U.S.

Week In Politics: Robert Mueller Uses Grand Jury In Russia Probe

4:33pm August 04, 2017

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with political commentators E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post and Brookings Institution and Eliana Johnson of Politico. They discuss special counsel Robert Mueller's decision to use a grand jury in the Russia investigation, the Republicans' failure to pass a health care bill and the president's new chief of staff John Kelly.

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On Capitol Hill, Sen. Cory Booker Leads Efforts To Protect Special Counsel Mueller

4:33pm August 04, 2017

NPR's Audie Cornish talks to Sen. Cory Booker, Democrat of New Jersey, about his bill with Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham to protect special counsel Robert Mueller.

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Immigrant Advocates Prepare For Threats Against DACA Program

4:33pm August 04, 2017

by Vanessa Romo

A coalition of activists, lawyers, faith leaders and lawmakers are doing what they do best — protesting, filing legal briefs and drafting legislation — to ensure that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program remains in place. They're spurred by the threat of a lawsuit that could end legal protections for so-called "Dreamers" that could be heard in court as early as next month.

National

Martin Shkreli Found Guilty On Several Counts Of Securities Fraud

4:33pm August 04, 2017

by Charles Lane

The man who caused a firestorm of criticism after he bought a small pharmaceutical company and jacked up the price of a life-saving drug was found guilty Friday of securities fraud. Martin Shkreli was convicted on three of the eight fraud charges he faced and could be sentenced to a prison term of as much as 20 years.

Former National Security Council Official Provides Insight Into White House Leaks

4:33pm August 04, 2017

Washington insiders warn that normal operations within the federal government could be hampered, following the leaks of phone call transcripts between President Trump and foreign leaders. NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with former National Security Council official Ned Price about who tends to leak information and why.

U.S. Economy Adds 209,000 Jobs In July, Unemployment Drops To 4.3 Percent

4:33pm August 04, 2017

by John Ydstie

Employers added 209,000 jobs to payrolls last month, according to the government's jobs report released Friday morning. The unemployment rate ticked down a notch to 4.3 percent, matching a 16-year low.

Fewer Americans Are Moving To Pursue Better Jobs Across The Nation

4:33pm August 04, 2017

Fewer and fewer Americans are moving to pursue better job opportunities around the country. NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Jed Kolko, the chief economist for Indeed.com, about what this decline in mobility means for the U.S. economy.

The flight path of a Boeing 787-8 that traced out an image of the aircraft.

National

Boeing Dreamliner Crew Draws Enormous Outline Of Their Plane In The Sky

4:26pm August 04, 2017

by Scott Neuman

A team test-flying a Boeing 787-8 over North America decided to have some fun with its flight path. So over an 18-hour period, the pilots drew an outline of the plane over 22 U.S. states.

President Trump spent a weekend at his Bedminster, N.J., golf club at the beginning of July, and he is returning for 17 days this month while work is done on the West Wing.

Trump Heads To His New Jersey Golf Club For 17-Day 'Working Vacation'

4:00pm August 04, 2017

by Brian Naylor

The president and all staff are leaving the West Wing for an extended period this month so that the heating and air conditioning systems can be upgraded, the White House says.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks at the Department of Justice during an announcement about leaks of classified information Friday.

DOJ Announces Crackdown On Leaks As Intelligence Agencies' Calls For Probes Triple

3:13pm August 04, 2017

by Carrie Johnson

Top Justice Department officials raised the prospect they could loosen policies on issuing subpoenas to news organizations to stop the flow of information.