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Today's top stories
Over 100 people are dead following the catastrophic flooding in central Texas, state authorities confirmed yesterday. The Guadalupe River swelled over 26 feet in less than an hour early Friday, sweeping low-lying homes, cars and trees downstream. The vast majority of the fatalities come from Kerr County, where 84 people were killed, including 28 children. Others remain missing. Residents of the impacted areas are beginning to question whether more could have been done to warn people before the river's rapid rise. Here are four things to know about the flooding and ongoing search efforts.
- 🎧 NPR's Sergio Martínez-Beltrán was at to Camp Mystic, and he tells Up First that part of the all-girls Christian summer camp along the river was swept away, and areas around it were destroyed. Twenty-seven children and counselors were killed in the flood. Paul Scherer, a survivor, expressed how painful it is to see so many children die. "They had a big life ahead of them. And it's pitiful that this happened to them," Scherer said. Martínez-Beltrán says the Kerr County residents he spoke with say they didn't get an alarm about the flash floods, and those who got texts said it happened as the river was already on their steps.
- ➡️ Camp Mystic was established in 1926 and has become a tradition for generations of women in Texas. On Morning Edition, former camper Lauren Garcia reflects on what makes the camp a special place for the women in her family.
- ➡️ If you want to help those affected by the devastating floods or need to seek help, here's what to know. (via Texas Public Radio)
President Trump posted letters on social media yesterday to leaders of 14 countries, informing them of his plans to impose new tariffs on their exports to the U.S. starting Aug. 1. Afterward, stocks tumbled. The president signed an executive order officially pushing back a July 9 deadline for trade deals to the new date and stated that countries can continue to negotiate with the U.S. during that time.
- 🎧 It is possible that trading partners are wondering how serious Trump is since he keeps moving the goal posts, NPR's Scott Horsley says. The U.K. and Vietnam, two countries that have made agreements, didn't get any real tariff relief from the U.S. The uncertainty over what tariffs will be in August or next year is a brutal investment environment for importers or people looking to invest in the U.S., says Scott Lincicome, who's with the libertarian CATO Institute.
Several prominent medical organizations in the U.S. are suing Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over recent changes to federal COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. The groups involved in the lawsuit include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians, and the American Public Health Association. The complaint alleges that Kennedy's decisions regarding COVID-19 vaccines have endangered public health and violated federal law.
- 🎧 In the 42-page complaint, the groups say Kennedy bypassed the normal process for making changes to the CDC vaccine schedule, according to NPR's Will Stone. The lawsuit claims that he didn't consult with a federal panel of experts for guidance on vaccines and failed to provide an explanation for contradicting evidence that supports vaccinating children and pregnant women. One of the plaintiffs, a pregnant physician, wishes to remain anonymous, says she's concerned she may not be able to get a COVID vaccine because of Kennedy's directives. The aim of the lawsuit is to restore the original recommendation for children and pregnant women to receive COVID shots.
Living better
Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
Seed oils are bad for you, according to Kennedy. The health secretary said vegetable oils, like canola and soybean, are poisoning Americans and driving the obesity epidemic. Kennedy points to obesity rates climbing as seed oils began to dominate the American diet as part of the evidence for his claim. Many researchers say seed oils may not be as good for you as olive oil, but the claims that they are harmful to health have been stretched too far. Check out what the science has to say:
- ➡️ To maximize oil extraction from seeds, manufacturers often use heat and chemicals. Critics are concerned about hexane, a hazardous solvent used in refining. However, the residues are at levels too low to be toxic.
- ➡️ A common argument against seed oils is that they promote inflammation because they contain higher levels of essential fatty acids known as omega-6s. However, randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that when people consume more seed oils, they don't show increased levels of pro-inflammatory compounds in their tissues.
- ➡️ Seed oils are prevalent in ultra-processed foods, which make up a significant portion of the U.S. food supply. Rather than focusing on which oils to consume, the focal point should be a person's overall diet, says Christopher Gardner, a nutrition scientist and professor of medicine at Stanford University.
Picture show
Papilio is a picture book told in three parts, each highlighting a different stage of a butterfly's life (there are technically four stages for a butterfly's life, but the egg stage isn't particularly exciting). The three friends who wrote and illustrated the story felt that those three stages were the perfect way to justify the collaboration. Throughout the book, the authors, Ben Clanton, Corey R. Tabor and Andy Chou Musser, were able to display their own voices and illustration styles by each taking on one phase. At its core, the story explores themes of change, transformation and growing up. One key lesson readers can take away is that it's OK to ask for help as you grow up. Explore each butterfly life stage further from the authors' perspectives and view photos from the book here.
3 things to know before you go
- A flock of 125 American flamingos was observed in the Everglades last week. This marks one of the largest groups of American flamingos in a decade. (via WLRN)
- Claire Schwartz is on a mission to reunite spared, treasured items such as old family photos, children's artwork, old sheet music, and yearbook pages from the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires in January with their owners. (via KQED)
- After a falling tree branch left him paralyzed, Google engineer Sasha Blair-Goldensohn began helping people with disabilities navigate cities by highlighting wheelchair-accessible public transit routes and "walking" paths on the company's maps. (via WBUR)
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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