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Episode Date: September 4, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to testify before a Senate panel today. Democrats are expected to grill him about his far-reaching changes to federal health agencies and Kennedy's approach to vaccines. But NPR Selena Simmons-Duffin reports, one senator who will be watched just as closely today is Louisiana Republican, Bill Cassidy. Cassidy is a physician. He chairs the Health Committee, which oversees HHS, and he believes strongly in vaccines. scenes. Kennedy won Cassidy's vote by promising he wouldn't change that CDC vaccine advisory panel. Obviously, Kennedy broke that promise. He fired everyone on that committee and replaced them. And P.R. Selena Simmons-Duffin reporting. The pharmaceutical maker Pfizer is responding

to President Trump's call to make public more evidence about the safety and effectiveness of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines. NPR's Rob Stein reports. Pfizer chairman and CEO, Albert Borla, released a statement defending the evidence supporting the COVID vaccines. The statement comes amid controversy over new federal restrictions on the vaccines and a call by President Trump to make more information about the vaccines public. Borla says Pfizer's data has appeared in more than 600 published studies and the company has provided detailed data to regulators in 130 countries, including the FDA. Borla says the company plans to release more data soon. Rob Stein and Peer News. President Trump is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a lower court's decision that found most of his tariffs are illegal.

The latest appeals court ruling says Trump exceeded his authority when he imposed levies on nearly every country in the world. That court said that tariffs are a congressional rule, not the presidents. Hamas says it is willing to release all Israeli hostages. if Israel ends its war in Gaza. Israel has dismissed the offer as the military plans a takeover of Gaza's city. NPR's Daniel Estrin reports in Tel Aviv on Israeli opposition to intensifying the war.

After President Trump called on Hamas to release all hostages, Hamas reiterated its long-standing offer to do so and let Palestinian technocrats lead Gaza. Israeli leaders called Hamas's statement spin and demanded it disarm. Israel is vowing to launch a moment. major offensive in Gaza's city. On Wednesday, Israelis protested near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's home. They called to end the war, protester Jael Agamon. The lives of the hostages are way and

far more important than continuing to destroy Gaza and kill innocent civilians and risk the lives of the Israeli soldiers. After protesters lit a fire and a nearby car was burned, Netanyahu compared the protesters to fascist gangs. Daniel Estrin and NPR News, Tel Aviv. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Afghanistan's ruling Taliban say the death toll from this week's earthquake has soared to more than 2,200 people. A spokesman says hundreds of bodies have been recovered from collapsed houses.

The 6.0 magnitude quake struck eastern Afghanistan Sunday night. China's President Xi Jinping hosted leaders from several nations this week to mark 80 years since the end of World War II. The visiting leaders included North Korea's Kim Jong-un and Russia's Vladimir Putin. But NPR's Charles Mainz reports from Moscow a hot mic moment between Chinese President Xi and Russian President Putin is making headlines. As Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin head towards the military parade, the two leaders can be heard through interpreters discussing the changing nature of mortality. It used to be rare for someone to be older than 70s, says Xi.

adding these days at 70, one still a child. In response, Putin notes that thanks to biotechnology, human organs can be continuously transplanted, allowing people to even achieve immortality. The exchange comes as the longtime leaders. Both 72 years of age have altered their country's constitutions to effectively remain in power for life. Later in a press conference, Putin said he was merely stating a fact

about the miracles of modern science. Charles Mainz MPR News, Moscow. Nobody won the mammoth power of, last night, that jackpot has now soared to $1.7 billion. If somebody gets the winning numbers on Saturday night, they would be eligible for the third largest jackpot in U.S. history. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.