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Today’s top stories
The Pentagon estimates the war in Iran has already cost $25 billion, according to Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hurst. Hurst testified before the House Armed Services Committee alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who gave no indication of when the war might end during combative testimony. Hegseth described the military operation as a major success and criticized “defeatist” Democrats who pushed back against his assessment.
There are no signs that the U.S. or Iran will budge on their blockades of the Strait of Hormuz, NPR’s Greg Myre tells Up First. Shipping traffic through the waterway remains at a standstill, and both sides say they are inflicting economic pain while believing the other will give in first. Retired Navy Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan says the U.S. could keep a blockade in place indefinitely; Iran believes it can maintain its blockade with mines at sea and drones and missiles from shore. Donegan says the U.S. could clear mines, but it would take time and effort to further weaken Iran’s land forces. A negotiated agreement would be the safest way to reopen the Strait, but talks are stalled.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled yesterday that Louisiana’s 2024 election map was an “unconstitutional racial gerrymander.” The map established a second majority-Black congressional district. The justices’ 6-3 decision fell along partisan lines. While the court technically kept Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act intact, the ruling contributes to a series of decisions undermining the landmark 1965 law that protected racial minorities’ collective voting power. Experts expect the ruling to reduce minority representation across all levels of government.
The court’s ruling reinterprets longstanding protections against racial discrimination in Section 2. Decades ago, Congress amended the Voting Rights Act to focus on any discriminatory effects of a redistricting plan. Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the majority opinion that Section 2 should focus on intentional racial discrimination. Legal experts say proving racist intent is notoriously difficult, and the ruling essentially asks plaintiffs to “now find a smoking gun.” With a further weakened Voting Rights Act, the U.S. could see a significant decline in representation by Black members of Congress.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell plans to remain on the Fed’s governing board for a period after his term as chairman ends next month. Powell is exercising his right to remain on the board through early 2028, at least for a while, saying he wants to help safeguard the Fed’s ability to operate without political pressure. Fed chairs typically step aside after their terms end. Powell said he will keep a low profile after he is no longer chairman and won’t compete with President Trump’s nominee, Kevin Warsh, for the Fed’s leadership. The announcement highlights the economic and political pressure the Fed has faced; President Trump has threatened to fire Powell and another governor, and the Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into the Fed.
The war in Iran has nearly doubled jet fuel prices in the U.S., driving up costs for wildfire-fighting aircraft operations this summer. Taxpayers are expected to cover tens of millions of dollars to fight fires. Last year, the roughly 500 aircraft the U.S. government used to fight most large wildfires burned about $50 million worth of jet fuel; a similar season this year could push that bill toward $100 million.
Deep dive
Educators and researchers have noticed a trend for years: more teachers are moving away from homework. Some educators and parents support the change, arguing students shouldn’t spend more hours at home on schoolwork. But research on homework is mixed. Some studies show that students who spend more time on homework perform better; a 2021 longitudinal study of over 6,000 students in Germany, Uruguay and the Netherlands found lower-performing students who increased math homework time improved, even a year later. Other studies show minimal effects; a 1998 U.S. study of more than 700 students found more elementary homework had no significant effect on standardized test scores.
Here’s what else we know about the homework debate:
– Mastering academic subjects, especially math, requires practice. Some experts worry decreasing homework could threaten math achievement amid already low scores.
– Artificial intelligence has complicated homework; an EdWeek Research Center survey found 40% of teachers decreased assignments over the past two years, and 29% of those cited student AI use as lessening task value.
– Education groups generally recommend 10 minutes of homework per night per grade level, but it’s hard to assign work that takes every student the same amount of time.
Picture show
When author Bruce Handy’s son Isaac was young, he loved — and lost — an orange balloon. Isaac promised to name a future pet Balloon in its honor and kept that promise when he and his sister got kittens six months later. Handy was moved by his son’s loyalty and wrote a children’s book about it. Losing a balloon as a child is a universal experience, which is why readers relate to the boy’s devotion. Illustrator Julie Kwon used pen and ink and a careful shade of orange to show how the boy sees the world after losing his prized possession.
3 things to know before you go
1. Scientists discovered a critical window when baby brains are most vulnerable to toxic metals by analyzing layers in baby teeth, according to a new study in Science Advances. Those metals have been linked to behavior problems later in life.
2. Millions of people watch more than 50 bald eagle nest cameras across the U.S.
3. In NPR’s Far-Flung Postcards, Emily Feng reports from Homs, Syria, where olive trees promise a taste of home residents had been missing for nearly 14 years due to civil war.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.