NPR News: 05-16-2026 9AM EDT

Demonstrations over voting rights, a major rail strike, new data on artificial intelligence in startups, an Ebola outbreak, and a large religious gathering in Washington formed the main threads in this edition of NPR News Now. The reports mixed domestic political tensions with labor disruptions, public health updates, and economic signals that could affect daily routines for many Americans.

Voting Rights Protests and Redistricting

Demonstrations occurred in multiple cities against recent redistricting measures that critics describe as restrictions on voting access. Speakers at the events linked the actions to efforts to uphold the Voting Rights Act of 1965, noting decades of prior activism that enabled greater minority representation in office. Resistance to those gains has persisted, and the current wave of protests reflects that ongoing friction. The U.S. Supreme Court separately denied a request to reinstate a congressional map that some parties hoped would alter several House seats before the midterms. The decision keeps existing district lines in place for the November elections and limits immediate shifts in representation.

Long Island Railroad Strike