NPR News: 09-06-2026 1PM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Linda Kenyon. Republicans are gathering in Dallas this week for the first of its kind midterm GOP convention. NPR's moral licenses, President Trump will be there, but some Republicans will not. It's not really a convention as we know them. It's a Trump rally, and on truth social a few months ago, Donald Trump called it that. He said it would be a rally like none other. But despite that hype, not all Republican candidates are going to be there, or want to be there, especially ones who are locked in very tight races. They'd rather spend their time back home campaigning. And given how unpopular the president is, how unpopular his war in Iran is and tariffs, and his strong support of data centers, which are very unpopular with Democrats and Republicans, for a lot of Republican candidates, it's not helpful for them to be seen with Trump. President Trump will deliver speech at the convention on Wednesday and will also attend Thursday's events. Diesel prices have hit another record high. The national average is now $5.89 per gallon.

1:03And Pira Steven Bissaha reports the rising cost could push up prices for goods across the country. Diesel is about $1.75 more expensive than gas right now. But when you want to move something heavy, you use diesel. If we were towing these things with gas cars, we'd probably go through a lot more. The show quarters hauling a trailer filled with shutters from Memphis to Atlanta for the manufacturing company she works for. She's filling a Ford 450 powered by Diesel. And we literally in a few weeks are having a price increase going to affect because of the price of diesel affecting us right now. It's not just shutters, diesel is used for transporting all sorts of goods, meaning just about everyone will share the cost of more expensive diesel. Steven Bissaha and Pira News leads Alabama. Tesla has launched its first fleet of driverless taxis that have no steering wheels or pedals. Cars went live on the streets of Austin, Texas. And as NPR has John Ruich reports, the Department of Transportation has already launched an investigation.

2:05The cars are compact, gold-colored, two-door SUVs with distinctive Tesla lines and doors that open upward. And they have no way for passengers to take control if need be. The launch announcement on Thursday gave Tesla shares a boost, but they quickly gave up those gains after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, announced that it was conducting what's known as an audit query into the service. The investigation will check that the cybercabs meet all federal motor vehicle safety standards. NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison says in a statement, the administration fully supports the safe development and deployment of autonomous vehicles, but needs to ensure that all laws are followed after Tesla's self-certification, John Ruich and Pira News. Indonesia's Krakato volcano has erupted. No casualties have been reported. You're listening to NPR. Israel has escalated attacks in South Lebanon, destroying a hospital and killing two young

3:05women in an attack on a house. The Lebanese health ministry says a total of at least four people have been killed more than 20 others wounded. NPR's Jaina Raff has more from Beirut. Lebanon's health ministry says Israeli attacks Sunday completely destroy the Randoor Hospital and the town of Nabiti al-Fa'qa. The hospital had previously been forced to shut due to fighting in the area, where Israeli forces have entered Lebanon to fight the Iran-backed militant group, Hezbollah. In the village of Arab Saleem, a municipality official tells NPR that two young women were killed Sunday in an Israeli air strike on their home. The Israeli military said it was targeting Hezbollah after the group fired drones towards its soldiers this week. Jaina Raff and Pira News Beirut. Former college football coach Nick Sabin is getting involved in politics, sort of. He's starring in a new advertisement advocating the Protect College Sports Act.

4:05It's a bipartisan bill that would regulate college sports. Sabin says the bill would end the chaos around issues concerning name, image, and likeness, endorsement money, and that it also would protect athletes and women's sports. Sabin is one of several major college sports figures who has voiced support for the bill. The ad is running this weekend and a coincides with the first week of college football games. One Linda Kenyon. NPR News in Washington. As the political landscape shifts beneath our feet, we're all vulnerable to a well-funded distraction economy determined to take our eye off the ball. Our weekly politics series, if you can keep it, is here to help where our focus is not the horse race, but the state. We tackle the big political stories of the day and why they matter for our democracy. Join me, Todd Zwilland. I'm Amy Jen White on the 1A Podcast from WAMU and NPR.