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Today's top stories
Republican leaders in Texas have threatened to arrest Democratic lawmakers or expel them from the legislature if they don't return to the state House. Over the weekend, Democrats fled the state to prevent a vote on a bill aimed at redrawing Texas' congressional maps. This bill is seen as favoring Republicans, as it creates five new GOP-leaning districts, which President Trump has advocated for. Republicans currently control the Texas House, but without Democrats present, they fall short of the 100-member quorum needed to conduct business.
- 🎧 Democrats claim that Black and Latino districts are being targeted to diminish the influence of non-white voices in Congress, Lauren McGaughy of The Texas Newsroom tells Up First. Texas Republicans argue that this is not about race but rather about political parties. Democratic states like California have been discussing their own redistricting efforts, which could counter what the president wants to happen in Texas. The redistricting in Texas could lead to a lengthy, nationwide battle over voting maps, McGaughy says.
The Trump administration has requested that NASA employees create plans to terminate two major satellite missions that measure carbon dioxide. The data they collect is widely used by scientists, oil and gas companies and farmers. They are the only two federal satellite missions designed and built to track planet-warming greenhouse gases.
- 🎧 Several scientists who use the satellite data informed NPR's Rebecca Hersher that everything has been working great for them. One of the missions has a free-flying satellite orbiting the Earth. If the plan is carried out, it would be permanently terminated and would burn up in the atmosphere. The second satellite is attached to the International Space Station and would be turned off. Together, both missions cost around $15 million to maintain each year, according to David Crisp, a longtime NASA engineer who retired in 2022.
Some seasonal workers at Yosemite National Park reported working for as long as six weeks without pay during the spring and summer while park supervisors struggled to manage hiring amid federal budget cuts. Workers said that while they are now receiving hourly wages, they have not been compensated for the work they performed as volunteers while waiting to be put on the federal payroll. NPR spoke exclusively with four seasonal employees and two full-time employees of the National Park Service who detailed their experiences.
Deep dive
The Presidential Fitness Test will return to school gyms nationwide after Trump signed an executive order to revive it Thursday. The test, which was traditionally conducted once or twice a year for students ages 10 to 17, included drills like push-ups and the back-and-forth PACER running test. They measured students' physical fitness for more than half a century, until former President Barack Obama phased them out in 2013 for a more holistic approach. Here's what we know about Trump's executive order so far:
- 🏃♂️ Trump is reestablishing the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition and tasking it with developing the test's criteria. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will administer the rollout.
- 🏃♂️ The order highlights that obesity, chronic diseases, and poor nutrition are at crisis levels, especially among children. It asserts that these trends weaken the U.S. economy, military readiness and national morale. Leaders made similar patriotism arguments during the Cold War era, when the original test was introduced.
- 🏃♂️ The test was discontinued following criticism of its negative impact on mental health, as many students felt humiliated in front of their peers. Critics also questioned its effectiveness, arguing that its one-size-fits-all approach wasn't conducive to individual progress toward a healthier lifestyle.
Living better
Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
U.S. consumers spend over $10 billion a year on sports drinks, according to the trade publication Beverage Industry. This number doesn't even include the electrolyte powders from brands like Liquid I.V. and Prime. Electrolyte drinks and powders have now morphed into wellness products for daily living. Influencers promote the products and make big claims about their benefits. Doctors and sports nutrition researchers weigh in on whether you need them.
- 🥤 Electrolytes are present in sweat and help cells maintain balance and communicate with one another. However, unless you are sweating for an extended period or losing water quickly due to illness, you typically do not need electrolyte supplements.
- 🥤 Drinking water and eating a varied diet of fruits and vegetables should be sufficient for most people. If you are dehydrated, almost anything with liquid, including soup, milk or tea, will help.
- 🥤 If you prefer the taste of electrolytes, it is OK to use them a couple of times a day. They won't hurt you and could encourage you to drink more.
3 things to know before you go
- Patrick Schlott, a 31-year-old electrical engineer, has taken old pay phones, modified them to allow free calls and set them up in three towns in Vermont's Orange County, where cellphone service is often spotty.
- In 2017, Eileen Freiberg-Dale faced overwhelming challenges after her husband, Barney, suffered a serious brain injury from a bicycle accident. She managed her business while caring for him. One day she broke down while raking leaves — something Barney would typically do. In that moment, their friend Jonathan Lilienfeld arrived with a rake and leaf bags to do the task alone. She says her unsung hero truly rescued her.
- The Summer Game, hosted by the public library in Ann Arbor, Mich., has drawn thousands of people who earn points by solving puzzles, learning about local history, exploring neighborhoods and, of course, reading.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen
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