Former VP Dick Cheney dies; Election Day races : NPR

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Today’s top stories

Dick Cheney, widely regarded as the most powerful vice president in American history, died yesterday, according to a statement from his family. He was 84. The cause of death was complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, the statement added. Read more about his life and legacy here.

Voting concludes today in a series of closely watched races across the U.S. — including the mayoral election in New York City and the races for governor in New Jersey and Virginia. In California, a special election on redistricting could have national implications, as it may help shape which party takes power in Congress next year. Here’s a closer look at the four races to watch.

• 🎧 Many democratic candidates are favored to win, but there are significant differences among them, NPR’s Ashley Lopez tells Up First. In New York City, frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, and Abigail Spanberger, who could become the first woman governor in Virginia, represent different parts of the Democratic coalition.
• ➡️ Keep up with the latest news about the 2025 elections here.

The Trump administration says it will restart SNAP, the national food assistance program, using funds from a Department of Agriculture contingency fund. The money will provide recipients with partial payments. It is unclear when low-income families who rely on the program will receive these funds, as the administration anticipates significant delays. In the meantime, communities across the country are taking steps to fill the gap.

• 🎧The contingency fund has about $4.5 billion, which will allow the administration to pay people half of the benefits they typically receive, NPR’s Jennifer Ludden reports. In a court filing yesterday, a USDA official stated some state processing systems are decades old, potentially causing delays in benefit distribution of weeks or even months. The administration notes that since it is using up its contingency fund, there is no money to sign up any new people for SNAP this month.

About 375,000 more people are suffering from famine in war-torn Sudan, with many of those people in Darfur. The Rapid Support Forces, the group opposed to the government, allegedly moved into El Fasher in the Darfur region, killed many people, and put the rest in danger.

• 🎧 NPR’s Emmanuel Akinwotu says the city has been under siege by the RSF for a year and a half. Residents have been forced to eat animal food and hides as community kitchens are bombed. The U.N. says about 70,000 people have fled, but fewer than 10,000 have been accounted for. The majority of people who have escaped are women who have witnessed their loved ones gunned down and tortured, according to organizations helping them.
• 🎧 Listen to more about what is happening in the major city, along with thoughts from Emi Mahmoud, a Sudanese-American poet, who grew up in El Fasher and is observing from afar.

Deep dive

Members of the National Guard patrol near the U.S. Capitol in March in Washington.

Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images

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Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images

Members of the National Guard patrol near the U.S. Capitol in March in Washington.

Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images

For years, President Trump and several high-ranking officials in his second administration have discussed using the National Guard to assist with mass deportations and immigration raids. This consideration arises despite U.S. laws that generally prohibit the military from being used for domestic law enforcement. During Trump’s second term, he and Stephen Miller, his right-hand man on immigration, have considered invoking the Insurrection Act, which would allow the president to deploy the military within the U.S. under specific circumstances. Legal experts, activists, and watchdog groups are now concerned that the Trump administration could fundamentally change how the military operates on U.S. soil.

• ➡️ The idea is part of Project 2025, a conservative action plan.
• ➡️ Miller has promoted the concept publicly for years, including in 2023 on the late right-wing activist Charlie Kirk’s podcast.
• ➡️ Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center, says she is worried about what the presence of troops might mean for voters as they cast their ballots in the upcoming 2026 elections.

Read more about why Trump’s deployment of troops isn’t random here.

Picture show

“So what’s my name? Watch out! I’m Black Freddie, and I’m blaaaack. Ha ha ha ha ha. Even as we get older, there’s an inner child … that lies within us. They are us, you know. We’re still them because the inner child lives in us,” said Antwone Coward dressed as Black Freddy Krueger at New York Comic Con in 2024.

Isaac Campbell for NPR

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Isaac Campbell for NPR

Black and Caribbean cosplayers say they find New York Comic Con exciting because it is a safe space that welcomes geeks and nerds of all heritages. Many told NPR that they grew up feeling isolated, both within their own communities and among other cosplayers. For four days, NYCC let them feel valued and seen. See photos of the cosplayers finding their community at Comic Con.

3 things to know before you go

Tylenol, which contains acetaminophen, has been at the center of a disputed claim that it is linked to autism.

Scott Olson/Getty Images North America

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Scott Olson/Getty Images North America

1. Consumer giant Kimberly-Clark, which makes Huggies diapers and Kleenex tissues, is buying Kenvue, the company that makes Tylenol and Band-Aids, in a merger deal valued at nearly $49 billion.
2. Chronic absenteeism rates in K-12 schools, which nearly doubled during the pandemic, are finally showing steady signs of improvement, according to a new report.
3. The Trump administration is reviewing the safety of a common vaccine additive that contains aluminum, raising concerns among public health experts that it may try to eliminate this ingredient.

This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.