Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.
The economy slowed in the second quarter.
“The Commer's Department says it grew at an annual rate of 1.5% down from the 2.1% in”
the first quarter. And inflation remained fairly high last month at 3.7% here over year. Legal scholars are reacting to Dr. Anthony Fauci's decision to invoke the fifth amendment that yesterday sent it hearing on the origins of COVID-19, and here's Ari Daniels has more. President Biden issued Fauci a blanket legal part in at the end of his term, but legal
experts say the former top infectious disease expert could have been accused of perjury if he had said something at yesterday's hearing contradicting past statements made under oath. Jennifer Mason McAward, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame, says that invoking the fifth is not an admission of wrongdoing. Saying that you are protected by the constitution is just something you're entitled
to do as a citizen of the United States. Republican chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Rand Paul says he plans to hold a vote on whether Fauci should be held in contempt of Congress. And affirmative vote could eventually lead to a fine jail time or both, Ari Daniel and PR News. Former FBI Director Jim Colmy is asking a judge to throw out criminal charges that he threatened
President Trump saying he's the target of a vindictive prosecution. He's pointing to new evidence that suggests that Trump paid very close attention as federal agents built that case. If you're as Carrie Johnson has more Jim Colmy filed a bunch of motions this week trying to get a judge in North Carolina to throw out this case before it ever gets to a jury.
His lawyers say they've gathered a lot of evidence that should suggest Colmy got charged with crimes because he's a frequent Trump critic. This is information we don't normally see if this stage before a case gets to trial.
“Colmy's lawyers are talking about messages from people inside the secret service saying”
the president wanted updates about interviews federal agents working conducting with Colmy. And here's Carrie Johnson. The Trump administration is ending subsidies for Medicare's drug plans if your city lupkin has more.
Under the inflation reduction act, Medicare started capping patients out of pocket drugs spending at $2,000 last year. That change and others that changed how plans would pay for drugs meant insurers were on the hook for more money. At first, they didn't know how much more they'd be spending or how high to set premiums.
To ease the transition for insurers, the Biden administration created temporary subsidies to stabilize premiums. The subsidies were expected to last three years, but are ending a year early at the end of 2026.
“Dr. Mehmet Oz, who oversees the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, said on the social media”
platform X, that it's because the subsidies are no longer needed. But the change means beneficiaries could be paying higher monthly premiums next year. So, new lupkin reporting, this is NPR. Every year, the residents of a Maryland retirement community bring the joy of snail mail to pen pals, the pen pals, born in the air of texting.
And here's what we're seeing reports is helping some baby boomers and, Jen Alphaz,
filled friendships. There's nothing like a competitive game of bingo to cement a friendship between two people born at least 60 years apart. O-Crest Senior Living Center held a meet and greet this summer. Retirees finally met their Kingsville Elementary School Pen pals.
After months of exchanging handwritten letters with third graders, not used to waiting days to let alone weeks for a conversation to unfold, 76-year-old Diane Allure unexpectedly found a kindred spirit in her pen pal. She has put a lot of thought into what she's saying, and actually put it all together. For me, pen pals bridging a generational divide, Lakshmi saying, NPR News.
The Senate Committee is set to vote on whether to advance the nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz to be Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's expected this morning. If approved, the 54-year-old would become the 22nd Director of the CDC. She faced scrutiny during her confirmation hearing earlier this month about standing up
to political pressure if it conflicts with science-based decision-making. You as future contracts are trading higher at this hour, doubt futures up about 24 points. I'm Janine Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington. The fatal shooting of a teenager at a protest in Seattle has gone unsolved for six years. "This is open in your face to how are there no answers."
Our investigation has uncovered new evidence, and witnesses who say they've never talked
to police. "Did police ever call you? Not once." Listen to Weeky Bus Safe, a new true crime series on the embedded podcast from NPR.
