Fauci Faces Congress, Dramatic Ocean Rescue & Lollapalooza From Home - Thursday, July 30, 2026

**Lacey Evans** (0:00)
Today is Thursday, July 30th, and the controversy involving Dr. Anthony Fauci is far from over. We'll tell you about the accusations, insults and deflections at an intense hearing on Capitol Hill.
Also, the US. Military's latest attacks as the war in the Middle East widens once again. Plus, what's next in President Trump's Washington DC makeover? Why some of the biggest names in AI want to find a way to stop themselves, and how to watch one of the most popular music festivals from home. Those stories and a lot more news to know, next.
Welcome to The NewsWorthy, all the day's news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Lacey Evans, filling in for Erica Mandy today. Thanks so much for being here. Let's do this.
It seems the latest pause in Middle East fighting might have been the calm before the storm. The US carried out what it called a heavy wave of strikes on Iran this morning. They targeted military, government, and infrastructure sites a day after Iran apparently tried to target US forces. Also yesterday, we told you about the US and Saudi Arabia striking Iran's allies in Iraq, accusing them of attacking US forces and Saudi energy sites. The Iraqi prime minister called it a dangerous escalation. Egypt was also struck for the first time. Two ships, including an American-owned gas storage tanker, caught fire after an explosion at a shipping hub, and President Trump implied Iran was responsible. Still, the president left the door open to negotiations with Iran, saying, quote, We'll see if we get there with an agreement at some point.
More than six years since COVID-19 came to the US and now political divides over the pandemic seem deeper than ever. That was on display yesterday when Dr. Anthony Fauci made an appearance on Capitol Hill. He invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times to avoid answering any questions, saying he wouldn't make any statements that might expose him to a new investigation. Still, lawmakers kept going for several hours. They criticized him for pandemic policies they say harmed Americans, like lockdowns, masks, and social distancing. One Republican senator even asked Fauci, who the F do you think you are? Though he used the actual curse word. Another called him a megalomaniac and a liar. Others accused Fauci of using the pandemic as an opportunity to make himself rich and famous while Americans died. And Senator Rand Paul, who was leading the hearing, actually questioned whether Fauci's actions actually created COVID-19 in the first place. But Democrats praised Fauci for his decades of public service and said he didn't deserve the treatment he was getting. When the hearing ended, Paul announced lawmakers would vote next week on whether to hold Dr. Fauci in contempt of Congress. The question will basically be whether he was actually entitled to Fifth Amendment protection or if he was using it to avoid cooperating. Stay tuned.
The Trump administration is making a change to Medicare that could mean higher premiums for millions of Americans. It's ending a federal subsidy program designed to keep Medicare Part D premiums stable. Right now, about 25 million people, mostly seniors and some people with disabilities, are enrolled in standalone Medicare Part D plans that help cover the cost of prescription drugs. The subsidy program that's ending was made to help stabilize those plans and keep premiums from spiking, but it's not cheap. The government was expected to spend about 3.6 billion dollars a year on those subsidies. Now the Trump administration says they are no longer necessary. In fact, it argues they may have actually encouraged insurance companies to raise prices because they knew the government would help cover some of the cost. Critics though say ending the subsidies could shift more of those costs back on to seniors, many of whom are living on fixed incomes. The exact impact will vary from plan to plan. The administration says many people will see little or no change, while about 30 percent could see increases of less than $10 a month. Other enrollees could see bigger hikes. People enrolled in Part D plans should find out their new premiums this fall.
What was already the largest known cyclospora outbreak in the US is still growing, and there's evidence it's really changing the way people eat. The CDC's latest update says there are now more than 18,000 suspected cases of illnesses caused by the parasite in 45 states. Infections in only nine of those states have been officially traced to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms. So health officials believe the impacted lettuce could have made it to more places. And it's also likely more food could have been contaminated. So experts have been telling people to use caution, and it seems a lot of Americans have taken that advice. Reuters reports sales of lettuce at grocery stores have dropped nearly 20 percent over the last two weeks, and several restaurant chains have reported seeing fewer customers even if they don't serve lettuce from Taylor Farms. To be clear, most experts aren't telling people to completely avoid eating the things they like. Instead, they say it's safest to stick to fruits and vegetables that can be peeled or cooked. And with things like lettuce, they suggest removing the outer layers, then thoroughly washing under running water.