Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
Today's top stories
The Supreme Court's decision to grant the president broad immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts has surprised scholars and other experts who observe the court. With the ruling, former President Donald Trump will likely avoid trial for his Jan. 6 case before this year's election. The criminal sentencing for his hush money case has also been delayed until September. How does this decision reshape the presidency?
- 🎧 NPR's Nina Totenberg tells Up First that the court basically told Trump, "We're giving you almost everything you wanted, powers no other president thought they had, and even some things you didn't ask for." Totenberg explains that rather than narrowly addressing the president's power over the electoral count and the certification of electors, the court instead ruled that the president is "untouchable for any official act."
- 🎧 What would this ruling have meant for former President Richard Nixon? In 1974, the court unanimously ruled that he must comply with a subpoena and hand over his White House tapes. Two weeks later, he resigned. NPR's Carrie Johnson speaks with people involved with Watergate to see how Nixon's presidency could have changed under the current Supreme Court.
Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, is now the first Democratic congressman to publicly call for President Biden to withdraw his reelection bid following Biden's debate performance last week. In a statement, Doggett said that instead of reassuring voters, Biden "failed to effectively defend his many accomplishments and expose Trump's many lies." The president is expected to meet with Democratic governors and congressional leaders today at the White House as he continues to do damage control. Rep. Doggett will join Morning Edition later today to discuss his stance. Tune in to your NPR member station or the NPR app to hear the conversation.
The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed a new rule to protect millions of workers from extreme heat. The proposed rule would require employers to develop injury and illness prevention plans and give workers rights to water, shade and breaks in the face of extreme heat.
- 🎧 Epidemiologist David Michaels tells NPR's Alejandra Borunda that he's never seen a proposal from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) go through White House clearance as quickly as this one, which signals that it's a high priority. Still, it could take well over a year for the rule to take effect — and it could be stalled or pulled under a new presidential administration.
Picture show
Some 130 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, our planet went through a crucial turning point. The appearance of flowering plants transformed the fern and conifer-dominated ecosystem into the world we know today. In Lebanon, paleontologist Dany Azar — known as the "Amber Man" — has dedicated his life to reconstructing the drama that was unfolding during this time period through the specimens preserved in the hundreds of amber outcrops he's discovered. "A piece of amber is a window into the past," he says.
📷 See photos of some of Azar's treasured discoveries and listen to him explain why he's fighting for Lebanon to care about these heirlooms.
Deep Dive
Pediatricians have long suspected that housing insecurity is associated with negative health outcomes. A new study published in the journal Pediatrics followed children from infancy to adolescence. It found that teens who experienced housing insecurity earlier in life reported worse mental and physical health.
- ➡️ Researchers looked at measures of housing insecurity that included homelessness, eviction, difficulty paying for rent or mortgages and doubling up, which involves living in an overcrowded house or spending a night in a place that wasn't meant for residents.
- ➡️ Kids who experienced any level of housing insecurity reported higher levels of depression. Those who experienced high levels of housing insecurity reported higher levels of anxiety.
- ➡️ Previous studies have looked at how housing problems impact adults. The results of this study show that early intervention, which usually starts with screening families with young children, is needed for kids experiencing these issues, according to pediatrician Suzette Oyeku.
3 things to know before you go
- NASA has indefinitely delayed the return of Boeing's Starliner from the International Space Station due to leaks and malfunctions. Boeing's vice president says the astronauts are "not stuck" and aren't in any danger.
- Ants can diagnose wounds and adapt treatment to maximize survivability, according to findings from an experiment published in Current Biology. Researchers found that when an ant injures its leg, a buddy sometimes performs a lifesaving amputation.
- Hurricane Beryl is expected to pass near or directly through Jamaica today, bringing "life-threatening winds and storm surge," according to the National Hurricane Center. Beryl was downgraded to a Category 4 storm yesterday.
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.
Copyright 2024 NPR
