Anika Begay
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Today’s most important news
Vice President Harris introduced her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, to the nation, last night at a rally in Philadelphia. It was the first time the Democratic ticket had appeared together in person. Harris cited Walz’s time as a National Guardsman and teacher and some of his progressive accomplishments as governor during her introduction. Here are five takeaways from the event.
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, arrive for a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024.
Joe Lamberti/AP
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Joe Lamberti/AP
- 🎧 “The moment he was most effective in energizing the crowd was when he went on the attack,” NPR’s Asma Khalid, who was in the arena, reports First of all. That’s one of the reasons Harris chose him. Republicans are working on a lot of ways to respond, but it doesn’t look like they’ve come up with a definitive answer. Khalid says they’re trying to paint Harris and Walz as liberal extremists.
- ➡️ Harris now has a 51%-48% lead over Trump, according to the latest NPR poll. Black voters, white women with college degrees, and women who identify as political independents are fueling his rise, even as the race remains tight.
- 🎧 Before Walz became governor, he had ousted a longtime Republican member of Congress in southern Minnesota in 2006, says Minnesota Public Radio’s Dana Ferguson. After serving more than a decade in the House, he won elections for governor in 2018 and 2022. He had to compromise with GOP leadership in his early years in the role. More recently, he worked with Democratic majorities in the state Capitol to pass a series of progressive laws, including free school meals and legal guarantees for abortion access. Republicans are likely to criticize his use of executive authority to close schools, businesses and houses of worship during the pandemic and the timing of his National Guard deployment after George Floyd’s killing.
- ➡️ What will happen next for Minnesota state politics? It’s not in Walz’s best interest to resign as governor before the election results are in. Here’s how things might play out if he becomes vice president. (via MPR)
Thousands more police are flooding Britain’s streets today after a week of racial riots across the UK Far-right mobs have attacked people, mosques and immigration law firms after three young girls were stabbed to death last week. False rumours have spread that the killer was an illegal Muslim migrant.
- 🎧 NPR’s Lauren Frayer is in England, where she says the atmosphere is filled with “hysteria, misinformation, people repeating things they see online.” Far-right groups are exploiting existing prejudices and amplifying them online. Frayer says Elon Musk is playing a role in this. When Musk bought Twitter, he lifted bans on far-right figures, including a leader of the English Defence League, Tommy Robinson. The two shared conspiracy theories, with Musk writing that “civil war is inevitable” in the UK. The UK government has implored him to use his platform responsibly. He has expedited court appearances for suspects, flagged social media posts that incite violence, and arrested people for inciting hatred online.
Hamas announced yesterday that it has chosen Yahya Sinwar, its local leader in Gaza, to take over as leader of the Palestinian militant group. new world political leader. Sinwar fills the role left by Ismail Haniyeh after his assassination, allegedly by Israel. Hamas’s 50-member council selects its leaders in a secret ballot. Sinwar is widely considered the group’s most hardline figure and is believed to have helped engineer the October 7 attack on Israel.
I really like
Team USA celebrates winning bronze medals during the Paris 2024 Olympic medal ceremony at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Tuesday.
Carl De Souza/AFP via Getty Images
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Carl De Souza/AFP via Getty Images
At 19, NPR’s Amy Morgan fell in love with rugby after joining her college campus’s sports club. In the beginning, she dropped the ball many times, was confused by the rules, and even sprained her ankle. However, she kept at it, eventually becoming team captain, club president, and coach. Morgan retired after 16 years and started a family, but she remained a fan. Watching the U.S. women’s Olympic rugby team make history in Paris with America’s first Olympic medal in rugby sevens prompted her to reflect on her experience with the sport. Here are some lessons that have served her well in rugby and in life.
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Life Tips
Back to school can be an opportunity to refresh, even if you don’t return to class.
Maria Korneeva/Getty Images/Moment RF
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Maria Korneeva/Getty Images/Moment RF
Remember how you felt when you went shopping for school supplies, picked out the perfect outfit for your first day, and walked into class for the new school year? Well, being an adult doesn’t mean you can’t tap into the buzz of back-to-school. Here are some activities you probably did as a kid, updated for adults.
- 🏫 If you used to pack your lunch for school, try preparing it in advance. Make five dishes to mix and match to change up your day.
- 🏫 Renew your wardrobe and personal style with a little shopping.
- 🏫 Create a Fall Reading List and set yourself up for success by reading in the morning.
- 🏫 Do you miss writing in a planner? Create a better to-do list by creating clear, short, and actionable actions.
- 🏫 Bring more free time into your life — whether it’s a hobby like painting or playing a board game, or simply a new perspective.
- 🏫 Change your attitude towards friendship. If you want to make new friends, assume that other people need friends too.
3 things to know before you leave
Companies that make warm baby sleepwear say their products are safe and help babies sleep, but a growing chorus of medical experts, safe-sleep advocates, and government regulators are warning that the garments could be dangerous.
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- US lawmakers want to ban heavy pajamas for babies over concerns that the garments could harm infants. Federal data shows at least five infant deaths linked to the products, but companies say their products are safe.
- 7-Eleven is expanding its U.S. menu to include Japanese food items in order to to boost sales. Famima!!, a Japanese chain of upscale mini-marts, tried to bring a similar style of dining to Los Angeles, but failed. (via LAist)
- This year, Boston’s murder rate has plummeted. The record low represents one of the steepest drops in fatal violence in more than 200 U.S. cities, which have also seen rates drop. (via WBUR)
This newsletter was curated by Susanne Nuyen.
