NPR News: 07-23-2026 3PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. U.S.
How is the U.S.-Iran war affecting U.S. stock markets and oil prices?
stocks are down sharply in part over fears about the implications of an escalating war between the U.S. and Iran. Global oil prices are going up. At one point, they were above $100 a barrel. NPR's Deepa Shivram reports on the overall impact from a war that's been going on for nearly five months.
Gas prices are going up again. Inflation is up. And at the same time that Americans are struggling with these higher prices, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said this week that the Iran war so far has cost $37.5 billion, that's with a B, which is pretty big for a price tag for a war that Trump said would end months ago. And, you know, not to mention American troops who have been killed and injured in action as well.
NPR's Deepa Shivaram reporting. Despite mounting concerns about more U.S. casualties in the conflict, Senate Republicans have voted down a motion to advance a war powers resolution and U.S. military action against Iran. Senator John Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote against, while Republican Senator Susan Collins voted in support. Several GOP lawmakers were absent. Earlier today, the GOP-led House narrowly passed a resolution to end the conflict after a handful of Republicans joined Democrats in favor. House Republicans are referring former special counsel Jack Smith to the Justice Department for possible prosecution. NPR's Kerry Johnson reports the lawmakers are citing statements Smith made under oath to Congress last year.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio, is urging the DOJ to investigate Jack Smith.
What are the reported human and financial costs of the conflict so far?
over the former prosecutor's testimony about his effort to gather phone records of GOP lawmakers. Jordan says Smith seems to have made false statements in a deposition last December. Smith led two criminal investigations of President Donald Trump, including an effort to charge Trump for interfering in the 2020 election. His team gathered records of certain lawmakers as part of that probe. Smith's lawyer says he gave candid testimony to the House about his work as special counsel. And he says the new referral is an effort to weaponize the justice system against a longtime civil servant. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.
Mortgage rates in the U.S. are the highest they've been in nearly a year. NPR's Stephen Passaha says the war with Iran is driving up the cost of borrowing.
The average rate for a 30-year mortgage hit 6.58% this week, the highest since August last year. Rates were falling earlier this year and even fell below 6% in February, the first time in three and a half years. But then the war with Iran started. The uncertainty and inflation fears that came with the war shook the bond market, raised the cost of borrowing, and drove mortgage rates back up. Now the war is expanding and mortgage rates are rising again as pending home sales fall. Redfin reports pending sales this week are at their lowest level in three months. Stephen Basaja, NPR News.
This is NPR. Transportation officials have removed a growing list of safety measures that references bicycles and bike safety from federal websites. NPR's Joel Rose reports safety advocates say that is undermining proven strategies to reduce crashes and save lives.
Staff at the Federal Highway Administration have been directed to look for the words bike and bike lanes in online safety materials and to pull some of those pages down. The push began earlier this month after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy vowed to end funding for what he called, quote, DEI bike lanes. One of the pages that's been removed hosted the Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Analysis Tool, which helps researchers and planners understand and prevent crashes. A DOT spokesperson says the department continuously reviews its policies to ensure they promote, quote, safety, efficiency, and common sense, unquote. while noting that nearly 80 percent of the U.S. population uses cars to get to work.
Why did the Senate vote down the war powers resolution and what were key lawmaker positions?
Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington.
Tropical storm Bertha has made a second landfall on the U.S.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:04
2
How is the U.S.-Iran war affecting U.S. stock markets and oil prices?
0:04–1:33
3
What are the reported human and financial costs of the conflict so far?
1:33–3:57
4
Why did the Senate vote down the war powers resolution and what were key lawmaker positions?
3:57–4:59