NPR News: 07-30-2026 3AM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News, I'm Childs Snyder.
Why did Dr. Anthony Fauci invoke the Fifth Amendment at the Capitol Hill hearing?
On Capitol Hill, Dr. Anthony Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment during Tuesday's hearing on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although it pains me to do so 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.
Dr. Fauci was subpoenaed by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul to appear before the committee he chairs. The two have long sparred over the pandemic, and Fauci accused Senator Paul of being obsessed with seeing him behind bars.
What are the consequences of the contempt vote Senator Rand Paul pushed against Fauci?
Paul's committee has scheduled a contempt of Congress vote against Fauci for next week. The Federal Reserve held its benchmark interest rate steady Wednesday, but the central bank left the door open to raise rates on the future of inflation. Remains elevated, as NPR's Scott Horsley reports.
This was the second rate-setting meeting led by Kevin Warsh, who took over as chairman of the central bank in May. Warsh told lawmakers this month he and his colleagues are determined to restore price stability after five years of uncomfortably high inflation.
Why did the Federal Reserve hold rates steady and what factors are keeping inflation elevated?
That task has been made harder by the U.S. war with Iran, which has triggered a spike in energy prices. Gasoline prices have moderated from their wartime peak this spring, but renewed fighting around the Strait of Hormuz could keep pump prices elevated for months to come. Three members of the Fed's rate-setting committee dissented from today's decision, saying they would have preferred to raise the benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has delayed a vote on Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general. The vote had been scheduled for later this morning, but two key Republicans, Texas Senator John Cornyn and Tom Tillis of North Carolina, say they will not support Blanche without written assurances from the Justice Department about the controversial Trump IRS settlement. The UK last year recorded the biggest rise in anti-Semitic incidents of any country with a major Jewish population. That's according to a new report. NPR's Lauren Frayer reports from London.
The J7 task force tallies anti-Semitism in the seven largest Jewish diaspora countries. Together, they're home to more than 90% of the world's Jews outside Israel.
Why was the Senate Judiciary Committee's vote on Todd Blanche delayed and what are Republicans demanding?
Of those countries, the UK had the biggest spike in anti-Semitic incidents last year. Australia had the deadliest, with 15 people killed at a Hanukkah event on Sydney's Bondi Beach. Overall, 2025 was the deadliest year for Jews living outside Israel in more than three decades. The U.K. government recently allocated more than $330 million to boost police protection for Jewish communities. And an independent review of anti-Semitism in schools and colleges is due this autumn.
What does the new J7 report reveal about the spike in anti‑Semitic incidents in the U.K. and worldwide trends?
Lauren Freyer, NPR News, London.
And you're listening to NPR News. Jordan's state-run news agency says the country has shot down five missiles launched from Iran. The attack toward Jordan came as the U.S. said it struck dozens of Iranian Revolutionary Guard targets, including military command centers and drone facilities. The U.S. military says it launched the attacks in response to Iran's firing missiles at U.S. troops in Jordan. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the UN's senior Ebola coordinator warns that health efforts must be scaled up rapidly to control the outbreak.
How are recent international events — missile strikes, Ebola outbreak and market reactions — unfolding and being addressed?
Emmett Livingstone reports.
According to the latest Congolese government figures, more than 3,300 people have been infected since the outbreak was declared in May, and more than 1,400 people have died. The UN's senior Ebola coordinator, Julien Harness, says efforts to contain Ebola need to accelerate.
At the moment, we are not at the speed and the scale and the agility that the virus requires from us. So we definitely have a challenge there and we are working to address that.
One of the ways of speeding up would be to better divide up the roles among organisations involved in the response.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:04
2
Why did Dr. Anthony Fauci invoke the Fifth Amendment at the Capitol Hill hearing?
0:04–0:50
3
What are the consequences of the contempt vote Senator Rand Paul pushed against Fauci?
0:50–1:20
4
Why did the Federal Reserve hold rates steady and what factors are keeping inflation elevated?
1:20–2:25
5
Why was the Senate Judiciary Committee's vote on Todd Blanche delayed and what are Republicans demanding?
2:25–2:54
6
What does the new J7 report reveal about the spike in anti‑Semitic incidents in the U.K. and worldwide trends?
2:54–3:32
7
How are recent international events — missile strikes, Ebola outbreak and market reactions — unfolding and being addressed?
3:32–5:02