Fraud claims emerge in Venezuelan election. And, Trump hopes to regain the spotlight

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Today's top stories

A rocket hit a soccer field filled with children in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights region Saturday, killing 12 children and wounding dozens more. Israel says that Iranian-backed Hezbollah fired the rocket from southern Lebanon, but Hezbollah denies responsibility. The incident happened on the same day that an Israeli strike in Gaza devastated a school building used to shelter displaced Palestinian residents. At least 30 people were killed and more than 100 were wounded.

• 🎧 Less than 24 hours after the strike, NPR’s Kat Lonsdorf visited Golan Heights, where she says the grief was “palpable.” The community there is largely Druze, an Arab minority population. Because of this, some believed it wasn’t a high priority for the Israeli government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a statement last night saying Hezbollah will pay a heavy price for the attack. Lonsdorf says it seems that neither side really wants a full-out war to begin, but the Israeli military has made it clear for months that they are prepared for a bigger war.

Venezuela’s electoral authorities have declared incumbent president Nicolas Maduro the winner of yesterday’s election. This has sparked accusations of massive fraud to steal the victory from opposition candidate Edmundo González. Maduro claimed the win with 51% compared to 44% for González, with 80% of the votes counted. The challenge to his 12-year authoritarian rule comes as the country is facing an economic crisis, with gas and electricity shortages.

• 🎧 NPR’s Carrie Kahn tells Up First that Maduro claims the electoral system was hacked by foreign terrorists but gave no proof. The electoral authorities say they will release the entire vote count in the coming hours. The opposition accuses authorities of kicking observers out of the stations and refusing to print or transmit voting tallies. They also say that Venezuelans and the entire world know what happened. Currently, the opposing party remains determined to make sure all votes are counted.
• ➡️ NPR's international correspondents will continue to follow global elections all year. Stay updated on the results here.

Former President Donald Trump is working to reclaim the spotlight after Vice President Kamala Harris raised more than $200 million for her presidential campaign. He’s still hoping to tie Harris to President Biden’s most unpopular policies, including inflation and the border. He has escalated attacks against her, calling her “sick” and “unhinged,” and repeatedly mispronouncing her name. Trump has even told Christian voters that they “won’t have to vote anymore” if he’s elected.

• 🎧 When it comes to Harris’ campaign success so far, NPR’s Franco Ordoñez says, “The Trump campaign will tell you that it’s simply a honeymoon period.” Most polls taken after Harris entered the race show her and Trump about even. Having to share the spotlight is new for him. Trump saw a lot of momentum after his debate with Biden and the Republican National Convention, but now there has been a shift. But, Ordoñez says the angrier Trump is, the more headlines he will bring in, which are good for him whether they’re positive or negative.

Deep dive

Grocery prices have largely leveled off in the last year, but that doesn’t stop many Americans from experiencing sticker shock. The cost of rent, electricity and auto insurance have all risen faster than groceries in the last year. But the supermarket is still where shoppers feel the sting. The reason: The 1.1% increase in grocery prices over the last year comes on top of a 4.7% increase the previous year and a 12.2% jump the year before that. This is how supermarkets have become a symbol of inflation in the U.S.:

• 🛍️ Shoppers are reminded of the higher grocery store prices more often than other rising costs because they see and experience them more frequently.
• 🛍️ Rising food prices are a challenge for low-income families, who typically spend a larger share of their money on groceries than better-off families do.
• 🛍️ Increasing wages are gradually catching up to grocery store prices. Average wages rose 3.9% in the 12 months ending in June. That’s about 3 1/2 times as fast as supermarket prices rose.

Today's listen

Saxophonist Joey Berkley was living his dream playing jazz until, one day, he noticed his left hand wasn’t cooperating. That was about 20 years ago. He was experiencing focal dystonia, a movement disorder marked by involuntary muscle contractions. Berkley learned of an experimental procedure that involved placing an electrode directly in the brain to treat the disorder. Despite how invasive and potentially dangerous that sounded, it was no question for him. “Music is all I’ve ever done,” he said. Berkley had his surgery in March 2021, and after rehab, he regained enough control over his hand to begin to record again.

• 🎧 Listen to some songs from his new suite called A Suite Life.

3 things to know before you go

1. Baldwin & Co., a bookstore that opened three years ago, has been hosting a splashy countdown over the past year to what would have been the 100th birthday of its namesake. James Baldwin was born on Aug. 2, 1924.
2. Scientists say that as Utah’s Great Salt Lake dries up, it is becoming a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions that cause the climate to warm. The lake has shrunk by almost half in recent years.
3. Reelin, a key protein that helps assemble the brain early in life, also seems to protect it from Alzheimer’s and other diseases related to aging, according to a trio of studies.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.