Anthony Fauci; New asylum rule; Medicare drug plans : NPR

Key Points:

• Sen. Rand Paul is threatening to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and declined to answer questions about the COVID-19 pandemic during a Senate hearing, amid ongoing disputes over the virus's origins.
• The Trump administration has implemented a rule change allowing asylum officers to send some cases directly to immigration court without interviews, further restricting asylum opportunities and contributing to the lowest approval rates in two decades.
• The Trump administration plans to end subsidies that have helped keep Medicare drug premiums stable, potentially causing higher costs for millions of beneficiaries next year, despite the Inflation Reduction Act's cap on out-of-pocket drug expenses starting in 2025.
• Extreme weather linked to climate change is increasingly disrupting summer camps, with more frequent heat waves, evacuations, and a need for staff to adapt to these challenges as children face the realities of a warming planet.
• Financial experts advise those with credit card debt to track spending, create emergency and sinking funds, and budget carefully to manage debt repayment while saving money effectively.