Two Democrats overseeing federal elections are questioning why the Trump administration hasn't distributed funds for state and local election security as directed by Congress. Sen. Alex Padilla of California and Rep. Joseph Morelle of New York wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and the acting head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Nick Anderson, urging the restoration of more than $39.6 million for specific election security efforts outlined in the fiscal year 2026 DHS Appropriations bill, passed in April. NPR was provided an exclusive copy of the letter. The lawmakers wrote that they share a "grave concern that time is running out … to assist state and local election officials in protecting our elections from cyber and mis- and disinformation threats." Historically, the Trump administration has treated election security as a political issue, but it has also cut federal funding and jobs in this critical area, including at CISA.
A voter casts their ballot at a polling station in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood as New Yorkers head to the polls on Primary Day on June 23 in New York City.
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Chevron is expanding its operations in Venezuela and plans to invest $7 billion over the next five years, eventually expanding production to around 600,000 barrels of oil per day. Chevron's CEO yesterday announced the joint venture in Caracas, alongside U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez. The agreement comes after the Trump administration announced an agreement that would give the U.S. access to 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil. Critics question the legality of these oil agreements, arguing they may hinder Venezuela's democratic transition after U.S. troops captured Rodriguez's predecessor, Nicholas Maduro, in January.
Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy trial yesterday said once again that they could not reach a unanimous verdict. They remained at an impasse after 28 hours of deliberation on whether to convict her of first-degree murder for killing her three children in 2023. The judge urged them to continue deliberating. If the jury remains deadlocked today, the judge may declare a mistrial, leaving the district attorney to decide whether to retry the case. Clancy has admitted that she killed her children in 2023. Her defense team argues she suffered from postpartum psychosis and could not understand or control her actions. Prosecutors say she planned to kill her children as part of an attempt to die by suicide. (via WBUR)
Trailblazing journalist and feminist activist Gloria Steinem has died at 92. Steinem devoted her life to fighting for gender equality. She co-founded Ms. magazine, the first mass market feminist monthly, and continued to speak and write about women's issues well into her 90s. She spent most of her life traveling across the country and around the world to speak, organize and raise money on behalf of women's rights.
An NPR investigation finds that heat kills thousands of Americans every year. But official records radically undercount the toll. In this series, we are bringing you stories that reveal why this happens and what can be done.
Adam Wilson's death was officially recorded as "unknown natural causes." But his mother says she knows what killed him: heat. Wilson had a genetic disorder that caused heart problems and made him highly sensitive to heat. In his home state of Arizona, heat can be unavoidable. Heat often exacerbates underlying conditions. Doctors need conclusive proof when certifying deaths. Because the evidence of heat-related death is often invisible, it's often left off of death certificates, even when it's a contributing factor. Pima County, Ariz., where Adam lived, has in recent years trained death investigators to look for clues of heat's influence on a death. But stories like Adam's still illustrate how thousands of heat-related deaths go unreported each year in the United States.
A view of San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood on June 29, 2026, in San Francisco, Calif. San Francisco apartment rents are soaring as the AI boom brings a new wave of wealth to the city. The city's average apartment rent has surpassed New York City's, previously the nation's most expensive, reaching $3,827 per month.
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San Francisco's artificial intelligence boom is fueling fierce competition in its already expensive housing market. AI companies are expanding rapidly as the tech industry pulls workers back to the office. Wealth has flooded the area as startups like Anthropic and OpenAI gear up for public offerings. The economic upswing comes with growing concerns about displacement and a chronic housing shortage in a city where previous tech booms have already pushed many residents out.
Cassandra Wilson, seen here performing in the Netherlands in 1994, died Sept. 2 at the age of 70.
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This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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