NPR News: 07-29-2026 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 happened when Dr. Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment at the GOP hearing?
Dr. Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment and declined to answer dozens of questions during a Republican-led committee hearing about the COVID-19 pandemic. Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul criticized Fauci's handling of the pandemic and accused him of lying about the virus's origins, which Fauci denies. The infectious disease specialist says Paul has an obvious obsession with calling for his prosecution. Stocks slumped after a divided Federal Reserve held interest rates steady despite concerns about inflation. NPR's Raphael Nam reports.
Although nine members of the panel that sets interest rates voted to keep them on hold, three voted for a hike. Fed Chair Kevin Walsh said at a news conference that having different views on monetary policy is not a bad thing and said he welcomes debate.
It was a real family fight. My view, which you've long heard, is that's the better way to get policy right. That's our North Star.
But stock markets dropped, while bond markets also reacted negatively.
How did Senator Rand Paul and Fauci clash over COVID-19 origins and prosecution calls?
Most investors believe now that a rate hike is coming this year, as the war with Iran helps drive up energy costs. But the vision said the Fed can also signal uncertainty about what to do about inflation. And that's a concern for investors. Rafael Nam, NPR News.
President Trump wants to revamp Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C. NPR's Deepa Shivaram reports voters are showing concern about what Trump is focusing on.
A new poll from CNN shows that Americans disapprove of Trump's various construction projects, like the White House ballroom and the reflecting pool on the National Mall. 58% say they feel dissatisfied or angry about them. The same poll shows that 73% say that Trump hasn't paid attention to the country's most important problems. Still, Trump is forging ahead with trying to reconstruct Washington Dulles International Airport.
In the end, you're going to end up with, I think, maybe the best airport and one of the biggest airports anywhere in the world. And it's going to be a great thing for Washington, D.C.
Trump says he might need approvals from Congress, but he thinks construction could begin next spring. Deepa Shivaram, NPR News, the White House.
Crews are battling wildfires that broke out a week ago in Spain.
Why did markets slump after the Federal Reserve's split decision on interest rates?
NPR's Miguel Macias reports.
The fire in the region of Madrid remained stable overnight. That is as tens of thousands of neighbors are allowed to return home. However, the ongoing fire in the region of Castellón is still not under control, after burning nearly 25,000 acres and forcing the evacuation of more than 10,000 people. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the central command facilities in the region of Madrid this morning. He sent a positive message but also warned about the risks. He said there are 10 active wildfires in Spain at the moment. Sánchez asked citizens to continue to be extra careful during the ongoing heatwave, which is forecast to last until Sunday. Miguel Macías, NPR News, Seville, Spain.
Elon Musk's social media company X has launched X Money, a bank account-like service for users to send money to each other. Musk aims to turn X into an everything app, entering a market dominated by services like Venmo and Cash App. Irish singer Glenn Hansard of the folk rock duo The Swell season has died. He was 56 years old. NPR's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento has this appreciation.
Glenn Hansard dropped out of school at 13 to pursue music. He spent years busking in Ireland before forming his band, The Frames, in 1990. In 2007, Hansard was cast as the unnamed male lead in the film Once. Starring alongside the singer Marketa Erglova, he drew buzz as an actor. Hansard and Erglova won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for Falling Slowly. The film's soundtrack sold hundreds of thousands of copies and once was later adapted as a hit Broadway musical. Hansard continued releasing music, much of it centered around large string ensembles, for the remainder of his career. Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento, NPR News.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:03
2
What happened when Dr. Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment at the GOP hearing?
0:03–1:03
3
How did Senator Rand Paul and Fauci clash over COVID-19 origins and prosecution calls?
1:03–2:13
4
Why did markets slump after the Federal Reserve's split decision on interest rates?
2:13–5:04