NPR News: 07-29-2026 12PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh.
What happened at the Capitol Hill hearing with Anthony Fauci and why did he invoke the Fifth?
A Capitol Hill hearing where lawmakers question Anthony Fauci has just ended. A GOP-led committee asked the veteran public health experts about his role in the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic. A number of Republican lawmakers, including Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, the committee chair, questioned Dr. Fauci about whether he covered up any evidence indicating COVID might have originated in a lab, which remains an unproven claim.
What allegations did Republicans raise about a COVID lab origin and Fauci’s public statements?
Publicly, Anthony Fauci promoted the theory that the virus arose naturally, while privately, he was well aware of a mountain of evidence suggesting the virus originated in the lab. The American people deserve answers. The American people deserve to know why dangerous research was funded by NIAID in a totalitarian country, in a lab that lacked acceptable safety standards.
Today, Dr. Fauci opted to invoke the fifth.
Although it pains me to do so,
What recent legal actions involve former President Trump and the $83 million defamation verdict?
because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government and my decades-long record of cooperating with Congress, under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions. Thank you.
Before leaving office, former President Joe Biden preemptively granted Fauci a full pardon, but some Republicans had warned Fauci could still be prosecuted for perjury if he lied under oath.
Why did the U.S. and Saudi Arabia launch airstrikes in Iraq and what were the reported consequences?
President Trump and the Department of Justice are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to toss an $83 million defamation verdict. Columnist E. Jean Carroll won. Carroll accuses Trump of sexually assaulting her years ago in a department store fitting room. Trump later accused her of fabricating the allegation for publicity. A jury awarded Carroll damages, but government attorneys say Trump cannot be sued for comments he made during his first term as president. The United States and Saudi Arabia launched a wave of airstrikes targeting Iranian-backed militias in Iraq today. NPR's Jane Araf reports the armed group said at least 20 of their fighters were killed.
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have blamed the Iran-backed militias in Iraq for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities this week. Iraq's prime minister, who met President Trump last week in Washington, convened an emergency security meeting in Baghdad after the airstrikes.
What are experts saying about AI development risks and which companies signed the petition?
The U.S. has been pressing Prime Minister Ali Azadi to rein in Iranian-affiliated militias that are part of Iraq's official defense forces. Jordan's military also said it shot down five Iranian missiles early Wednesday. Iran has been targeting U.S. bases in the kingdom. Jane Araf, NPR News, Amman. At last, check on Wall Street.
The Dow is down 864 points. This is NPR News. The Surgeon General's office is urging Americans to donate blood because of a worsening shortage in the U.S. Here's NPR's Will Stone.
The Surgeon General says the blood supply is significantly lower than it should be after weeks of declining donations. The country is currently in yellow status, meaning there is less than a two-day supply for O-positive blood. The Red Cross is declaring it a crisis and attributes the shortfall to extreme heat, poor air quality, and widespread foodborne illnesses. Will Stone, NPR News.
More than 1,100 workers at AI companies, including top researchers, have signed a petition calling on the government to back a global effort to pace the development of artificial intelligence. This also comes about a week after OpenAI announced one of its systems was able to autonomously hack into another AI company. NPR's John Rewich reports that petitioners say AI developers develops faster than humans can understand or control.
The petition says it's not guaranteed that AI will help create a better future, and to realize AI's potential, we may need the option to, quote, "...buy time to address emerging risks, develop security measures, and strengthen oversight." Leading AI companies believe they're close to automating AI research, and the petition says it's unclear how much this could accelerate AI progress, with a risk that it accelerates beyond our ability to understand or control the resulting systems.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:05
2
What happened at the Capitol Hill hearing with Anthony Fauci and why did he invoke the Fifth?
0:05–0:30
3
What allegations did Republicans raise about a COVID lab origin and Fauci’s public statements?
0:30–1:00
4
What recent legal actions involve former President Trump and the $83 million defamation verdict?
1:00–1:35
5
Why did the U.S. and Saudi Arabia launch airstrikes in Iraq and what were the reported consequences?
1:35–2:32
6
What are experts saying about AI development risks and which companies signed the petition?
2:32–5:02