is putting a strain on their household budgets. The war in Iran has led directly to those prices surging, and most are blaming President Trump for the increase. As a result, the poll found Trump with just a 37 percent approval rating and 59 percent disapproving, his worst score in the poll of either presidential term. His economic approval is down to 35 percent, and on his handling of Iran, it's just 33 percent. Democrats appear to be benefiting. When respondents were asked who they would vote for if congressional elections in their districts were held today, they sided with Democrats by 10 points. Domenico Montanaro, NPR News, Washington. President Trump says he's pausing the U.S. military operation in the Strait of Hormuz because of reported progress on a deal with Iran. The effort was supposed to help guide commercial ships through the Strait China Foreign Minister Yang Wey has met with his Iranian counterpart in Beijing He says Iran should keep negotiating with the U to achieve a lasting truce NPR's Jennifer Pak reports from Shanghai. China's top diplomat told Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Arakchi, that a comprehensive ceasefire is urgent and that restarting the war is not advisable. China buys most of Iran's oil, but it also has strong economic ties with Gulf states. and Chinese supply chains are hurting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. China has called for the key shipping route to be reopened, but the U.S. says the Chinese should do more to unblock the waterway. This and other issues related to the Iran war are expected to be discussed when President Trump meets his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, which is planned for next week. Jennifer Pack, NPR News, Shanghai. There were primary elections in Indiana and Ohio yesterday that have set up key elections for the fall. In Ohio, former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown will try to win back his former seat from incumbent Republican Senator John Husted. Former Ohio health officer and Democrat Amy Acton will face Republican entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy for Ohio governor. In Indiana President Trump backed seven challengers for the Indiana State Senate and five of the challengers have won primary elections They defeated incumbent state senators who had opposed President Trump's demand for state redistricting. And Pierre-Steven Fowler says the local races got expensive. More than $7 million were spent on just TV ads to convince a few thousand people to pick a handful of different lawmakers who basically have the same views as the existing office holders except the one time they differed from Trump. Stephen Fowler reporting. This is NPR. The head of the World Health Organization says that three cruise ship passengers who are ill, possibly with the rare hantavirus, are being evacuated from the ship. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Gabrielsis says they are being taken to the Netherlands. The ship remains stationary off the Cape Verde Islands in the North Atlantic, it is not clear when it will sail on. The state of Pennsylvania is suing the artificial intelligence company Character AI. This is to stop the company's AI chatbots from posing as doctors. And PR Shannon Bond reports, the state alleges the company is violating Pennsylvania medical licensing rules Character AI makes chatbots that present themselves as fictional characters but they can seem pretty real Pennsylvania says its investigation found chatbots claiming to be licensed medical professionals. In one case, the state alleges a character AI bot claimed to be a psychiatrist licensed in the UK and Pennsylvania. The bot even provided a fake Pennsylvania medical license number. The state is asking a Pennsylvania state court to order the company to stop what it says is unlawfully practicing medicine. A Character AI spokesperson says the company doesn't comment on pending litigation, but added that its bots are, quote, fictional and intended for entertainment and role-playing. Shannon Bond, NPR News. A late wintry storm is hitting Colorado. Denver could get up to four inches of snow today. Winter storm warnings stretch up into southern Wyoming. Farther east, forecasters say storms pose the risk of damaging winds and possibly tornadoes. This is NPR.