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Today's top stories
Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to make her first official campaign stop in Milwaukee today as the likely Democratic nominee. Harris is not yet the nominee. However, as of late last night she secured enough support from delegates to become the nominee. Harris outlined a broad agenda at her campaign headquarters in Delaware yesterday, which includes fighting for reproductive rights and lifting up the middle class.
- 🎧 NPR’s Asma Khalid attended Harris' campaign HQ visit and tells Up First that the mood was like a party. Beyoncé was playing, and people were chanting Harris' name. Khalid reports Harris’ campaign said it raised a record amount of money — more than $100 million — in the roughly 24 hours after Biden dropped out of the race and backed his vice president. She adds that when she was at the RNC last week, Republicans also showed tremendous enthusiasm about Trump and their odds. For the election, Harris is trying to present a different choice between two different visions for the U.S. — one focused on the future and the other focused on the past.
- ➡️ Here’s who to keep an eye on as Harris’ potential running mate if she secures the nomination.
Republicans are warning of legal challenges to a smooth transition from Biden to Harris as the presidential nominee, even as top Democrats back her. Before Biden dropped out of the race, some questioned whether Democrats could swap out the presidential candidate. Now, Republicans are more concerned about whether Harris can access Biden’s campaign funds. The campaign said earlier this month that it had $240 million.
- 🎧 Some Republicans argue that Harris can’t use Biden’s campaign funds because he is no longer a candidate, NPR’s Sarah McCammon says. Others say that since Biden and Harris share the campaign committee, there shouldn’t be a problem. The Federal Election Commission says it is a complicated situation, and legal challenges are likely. But the commission is known to move slowly. McCammon says this means Harris can probably spend the money and pay fines later if there’s a problem. The situation becomes more complicated if a nominee other than Harris wants to use the money.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced questions yesterday from House lawmakers who demanded answers about former President Donald Trump's attempted assassination. She was in the hot seat for nearly five hours. In her testimony, she said the agency is cooperating with the multiple investigations that are underway and conducting its own review into what went wrong. Lawmakers left without the answer to their biggest question: How was the gunman allowed on the roof with a clear line of sight to Trump?
- 🎧 “Cheatle called the assassination attempt on the 13th of July the most significant operational failure for the Secret Service in decades,” NPR’s Ryan Lucas reports. She confirmed that the agency flagged the shooter as a suspicious person before Trump went on stage, but they did not know he had a gun. If they did know, Trump wouldn’t have been allowed on stage. She added that it is not rare for someone to be flagged as suspicious at an event and differentiated it from being identified as a threat. Cheatle is under growing pressure to step down, though she said she believes she is still the best person for the role.
Picture show
One of Ukraine’s largest book-printing plants, Factor Druk, looked like a massacre after a Russian missile strike in May. Seven employees died, and 20 more were wounded. Tens of thousands of charred books and printing machinery lay in smoldering ruins under the caved-in roof. The attack even destroyed copies of Words and Bullets, a collection of interviews with writers on the war’s front line set to be released last month. The owner of the printing plant, Serhii Polituchyi, says he has not been deterred from plans to reopen because the industry is thriving. The Ukrainian Book Institute tells NPR that bookstore chains have opened dozens of new stores in the past year alone.
- 📷 See photos of what is left of the printing plant and read more about the importance of publishing in Ukraine.
Life advice
A message to my readers who are new parents: Congrats! How's your sex life? Chances are, it's not so great. Between diaper duty, sleep deprivation, hormonal changes and general exhaustion, you might not have time or energy left for physical intimacy. Maybe you don't feel ready after being cleared for sex after giving birth. Here are some tips from relationship experts to help keep the romance alive in the postpartum period.
- ❤️ Broaden your idea of intimacy. Not every act of foreplay needs to lead to sex. Sensual touching, mutual masturbation or oral sex might be more comfortable than penetrative sex.
- ❤️ Pretend you are dating again. Joke, flirt, tickle, tease and leave sweet Post-it note messages. Playful and thoughtful interactions can keep the romantic bond strong.
- ❤️ Let your partner know they are “rocking it.” It’s easier to initiate romantic interactions during this new stage of life if you feel supported by your partner.
- ❤️ Commit to date nights. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but putting “us” time on the calendar can give couples something to look forward to and a sacred space away from baby talk.
- ❤️ Take time to identify your turn-ons and communicate them to your partner.
3 things to know before you go
- Scientists in Utah have discovered a new dinosaur called Fona herzogae. The small-framed plant-eater lived in the Cenomanian age — about 100-66 million years ago. The dinosaur is believed to be a burrowing species that spent some of its life underground.
- French Olympians will not be allowed to wear headscarves, including hijabs, during the games. Human rights group Amnesty International says the restriction on religious attire is blatant discrimination.
- A Navy pilot has become the first woman U.S. aviator to “engage and kill an air-to-air contact” in combat. She notched the achievement against a drone attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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