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National

Thursday

People line up to vote on the first day of in-person early voting in Las Vegas on Oct. 19.

People line up to vote on the first day of in-person early voting in Las Vegas on Oct. 19. Ethan Miller/Getty Images hide caption

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Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Elections

There are a lot of nonpartisan voters in Nevada, making the swing state hard to read

Since 2020, voters in Nevada who aren't registered with a party have become the largest voting group in the state. That means it's hard to predict how they'll vote so campaigns are courting them.

NEVADA NONPARTISAN VOTERS

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Former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris focus on different ways to bring down housing costs, but both say America needs to build more housing.

Former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris focus on different ways to bring down housing costs, but both say America needs to build more housing. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images hide caption

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Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Politics

Housing is expensive. Here's how Harris and Trump promise to bring costs down

Housing costs are a top issue for many voters. Former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have proposed different ideas for addressing the country's housing woes.

Trump vs. Harris: Plans to address housing issues

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Pedestrians look at a statue of Donald Trump behind Gerhard Marcks' sculpture Maja, in Maja Park in Philadelphia.

Pedestrians look at a statue of Donald Trump behind Gerhard Marcks' sculpture Maja, in Maja Park in Philadelphia. Caroline Gutman/The Washington Post via Getty Images hide caption

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Caroline Gutman/The Washington Post via Getty Images

It's not just D.C.: Satirical Trump statues are appearing in cities across the U.S.

Trump statues appeared next to sculptures of nude women in Portland and Philadelphia. The plaques bear the title In Honor of a Lifetime of Sexual Assault and quote Trump's Access Hollywood remarks.

Collage showing a pile of gifts with a graduation mortarboard cap sitting on top. The image is on a blue background and is surrounded by a collaged frame of letters, envelopes and stamps.
Photographs by AntonioSolano/Getty Images; malamus-UK; Getty Images; Collage/NPR

Life Kit

Dear Life Kit: Is it a faux pas to create a 'happy graduation' registry for myself?

An NPR listener is graduating soon with her MBA. She wants to know if it's OK celebrate her achievement by asking loved ones to buy her gifts from a registry, similar to what people do for weddings.

Dear Life Kit: I need a gut check for a sticky situation

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A Good Guy: Under Oath
Luke Medina/NPR

Embedded

A Good Guy: Under Oath

There's a promise that all Marines make to defend the Constitution. After Sgt. Joshua Abate participated in the events on January 6, the Corps has to decide: Did he break his oath when he entered the Capitol that day? And what does his case say about the changing narrative around January 6? To listen to this series sponsor-free and support NPR, sign up for Embedded+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Listen.

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During her pregnancy, Megan Norris struggled with addiction to fentanyl. During a relapse, she exposed herself and her fetus to the toxic animal tranquilizer xylazine, which has flooded the street drug supply in the U.S.

During her pregnancy, Megan Norris struggled with addiction to fentanyl. During a relapse, she exposed herself and her fetus to the toxic animal tranquilizer xylazine, which has flooded the street drug supply in the U.S. "Xylazine is so addictive, so physically addictive, you just can't stop," Norris said. Brian Mann/NPR hide caption

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Brian Mann/NPR

Health

Pregnant women and babies face 'terrifying' threat from xylazine addiction

In parts of the U.S., more than half of pregnant women facing severe addiction are also exposed toxic to the toxic animal tranquilizer xylazine, a threat to them, their fetuses and newborns.

Xylazine is a toxic new danger for pregnant women in addiction

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Pat Haskins, a 72-year-old retired school teacher, poses for a portrait in the backyard of her home in Silver Spring, Md., on Oct. 22. She had struggled to keep up with repairs as her basement flooded, a bathroom floor sagged and her disabled partner needed a ramp.

Pat Haskins, a 72-year-old retired school teacher, poses for a portrait in the backyard of her home in Silver Spring, Md., on Oct. 22. She had struggled to keep up with repairs as her basement flooded, a bathroom floor sagged and her disabled partner needed a ramp. Moriah Ratner/For NPR hide caption

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Moriah Ratner/For NPR

Millions of low-cost homes are deteriorating, making the U.S. housing shortage worse

Older homes are the only ones many Americans can afford, but they are costly to fix and maintain, especially for seniors. A patchwork of programs to help are underfunded and have years-long waitlists.

Housing Disrepair

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Ms. Meyers and her students begin to count the tallies after counting the ballots at Salt River Elementary School on October 22.

Ms. Meyers and her students begin to count the tallies after counting the ballots at Salt River Elementary School on October 22. Sharon Chischilly for NPR hide caption

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Sharon Chischilly for NPR

Education

In this school's election, it's pizza vs. chicken nuggets, with democracy as the winner

At an Arizona tribal school, it's a fierce campaign to pick the top school lunch, as students learn about making their voice count

Kids at an Arizona tribal school learn about democracy with their own lunch vote

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A person wears a shirt in support of Amendment 3, a ballot initiative that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Florida. North and South Dakota are also voting on whether to legalize the drug.

A person wears a shirt in support of Amendment 3, a ballot initiative that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Florida. North and South Dakota are also voting on whether to legalize the drug. Rebecca Blackwell/AP hide caption

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Rebecca Blackwell/AP

Three takeaways from crime ballot measures around the country

Voters will decide on a slew of criminal justice ballot measures this election. Legalizing some drugs, increasing penalties for others and boosting police pay are among the proposed changes.

What’s on the ballot? Drugs, police funding and getting tough on crime

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Freddie Freeman had a breakout World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers including a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning against the New York Yankees during Game 1 of the 2024 World Series at Dodger Stadium last Friday in Los Angeles.

Freddie Freeman had a breakout World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers, including a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning against the New York Yankees during Game 1 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium last Friday in Los Angeles. Harry How/Getty Images hide caption

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Harry How/Getty Images

Sports

After setting a home-run record, the Dodgers' Freddie Freeman named World Series MVP

The Dodgers' first baseman was already a hero after Game 1, which ended with his historic walk-off grand slam. But his heroics didn't stop there.

After setting a home-run record, the Dodgers' Freddie Freeman named World Series MVP

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Wednesday

A 2005 electron microscope image shows an avian influenza A H5N1 virion. A pig at an Oregon farm was found to have bird flu, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday.

A 2005 electron microscope image shows an avian influenza A H5N1 virion. A pig at an Oregon farm was found to have bird flu, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday. Cynthia Goldsmith, Jackie Katz/CDC/AP hide caption

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Cynthia Goldsmith, Jackie Katz/CDC/AP

Health

Bird flu has been found in a pig for the first time in the U.S.

The discovery of an infected pig at a backyard farm in Oregon raises concerns about bird flu's potential to become a human threat.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump shake hands during their debate on Sept. 10. Whoever wins the election could shape the Supreme Court for years.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump shake hands during their debate on Sept. 10. Whoever wins the election could shape the Supreme Court for years. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Law

What could happen at the Supreme Court under Harris and Trump

Depending on who wins the presidential election and the Senate, the conservative supermajority could remain the same, be trimmed or expand to an even larger and more lopsided conservative majority.

What could happen at the Supreme Court under Harris and Trump

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A voter puts their ballot in a drop box in Norwalk, Calif., during early voting in Los Angeles County. People who vote in the 2024 general election can track their ballots as they move through the system.

A voter puts their ballot in a drop box in Norwalk, Calif., during early voting in Los Angeles County. People who vote in the 2024 general election can track their ballots as they move through the system. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Elections

Worried about your 2024 ballot being counted? These states let you track it online

“There's no need to panic,” an elections expert tells NPR. All but three states have free tracking sites that send updates to voters as their ballot goes through the system.