NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-03-2025 7PM EDT

Episode Date: August 3, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Janene Herbst. Dozens of Democrats in Texas' House of Representatives are fleeing their state in an effort to break quorum and block the passage of a new redistricting map supported by President Trump. And here's Luke Garrett has more. Texas State House Representative and Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu says in a statement, we're leaving Texas to fight for Texas. The statement continues, we're walking out on a rigged system that refuses to listen to the people we represent.

Democrats are hoping to block a new redistricting map that creates five GOP friendly districts one year before the 2016 midterms. A floor debate on the maps was scheduled for Monday. Four years ago, Texas Democrats fled the state over a 2021 election bill, but Republicans still managed to pass this bill eventually. This political battle in Texas could play a role in who controls the U.S. House of Representatives. The GOP controls the House by only a handful of seats. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. One of Israel's prominent right-wing cabinet members has called for the entire Gaza Strip

to be occupied. If here's Eleanor Beersley reports, he made the remarks from a religious site in Jerusalem holy to both Muslims and Jews. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gavir's visit Sunday to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, a site also holy to Jews, marks the first time a minister from this Israeli government has openly prayed at the sensitive site. Ben-Gavir said the entire Gaza Strip must be occupied, sovereignty declared, Hamas uprooted and voluntary immigration promoted. The visit and prayers was condemned as an incitement by

Palestinian leaders as well as Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Under the long-standing status quo, Jews may visit but not pray at the mosque compound, which is administered by Jordan. Following Ben-Gavir's visit, the Israeli prime minister's office put out a statement saying the status quo on the Temple Mount has not and will not change. Eleanor Beardsley in Pierre News, Tel Aviv. Eleanor Beardsley, Pierre News, Tel Aviv. Hazy skies hung over parts of the Midwest and Northeastern U.S. today caused by hundreds of wildfires in Canada.

That smoke is affecting air quality in several states, and Piers Christen Wright has more. Air pollution reached concerning levels across Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota over the weekend. Parts of Illinois and Indiana are also under air quality alerts, and people in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine are being advised to limit time outside. The National Weather Service's Bob Oruvec says winds pushing polluted air

from Canada could last for a while. That pattern maintains itself going forward through this week. So it doesn't really appear to be any big break. There may be a day or so where there's a temporary break to it, but overall it looks like there is potential for additional smoke to be transported southeastward into the United States. Canada's government reports more than 700 active fires and its second worst wildfire season on record. Kristin Wright, NPR News.

This is NPR News from Washington. Around 3,200 unionized workers who assemble Boeing fighter jets in the St. Louis, Missouri area rejected the latest contract offer and say they will strike tomorrow. Boeing says it's prepared for the strike and disappointed. Workers rejected a 40 percent wage increase. Last week, the airplane maker sent a new contract offer to the union with minor compensation changes, benefiting senior union members and it kept current overtime policies. That's something Boeing had proposed modifying in the last

contract offer. Boeing's Defense Division is expanding manufacturing facilities in the St. Louis area for the new U.S. Air Force fighter jet, the F-47A, after winning the contract this year. Rescue workers found the bodies of three more workers trapped in a mine in Chile today, bringing the death toll to five in last week's mine collapse. Empress Carrie Khan reports one miner remains unaccounted for. Rescue workers found the bodies early Sunday. The men were working in the El Teniente mine located about 50 miles south of Santiago. Authorities say the collapse occurred last Thursday after a quote seismic event.

They've not said whether the event was natural or caused by drilling. Workers were extending the copper mine to nearly 4,000 feet. Chile is the world's largest copper producer. In 2020, 33 miners were trapped underground for more than two months and finally freed after an international rescue. Keri Kahn, NPR News. US futures contracts are trading slightly higher at this hour.

Dow futures contracts up nearly one-tenth of a percent. This is NPR News.