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Today's top stories
Tropical Storm Isaias intensified into a hurricane overnight and is forecast to make landfall as early as tomorrow night near the Alabama Gulf Coast and the Florida Panhandle. Coastal communities in its path are preparing for high winds and flooding by stocking up on supplies to board up windows and gather sandbags. Residents who live farther inland are also preparing for inches of rain and wind.
- 🎧 State officials have declared states of emergency so they can stage equipment along the Gulf, Lauren Linahan of NPR network station WBHM tells Up First. They're coordinating shelters and warning people to be ready, even though, with landfall more than 24 hours away, the forecast could still change. Some non-essential workers from oil production platforms in the Gulf have been evacuated — a common occurrence during hurricane season. If the storm gets really bad, oil prices could be impacted, Linahan says. Big events are still scheduled for this weekend, including the Alabama-Georgia SEC football game in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night, which President Trump is expected to attend. If the storm maintains its path, its worst impacts will happen that morning.
Republicans currently have a slim majority in the House, holding 218 seats to the Democrats' 214. With less than a month until Election Day, an NPR analysis of both parties' campaigns highlights key races that will shape control of the House in 2027. The Cook Political Report lists 43 competitive districts, including 22 toss-ups. But both parties are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into shaping a much larger electoral landscape.
- 🎧 Some districts that voted for Trump and a Democratic House representative, or vice versa, in 2024 are expected to be close again in the midterms. But NPR's Stephen Fowler says the political landscape has changed drastically since then. With an unpopular president, rising prices and strong anti-incumbency sentiments, many more districts are now competitive. The unpopularity of the current administration, particularly among Latino voters who supported Trump, could lead to new Republican-drawn districts electing Democrats. There's a massive amount of money involved in these campaigns; AdImpact reports half a billion dollars in House ads leading up to Election Day. Both parties are essentially throwing a huge amount of resources at the wall to see what sticks, Fowler says.
The Davidson County Chancery Court in Nashville has ordered Tennessee prison officials to preserve all evidence related to the botched lethal injection of Christa Pike last week. This includes log books, medical waste and all communications from officials involved in the execution attempt. The court granted Pike's attorneys "liberal access" to her, requiring prison officials to respond to requests for in-person visits within two hours. Pike's attorneys said that she is now awake, speaking and receiving critical medical care after several days of unconsciousness.
- ➡️ Meanwhile, Trump has approved the execution of a former U.S. Army psychiatrist by firing squad. Nidal Hasan killed 13 people in 2009 during a shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. This would mark the first U.S. military execution in more than 60 years and the first by firing squad since World War II. Secretary of the Army Adam Telle announced that Hasan will be executed at Fort Hood on Dec. 3. The Pentagon's decision, including the choice of firing squad, remains unclear, but some experts that NPR spoke with say it may relate to recent concerns over Pike's botched lethal injection.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico are in federal court today to argue that Trump is infringing on their constitutional rights by blocking their access to the White House. The news outlets say that they have the right to determine how, what and where they can cover the president at any given time. A judge last month issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from barring the outlets from the White House while the court considered the lawsuit.
- 🎧 NPR's David Folkenflik says the White House has inconsistently followed the judge's order, including not allowing CNN to do the work it typically does at smaller spaces, like Air Force One. Although the White House has the right to deny access to its grounds, once credentials are granted, they cannot be revoked for dissatisfaction with the speech. The White House has been saying these outlets report fake news and have cited national security concerns, referencing questions from the outlets about the bunker and areas below the East Wing's newly renovated ballroom.
Behind the story
by Cooper Katz McKim, The Indicator from Planet Money associate producer
The cost of diesel fuel is breaking records left and right. The previous record was $5.85/gallon. A few weeks ago, it hit $6.53/gallon. If I drove a diesel car, I might stay home.
At the Indicator, we've been watching whether President Trump would try to lower prices by banning exports of diesel fuel. He did not do that, though he did make diesel cheaper by expanding the use of tax-exempt diesel for highway vehicles through the end of the year. Still, I wondered why diesel prices are so consistently higher than regular gas.
We have a weekly newsletter at The Indicator where we track what's driving the economy and how it affects your life. It was the right platform to ask: Is diesel fuel inherently more expensive than regular gas?
The answer: NO! Before 2004, diesel was actually cheaper. But step by step, the price got higher.
The first domino to fall: taxes. In 1993, the federal excise tax on diesel increased to 24.4 cents, 6 cents more than the regular gas tax.
Soon after, demand for diesel began to skyrocket. China and India were ramping up industrialization, agriculture and new infrastructure to new levels. The world saw diesel vehicles take off.
In the U.S., the last major domino to fall was air quality standards. In 2006, diesel fuel needed to have less sulfur, which required new — and more expensive — refining and distribution methods.
One lesson that stuck with me is how diesel is essential for the modern economy. It's needed in shipping, long-haul trucking, mining and backup generators. Whether the cost is high or low, the demand is there. Regular gasoline? Demand is a little squishier.
You can check out the full segment here. And if you liked this story, subscribe to The Indicator newsletter here!
Life advice
Are you feeling nervous about facing a high-stakes event, such as a race or a job interview? Well, get ready to face those challenges head-on with the help of psychologist Cindra Kamphoff, the author of The Confidence Habit: 7 Core Practices to Transform Self-Doubt into Self-Belief. She shared with Life Kit some of her creative strategies for managing fear and negativity to overcome anxiety and build confidence before, during and after big tasks.
- 🏃 Practice positive self-talk. Even small affirmations can boost your self-esteem. You can even write them on your arm to remind yourself during events like races.
- 🏃 Set a range of goals instead of aiming for one perfect outcome. This approach can help to reduce anxiety by lowering the pressure and encouraging you to focus on the present moment.
- 🏃 When negative thoughts creep in before your task, ask yourself: Is this thought true? Is it serving me? And what empowering statement can I replace it with? This approach pauses negativity and helps you refocus on the present.
For more advice on how to beat performance anxiety, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.
3 things to know before you go
- NPR's Diaa Hadid is sending greetings from the Lahore High Court in Pakistan for this week's installment of Far-Flung Postcards. She describes it as "a near-perfect example of British South Asian colonial architecture."
- Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth, celebrated her 100th birthday at the future site of the National Juneteenth Museum in Texas. (via KERA)
- A remarkably intact fossil discovery has given scientists new evidence about when the ability to chew and swallow food emerged among mammals.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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