Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.
Stocks opened higher this morning after a big sell-off yesterday, and Pierscott Horsley
“reports the Dow rose more than 350 points in early trading.”
A new report from the Commerce Department shows the US economy grew more slowly in April, May, and June, than during the three previous months, gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of one and a half percent during the second quarter, consumer spending remains strong, but investment grew more slowly.
Consumer prices in June were up 3.7 percent from a year ago, according to the Commerce
Department's inflation yard stick, which is closely washed by the Federal Reserve, despite stubborn inflation, the central bank decided to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged. There's mixed news from big tech companies, Microsoft reported better than expected profits, but Facebook's parent met a fell short of forecast, amid big spending on artificial intelligence. It's got Horsley, and Piers News, Washington.
The US struck Iran again overnight in response to Iran striking US forces in Jordan. US Central Command says a targeted military command centers, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites. As Saudi Arabia has now joined US military escalations against Iran backed militias in Iraq.
Michael Ratney with the Center for Strategic and International Studies has more on the Saudis involvement.
“If the war escalates, especially if they're involved, I think they feel like the Iranians”
are going to target them.
And at this point, the Saudis don't want their energy infrastructure targeted. They could be damaged to water desalination facilities, to civilian population centers. It could be disastrous for their economy. They hate the Iranian regime, but they just want this war behind them, but in a way that protects their vital interests.
Michael Ratney's speaking there on NPR's morning edition. Egypt says an American ship was in one of their ports and was set on fire by an apparent drone strike. Leaders in mental health care met with Trump administration officials yesterday, emphasizing the need to reform the country's behavioral health system to improve treatment for addiction
and other mental health conditions. And Piers will stone, has more. Doctors from medical societies, insurance executives and others signed to pledge as part
“of the administration's broader effort, the Great American Recovery Initiative.”
The health leaders participated in a series of round tables with administration officials to discuss many of the challenges facing mental health providers. Together they signed a voluntary pledge emphasizing the need to follow evidence-based practices and to ensure that mental health treatment is given the same attention as other chronic diseases.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke briefly at the event as did other top officials from the administration. All highlighted the need to reduce barriers to treatment, though the agency responsible for tackling substance use and addiction has faced disruption and cuts. We'll stone and PR news.
The Dows Up 296 points, you're listening to NPR News from Washington. A federal jury has convicted a 28-year-old man on three terrorism-related counts stemming from the 2022 stabbing of author Salmon Rushdie in Western New York, from Buffalo, Toronto, public media, Ejas, Jacil, has more. Saudi Mataar was convicted on all three federal terrorism counts for the 2022 stabbing of Salmon
Rushdie. The verdict comes one week after Rushdie gave his testimony, recounting the brutal attack that almost took his life and left him blind in his right eye.
U.S. attorney Michael Diiacomo called Rushdie's testimony powerful.
At the end, at some point, Mr. Rushdie removed his glasses, so the jury could see the extent of the injury to his eye that he no longer has visioned. Prosecutors argued, "Mataar attacked Rushdie to carry out a 1989 Fatwa issued by Ayatollah Rua Homeini that called for the author's death. Mataar is already serving 25 years in state prison for attempted murder and now faces up
to life and federal prison. For NPR News, I'm Ejas Jacil and Buffalo." Search and rescue crews continue to calm through a shopping mall that collapsed in this week's powerful earthquake that struck South Western Japan. At least 25 people are dead, dozens injured, and those numbers are expected to grow.
The quake and aftershocks toppled Homes and bridges, leaving thousands without power, meanwhile concerns are growing about illness from disease and also the sweltering heat. On Wall Street, the Dow was up 340 points, Nasdaq is up 603 points, that's up more than 2.5%. You're listening to NPR News.
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