"Life from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor-Johnston.
A Republican-led Senate committee has voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress.
“The vote this morning follows, Fauci's refusal to answer questions last week about the”
government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Committee Chairman Rand Paul says the issue is whether Fauci could defy the panel after receiving a presidential pardon." That is what we were voting on today, not his opinions, not his policies. We were voting on whether a witness who has received the benefit of a sweeping federal
pardon can be ordered by this committee to answer questions and then defy that order without consequence. "Ranking member Gary Peters argued that contempt referral would punish Fauci without forcing him to provide any new information." "What it will do is create a damaging precedent that future witnesses will use to resist
congressional oversight and weaken this committee's ability to compel testimony." The resolution now refers the matter to the Justice Department for a possible prosecution. The Turkish government says an agreement to reopen the state of Hormuz and may be struck by Iran and the United States as soon as today, NPR's Hadile Al-Shalci reports Turkey
“has been assisting in the mediation of the talks.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that, "God willing, the negotiations between the United States and Iran to open the state of Hormuz will conclude today with what he called good news."
Fidan said that the mechanisms by which the critical waterway would open and for how long
our issue still being worked on. He said that a 60-day period to allow oil shipments through was being discussed and that would lead to a permanent agreement between the two countries. Iran said yesterday that it was nearing a deal with Oman to open the state of Hormuz, saying it was in talks for at least three weeks.
On Tuesday, President Trump said that a deal could be reached this week. Hadile Al-Shalci and PR News is done. Stokes on Wall Street, open mixed this morning as vaccine maker Mederna gets a shot in the arm from federal regulators. NPR's God-Horsely reports the Delfele 18 points in early trading.
Stock in Mederna opened higher after the Food and Drug Administration granted belated approvals the company's novel Flu vaccine for people 50 and older. The FDA initially refused to review the shot, but backtracked after protests from public health experts. Test show the mRNA vaccine is safe and appears to offer stronger protection than traditional
flu shots. Lay off announcements dropped to their lowest level in two years last month. That's according to the Challenger-Graying Christmas firm, which tracks news of corporate job cuts. We'll get a more complete report on the U.S. job market from the Labor Department tomorrow.
And avocado imports from Mitch McConnell and Mexico have been temporarily disrupted after the U.S. government paused inspections there in response to an unspecified threat. Scott Horsley and PR News, Washington. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The FAA is investigating a safety incident involving Marine One, the helicopter carrying President
Trump came closer than required to a departing passenger jet near a Reagan National Airport on Tuesday, officials say the aircraft briefly failed to maintain the FAA's required separation standards. Water rationing begins tomorrow in Puerto Rico, where the U.S. territory is experiencing its most severe drought in more than a decade.
NPR's Adrian Florito reports the National Guard will be distributing drinking water as the
government cut service to more than a half million residents.
“So little rain has fallen this summer that key reservoirs have run nearly dry.”
Governor Jennifer Gonzalez says that the public water utility will start cutting service to parts of the capital, San Juan, and neighboring cities. People's taps will go dry on a schedule, 48 hours with water, then 48 hours without. Until reservoirs are restored. But that could be weeks or longer.
Forecasters expect no significant rainfall for the Caribbean Islands in the short term. It's just the latest of Puerto Rico's water troubles, many people have already been coping with and protesting intermittent service for months, caused by cracks in aging pipes that supply urban areas. Adrian Florito and Pernu's San Juan Puerto Rico.
Scientists have captured the most detailed images yet of the Sun's surface, using a telescope and Maui researchers observed feathery patterns linked to the movement of magnetic fields. The findings could help scientists that are understand solar activity. I'm Windsor-Johnston and PR News in Washington. This week on the NPR Politics podcast, another progressive Democrat, Edges Out and Establishment
Candidate. Abdul El-Sayed, one Michigan Senate primary campaigning on affordability, health care, and ending U.S. military aid to Israel. Join us as we break down his victory and what it could signal for November's mid-terms on the NPR Politics podcast.
