A city outbids corporate landlords; 4 races hold the keys to the Senate; talking turtles

Plus, how a coral reef saved itself. [View this email online]( [NPR]( by Suzanne Nuyen Good morning. Some incredible baseball was played last night. Cristian Javier and the Houston Astros recorded the [second-ever no-hitter in World Series history](. The last one was in 1956! Here's what we're following today: 🥇 First up [America First Legal, an organization launched by former Donald Trump aide Stephen Miller (seen here at the White House in 2017), has been funding political ads that accuse the Biden administration of "pushing radical gender experiments on children."]( Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Right-wing political groups have spent tens of millions of dollars on anti-transgender ads in battleground states. Many are directed toward Black and Spanish-speaking voters, accusing President Biden of [pushing children to take cross-sex hormone medication]( and get gender-affirming surgery. 🗳️ The race for the Senate could have the highest stakes of all for Republicans. They need to net one state to take control, and [these four]( races could be key to their victory. Anti-abortion misinformation has surged in the Latino community ever since the Supreme Court struck down Roe, and much of it is focused on galvanizing voters or [discouraging women]( from seeking abortions. The Powerball prize is now $1.5 billion — the third highest in history. It probably feels incredible to hold a winning ticket, but there's a dark side to the lottery system. The [predatory gambling industry]( disproportionately targets low-income areas and communities of color. Ever since the 2008 housing crash, large investors have been taking some of the most affordable homes off the market and turning them into rentals, exacerbating the racial wealth gap. A Cincinnati agency is [fighting back]( against these predatory practices by buying up homes from investors and helping their new tenants purchase them. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- 🥪 Food for thought Hill Street Studios/Getty Images With less than a week before the midterms, it seems Democratic voters aren't as enthused as Republicans, according to an NPR poll. Inflation is the top issue, and [voters trust Republicans more]( on the issue by 20 points. Here's what else our poll found: 🗳️ Black, Latino and young voters are among the least excited to vote among Democrats, while older voters, Trump voters and white evangelical Christians — all key for the GOP — are fired up. 🗳️ After inflation, abortion and preserving democracy are among the issues voters care most about. 🗳️ An overwhelming amount of Republicans are OK with voting for an election denier if the candidate agrees with them on most issues. 🗳️ Americans no longer want a divided government, with both parties balancing each other's power. They'd rather the same party control Congress and the presidency. --------------------------------------------------------------- 🎧 Today’s listen [With measuring tape and notepad, marine ecologist Enric Ballesteros surveys the organisms living on a healthy reef in the islands. When author Enric Sala and his team first visited here in 2009, they found these reefs in a pristine state, with a profusion of species, many of them rare.]( Jon Betz/National Geographic Scientists thought a South Pacific coral reef system was doomed due to rising water temperatures. But when they checked on the reef, it had miraculously replenished itself. 🎧 [Listen and learn about the two biggest things that kept it safe]( or [read the story](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 🛑 Before you go Xpeng /Xpeng - Chinese electric vehicle company Xpeng, a Tesla competitor, has unveiled designs of what could be the [world's first flying car](. - Folgers, a throwback coffee brand in a time of nitro lattes, is launching an ad campaign [snubbing coffee snobbery]( in a bid for its own kind of cool. - Turns out turtles do talk. A new study finds many animal species [thought to be mute do in fact vocalize]( — and the researchers caught it on tape. - Rappers Drake and 21 Savage, who are releasing a joint album tomorrow, posted a [spoof Tiny Desk performance]( to their social media accounts. No need to spoof us, Drake, you and 21 are welcome anytime. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]