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Today's top stories
Fighting in Ukraine escalated in recent days as President Trump prepares to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska tomorrow. This week, a small number of Russian troops slipped through Ukraine's defensive lines on the main battlefront near the town of Pokrovsk, NPR's Greg Myre tells Up First. As the war continues, Trump will attempt to broker a ceasefire deal at the summit.
- 🎧 Russia is now unleashing waves of drones most nights, says Myre, who is in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. Until this year, Russia fired about a couple of dozen drones a night. In July, it averaged over 200 a night, sending many at civilian targets across the country. Ukraine is on the offensive with its own drones, striking deep inside Russia at oil refineries and railway stations and targeting transportation systems used to send supplies, including ammunition, to troops. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Putin shows no signs of preparing for a truce, and it appears Russia might expand military operations.
The Trump administration is building a large detention camp at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico border. The project will cost billions of dollars. The tent facility is part of an effort to increase detention space to carry out mass deportations. According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the location will open with 1,000 beds, with plans to expand to 5,000. The first detainees are expected to arrive on Sunday.
- 🎧 El Paso is an area that has advocated for immigrants, according to Angela Kocherga with NPR's network station KTEP. Some locals have voiced concerns about using a military base to carry out immigration enforcement. None of the active duty soldiers will be involved in operations at the camp. At a time when funding for education, housing and healthcare is being cut, people are concerned about the amount of money going into building and operating facilities like the one opening at Fort Bliss, says Kocherga.
Trump announced this year's Kennedy Center honorees and said that he would host the ceremony — a presidential first — in December. This comes after the president's takeover of the performing arts center in February, when he named himself chairman and appointed loyalists to the board. The 2025 honorees include country singer George Strait, Broadway star Michael Crawford, actor Sylvester Stallone, disco singer Gloria Gaynor and the rock band KISS.
- 🎧 Traditionally, nominees for the award come from Kennedy Center board members, the general public and past honorees, explains NPR's Elizabeth Blair. The U.S. president was never closely involved the way Trump has been this year. The president stated that he rejected some candidates whom he referred to as "wokesters." Blair says Trump's passion for the performing arts stood out to her as he spoke of each honoree, because he has proposed eliminating the arts and humanities endowments that support music and theater across the country.
Life advice
There are moments in life when you need to deliver a pep talk to someone. To inspire courage and motivation, it's essential to show you are on the message receiver's side. Josh Linden and Paula Skaggs, co-authors of the book Tiny Pep Talks, share with Life Kit the perfect ingredients to deliver a message that inspires — whether it's for a loved one or for yourself.
- 💬 Instead of saying, "You can do this!" tailor the message to the person and what they are anxious about.
- 💬 Be a cheerleader for your loved ones in everyday moments. Don't save support and encouragement only for life's bigger challenges.
- 💬 Remember to assess the situation. Not every pep talk has to include advice or a solution. Try being an active listener and provide comfort.
For more guidance on giving pep talks, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.
Picture show
The Mojave Desert tortoise has been considered a threatened species for a while. In June, California took measures to protect it further., The tortoises, with their unmistakable domed patterned shells, live in California, parts of Nevada, Arizona and northwestern Mexico. Over the years, they have lost their habitat due to encroaching development. Some estimates show that around 90% of Mojave Desert tortoises have disappeared since 1984 in four out of the five primary regions where they can be found. As a response to the declining population, California has declared the tortoise as endangered under the state's Endangered Species Act. See photos of the tortoise in its natural habitat and read more about why it's significant to the environment.
3 things to know before you go
- This year, 54% of Americans said they drink alcohol, breaking the record low set in 1958, according to a new Gallup poll.
- HUNTR/X, the girl group from the movie KPop Demon Hunters, took the No.1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 this week with "Golden." The real-life singers who make up the group have now become the first women K-pop artists ever to get the top spot on the chart.
- Spotify, the most popular streaming service globally, is not taking steps to label AI-generated content, unlike other tech giants like YouTube. Spotify says it doesn't police the tools artists use in their creative process, but experts say more transparency is key.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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