NPR News: 07-23-2026 6PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton.
What new tariffs is President Trump imposing and which countries are affected?
President Trump is imposing new tariffs as the current blanket set of 10% tariffs expire. It's the latest move to impose new tariffs after the Supreme Court deemed many of Trump's tariffs unlawful in February. They cover 59 countries and the EU, including major U.S. trading partners. The administration says the new levies are on economies that import goods made with forced labor. Global oil prices are surging.
Why did Brent crude spike above $100 and how are Houthis impacting shipping?
At one point this morning, past $100 a barrel as fighting escalates in the Middle East. NPR's Hadil Al-Shalji reports.
The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, soared more than 6% to $100 as the Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. The Houthis are blockading the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key shipping route which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. It's a second choke point for oil transportation besides the Strait of Hormuz. Trump threatened the Houthis saying they would face, quote, "'major military punishment' if they kept attacking ships." The rise in oil prices could inflate costs, which could force the Federal Reserve to increase interest rates. Hadil Alshalchi, NPR News, Istanbul.
The U.S. Justice Department has agreed to drop subpoenas against journalists for The New York Times under duress from a highly skeptical federal judge. The case focused on the source of leaks to The Times of security concerns about the new Air Force One jet given to President Trump by the Qatari government. NPR's David Fulkenflik was in the courtroom.
What did the federal judge say about subpoenas of New York Times journalists?
U.S. Judge Arun Submaranian fired off a series of questions for which the lead prosecutor in the case, Sean Buckley, had no satisfactory answers. The judge said the government had failed to observe legally required safeguards for reporters and had misled the court. Buckley cited oversights and said no bad faith was involved. He also apologized for subpoenaing the phone records of reporters' family members, calling that a mistake. But Buckley defended the subpoenas as legitimate. saying the approval of the acting attorney general overruled journalistic protections. New York Times lawyer David McCraw tells NPR the federal court stepped up to defend the First Amendment and the rule of law. David Folkenflik, NPR News.
Mortgage rates are the highest they've been in almost a year. NPR's Stephen Basaja 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.
How is the war with Iran driving mortgage rates and housing market trends?
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 News from Washington. Federal health advisors are meeting to review a group of controversial chemicals called peptides. The unapproved injections have become popular. have become a popular wellness trend promoted by influencers and celebrities like Joe Rogan for building muscle, healing injuries, and other uses.
Why are federal officials reviewing peptides and who is promoting them?
The two-day meeting comes at the direction of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who's described himself as a big fan of peptides. Transportation officials have removed a growing list of safety measures that reference bike safety from federal websites. NPR's Joel Rose reports safety advocates say that's 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.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:04
2
What new tariffs is President Trump imposing and which countries are affected?
0:04–0:29
3
Why did Brent crude spike above $100 and how are Houthis impacting shipping?
0:29–1:32
4
What did the federal judge say about subpoenas of New York Times journalists?
1:32–2:44
5
How is the war with Iran driving mortgage rates and housing market trends?
2:44–3:16
6
Why are federal officials reviewing peptides and who is promoting them?
3:16–4:12
7
What changes did the Transportation Department make to bike safety resources and why?
4:12–5:03