Harris now ties Trump in swing states. And, a Babe Ruth jersey shatters record

Plus, tips on how to keep your grocery bill low.

View this email online by Brittney Melton August 26, 2024 Good morning. Whether the Toronto Blue Jays or the Boston Red Sox win today, Danny Jansen can call himself a winner. He's going down in MLB history as the first person to play for both teams in the same game. Here’s the other news we’re following today: Yesterday, Hezbollah and Israel exchanged some of the fiercest fire since the beginning of the war in Gaza — heightening fears of a wider regional conflict in the Middle East. Israel says its major attack in southern Lebanon was preemptive after it got intelligence that Hezbollah was going to strike first. Hezbollah responded with rockets and drones and said by late morning that it was done with operations for the day. Israel also de-escalated.  Kawnat Haju/AFP via Getty Images 🎧 Hezbollah and Iran have been keeping the region on edge this month, NPR’s Hadeel Al-Shalchi tells Up First. They both promised to avenge the Israeli killings of a top Hezbollah leader in Beirut and Hamas’ leader in Tehran. This comes as Egypt hosted a new round of talks aimed at getting Israel and Hamas close to a cease-fire deal in Gaza. No deal was reached and it's unknown how much progress was made. A 29-year-old Palestinian who has been forced to evacuate again tells NPR Gaza producer Anas Baba that he doesn't have an ounce of hope and thinks the war will drag on for at least another year.  The presidential race has changed significantly since President Biden dropped out and Vice President Harris took his spot, according to NPR's latest map of swing states. Harris has taken narrow leads in three critical states — Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — that would put her at just enough electoral votes to win the White House, according to polling averages. NPR’s analysis now has all seven of the most closely watched swing states as toss-ups, moving all of the Sun Belt states from Lean Republican previously. 🎧 “The race is extremely close, which we've been expecting all along,” NPR’s Domenico Montanaro says. Harris has closed the gap completely in the Sun Belt states of Arizona, Nevada and North Carolina, while Trump holds on to a slight lead in Georgia. Harris and her running mate Tim Walz will be in Georgia later this week. Despite Harris' momentum, Montanaro says Democrats are warning activists and voters to not get complacent. Though the polls have improved for her, he says the bottom line is it’s unknown who will show up to vote and these polls are estimates. Eric Garcetti, former Mayor of Los Angeles and current U.S. Ambassador to India, has been accused of lying under oath to cover up harassment allegations against one of his friends and top advisers, Rick Jacobs. People who worked with Jacobs at Los Angeles City Hall testified that he touched them, including forcible kisses on the lips, massages, and hugs without their consent. He's also accused of making crude sexual and sometimes racist comments and overall creating a “hostile work environment.” Jacobs has denied all wrongdoing and declined to answer NPR's questions. Garcetti also declined an interview request but said in an email that he fully stands by his testimony. 🎧 NPR’s Tom Dreisbach talked with six employees of the Courage Campaign, a liberal group that Jacobs led before working at LA City Hall. They echoed the same issues going back to the mid-2000s. Garcetti denied ever seeing any inappropriate behaviors by Jacobs at any time. The allegations against Jacobs came to light in 2020, when an LAPD officer sued the city, alleging Jacobs harassed him for years and Garcetti witnessed the behavior and did nothing. The lawsuit included a photo of Jacobs posing with his hand on a lobbyist's crotch next to Garcetti and some lobbyists at the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The city paid the officer $1.8 million without admitting wrongdoing. Newsletter continues after sponsor message Photographs Unsplash; Collage by Kaz Fantone/NPR Grocery prices have increased by 1.1% over the past year, on top of a 3.6% increase the previous year and 13.1% the year before that. Food prices are still high, but your grocery bill doesn't have to be. Beth Moncel, founder of the cooking blog Budget Bytes, shares smart tips on how to save money at the supermarket. 💸 Download Flipp, a free application that aggregates sales flyers from stores in your area. 💸 Compare prices of different brands online before shopping. 💸 Don’t assume bulk deals are better. Sometimes different packaging has drastically different prices. Pay attention to unit prices.  💸 Cut back on pricier items such as meats and cheeses. Remember, reducing doesn’t mean going without. 💸 Load up on inexpensive and filling produce including potatoes, onions, carrots and broccoli.  Click here for more of Moncel's tips that could help with your next grocery run. Zayrha Rodriguez/NPR Millions of U.S. voters became familiar with voting by mail four years ago. The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum’s new exhibition reminds us that the practice dates back more than 160 years before the COVID-19 pandemic. Mail-in ballots, election mailers, photographs and other artifacts are on display in the museum’s stamp salon. The exhibit lays out a timeline that begins with the Civil War election of 1864, which is considered the start of mail-in voting's large-scale use in the U.S.  📷 See photos from the exhibit and read about what it hopes to accomplish. Public media for the public good At NPR, we believe that an informed public is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy. As we navigate one of the most pivotal election years in our country’s history, the role of independent, fact-based journalism has never been more crucial. The decisions made at the ballot box will shape our future. And in an era where misinformation can spread unchecked, the stakes are incredibly high. It’s why the NPR Network stands by its unwavering commitment to keeping the public informed with the facts through its local and national reporting. But we can't do it alone. To combat the growing tide of misinformation, we need your support. Your donation ensures that our election coverage and the NPR Network have the resources to continue delivering the facts, insights, and stories that matter most. Donate today. Donate Today ➔ LM Otero/AP A New York Yankees jersey worn by Babe Ruth has sold for $24.12 million, shattering the record for the most expensive sports collectible sold at auction. Ruth wore the jersey when he “called his shot” in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs. At the end of September, Americans can order up to four free at-home COVID-19 tests delivered to their mailbox. The tests can detect newer variants of the virus. The two astronauts who were stranded after taking a Boeing Starliner test flight into orbit will return in a capsule built by competing company SpaceX in February, NASA announced.  Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from Central Florida Public Media (edit station). This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen. 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 Up First emails. 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