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Episode Date: September 2, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Eight months after former Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro, was ousted in a U.S. military raid, the Trump administration is about to secure expanded control of the Latin American country's oil reserves. Energy Secretary Chris Wright is in Caracas to oversee an oil deal between Washington and a Venezuelan private company. As NPR's Frank Ordonez reports,

Trump is betting the new deal will help bring down gas prices that have been elevated as a result of oil supply disruptions during the U.S. war with Iran. John McHenry, a veteran Republican pollster, says Trump has an incentive to take action, even if his policies won't necessarily produce results over the next few months ahead of the midterms. The first challenge is to show that you know people are concerned about it and that you care about it as well and that you're doing something about it. Part of the problem for Trump is that before the U.S. launch strikes against Iran, average prices were a dollar, a gallon lower nationally in February.

That's a reality that Trump just can't avoid. Franco, Or Donias. NPR News. The U.S.S. Postal Service says it is reviewing a whistleblower's concerns about a new technical system it's developing for mail-in ballots in the midterm election. NPR's Hansi Lo Wong reports that new technology is facing lawsuits. The U.S. Postal Service built the new online portal after President Trump issued an order calling for U.S.PS to deliver mail-in balance only to people on voter lists that the states would have to turn over to the mailing agency. We should note USPS is a financial support of NPR. An anonymous government official is claiming that system has not been properly tested,

and it could lead to eligible voters not getting balance in time or at all. David Kligerman of the nonprofit whistleblower aid is representing the official. The entire IT system has been built in a matter of weeks when it should be built in maybe a year or more. In fact, when they've tested this IT system, it's crashed. A federal judge has blocked USPS from requiring states to use the online portal for their mail-in balance. USPS is appealing that ruling and says it plans to roll out the portal, soon so election officials can try it out. Anzila Wong, NPR News.

Some Haitian immigrants in the U.S. are being required to wear GPS angle monitors after losing their temporary protected status. In Ohio, pastors and Haitian activists are asking the Department of Homeland Security to end the requirement, citing, a college student who took his own life. Here's WYSO's Catherine Mowgli. Hundreds of Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, now have ankle monitors issued by DHS. It's the agency's latest tracking effort since Haiti's temporary protected status ended late July. 20-year-old Pierre D'Anse Bell recently received one. State investigators say he

died Monday morning after stepping in front of a vehicle. His friend Yola Lamar said Bell felt humiliated by the device. He had aspirations to major in neuroscience. Pierre Damas Bell was not a criminal, but he was treated as one. Now many faith and community leaders are calling on lawmakers and DHS to end the ankle monitor program. That's Catherine Mowbly, report. According, it's NPR. The U.S. Embassy says the USS Abraham Lincoln is docked in eastern Thailand. After it spent more than 250 days at sea, much of it deployed in the Middle East. A federal panel has temporarily halted a controversial data center in Nevada. The project approved by the Bureau of Land Management is seen as a test case for data centers on public lands. The Mountain West News Bureau's, LeVette Fernandez has details. Local leaders and environmental groups

allege that federal officials approve the data center near Boulder City, Nevada, without proper environmental studies and fail to get their input regarding the public land. Patrick Donnelly is with the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups appealing the BLM's decision. He says the ruling is a win for local communities. They agreed that noise is a potential harm from data centers.

They agreed that air pollution is a potential, harm from data centers. And in their appeal, city officials say the data center would use local water and power supplies, as well as emergency response services. The stay is in place until both sides present legal briefs as a case moves forward. For NPR News, I'm Yvette Fernandez in Las Vegas. The change in your pocket could soon include coins with President Trump's face on him. The U.S. Mint says the coin is in circulation. 250,000 were struck on Independence They feature Trump's likeness. They're the color of gold. And they're worth a dollar. They cost more and come in rolls or bags. This is NPR News.