Alex Leff

@alexleff.bsky.social

Editing world news and features online at the venerable @npr.org

2. With an active legal fight over the quiet period's scope playing out in the courts, election experts recommend eligible registered voters be vigilant about checking their registration status before their states' deadlines. Find links for checking your voter registration status here:

How to register to vote and check your registration status

For the 2026 elections, NPR has collected deadlines and information on how to register to vote — online, in person or by mail — in every U.S. state and territory.

apps.npr.org

Today is the start of the "quiet period" before the midterm election, a longstanding legal protection for eligible voters. Forty-four states, plus Washington, D.C., are banned from doing mass purges of voter rolls within 90 days of a federal election under the 1993 National Voter Registration Act

A federal law bans late voter roll purges. Republicans are pushing to reinterpret it

There's a ban on most states systematically purging voter rolls within 90 days before Election Day. Republicans are pushing courts to reinterpret that longstanding protection for eligible voters.

npr.org

“Now that America has failed to protect these Gulf states from Iranian attacks, Tehran’s drive to institutionalize Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz reflects its ambition to establish a new Pax Iranica in the Middle East.” - WSJ

Rescuers believe 9-year-old Fabio Bastardo is still alive under the rubble 17 days after earthquakes flattened his apartment building. They detected signs of life as recently as Friday Helena Carpio reports from La Guaira with @terrencemccoy.bsky.social

Venezuela quake rescuers believe boy, 9, is alive under rubble after 16 days

The Mexican rescue team Topos Azteca said it detected signs of life from the ruins of a 13-story apartment building on Friday, 16 days after the quakes.

washingtonpost.com

There's supposedly been a ceasefire in Gaza for 9 months. But Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 people during that time—a threshold conflict analysts consider to qualify as war—and expanded control to nearly 70% of the territory. www.npr.org/2026/07/10/n...

9 months into a ceasefire, Israel now controls nearly 70% of Gaza

When the U.S. brokered a ceasefire last year, Israel controlled half of Gaza. Now Israeli forces have pushed deeper, and Palestinians are paying a deadly price.

npr.org

Supreme Court overturned a 91-year-old precedent that prevented presidents from removing members of independent agencies at will. Significant win for Trump and major expansion of president's control over parts of the govt once seen as a check on his powers. www.npr.org/2026/06/29/n...

Supreme Court cements Trump's power over agencies long considered independent

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court struck down a 91-year-old precedent that has prevented presidents from removing members of independent agencies meant to be a check on his power.

npr.org