Former Vice President Dick Cheney dies. And, Election Day races to observe

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Right this moment’s prime tales

Dick Cheney, extensively thought to be probably the most highly effective vice chairman in American historical past, died yesterday, in keeping with a press release from his household. He was 84. The reason for loss of life was issues of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular illness, the assertion added. Learn extra about his life and legacy right here.

Voting concludes at present in a collection of carefully watched races throughout the U.S. — together with the mayoral election in New York Metropolis and the races for governor in New Jersey and Virginia. In California, a particular election on redistricting may have nationwide implications, as it could assist form which occasion takes energy in Congress subsequent yr. This is a nearer take a look at the 4 races to observe.

• 🎧 Many democratic candidates are favored to win, however there are vital variations amongst them, NPR’s Ashley Lopez tells Up First. In New York Metropolis, frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, and Abigail Spanberger, who may turn into the primary lady governor in Virginia, characterize totally different components of the Democratic coalition.
• ➡️ Sustain with the most recent information concerning the 2025 elections right here.

The Trump administration says it’ll restart SNAP, the nationwide meals help program, utilizing funds from a Division of Agriculture contingency fund. The cash will present recipients with partial funds. It’s unclear when low-income households who depend on this system will obtain these funds, because the administration anticipates vital delays. Within the meantime, communities throughout the nation are taking steps to fill the hole.

• 🎧The contingency fund has about $4.5 billion, which is able to permit the administration to pay folks half of the advantages they usually obtain, NPR’s Jennifer Ludden studies. In a court docket submitting yesterday, a USDA official said some state processing techniques are a long time outdated, doubtlessly inflicting delays in profit distribution of weeks and even months. The administration notes that since it’s utilizing up its contingency fund, there’s no cash to enroll any new folks for SNAP this month.

About 375,000 extra persons are affected by famine in war-torn Sudan, with a lot of these folks in Darfur. The Fast Assist Forces, the group against the federal government, allegedly moved into El Fasher within the Darfur area, killed many individuals, and put the remainder at risk.

• 🎧 NPR’s Emmanuel Akinwotu says the town has been beneath siege by the RSF for a yr and a half. Residents have been compelled to eat animal meals and hides as group kitchens are bombed. The U.N. says about 70,000 folks have fled, however fewer than 10,000 have been accounted for. The majority of people that have escaped are ladies who’ve witnessed their family members gunned down and tortured, in keeping with organizations serving to them.
• 🎧 Take heed to extra about what is occurring within the main metropolis, together with ideas from Emi Mahmoud, a Sudanese-American poet, who grew up in El Fasher and is observing from afar.

Deep dive

Members of the Nationwide Guard patrol close to the U.S. Capitol in March in Washington.

Eric Baradat/AFP by way of Getty Photos

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Eric Baradat/AFP by way of Getty Photos

Members of the Nationwide Guard patrol close to the U.S. Capitol in March in Washington.

Eric Baradat/AFP by way of Getty Photos

For years, President Trump and a number of other high-ranking officers in his second administration have mentioned utilizing the Nationwide Guard to help with mass deportations and immigration raids. This consideration arises regardless of U.S. legal guidelines that typically prohibit the navy from getting used for home legislation enforcement. Throughout Trump’s second time period, he and Stephen Miller, his right-hand man on immigration, have thought-about invoking the Revolt Act, which might permit the president to deploy the navy inside the U.S. beneath particular circumstances. Authorized specialists, activists, and watchdog teams are actually involved that the Trump administration may essentially change how the navy operates on U.S. soil.

• ➡️ The thought is a part of Challenge 2025, a conservative motion plan.
• ➡️ Miller has promoted the idea publicly for years, together with in 2023 on the late right-wing activist Charlie Kirk’s podcast.
• ➡️ Kica Matos, president of the Nationwide Immigration Legislation Heart, says she is nervous about what the presence of troops may imply for voters as they solid their ballots within the upcoming 2026 elections.

Learn extra about why Trump’s deployment of troops is not random right here.

Image present

“So what’s my name? Watch out! I’m Black Freddie, and I’m blaaaack. Ha ha ha ha ha. Even as we get older, there’s an inner child … that lies within us. They are us, you know. We’re still them because the inner child lives in us,” mentioned Antwone Coward dressed as Black Freddy Krueger at New York Comedian Con in 2024.

Isaac Campbell for NPR

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Isaac Campbell for NPR

Black and Caribbean cosplayers say they discover New York Comedian Con thrilling as a result of it’s a secure area that welcomes geeks and nerds of all heritages. Many informed NPR that they grew up feeling remoted, each inside their very own communities and amongst different cosplayers. For 4 days, NYCC allow them to really feel valued and seen. See photographs of the cosplayers discovering their group at Comedian Con.

3 issues to know earlier than you go

Tylenol, which incorporates acetaminophen, has been on the middle of a disputed declare that it’s linked to autism.

Scott Olson/Getty Photos North America

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Scott Olson/Getty Photos North America

1. Shopper big Kimberly-Clark, which makes Huggies diapers and Kleenex tissues, is shopping for Kenvue, the corporate that makes Tylenol and Band-Aids, in a merger deal valued at practically $49 billion.
2. Power absenteeism charges in Okay-12 faculties, which practically doubled throughout the pandemic, are lastly displaying regular indicators of enchancment, in keeping with a brand new report.
3. The Trump administration is reviewing the security of a typical vaccine additive that incorporates aluminum, elevating considerations amongst public well being specialists that it could attempt to get rid of this ingredient.

This article was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.