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Episode Date: September 1, 2026

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has resigned, according to a U.S. official not authorized to speak publicly. NPR's Quil Lawrence reports that Driscoll's departure leave several key Army polls empty. Dan Driscoll is a third-generation Army veteran who saw combat in Iraq and later attended Yale Law School where he befriended a classmate who is now Vice President J.D. Vance. Driscoll became the youngest ever secretary of the army at 38 when he took the post last year. He pushed to modernize military acquisitions and adapt to drone warfare. In an unusual move, Driscoll took a senior role in White House negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

When Secretary of Defense Pete Higsef accidentally leaked details of military operations early in President Trump's second term, Driscoll was seen as a potential replacement to head the Pentagon. But Hegseth stayed and increasingly cut. clashed with Driscoll over the firings of several high-ranking Army officials. Quill Lawrence NPR News. Officials at Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park say two people are confirmed dead following flash flooding over the weekend and one person remains unaccounted for. Although officials say there could be missing day hikers who did not go through the park's permit system. Chris Clements of member station KNAU.

What is clear is that around Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning. And around that same time, a thunderstorm dropped about a half an inch to an inch of rain on this segment of the Grand Canyon, a part that really doesn't see a lot of rainfall typically, and that is incredibly rocky, and that doesn't hold moisture very well. The jury in Las Vegas has found former gang member Dwayne Davis guilty of orchestrating the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur. Monday's verdict marks a first and only conviction in the case. The sell-off in bonds putting pressure on stock markets, Asian markets, largely declining in Tuesday trading after U.S. stocks fell on the last day of trading of August, while oil prices rose amid renewed tensions in Iran. NPR's Rafael Narn reports that U.S. stocks, though, still posed to gains for the month. A U.S. attack against two Iranian rocket launchers in the Strait of Hermuz marked the first U.S. strike against Iran in several weeks.

And after the flare-up, Trump warned, quote, we are going to. to hit them hard. The Dow Jones promptly fell over 370 points, while the S&P and the NASDAQ also declined. Meanwhile, Brent, the global benchmark for oil prices, rose above $90 at one point before slightly paring back. That said, all three major stock indexes still posted monthly gains in August, in part after companies reported good earnings. The earnings have given some confidence to investors, though renewed tensions in the Middle East posed a big risk. You're listening to NPR News. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's liberal party swept Monday's three special parliamentary elections. Canada's national news agency, the Canadian press, projects liberal victories in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia.

The elections were closely watched as a test of support for Carney's actions after the U.S. and Canada failed to reach a trade deal. The largest ever relocation of captive whales in the world is over. Dan Carpinchuk reports a shuttered Ontario attraction Marine Land has shipped its last six captive whales to two aquariums in the United States. Marine Land has now shipped 30 belugas and four dolphins to five different locations, four of them in the U.S. and one in Spain. The now closed Niagara Falls Ontario theme park said more than a year ago it could no longer afford to keep the whales,

and unless they were allowed to relocate them to other facilities, they would be euthanized. One beluga recently moved to the shed aquarium in Chicago died several weeks ago. A previous attempt to send the whales to an aquarium in China was blocked by the Canadian government. In 2019, Ottawa banned whale and dolphin captivity, but allowed those at Marine Land to stay there. Marine land has been losing money since the COVID pandemic and was put up for sale two years ago. For NPR News, I'm Dan Carpunchuk in Toronto. Soccer superstar Leonel Messi said Monday that the time has come. He had to be. announced his retirement from international soccer and an Instagram post.

Messi played in record tying six World Cups, having won the title in 2022 and leading Argentina to the final in this year's tournament. He will continue playing at the club level with Inter-Miamy, Major League Soccer. This is NPR News.