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- [00:00]
Carvana Representative
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Lakshmi Singh
Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The Federal Reserve is expected to leave US Interest rates unchanged when the Fed wraps up its latest policy meeting today. NPR's Scott Horsley says press President Trump has been pressing Fed Chair Jerome Powell for months to cut rates.
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Scott Horsley
Investors are almost certain the Federal Reserve will leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged this afternoon. Inflation is still somewhat higher than the Fed would like, and there was concern that President Trump's tariffs could push prices higher still. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate's just 4.1%, creating little pressure on the Fed to cut interest rates. That hasn't stopped Trump from jawboning the central bank, however. He he wants lower rates to goose the economy and cut the government's own borrowing cost on its $36 trillion debt. While most members of the Fed's rate setting committee are in a wait and see mode for now, investors think a rate cut is likely at the next Fed meeting in September. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.
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Lakshmi Singh
Senate Democrats are demanding the release of the government's records on its investigation of late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein through an obscure Federal law. NPR's Claudia Grizales reports. It's the latest political maneuver raising the pressure on Republicans.
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Claudia Grizales
The effort by Senate Democrats comes the day after President Trump said Epstein, quote, stole young women who worked at his Mar A Lago spa.
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Donald Trump
When I heard about it, I told him, I said, listen, we don't want you taking our people.
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Claudia Grizales
Now Senate Homeland Security Committee Democrats are invoking the so called five member letter law to force the Justice Department to turn over the Epstein records. The rarely used legal provision allows minority parties to gain access to records but can face legal challenges by the majority. House Republicans are now working to force Epstein's convicted associate Elon Maxwell to testify under a subpoena. Claudia, NPR news.
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Lakshmi Singh
A magnitude 8.8 earthquake hit Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. The powerful quake triggered now expired tsunami warnings that include included Hawaii, Alaska and the West Coast. NPR's Charles MAINNES has more from Moscow.
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Charles Maynes
Russian scientists say even for a region known for volcanoes and seismic activity, the quake on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula registered as the region's largest in 70 years. Online videos showed a sustained earthquake lasting some three minutes, sending residents running onto the streets, waves reaching as high as 13ft quickly swamped seaport areas in Kamchatka and Russia's northern Kuril Islands, unmooring ships and even some buildings. In nearby coastal Japan, evacuation orders were issued for tens of thousands of people. US Authorities also issued a tsunami warning for Alaska and the Pacific coast of the US with coastal residents in Hawaii told to get to high ground before the waves approach. Charles Maynes, NPR News, Moscow.
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Lakshmi Singh
From Washington, this is NPR News. Crazy train blaring from a trumpet in a brass band tribute to the legendary Ozzy Osbourne. Today, thousands of people lined the streets of Birmingham, England, to pay their respects to the former Black Sabbath frontman during a funeral procession. They watched as Osborne's family accompanied his coffin through his hometown. Osborne died last week at the age of 76. This year, state lawmakers across the US have become very active on the issue of regulating food dyes. NPR's Yuki Noguchi explains the implications of their sudden popularity.
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Yuki Noguchi
The rise of Maha the Trump administration make America Healthy Again movement has fueled a slew of state bills aiming to restrict food additives, especially synthetic dyes. And some preservatives, some, including in Texas, Arizona and Utah, have passed, creating a patchwork of different regulations. Food manufacturers say it's impractical to make different recipes and packaging for products in different states. Many experts say say that may eventually force the federal government, the Food and Drug Administration, to place stricter limits on many food dyes and additives. Yuki Noguchi, NPR News.
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Lakshmi Singh
U.S. stocks are trading higher this hour. The NASDAQ composite index is up nearly 100 points, or roughly half a percent. The S and p has gained 15 points, and the Dow is up 33 at 44,666. This is NPR News.
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Carvana Representative
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