Student loan forgiveness blocked again; the Senate up for grabs; Kurt Vonnegut at 100

Plus, a member of Pussy Riot describes life in a Russian penal colony. [View this email online]( [NPR]( by Carol Ritchie Happy Veterans Day. Dozens of retailers and companies are [offering discounts and freebies]( for veterans and active-duty military members this year. Here's what we're following today. First up Yuri Tutov/AP A member of the feminist punk collective Pussy Riot spent nearly two years in a Russian penal colony. Now Maria Alyokhina describes [what Brittney Griner can expect]( after news that the American basketball star was being transferred to a similar prison. "For 100 women, there are like three toilets and no hot water," Alyokhina tells NPR. "This is a legal slavery system." Control of the House and Senate is still not yet known. Either party needs to win [two of three of the remaining]( competitive seats to win control of the Senate — and it could come down to a Georgia runoff next month. In the House, Republicans still appear to have the edge. ➡️ The Democrats' strategy of boosting far-right candidates [seems to have worked](. A Texas judge blocked President Biden's student loan forgiveness program. District Court Judge Mark Pittman, an appointee of former President Trump, said the program, already on hold from another lawsuit, [usurps Congress' power to make laws](. A Labor Department report yesterday showed that inflation was cooling. The better-than-expected news sent stocks on their [biggest rally in two years](. Russia's pullout from Kherson is a major setback for [President Vladimir Putin](. It's also a huge morale boost for Ukraine and evidence that [Russia's war is going poorly](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- We take our roles of truth teller, bridge builder and accountability holder seriously. So seriously that we launched a [Disinformation Reporting team]( this year to make sure you know what's really happening with this election, COVID and more. Every one of us plays a vital role in strengthening our communities. Here's something you can do today: help ensure that trustworthy information and programming continue to be available to everyone. How? [Donate today](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Today’s listen María Jesús Contreras for NPR Lionel Messi is one of the most celebrated soccer players in history. Throughout his career, he has chased one goal: winning a World Cup for his home country. But up until recently, playing with Argentina's national team has proven to be this soccer superman's kryptonite. 🎧 [The podcast The Last Cup]( explores Messi's past, what it can tell us about leaving home and [the struggle to return](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before you go NASA - A crew with the History Channel found a piece of the wrecked [1986 Challenger space shuttle]( during a dive looking for World War II-era wreckage off the Florida coast. - On- and off-screen tragedies merge as Wakanda Forever reckons with the [2020 death of Chadwick Boseman]( honoring the memory of the Black Panther star as respectfully as possible. - Kurt Vonnegut, who wrote satirical and darkly humorous novels such as Slaughterhouse-Five that won him a cult-like following, would have turned 100 today. His war novels are [as relevant as ever](. - When Jessica Israelsen left the Air Force, it was not an easy decision. She was going through a difficult time, and even though she wasn't part of the unit, her [team kept looking out for her](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 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]