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Episode Date: May 2, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. Spirit Airlines says it will cease operations immediately. As NPR's Jill Rose reports, the low-cost carrier has been struggling for years. Spirit Airlines faced mounting financial pressure because of the war in Iran, which sent the price of jet fuel soaring. But its problems ran much deeper than that. Spirit was a pioneer among ultra-low-cost carriers, keeping its fares down by stripping away amenities

the travelers had previously taken for granted and then charging extra for them. but the airline faced increased competition from its larger rivals, which adopted their own basic economy fares. The Florida-based airline has filed for bankruptcy twice since 2024. Spirit has been seeking a $500 million federal bailout, but those talks failed to yield a deal, leaving the airline no choice but to stop flying and prepare to liquidate its assets. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington. President Trump says he's not satisfied with Iran's latest proposal to end the war with the U.S. and Israel. He told reporters Friday, Iran is asking for things he cannot agree to. And he said the U.S. will not head to Pakistan for peace talks, but discussions remain ongoing.

We have great respect for Pakistan and Islamabad and tremendous respect for the prime minister and the field marshal. And they're working with us. They continue to work with us. But the trip is a very long one. And we're doing everything in terms of negotiate right now, in terms of the negotiation. telephonically. They'd made strides, but I'm not sure if they ever get there. The price of crude oil remains high because of the continuing Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, with U.S. crude trading at $102 a barrel at the close of the markets Friday, and Brent Crude, the International Standard, trading at $109 a barrel. Early voting for Louisiana's primary elections begins later today. This is just days after the Supreme Court found the state's recent.

drawn congressional map unconstitutional. MPRs Ashley Lopez reports. Because of the ruling, state officials suspended the elections for Louisiana's house seats. That's even though more than 100,000 absentee ballots have already been sent out to voters, and those ballots contain the slate of house races. Ballots that will be used during early voting in Louisiana will also feature these candidates. However, state officials sent notices to early voting sites that even though voters will have those races on their ballots, barring a successful lawsuit, those votes will not be counted. The other contests in the primary, including a closely watched Senate race, will continue on as normal.

The last day of voting in Louisiana is May 16. Ashley Lopez, NPR News. President Trump is ramping up his pressure on the Cuban government. He signed an executive order Friday that targets both the country's government and businesses that do business with the government. Cuba's foreign minister says the U.S. has no right to issue the sanctions and is calling the measures coercive. You're listening to NPR News. Pentagon officials said they've reached deals with seven tech companies that will allow the use of their AI in its classified computer networks

that gives the Defense Department the ability to tap into those AI-powered capabilities to help it fight wars. Among those signing deals are Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, and OpenAI. The announcement comes despite fears by some people that AI could allow machines to choose targets on a battlefield. field. Safety measures have been ramped up across Louisville for the Kentucky Derby later today. Karen Zarr with member station WUKY reports. The Kentucky Derby typically draws more than 150,000 racing fans to Churchill Downs, making it

one of the largest single-day sporting events in the world. Governor Andy Beshear said officials have implemented a multi-layered security plan at the racetrack. Having been behind the curtain, the level of security at the Kentucky Derby, is really significant, is state-of-the-art, that involves all levels of government, including the federal government. Owners, staff, and fans will pass through security screenings and metal detectors and can expect an increased police presence, including patrols on horseback. For NPR News, I'm Karen Zarr in Lexington. A federal judge Friday blocked the Trump administration from ending temporary protection status

for more than 2,800 people from Yemen who live and work in the U.S. Homeland Security had planned to remove the protections on Monday. In his opinion, the judge said those granted the status are ordinary law-abiding people who the government is determined could face threats to their safety if they are returned to Yemen. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.