[[to:Bones]] TRINITY-ROUTE-TEST

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. President Trump is offering assurances that Russian leader Vladimir Putin won't wage a military operation on a NATO country. Trump spoke following a visit by his CIA director to Moscow, as NPR's Greg Myrie reports. President Trump was asked if President Putin might be considering additional military action in Europe. I've had good talk with him. He's not going to be attacking a NATO territory. CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced trip to Moscow on Tuesday, igniting speculation about the reason for his visit. The CIA has declined to comment. However, a U.S. official said Ratcliffe warned Russia against attacking NATO countries. The CIA chief also told the Russians the U.S. has conclusive evidence Russia is providing intelligence to Iran. The U.S. official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Greg Myrie, NPR News, Washington. The FDA today approved new versions of the two most commonly used COVID-19 vaccines. NPR's Rob Stein has the story. The FDA approved updated versions of the COVID vaccines made by Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Novavax. The vaccines are designed to protect people against the most common sub-variant known as XFG. The shots were approved for anyone ages 65 and older and for children and younger adults. with at least one health problem that puts them at risk for serious complications from the virus. Nevertheless, the American Academy of Pediatrics still recommends very young children, those 6 to 24 months, continue getting vaccinated every year. The new vaccines should start to become available within days. Rob Stein, NPR News. Mortgage rates are holding steady around their highest levels in a year. That's driven in part by high yields in the bond market. NPR's Stephen Basaha. NPR's Stephen Basaha reports bond traders are looking for signs from the Federal Reserve about the government's plans to fight inflation. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 6.66 percent, according to Freddie Mac. Mortgage rates are largely influenced by the bond market, which has been shaken over concerns about government debt and inflation. That's why bond traders will be watching new Fed chair Kevin Walsh's speech Friday in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, closely. You know, it's early in the morning, but everyone will have their popcorn out to watch. Jeff Degurian. Jeff Degurian is Loan Depot's chief investment officer. They want to see, hey, if inflation takes back up again like everyone's worried about, what are you going to do? The Fed's preferred inflation gauge showed prices rose at an annual rate of 3.7 percent in July. Stephen Basaha, NPR News. A new study suggests El Nino events have intensified over the past 40 years due to human-caused climate change. El Ninos are now more than 36 percent stronger than before the industrial age, with a 16 percent increase in the last 40 years. A new study in the journal Science argues the Trump administration relied on flawed logic to justify scrapping vehicle emissions standards, making errors in how it accounted for fuel savings, the price of technology, and mileage. The Trump administration got rid of the emissions standards this year when it revoked what's known as the endangerment finding, which had long underpinned federal regulation of greenhouse gases. Scientists are interested in. tracking how warmer waters are reaching the Arctic and contributing to melting glaciers. But those frigid areas can be difficult to reach. NPR's Rachel Carlson reports that scientists have managed to get there with a little help from narwhals. The scientists outfitted six narwhals with temperature and salinity sensors to collect data in the Arctic. MADS Peter Heide-Jorgensen is a study author and marine biologist at Greenland Institute of Natural Resources. He says the data showed signs of warmer water from the Atlantic. around major glaciers in East Greenland. Even the most remote glaciers in the inner parts of the Scots-Bissau fjord system were also affected by Atlantic water. He says this is a sign that the impacts of warming seas extend even to these very hard-to-reach areas. The findings were published this week in the journal Science Advances. Rachel Carlson, NPR News. The NFL's Pro Bowl is no more. The move brings an end to an exhibition of the league's top players that was held in some. form for almost every year since 1951. The league said 88 players will still be named as Pro Bowlers and honored in Los Angeles after the season ends. This is NPR News from Washington.