"Live from NPR News and Washington on Corv.
to take up Kevin Worsh's nomination today to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve.
“North Carolina Republican Senator Tom Tila says he'll support Walsh. Previously, Tila said”
he would oppose any nominee until the Trump administration dropped its probe of current Fed chair Jerome Powell. That probe is ended. Stocks opened lower this morning as investors watched for an interest rate announcement from the Fed. NPR scout Horsley reports that Dow Jones industrial average slid about 230 points in early trading. Jerome Powell is likely presiding over his last interest rate meeting as chairman of the
Federal Reserve, Powell's term expires next month. The central bank is widely expected to hold interest rates steady. Inflation is still higher than the Fed would like, and energy prices are rising sharply in his results of the war with Iran. Triple A says the average price of regular gasoline jumped by another nickel overnight. Spring brought a jump in home building activity, builders broke ground on almost 11% more homes in March than the month
before. The uptick may not last, however, permits for future home building activity
were down last month. The nation's trade deficit widened in March to just under $88 billion
imports and exports both rose during the month, but imports jumped more. Scott Horsley impure news Washington, the Justice Department has indicted former FBI director James Komi on two counts alleging he is trying to harm President Trump. This is based on an online photograph of C shells Komi posted last year. He thought it had a political message not a threat, but he took it down and says he's innocent. Benjamin Wittis is the editor
of the website law fair. He believes Komi's lawyers will move to dismiss the counts. One will be a motion to dismiss based on selective or vindictive prosecution. Another is a motion to dismiss on the basis that this is first amendment protected speech and you
“can expect, I think, both of those to be filed relatively quickly.”
He spoke to NPR's morning edition. A civil lawsuit against artificial intelligence company open AI is underway in Oakland, California. Billionaire Elon Musk claims the company betrayed its original public mission. From member station KQED, Rachel Myrow reports. Elon Musk spent nearly two hours on the witness stand telling jurors he founded Open AI to counter Google's then-stranglehold on the space, and that, quote, "If you have somebody
who's not trustworthy in charge of AI, I think it's very dangerous for the whole world." In opening statements, Open AI's attorney said, quote, "We're here because Mr. Musk didn't get his way." And, because he's not a competitor, he will do anything he can to attack Open AI. Musk helped to find the company a decade ago, but left in 2018. Whatever the jury concludes, it's advisory only. The presiding judge makes the final call.
“For NPR News, I'm Rachel Myrow in Oakland.”
You're listening to NPR News. Officials from dozens of nations are meeting in the South American country Columbia, their holding, and international conference. NPR's Julia Simon reports delegates will examine efforts by government to move away from the use of fossil fuels. For 30 years, countries have come together for United Nation climate conferences, but fossil fuel producers such as Saudi Arabia have historically held up conversations about transitioning
away from oil, gas, and coal. Burning fossil fuels is the single biggest driver of climate change. This conference is explicitly dedicated to figuring out how to make the transition to technologies like renewable energy and batteries happen. The energy crisis brought on by the war in Iran, it gives even more motivation some participants tell NPR. The 55 countries here include oil and gas producers like Canada, Australia, and Nigeria. The world's largest
oil and gas producer, the US, is not here. Julia Simon and Carol News sent them out of Colombia. Authorities in Texas say another tornado touched down just west of the Dallas Fort Worth area yesterday. Their significant damage reported in the town of mineral springs Texas. This storm system comes after tornadoes last Saturday killed two people in two different towns. These are also in the vicinity of Dallas. Officials in southern Georgia say that
firefighters are making progress on two major wildfires. These have burned more than 85 square miles and they are only partially contained scores of homes have been destroyed. This is NPR. Every day NPR reports stories that keep you informed without fear or favor. That's the promise
of a free press in a democracy. It's in the first amendment. I'm Tom Bowman and I cover
the Pentagon for NPR. Stand up for independent news coverage today by donating early for public media giving days, coming up on May 1st and 2nd. Give now at donate.npr.org.
