DOJ's noncitizen voter list is unreliable, officials say. And, U.S. pollution rises

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Today's top stories

Los Angeles County election officials say that the Justice Department's list of 20,000 "likely" noncitizens registered to vote is "unreliable," based on their preliminary analysis. They also say some of the individuals on the list have indicated they were born in the U.S. and may be citizens. State and local officials disclosed these new details in court filings yesterday, in response to a federal lawsuit demanding that California investigate thousands of voters before their ballots are counted. The DOJ wants the state to segregate ballots associated with these individuals. California officials say the DOJ's request is unfeasible so close to the election and may violate federal and state election laws.

A new report from United Nations scientists says that countries are not doing enough to cut emissions that drive climate change, and the United States plays a significant role in climate pollution. The U.S. was the only major economy that saw an increase last year in planet-warming pollution. The report also found that, among G20 countries, the U.S. is tied with Russia for the highest per capita emissions. While China emits more total greenhouse gases annually than the U.S., China's population is more than four times that of the U.S. The rise in U.S. emissions was fueled by increased electricity demand and Trump administration policies that support burning fossil fuels.

Arrests for low-level crimes, including vagrancy and drug possession, increased in the U.S. from 2024 to 2025, according to a new analysis of federal data from the criminal justice and immigration reforms advocacy group FWD.us. The report also highlighted a 188% increase in immigration violations. This comes as violent crime rates, including homicides, dropped to historic lows. The report examined publicly available FBI and immigration arrest data and does not include details about whether charges were dropped or if people served any time in jail or prison. This data covers the first full year of Trump's second term, during which his administration emphasized a tough-on-crime approach. Zoë Towns, the executive director of FWD.us, told NPR ahead of the report's release that the rising trends signal a "really troubling return to some of the extreme law and order policies that defined the American criminal justice system during the '80s and '90s." Check out NPR's analysis.

President Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff is in St. Petersburg today to meet with Kremlin officials and explore potential solutions for ending Russia's war on Ukraine. Witkoff also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week in Norway. Trump has accused Zelenskyy of obstructing a peace deal. The Ukrainian president says he is again seeking direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

• 🎧 Norway and Finland's leaders believe a fair deal to end the war requires U.S. involvement, NPR's Joanna Kakissis tells Up First. They hope Witkoff's Russia leads to something constructive. But Ukrainians whom Kakissis has spoken to say they don't trust the White House and believe the U.S. is siding with Russia. Concerns grew among Ukrainians when President Trump announced he would lift sanctions on Russian diesel. Many argued that the move wouldn't lower fuel prices but instead help Russia continue its war against Ukraine.

On the ground

The results of the 2026 midterm elections will shape the final two years of President Trump's second term and serve as a precursor to the 2028 general election. This month, Morning Edition is reporting from six states that could change the balance of power in Washington.

This week, Morning Edition's Steve Inskeep traveled to North Carolina and Georgia. Both states are among those Trump visited this week as he continues to campaign for Republicans vying to keep control of the Senate and House. Inskeep explored how the Trump administration's policies have affected public research in both states. Trump has eliminated hundreds of jobs from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is headquartered in Atlanta. Universities and research firms in North Carolina's Research Triangle lost millions of dollars in federal grants last year. Inskeep spoke with people affected by these changes. Listen to what they had to say.

Hear more from voters in both states:

• 🎧 Inskeep got personal thoughts from random Georgia voters by knocking on some doors and meeting people along walking trails.
• 🎧 In North Carolina, he visited communities devastated by Hurricane Helene in 2024 to assess changes two years after the federal response became a campaign issue.
• 🎧 In Stokes County, N.C., Inskeep explores how AI data centers have divided the community. In 2024, 79% of voters in the county backed Trump. The president has supported these centers.

The NPR App has all of NPR's election coverage in one place — from the biggest stories across the country, to the issues that matter close to home. Browse headlines, playlists, podcast episodes, videos and more, all on the 2026 Election tab.

Follow the reporting: Ohio and Michigan coverage airs Oct. 27. You can follow along on Morning Edition, NPR.org, in the NPR app and in this newsletter.

Introducing Machine Gods

by Tommy Evans, NPR's editor in chief

To cover a transformation as vast as AI, one that raises deep questions about work, culture, the environment, cybersecurity, education and so much more, we've teamed up with veteran tech journalists Casey Newton and Kevin Roose to bring their flagship AI podcast, Machine Gods, to NPR's audiences. Starting today, the video-first program will be offered twice a week across NPR's platforms and provide front-row access to the people and issues shaping this new AI era.

The show will look into things like the ways AI could be applied to the medical field, potentially helping us discover new drugs and improve healthcare overall, as well as the questions that keep Casey and Kevin both up at night, like what happens when AI eventually builds and improves upon itself beyond what humans understand. With each episode, we'll make sure you get the news you need to know about AI — both the technology's capabilities and its very real risks — without buying into the industry's hype or treating catastrophe as an inevitability.

Machine Gods is the culmination of years of Casey and Kevin's reporting from the front lines of Silicon Valley. While it represents an ambitious new format for public media, its core ethos fits seamlessly with NPR's mission: to bring audiences trusted, independent journalism that inspires, engages, and keeps you informed so you can navigate the world with confidence.

You can see the first episode here.

Follow and subscribe to Machine Gods on the NPR app, NPR.org, or wherever you get your podcasts.

3 things to know before you go

1. Actress Christina Applegate has revealed that she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis five years ago.
2. The World Health Organization's new special envoy for health resilience, Dr. Vanessa Kerry, says building more-responsive healthcare systems is what her new job is all about.
3. Utah is suing Kalshi, alleging that its yes/no event contracts resemble traditional sportsbook bets. The state says the prediction market website is operating illegally due to Utah's constitutional ban on gambling. (via KUER)

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.