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Nevada's role in the November elections. And, U.N. to discuss Middle East conflict

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Nevada's role in the November elections. And, U.N. to discuss Middle East conflict


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The Israeli military is carrying out extensive strikes in Lebanon this morning and has published a video warning some villagers to evacuate immediately if they suspect Hezbollah is hiding weapons in their area. This comes as Hezbollah landed rockets deeper into Israel and after last week’s attack on Hezbollah by way of exploding pagers and walkie-talkies. The incidents mark the most significant escalation on the Israeli-Lebanese border in almost a year of war.

First responders and Israeli security forces gather amid debris and charred vehicles in Kiryat Bialik in the Haifa district of Israel, following a strike by Lebanon’s Hezbollah on Sunday.

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Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images


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  • 🎧 NPR’s Daniel Estrin tells Up First that Israel is signaling it’s attempting to gradually hit Hezbollah, but is stopping short of launching a full out war that could pull in Iran and the U.S. Israel says its goal is to degrade Hezbollah’s rocket launching capabilities to prevent a situation similar to when Hamas stormed across the border on Oct. 7 of last year. NPR producer Itay Stern spoke with some Israelis who said it’s about time their country finally took the initiative against Hezbollah. But some are opposed to Israel’s moves in Lebanon, with one protestor telling Estrin she wants the war to end and the hostages to be freed.

World leaders are at the United Nations this week in New York, and conversations are expected to focus on the Middle East. President Biden is expected to give a speech tomorrow. The high-level week will also include meetings on the sidelines to try to push forward diplomacy. Gaza and the escalating war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon are all parts of the world that need solutions addressed.

  • 🎧 NPR’s Michele Kelemen says other conflicts that will be discussed include Haiti and its slow efforts to get gang violence under control as the country gets back on a path to elections. Also on the agenda: Sudan, where U.N. officials say the world’s worst humanitarian crisis is currently happening. Even though the U.S., Saudi Arabia and others were able to get aid routes open, more is needed to help, including getting the Sudanese armed forces and paramilitary RSF to negotiate. Russia’s war against Ukraine remains a big topic with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is expected to rally support for an end to the war in a way that preserves Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
  • ➡️ U.N. leaders yesterday adopted the “Pact of the Future,” which included explicit calls to end fossil fuels.

Police are looking for the people responsible for a mass shooting that left four people dead and at least 17 others injured over the weekend in Birmingham, Ala. The possible murder-for-hire incident happened Saturday night in a popular entertainment district, outside of a hookah bar where people were lined up to enter. Multiple suspects involved drove into the area, got out of the car, began shooting and then fled in the vehicle. This has the city’s mayor, Randall Woodfin, talking about the need to solve America’s gun violence epidemic.

  • 🎧 Police believe one of the people who died was the intended target of the shooting while the others were caught in the crossfire, Andrew Yeager of NPR Network station WBHM says. Authorities say fully automatic weapons were used. These are banned under federal law, but Alabama has no equivalent state level ban. Woodfin says gun violence is a solvable issue if people, specifically elected leaders, worked together to have stronger laws, particularly at the local level. The city has already recorded 122 murders this year. Officers say the increase is due to multiple reasons, including the availability of guns and the tit-for-tat violence culture.

We, the Voters


The Arts District in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sept.18, 2024

The Arts District in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sept.18, 2024

Krystal Ramirez for NPR


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Krystal Ramirez for NPR

NPR is visiting six key swing states that will likely decide this year’s historic election. This week, Morning Edition is in Nevada to listen to voters about what matters to them and how that will affect their vote.

Nevada could help determine who wins the White House in November with its six Electoral College votes. Though that doesn’t sound like many, it doesn’t negate the state’s importance. In the last two presidential elections, 15 of the state’s 17 counties voted Republican. The two that didn’t made up 90% of Nevada’s population. For Republicans to make their mark and win, they’ll have to focus on those two counties. Around 40% of registered voters in the state don’t identify with a specific party, meaning candidates will have to find out if they lean left or right in order to reach them.

Here’s a deeper dive into the voters’ concerns heading into this election.

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Life advice


A bar of soap is working very hard to wash someone's arm.

We all wash our bodies. The concept is simple enough. But when you get to the details… things can get complicated. How often you should wash? When you should get a new loofah? Is bar soap better than the liquid alternative? Dermatologists Sonia Batra and Michelle Henry offer surprising advice on the subject.

  • 🧼 You should wash your whole body starting from the top and working your way down so you don’t transfer germs all over yourself.
  • 🧼 Wash your washcloth or loofah with soap, rinse it out with hot water and let it fully dry to prevent mold growth. Launder it once a week.
  • 🧼 There’s no scientific hard line on whether a shower or a bath is more hygienic.
  • 🧼 Sitting in hot water for excessive amounts of time can strip your skin of its natural protective oils and dehydrate it.

See the complete list of advice in the form of a comic.

3 things to know before you go


A building on the Tufts University campus.

A building on the Tufts University campus.

Eden, Janine and Jim/Flickr Creative Commons


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Eden, Janine and Jim/Flickr Creative Commons

  1. Five players on Tufts University’s men’s lacrosse team have been hospitalized after a “voluntary, supervised 45-minute workout” with an alum who graduated from a Navy SEAL training program, according to the school.
  2. Almost all of North Carolina Lt. Gov. and gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson’s campaign team quit their jobs yesterday, just days after a CNN report alleging he posted racist and sexual comments on a pornography forum. (via WUNC)
  3. The creators of the comedic adult party game Cards Against Humanity have filed a lawsuit against SpaceX, claiming that the company trespassed and damaged their property near the U.S.-Mexico border. (via Texas Public Radio)

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.



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Nevada

UNR tests whether cow manure can help restore Nevada landscapes after wildfires

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UNR tests whether cow manure can help restore Nevada landscapes after wildfires


After decades of cheatgrass-fueled wildfires across Nevada, researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno are testing whether cattle can help restore damaged rangelands by spreading native seeds as they graze.

Cheatgrass, an invasive plant common across the Great Basin, dries out early and can fuel larger wildfires, making it harder for native vegetation to return. UNR postdoctoral scholar William Richardson said the plant helps create a self-reinforcing cycle.

“Cheatgrass grows, it creates more wildfires, that allows more cheatgrass to grow, and it becomes a bigger and bigger issue. That’s why we’re seeing all these mega fires spreading across the Great Basin,” Richardson said.

The challenge continues after flames are out. In Nevada’s arid climate, native plants can struggle to reestablish, while cheatgrass often returns quickly.

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UNR tests whether cow manure can help restore Nevada landscapes after wildfires

“We struggle with getting five to eight inches of rain a year. Trying to restore a native community in those very arid conditions are extremely difficult,” Richardson said.

Ewe won’t believe it: Sheep munch away at Reno’s wildfire worries in Arrowcreek area

Ranchers already use targeted grazing to reduce cheatgrass. Now, UNR researchers are studying whether cattle can also help reseed the landscape. The approach mixes native grass seeds into protein supplements cattle already eat. Researchers then track whether the seeds can survive digestion and be spread naturally across the range after being deposited in manure.

“We’re already using cattle to combat cheatgrass through targeted grazing, and the ultimate goal is to bring native species back across the landscape, so why don’t we combine those two ideas?” Richardson said.

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In lab testing, researchers evaluated special seed coatings designed to help some seeds survive a cow’s digestive system. The results showed certain species could make it through the process and still germinate after being deposited in manure, Richardson said, though some seeds need more protection than others.

UNR tests whether cow manure can help restore Nevada landscapes after wildfires

UNR tests whether cow manure can help restore Nevada landscapes after wildfires

“Some species naturally have a very thin seed coat and require more protection, while others can go through the gut of a cow easy peasy lemon squeezy,” he said.

The project is expected to move into field testing this fall at Horseshoe Ranch near Eureka, where researchers will track whether seeds can not only survive digestion but also establish new plants on the landscape.

“It’s a passive way to restore the landscape. Instead of having to go in with a tractor or seed from an airplane, you can use cows that are already there,” Richardson said.

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UNR tests whether cow manure can help restore Nevada landscapes after wildfires

UNR tests whether cow manure can help restore Nevada landscapes after wildfires

Researchers said the method is not intended to replace traditional restoration work, but to add another tool for land managers and ranchers. If the field trials are successful, they said the approach could eventually help restore thousands — or even hundreds of thousands — of acres across the Great Basin.



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Nevada

As temperatures rise, HELP of Southern Nevada continues homeless outreach efforts

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As temperatures rise, HELP of Southern Nevada continues homeless outreach efforts












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HELP of Southern Nevada continues homeless outreach efforts | Local Las Vegas | Local























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