Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.
A federal judge has put the breaks on a criminal investigation of the Federal Reserve.
“If your Scott Horsley reports, the judge "quashed the Justice Department's subpoenas”
of the Central Bank, calling it an improper campaign of harassment." The Justice Department's subpoena of the Federal Reserve back in January, not ostensibly to learn more about cost overruns on the Central Bank's headquarters renovation. The Federal Judge James Boesburg says that's a mere pretext, and a newly unsealed opinion, Boesburg says the Justice Department offered no evidence that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell
had committed a crime other than displeasing the president by not moving more aggressively to lower interest rates. At the same time, the judge says there's a abundant evidence that the purpose of the criminal probe was to harass and pressure the Fed Chairman. The case has become a test of the Fed's ability to set interest rates without political interference
from the White House. Republican Senator Tom Tillis, who's defended the Fed's as the ruling confirms how weak and frivolous the government's investigation was. Scott Horsley, impere news, Washington.
“Israel's military says it struck a large square in Iran's capital as thousands gathered”
for an annual rally in support of Palestinians. According to Iran's state media, the strike happened near a huge crowd. And Pierce Terry Con has more. Israel's military says it sent out a warning to Iranians to avoid the area, where it said it was destroying military infrastructure.
The warning went out on the Israeli military's farcey social media accounts. It's unlikely many saw the notice as the internet is difficult to access in Iran and often blocked by the government. Captured live on Iranian state TV, the blast occurred close to the huge pro-government rally as a reporter was interviewing a top Iranian official immediately after the blast
the official raised his fist to violently vowing never to surrender.
The radio's captured the crowd burning U.S. and Israeli flags. Israel says its Air Force hit more than 200 Iranian targets in the last 24 hours. Carry Con and PR news to live.
“The Senate has advanced a sweeping housing bill that aims to boost supply and cut costs.”
And Pierce Jennifer Ludden reports, among other things, it would expand the use of manufactured homes. Backtree built homes have long been zoned out of cities and suburbs, but more places are relaxing those restrictions to use them for badly-needed affordable housing. In Petersburg, Virginia City Councilman Howard Meyers says dozens of such homes are filling
vacant lots in an area hit hard by job loss. This neighborhood has transformed. Manufactured housing is faster than building on site and nearly half the cost per square foot. That makes a difference for residents like Kinesia Bazaari.
"Save and definitely save and it makes my life a little easier." The housing billing Congress would allow manufactured homes in more places and make it cheaper to build them, Jennifer Ludden and PR News. Wall Street lower by the closing bell, you're listening to NPR News from Washington. Personnel changes at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., President Trump says Matt
Flocka will be the new CEO and executive director, pending approval of the Board of Directors. Trump is the chair of the board. In social media, Trump says Flocka, who's been serving as the VP of operations, will replace current President Rick Grenell, whom Trump also appointed. It's not clear why the change was made, but Trump praised Grenell's work at the center.
Last month, Trump announced he would close the Kennedy Center for two years for renovations calling the building "delapidated." It's not clear what renovations or changes Trump plans to make. Researchers in California say an outbreak of the bird flu affecting elephant seals in the state have spread to other marine mammals and here's Nate Rodd has more.
The bird flu was first detected in elephant seals on California's coast in late February. The flu known as H5N1 has decimated some elephant seal populations in the southern hemisphere, but so far wildlife officials say the new outbreak in California seems limited in scale, with all of the known infections occurring at or near a state park north of Santa Cruz. To be safe, though, they're conducting tests along other parts of the coast and our urging
people and pets to stay away from any wildlife carcasses they might find on the state's beaches. Nate Rodd and PR News
Job openings rose to nearly 7 million in January, better than expected.
Labor Department also says layoffs fell slightly and the number of Americans quitting their jobs, the sign of confidence in their prospects, slipped, modestly. I'm Janine Herbst NPR News in Washington. We make stories that hopefully pull you into the beginning with funny moments and feelings and people in surprising situations and then you just want to find out what is going to happen
and cannot stop listening. That's right, I'm talking about stories to make you miss appointments.
