Up First NPR

A surge in coronavirus cases across the U.S. fueled by the delta variant is prompting a growing number of pubic health experts to call for everyone to mask back up, especially indoors. Also, Iraq's prime minister is in Washington to meet with President Biden, and on the table is how long to keep U.S. troops stationed in Iraq. And, more than 200 of the world's leading climate scientists come together today — to summarize how the Earth's climate has changed — and what the future looks like.

This week's bonus episode of Up First comes from NPR's daily business podcast The Indicator from Planet Money. The Bureau of Labor Statistics updates the Consumer Price Index each month. The latest number shows a 5.4% increase over the last twelve months. That has some inflation watchers worried. So how do we measure inflation? And what about inflation's sneaky cousin, "shrinkflation"?

The Tokyo Olympic Games are now underway, despite the pandemic and controversy. Better masks and masking techniques can help guard against the more transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus. Attorney General Merrick Garland traveled to Chicago to address gun violence.

CIA Director William Burns talked with NPR in his first interview since being confirmed in March. Also, slain Haitian President Jovenel Moïse is being laid to rest weeks after his assassination, while the investigation into his murder and unrest in Haiti continues. And, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics officially begin with opening ceremonies today. How different will it look during a pandemic?

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vetoed two Republican nominees to the panel set to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection, saying she was rejecting their nominations "with respect for the integrity of the investigation." Also, a $26 billion national settlement was reached with drug maker Johnson & Johnson and three companies that distributed opioid painkillers even as addiction and overdose deaths skyrocketed. And, ESPN host Maria Taylor has announced she is leaving the sports network just weeks after remarks by a colleague became public suggesting that Taylor was promoted because she is Black.

A bipartisan infrastructure bill faces a crucial test in the Senate today. But here's the thing: there's no actual bill yet. Also, the massive Bootleg Fire has ravaged southern Oregon and is the fourth-largest fire in the state's modern history. And, we check-in at the Tokyo Olympics ahead of opening ceremonies as COVID cases there are on the rise.