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Today's top stories
The Israeli military is calling up 60,000 reservists ahead of its expanded military operation in Gaza City, bringing the total number of mobilized reservists to 120,000. A two-month ceasefire offer has been on the table since Monday. Hamas accepted the terms of the deal without any changes, leaving the ball in Israel's court. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put out statements suggesting he doesn't like the offer, NPR's Daniel Estrin tells Up First.
- 🎧 This is a major crossroads in the war, and Israel hasn't decided on what strategic direction it will take, Estrin says. Israel sees Gaza City as a major stronghold of Hamas. Israeli soldiers have already been sent to the outskirts of the city, where they have carried out strikes in recent days. Military officials say these strikes are the initial steps of the new operation. The major offensive would result in Israel ordering the displacement of many Palestinians to southern Gaza, which aid groups warn would exacerbate the humanitarian crisis there.
Pentagon officials have been meeting with their European counterparts this week to work out security guarantees for Ukraine. This effort to help end the war with Russia and prevent a future one comes as Russia unleashed one of its largest airstrikes overnight, firing more than 600 drones and missiles. Among them was a Russian cruise missile that hit an American electronics plant, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. More than a dozen people were wounded at the location, which is in an isolated part of far western Ukraine.
- 🎧 Ukrainians believe that Russian leader Vladimir Putin wants to keep fighting, says NPR's Greg Myre. Ukraine has had limited security promises in the past, and they haven't stopped Russia from invading. Moving forward, it wants iron-clad security guarantees. Russia has always rejected the idea of a NATO presence in Ukraine to make sure Western troops don't move close to Russian borders. Myre says that it's currently hard to see any middle ground for compromise.
North Carolina's Outer Banks are already feeling the impacts of Hurricane Erin, which remains well offshore as a Category 2 storm. Gov. Josh Stein has cautioned people to stay out of the ocean. Forecasters warn that the storm, which is massive in size and strength, could bring potential coastal flooding, high winds and life-threatening rip currents from the Carolinas to New Jersey.
- 🎧 Will Michaels with NPR network station WUNC reports there is only one main road on the Outer Banks, and it is currently closed. Last night, the storm surge breached the protective sand dunes and submerged the road. Michaels says climate change has accelerated beach erosion and washed away dunes in many areas. As a result, previously protected low-lying areas are now more susceptible to flooding during exceptionally high tides. Many people, including tourists, evacuated the Outer Banks before the storm hit. Hotels and vacation rentals could see significant revenue loss in the two weeks leading up to Labor Day.
Today's listen
The Grammy-nominated Dover Quartet has a new album inspired by Native American traditions. To compose Woodland Songs, the string quartet teamed up with Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate. When searching for the sound, Tate turned to the woodland creatures respected by his own Chickasaw Nation: squirrels, woodpeckers, deer, fish and raccoons. Listen to snippets of Woodland Songs that are graceful like a deer, staccato like a woodpecker and frenetic like a squirrel. And, read more about Tate's composing process.
Deep dive
Data centers are essential for services like ChatGPT and online medical records. The growing demand for more internet-connected devices is driving a surge in data center construction across the U.S. This expansion presents an attractive opportunity for small towns, potentially providing them with new industrial anchors that can create jobs, generate tax revenue, and bring prosperity to areas that have been overlooked by the digital revolution. But these centers also come with significant power and water demands, which can put strain on local resources. In Quincy, Wash., known for its stretches of data centers, critics say the strain isn't worth the economic gain.
- ➡️ Data center construction creates thousands of jobs, but those are mostly temporary. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the average large data center employs 150 people long-term.
- ➡️ Since the first data centers went up in Quincy, the percentage of residents living below the poverty level decreased from 29.4% in 2012 to 13.1% in 2023, according to census data.
- ➡️ Critics argue that while the economic benefits are appealing, they're concerned that residents may face blackouts or water limitations before data centers do, because those centers handle sensitive information.
- ➡️ With the economic boost in Quincy, new businesses emerged to serve the growing population and traveling construction workers. However, business owners there are concerned about the future of these establishments once the data centers no longer require so many construction workers.
3 things to know before you go
- This week, two trucks gently rolled the 600-ton,113-year-old Kiruna Church in Sweden to a new home to prevent the city's local iron mine from swallowing it up. The 3-mile journey across the city took two days.
- Surinder Gupta came down with a high fever one winter night in 1974. After rushing to a 24-hour pharmacy to get medicine, he left to find that his car had been towed. He searched the phone book and found a stranger with a familiar Indian name. Sukhdev Walia listened to Gupta's story and didn't hesitate to help. The unsung hero gave Gupta and his family a ride, and they all developed an inseparable bond.
- The U.S. health care system can be confusing. If you need help understanding and overcoming the challenges to accessing good care, send your tricky questions to the Health Care Helpline from NPR and KFF Health News. They might be able to connect with a policy expert and provide the answers you need.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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