India reels from devastating train crash; Gannett journalists strike; a sonic boom disturbs D.C. residents

Plus, how the far right is making voter fraud easier.

View this email online by Suzanne Nuyen June 5, 2023 Good morning. Your name could be sent into space on a mission to Jupiter's moon Europa, alongside a poem by Ada Limón. Just sign here. Here's what else we're following today.  Right-wing groups are targeting a bipartisan voting partnership called the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC. The database allows member states to share voter roll data, so election officials can track when voters move, die or vote illegally. But eight GOP-led states have pulled their membership. Glenn Harvey for NPR 🎧 NPR's Miles Parks says opposition to ERIC began with misinformation published on a far-right website alleging ERIC is part of a far-left plot to steal elections. Election officials tell him voter records in states that pulled out will become less accurate over time. On Up First today, he says this will lead to longer lines and mail-in ballots being sent to the wrong place. Recovery efforts are underway as officials in India investigate a train crash that killed at least 275 people and left over 900 injured. 🎧 The railway minister has indicated a signaling error could have caused the crash but hasn't ruled out human error, according to journalist Shalu Yadav. She says train service is considered the "lifeline of the country," and the victims' families depend on it to find their loved ones. Many now have to take long journeys by road to the crash site. Hundreds of journalists from 24 Gannett newspapers across seven states will begin a 24-hour strike today during the company's annual shareholder meeting.  🎧 Some of the striking journalists are working without contracts and have not received fair pay and compensation for years, according to NPR's David Folkenflik. He adds newsrooms have also been cut by 56% since Gannett merged with GateHouse in 2019.  Newsletter continues after sponsor message Namthip Muanthongthae/Getty Images Sunscreen protects your skin from the sun's ultraviolet radiation, which causes most skin cancers. But you have to use it correctly:  ☀️ Apply enough sunscreen to get the full SPF, or sun protection factor. You need a shot glass full for your body and a teaspoon for your face. ☀️ Even high SPF sunscreens need reapplication about every 2 hours to work.  ☀️ Don't skip it on cloudy days — you can still get sunburn. ☀️ Use sunscreen regardless of skin tone — skin cancers don't discriminate.   🎧 Listen to more advice for staying safe in the sun on Morning Edition.  I'm really into Bruce Bennett/Getty Images The Stanley Cup Final is underway. For NPR executive assistant Analise Ober, hockey is a way of life. Though she doesn't play the sport, she writes that watching games with her family has taught her that fans can also be MVPs. Ober believes the sport can connect a community, erase the chaos in people's lives and help them forget differences as they rally around a team. What are you really into? Fill out this form or leave us a voice note at 800-329-4273, and part of your submission may be featured online or on the radio. Scott Olson/Getty Images Dogs may be man's best friend, but they aren't postal workers'. The USPS says dogs attacked over 5,3000 carriers last year.  A Utah school district has removed the Bible from elementary and middle school libraries for containing "vulgarity and violence." A sonic boom caused by fighter jets chasing an unresponsive private plane at supersonic speeds surprised D.C. residents this weekend. The FAA and NTSB are investigating. Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WUFT 89.1 (edit station). This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi. Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy