From NPR

Gene J. Puskar

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AP

Some FEMA staff are put on leave after signing dissent letter

The Associated Press

More than 180 current and former FEMA employees signed the letter sent to the FEMA Review Council and Congress warning that FEMA's capacity to respond to a major disaster was dangerously diminished.
Jason Redmond

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FR74394 AP

Protesters occupy Microsoft office as company reviews its work with Israel's military

The Associated Press

Current and former Microsoft employees were among those arrested. Microsoft has said it is reviewing a report that Israel has used its platform to facilitate attacks on Palestinian targets.
Eric Gay

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AP

Starship's 10th flight breaks streak of bad luck

Nell Greenfieldboyce

After a series of failures during recent test flights, SpaceX's massive Starship had a smooth ride for Tuesday's blast-off, and successfully deployed some fake satellites.
Ross D. Franklin

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AP

A haboob covered central Arizona in dust. But what exactly is it?

Juliana Kim

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, these storms can whip up walls of dust as high as 10,000 feet.

From NPR

NEA cancels decades-long creative writing fellowship

Andrew Limbong

For decades the program has supported writers who would become big names – Alice Walker, Michael Cunningham, Louise Erdrich and more. Last week, applicants got an email saying the program would be no more.
From NPR

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are in their engagement era

Juliana Kim

The singer-songwriter announced the engagement Tuesday on Instagram, with the caption: "Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married."
From NPR

AI 'deadbots' are persuasive — and researchers say, they're primed for monetization

Chloe Veltman

The digital afterlife industry may near $80 billion in a decade, fueled by AI "deadbots." Tech firms see profit. But experts warn of troubling consequences.
From NPR

Whistleblower says Trump officials copied millions of Social Security numbers

Geoff Brumfiel

A whistleblower complaint says the personal data of over 300 million Americans was copied to a private cloud account to allow access by former members of the Department of Government Efficiency team.
From NPR

DNC chair says he's tired of Democrats bringing 'pencil to a knife fight'

Stephen Fowler

Day 1 of the Democratic National Committee's summer meeting saw party chair Ken Martin detail how the party is pushing back on Trump administration policies and trying to win back voters.
From NPR

The DOJ sued the federal district bench in Maryland. A judge just dismissed the case

Carrie Johnson

A district judge in Virginia was specially tapped to oversee the unusual case after DOJ named all 15 federal district court judges in Maryland as defendants in a lawsuit related to deportations.
From NPR

This week sees a number of new books from seasoned heavy hitters

Colin Dwyer

A number of seasoned veterans with a taste for big swings and clever premises have new novels out this week, including stories of gothic horror and dark academia from the likes of R.F. Kuang, Leah Stein and Helen Oyeyemi.
From NPR

Whatever happened to ... the optimist who thinks games and music can change the world

Ari Daniel

On a planet that can feel increasingly challenged, we asked activist Edgard Gouveia Jr. about his latest efforts to improve life on Earth, what "artivism" is — and what he dreams of.
From NPR

How plants and fungi trade resources without a brain

Alex Mayyasi

Fungi and plants have something to teach humans about global trade and cooperation
From NPR

A lesson learned after pets were left behind in Hurricane Katrina: Save the animals

Nathan Rott

People were forced to leave their pets behind during Hurricane Katrina, creating an unprecedented animal welfare crisis that has shaped the country's disaster response ever since.