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Today's top stories
U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff has arrived in Moscow and is meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin today. His visit comes as President Trump's deadline for the Kremlin to end the war in Ukraine or face economic penalties was moved up to the end of this week.
- 🎧 Trump is threatening secondary sanctions and tariffs on Russian energy exports, which would penalize countries like China that purchase their oil and gas, NPR's Charles Maynes tells Up First. Trump's policies and rhetoric toward Russia shifted when a ceasefire with Ukraine did not happen after multiple meetings between the U.S. and Moscow. Putin has expressed that his army has momentum on the battlefield and shown no indication that he plans to back down. With Witkoff's latest meeting, Maynes says both sides may be looking for a compromise — not the full immediate peace Trump demands, but a solution that would keep him from fulfilling his threats on Friday.
Prominent supporters of the president have recently intensified their criticism of Israel because of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Republican Party has long been aligned with Israel in its war against Gaza, but now the rift within the party is creating a political challenge for Trump. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia last week called Israel's actions a genocide. Former White House aide Steve Bannon warned of the long-term expense of this conflict and Trump's risk of losing young Republicans' support.
- 🎧 Republican strategist Alex Conant says we are now in the beginning stages of the lame duck period of Trump's presidency. Conant tells NPR's Franco Ordoñez that there is a fight brewing to determine what the Republican Party will look like post-Trump, with a strong push for an America First party. Republican strategist Sean Walsh says the president needs to focus on the midterm elections and appealing to the majority of his party, who support Israel, if he hopes to keep control of the House.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has reportedly initiated a grand jury investigation into how the Obama administration handled the probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. NPR has not independently verified this information, which was first reported by Fox News and other outlets. Bondi launching the inquiry suggests a trend that blurs the line between the Justice Department, which has been mostly independent, and the White House.
- 🎧 The president has responded to the reports of Bondi's actions by deflecting responsibility while praising her performance, NPR's Domenico Montanaro says. Trump has had tensions with attorneys general in the past and has shown a willingness to fire them when disagreements arise. Bondi has taken a different approach with the president. She has expressed outrage on Trump's behalf before Congress when his ethics were questioned and has shielded him regarding the Jeffrey Epstein files. Many view her actions toward the Obama administration about Russia as a distraction from the Epstein conflict.
Today marks the 60th anniversary of the landmark Voting Rights Act, which was signed into law by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson to protect against racial discrimination. However, the lawful efforts to fight against the dilution of Black voters' collective power at the ballot box may be ending soon, as a new legal argument progresses toward the U.S. Supreme Court.
Life advice
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Keeping a journal helped writer Suleika Jaouad navigate her battle with leukemia at 22, life after treatment and the pandemic. Now, she has released The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life, which expands on her approach to journaling. It's a collection of essays and writing prompts from 100 writers and artists. Jaouad shares tips with Life Kit on how to reignite your writing practice if you're feeling stuck, bored, or uninspired.
- ✏️ Set a duration of time you plan to journal daily. Being consistent can help you form unexpected and interesting writing.
- ✏️ Try adding journaling to a non-negotiable part of your routine, like when you sit down for your morning coffee.
- ✏️ There is no right or wrong way to journal. You can use a phone app; don't let expectations like needing a pen and paper hinder your enjoyment.
- ✏️ Try this prompt to get you started: Write a day in the life of your dreams a couple of years out. But do so in the present tense.
For more guidance on how to start journaling, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.
Picture show
India is poised to take over the chess world, especially after 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh's recent victory at the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup. This achievement marks India's 88th grandmaster — a title awarded to the best players globally. Since the pandemic, chess has experienced a significant resurgence worldwide. With more leisure time, people began playing online and watching on YouTube. India has emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries of this boom. Traditionally, Indian parents don't encourage their children to pursue sports seriously. But chess, which mirrors academic pursuits, has gained acceptance. Now, India is making sure its youth are poised to checkmate with a system created to teach "from the grassroots" of the sport, according to chess trainer Venkat Saravanan. Take a look at how they are making strategic moves.
3 things to know before you go
- The National Park Service plans to restore and reinstall in Washington, D.C., a statue of Albert Pike, a Confederate general and Freemason leader. It was vandalized and taken down during the Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020.
- The U.S. Coast Guard issued a 300-page report yesterday stating the deaths of the passengers in the Titan submersible implosion two years ago were preventable. It faulted OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, who designed and piloted the vessel.
- On TikTok and Instagram, the word "clanker" as a catch-all term for robots and AI has reached viral levels. Context clues show the term is not a good thing. The Word of the Week series breaks down exactly what it means.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen
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