Housing costs keep inflation stubborn; New report on Maui wildfires released
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Today’s top stories
Inflation has proven more stubborn than expected this year. The Federal Reserve has managed to get it down significantly from its peak of 9.1% two years ago. But it’s been difficult to push inflation lower than 3%. One of the biggest drivers of inflation last month was the high cost of housing. The government reports that rent increased nearly 6% in the past 12 months. But real estate experts say government figures don’t tell the full story.
Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez has released the first findings from an investigation into the Maui wildfires that killed more than 100 people and destroyed the historic town of Lahaina last year. The report gives a detailed timeline of the fires and the communications challenges first responders faced — and suggests some local officials were slow to respond to the crisis.
Israel is now engaged in conflicts on three separate fronts: They’re waging war against Hamas in Gaza, trading rocket fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and they were recently attacked directly by Iran in retaliation for an Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound this month in Syria. Yet, the U.S. and other countries are urging Israel to avoid escalating these conflicts.
We, the voters
As part of the We, The Voters series, NPR is bringing you stories of gun violence and its impact on communities all week.
Guns are now the leading cause of death among American children and teens. On top of these devastating deaths, an estimated 2-4 times as many U.S. children survive a gunshot injury. Survivors can face life-long challenges such as disability, pain, mental trauma and financial burdens. The trauma doesn’t end there: Simply witnessing gun violence has been linked to PTSD, anxiety and other psychiatric issues among children.
Picture show
If you’ve ever been to a children’s museum, you’re likely to find similar exhibits no matter where you go: a water exploration table, a kid-sized grocery store and a colorful jungle gym. These activities are crowd pleasers. But at The Rabbit hOle, an innovative and immersive children’s literature museum in North Kansas City, Mo., the owners wanted to try something new.
3 things to know before you go
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.