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Today's top stories

Millions of Americans will be affected by last week's Supreme Court rulings on affirmative action, student loan forgiveness and LGBTQ+ rights. The decisions have big implications for the 2024 election.

Vice President Kamala Harris sits with NPR's Michel Martin for a discussion on the Black Maternal Healthcare Crisis during Essence Festival in New Orleans, LA on June 30, 2023.

Vice President Kamala Harris sits with NPR's Michel Martin for a discussion on the Black Maternal Healthcare Crisis during Essence Festival in New Orleans, LA on June 30, 2023. / Abdul Aziz for NPR

  • "This is really going to come down to a political messaging war," NPR political correspondent Domenico Montanaro says on Up First this morning. While some think Biden overpromised and underdelivered, the White House blames Republicans. Young voters will be a key base for Democrats, and Montantaro says there are also questions about whether more Black Americans will be motivated to vote next year.
  • "This is a serious moment, and fundamental issues are at stake," Vice President Kamala Harris tells Michel Martin on Morning Edition in her first interview since the rulings came down. "I do believe that there is a national movement afoot to attack hard-won and hard-fought freedoms.

Violent protests in France have raged for nearly a week over the police killing of Nahel M., a teenage boy of Algerian and Moroccan descent, despite the teen's grandmother calling for calm. The government has deployed 45,000 police across the country. Here's everything we know about the unrest so far.

  • NPR's Eleanor Beardsley is in France and spoke to young protesters. Many were of Arab and African descent, and they told her police are racist and treat them horribly. Beardsley says while protests have quieted, political leaders are under pressure to address the deep-seated racism within the police.

Twitter CEO Elon Musk announced over the weekend in a Tweet that he was capping the number of Tweets users can read per day to "address extreme levels of data scraping and system manipulation."

  • "Musk is trying to make more money," says NPR's Bobby Allyn. Twitter has been burning cash for months, according to Allyn, and Musk hopes people will open their wallets to read more Tweets. But Allyn adds that social media experts say this makes Twitter less public and more like a walled garden.

Israel has launched air and ground raids on the Jenin refugee camp, a small area of the occupied West Bank the Israeli military says is a hub for militant Palestinian activity. At least seven Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded.

  • On Morning Edition, NPR's Daniel Estrin reports Israel is using firepower not seen since the second Palestinian uprising more than a decade ago. Though Estrin says it is not a major offensive, things could escalate if Palestinian civilians are killed or if militants in Gaza, Lebanon or Syria respond by firing rockets.

Deep dive

Four cases of malaria have been detected in Florida and one in Texas.

Four cases of malaria have been detected in Florida and one in Texas. / Getty Images

How concerned should Americans be about the five recent malaria cases documented in Florida and Texas? Here's what we know so far:

  • The CDC says the cases are not linked to international travel, and the patients contracted the P. vivax strain.
  • The strain has milder symptoms but can still be fatal. The agency advises anyone who contracts malaria to go to the hospital.
  • Experts say without more info, it's impossible to explain how P. vivax got to the U.S.
  • Longer and warmer summers and increased rainfall due to climate change could make parts of the U.S. more hospitable to malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

Picture show

Musicians Denitia, Larysa Jaye and Tylar Bryant pose for a photo before their set at Lulu's Downstairs in Manitou Springs, Colo., on June 17, 2023. They are members of the Black Opry, a touring musical revue dedicated to uplifting Black artists in country music.

Musicians Denitia, Larysa Jaye and Tylar Bryant pose for a photo before their set at Lulu's Downstairs in Manitou Springs, Colo., on June 17, 2023. They are members of the Black Opry, a touring musical revue dedicated to uplifting Black artists in country music. / Amanda Lopez for NPR

Black people have always had a deep connection to country and Americana music, which has its roots in the music of the deep South and Black Appalachia. Holly G wanted to document the small but powerful group of Black artists contributing to the genre today. Her Black Opry directory has blossomed into a touring show and a full-blown community of musicians, artists and fans.

3 things to know before you go

Joby Aviation has gotten FAA permission to begin test-flying its first production prototype aircraft.

Joby Aviation has gotten FAA permission to begin test-flying its first production prototype aircraft. / Gado/Getty Images

  1. Could commuters hail taxis in the sky soon? The FAA has given Joby Aviation the green light to start flight testing a prototype air taxi.
  2. Trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney says she's been scared to leave her house after receiving backlash for her partnership with Bud Light. She adds the brand never reached out to offer support.
  3. Scientists working off the coast of Costa Rica say they've discovered a new active octopus nursery. It's only the third known nursery in the world.

This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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