NPR News: 05-05-2026 5AM EDT

Ongoing tensions persist in the Strait of Hormuz despite a U.S.-Iran ceasefire, alongside brief Russia-Ukraine ceasefires for a WWII anniversary, Epstein victim testimonies urging New York legislation, and scattered U.S. domestic updates on security, soccer tourism, Giuliani's health, and markets. This NPR News Now broadcast from May 5, 2026, delivers these developments in quick succession.

Strait of Hormuz Clashes

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Cain planned further statements on conditions in the Strait of Hormouths. President Trump reported U.S. forces sank seven Iranian small boats as the Navy guided commercial ships through the strait amid an ongoing ceasefire. Iran condemned the actions and responded by firing missiles and drones at the United Arab Emirates, with one drone igniting a fire at a major UAE oil port. These incidents underscore fragile maritime security in a key global oil chokepoint, where U.S. efforts to protect shipping lanes risk escalation even under truce terms, potentially disrupting energy supplies and testing the ceasefire's viability.