NPR is reporting that the U.S. Mint has begun selling commemorative $1 gold-colored coins featuring President Donald J Trump's face to celebrate the country's 250th birthday, a move experts suggest may be illegal. It said two Democratic lawmakers overseeing federal elections, Sen. Alex Padilla of California and Rep. Joseph Morelle of New York, are questioning why the Trump administration has not distributed funds for state and local election security as directed by Congress. The lawmakers wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and acting Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) head Nick Anderson, urging the restoration of more than $39.6 million for specific election security efforts. NPR was provided an exclusive copy of the letter, in which the lawmakers expressed "grave concern that time is running out" to protect elections from cyber and disinformation threats.
NPR also reported that Chevron is expanding its operations in Venezuela, planning to invest $7 billion over the next five years to eventually produce around 600,000 barrels of oil per day. Chevron's CEO announced the joint venture in Caracas alongside U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez. This agreement follows a Trump administration deal granting the U.S. access to 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil. Critics are questioning the legality of these oil agreements, arguing they may impede Venezuela’s democratic transition after U.S. troops captured Rodriguez's predecessor, Nicholas Maduro, in January.
The news organization, citing WBUR, said jurors in the Lindsay Clancy trial remained deadlocked after 28 hours of deliberation, unable to reach a unanimous verdict on first-degree murder charges for the killing of her three children in 2023. The judge urged them to continue deliberating, with a mistrial possible if they remain deadlocked. Clancy has admitted to the killings, with her defense arguing postpartum psychosis, while prosecutors contend she planned the deaths as part of a suicide attempt.
NPR is reporting that trailblazing journalist and feminist activist Gloria Steinem has died at 92. It said Steinem dedicated her life to fighting for gender equality, co-founding Ms. magazine, and continued to advocate for women's issues into her 90s.
An NPR investigation found that thousands of heat-related deaths in the United States go officially undercounted each year. The report highlighted cases like Adam Wilson's, whose death was recorded as "unknown natural causes" despite his mother believing heat was the cause, exacerbated by an underlying heart condition. The investigation noted that the invisible nature of heat-related evidence often leads to its omission from death certificates, even when it is a contributing factor.
NPR also reported that San Francisco's artificial intelligence boom is intensifying competition in its already expensive housing market. It said AI companies are rapidly expanding, drawing workers back to offices and flooding the area with wealth as startups like Anthropic and OpenAI prepare for public offerings. This economic upswing raises concerns about displacement and exacerbates a chronic housing shortage in a city that has seen previous tech booms push out many residents. The median home sales price in San Francisco has surged 25% from a year ago, with even all-cash offers exceeding $25 million being outbid in some upscale neighborhoods.
Finally, NPR reported that jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson died yesterday at the age of 70. She was a 2022 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master and a two-time Grammy Award winner for Best Jazz Vocal Album.