Biden impeachment inquiry; Floods in Libya; ineffective decongestion: NPR

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Today’s best stories

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced a formal impeachment inquiry against President Biden yesterday. McCarthy said Biden “used his official office to coordinate with Hunter Biden’s business partners over Hunter’s role in Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company.” The White House called the action “extreme politics at its worst.”

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks at the Capitol Tuesday.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

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J. Scott Applewhite/AP

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks at the Capitol Tuesday.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

• There is virtually no chance that the investigation will end in a conviction. NPR’s Susan Davis says First Today. Senate Republicans like Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Mitt Romney have expressed skepticism. Davis says McCarthy’s announcement doesn’t make him look “particularly strong” right now. » How he handles the impeachment inquiry and potential government shutdown will dominate the Capitol in the weeks to come.

Vladimir Putin of Russia and Kim Jong Un of North Korea met today in Vladivostok. where Putin gave Kim a tour of his country’s space launch facilities.

• NPR’s Charles Maynes describes the setting was “truly designed to impress” and was of particular interest since North Korea has recently failed to launch its satellites. Maynes adds that the timing of the meeting is clearly linked to Ukraine and the broader conflict between Russia and the West.

Check your medicine cabinets before cold and flu season. A panel of FDA advisers concluded yesterday that phenylephrine, a key ingredient in dozens of cold and allergy medications, doesn’t work. Phenylephrine can be found in many popular over-the-counter medications, including Sudafed, Benadryl, and Nyquil.

• The idea that phenylephrine doesn’t work is not new, says NPR’s Allison Aubrey. Studies conducted in 2015 revealed its ineffectiveness. Laws passed in the early 2000s aimed at combating methamphetamine use pushed products using pseudoephedrine behind the counters because the ingredient could be used to make meth. It was therefore necessary to reformulate over-the-counter medications.

Thousands are dead and thousands are missing after the catastrophic flooding caused by Storm Daniel in eastern Libya. The storm destroyed dams and submerged entire neighborhoods.

• Anas El Gomati, director of a Libyan think tank, I received a picture of the devastation from the people of the city of Derna. He told NPR’s Ruth Sherlock that the scale of the disaster is “epic” and unlike anything Libya has seen in modern history. Sherlock reports that it took days for aid to reach the worst affected areas.

From our hosts

This essay was written by A Martinez. He came to NPR in 2021 and is one of the hosts of Morning Edition and Up First. He was previously the host of Take Two at LAist in Los Angeles.

If you ever get the chance to talk to actor Matthew McConaughey, I challenge you NOT to be charmed by his positivity.

Do not take this challenge because you will lose. I told him about his new children’s book, Just because.

I admit I was skeptical because writing a children’s book seems like something celebrities do because they know their fans are likely to embrace it. The cover caught the attention of my almost 10-year-old granddaughter, so I figured: why not ask a child to read this new children’s book first and get their opinion?

She not only had thoughts but also questions – lots of them – and we spent some time talking about them, which made me realize before I even had a chance to read it that McConaughey’s book had accomplished what what he had planned to do: bring the children and their children. adults speak.

OK, McConaughey, you win this one.

Oh, and about that charming positivity I mentioned earlier: McConaughey has three children, ages 15, 13, and 10. It was clear that he loves being a father, so when I asked him what a Grandpa Matthew would be like one day, I could HEAR the smile spread across his face as he said in his famous drawl of Texas: “Oh, I got a chicken skin when you said that.”

Okay, McConaughey, you win again.

Live better

Kame Ogito, 89, collects seaweed at low tide in Motobu, Okinawa, Japan. Seaweed is part of the plant-based, low-calorie diet that makes Okinawans some of the oldest people in the world.

David McLain/Dan Buettner

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David McLain/Dan Buettner

Kame Ogito, 89, collects seaweed at low tide in Motobu, Okinawa, Japan. Seaweed is part of the plant-based, low-calorie diet that makes Okinawans some of the oldest people in the world.

David McLain/Dan Buettner

Dan Buettner’s new Netflix documentary, Live to 100: the secrets of the blue zones, examines five communities around the world where people live longer than average – without intentionally meaning to. NPR’s Allison Aubrey interviewed Buettner, watched his series and read his book to learn more about specific habit changes that can lead to a longer life. Here are some of his takeaways:

• Trade the La-Z-Boy for a rug and a garden: Incorporate more movement into your daily routine and spend more time sitting on the floor than on a couch.
• Ditch DoorDash and Eat Like a Farmer: The pillars of the Blue Zone diet are whole grains, vegetables, greens, beans and tubers.
• Reorganize your social networks: Curate your feed so you see content from people who share your interests and inspire you.
• Swap your afternoon espresso for a nap: Science shows that a 20-minute nap can make up for an hour of lost sleep.
• Swap big city rents for an affordable home: Easier said than done, but it’s worth thinking about, especially if you’re a young adult looking to put down roots.

3 things to know before you leave

• Around 2.2 million liters of red wine flooded the streets of a small town in Portugal this weekend after two tanks at a nearby distillery ruptured. The “wine river” was filmed.
• Apple unveiled its latest iPhone yesterday. But Apple haters looking for a more minimalist phone might want to try the Nothing Phone.
• In almost two weeks Since murderer Danelo Cavalcante escaped from prison, he has evaded authorities, stolen a van and a rifle and been spotted by a doorbell camera. Here’s what authorities say it takes to track down a fugitive.

This newsletter was published by Majd Al-Waheidi. Rachel Treisman contributed.