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Today’s top stories

NPR’s national political correspondent Sarah McCammon joins the newsletter today to break down the last night of the RNC:

The 2024 RNC wrapped last night with a speech from the new nominee, former President Donald Trump, that marked the first major public remarks following the assassination attempt against him. Here are five takeaways:

1. For Trump, unity means aligning with him. As he formally accepted his nomination, Trump began by promising to be a president for “All of America” before ultimately pivoting to attacking his enemies — albeit in an unusually sedate tone. He eventually shifted to attacking Democrats, countering those who’ve described his refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election as a threat to democracy: “I am the one saving democracy.”
2. The GOP is unapologetically the party of Trump. Trump’s Republican critics were either absent from the convention or fully converted. The most notable convert to Trump’s cause: his new running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio.
3. Trump is doubling down on his message with his VP choice. Vance’s evolution from Trump critic to Trump supporter and his Ohio roots could help him make a case for Trump to swing voters in key states in the Midwest and Rust Belt.
4. The women in Trump’s orbit are humanizing him. Trump’s 17-year-old granddaughter, Kai, was one of many who took the stage to show Trump’s human side. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump’s former press secretary, painted a picture of a compassionate boss who empowered women in his White House.
5. Republicans are looking to the next generation of voters. Republicans know that Gen Z voters, as a group, do not feel especially beholden to either major party, and the GOP sees an opening. Vance, at 39, is the first millennial to be on a major party presidential ticket.

While Biden has had some positive moments since his disastrous debate performance last month, an adviser tells NPR, “They haven’t been enough to get us on solid footing.” The adviser speaks on anonymity to frankly describe private conversations. Top congressional Democrats recently spoke with the president privately and shared concerns they’re hearing from lawmakers about his reelection bid. One of the latest calls for Biden to drop out comes from Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana. Even so, Biden’s campaign says he is not going anywhere.

• 🎧 NPR’s Deirdre Walsh tells Up First that former House speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly told Biden that polls show he can’t win and he would ruin Democrats’ chances to flip the House. Pelosi has not denied these reports. Other leaders who appear to echo the same sentiments have also remained silent. “What leaders are not saying really speaks volumes here,” Walsh says.

A massive technology glitch triggered by software distributed by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused widespread global outages late last night and into this morning. The Federal Aviation Administration grounded major carriers in the U.S., including American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines. While the exact series of events remains unclear, the issue reverberated widely, affecting several airports worldwide. TV broadcasters, banks, hospitals and businesses also reported problems. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said this morning that this is “not a security problem or a cyberattack.”

An NPR investigation has found that 250 construction workers have died from trench cave-ins over the last decade. The deep ditches are often seen along the highway at large construction sites and new home builds. Without the proper systems in place, they can collapse in an instant, burying the person alive. NPR worked with Texas Public Radio and 1A to comb through hundreds of pages of federal government inspection reports, court records, state safety reports and other documents.

• 🎧 NPR’s Cheryl Thompson says the investigation uncovered that companies fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ignored the penalties and faced no consequences when they violated federal regulations by not having the proper equipment. One Boston area business still owes more than $1.4 million from the death of two workers eight years ago. OSHA does not have the authority to shut down a business for repeatedly violating regulations — only a court can.

Life Advice

The record-breaking heat wave in the Western U.S. has turned some nature trails deadly. Three hikers have died in Utah this month, adding to a growing number of hiking-related deaths. Heat is one of the deadliest weather-related disasters, and human-caused climate change is fueling longer and more intense heat waves. If hiking is one of your passions, here’s what to keep in mind to stay safe:

• 🌡️ Know the signs of heatstroke: Hot, red or damp skin, a fast, strong pulse, headache, dizziness, nausea and confusion.
• 🌡️ Be prepared. Make sure to hydrate before, during and after your hike. Bring your phone, appropriate shoes and a hiking buddy to check in on you.
• 🌡️ Timing matters. Try to pick the coolest part of the day — first thing in the morning or after sunset — to head outside.
• 🌡️ Keep your furry friend safe. Taking your pet with you on a hike? Watch out for these signs of overheating: excessive panting, drooling, restlessness, vomiting, diarrhea and even collapsing.

Weekend picks

Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:

🍿Movies: The tense and frightening new movie Longlegs has hit big screens. The film follows the case of a satanic serial killer who never once lays a finger on his victims.

📺 TV: God and the devil are sent to Earth as talking cats to meddle in the lives of a struggling family in Netflix’s new animated series Exploding Kittens.

📚 Books: Mateo Askaripour’s This Great Hemisphere tells the heartwarming story of a young woman learning to navigate the world as she takes on a new opportunity. The work of fiction tackles racism, classism and the power struggle of politics.

🎵 Music: Folk duo West of Roan quilt together stories in their second album, Queen of Eyes, as they seek the commonalities among legends, myths and folktales from diverse spots on the globe.

🎮 Games: This year has given gamers a plethora of options, from puzzles and meditative adventures to action-filled fantasy worlds. NPR’s staff compiled a list of the best games of 2024 so far.

3 things to know before you go

1. A new study finds that carrion cows can be taught how to count and vocalize their counting, much in the same way as human toddlers do.
2. The U.S. Navy on Wednesday exonerated 265 Black sailors found to be unjustly punished in 1944 when they refused to go back to work after an explosion that killed hundreds.
3. Prominent brain scientist Dr. Nico Dosenbach took psilocybin, the active substance in magic mushrooms, and scanned his brain to study its effects. His findings could help researchers unlock psilocybin’s therapeutic potential.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.