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Sailor Matt Rutherford at the helm of a sailboat. He hopes to be the first to circumnavigate the Arctic Circle alone.

Sailor Matt Rutherford at the helm of a sailboat. He hopes to be the first to circumnavigate the Arctic Circle alone. Matt Rutherford/Ocean Research Project hide caption

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Matt Rutherford/Ocean Research Project

Strange News

Meet the man circumnavigating the Arctic Ocean, alone

Matt Rutherford is sailing 10,000 nautical miles, through ice floes and gales, to try and accomplish a world first. He spoke with NPR from the cabin of his boat.

The daring, 10,000-mile-long journey to circumnavigate the Arctic Ocean

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Former U.S. President Joe Biden greets Maui Mayor Richard Bissen (2nd R) and US Representative Ed Case (C) at Kapalua Airport, Lahaina, Hawaii, on August 21, 2023.

Former U.S. President Joe Biden greets Maui Mayor Richard Bissen (2nd R) and US Representative Ed Case (C) at Kapalua Airport, Lahaina, Hawaii, on August 21, 2023. Mandel NGAN/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Mandel NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
Former U.S. President Joe Biden greets Maui Mayor Richard Bissen (2nd R) and US Representative Ed Case (C) at Kapalua Airport, Lahaina, Hawaii, on August 21, 2023.

Former U.S. President Joe Biden greets Maui Mayor Richard Bissen (2nd R) and US Representative Ed Case (C) at Kapalua Airport, Lahaina, Hawaii, on August 21, 2023. Mandel NGAN/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Mandel NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

Case wins Democratic nomination for House in Hawaii's 1st Congressional District

 HPR-1 News/Talk

He beat state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who campaigned saying Hawaiʻi needs a leader with the energy to take on inflation, threats to democracy and oppose the Iran War.
Firefighters and residents dig through debris on Tuesday after a wildfire destroyed homes in a neighborhood in Spokane, Wash.

Firefighters and residents dig through debris on Tuesday after a wildfire destroyed homes in a neighborhood in Spokane, Wash. Margaret Albaugh for NPR hide caption

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Margaret Albaugh for NPR

National

Wildfires in urban areas are more common. That may have helped Spokane

As emergency responders in Spokane, Wash., take stock of the damage from devastating wildfires, there's a prevailing sense the disaster could have been far worse.

In the wake of Spokane wildfires, preparedness experts think it could've been worse

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Netherlands' Demi Vollering celebrates on the podium after winning the Women's Tour de France cycling race in Nice, France, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026.

Netherlands' Demi Vollering celebrates on the podium after winning the Women's Tour de France cycling race in Nice, France, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. Philippe Magoni/AP hide caption

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Philippe Magoni/AP
Netherlands' Demi Vollering celebrates on the podium after winning the Women's Tour de France cycling race in Nice, France, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026.

Netherlands' Demi Vollering celebrates on the podium after winning the Women's Tour de France cycling race in Nice, France, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. Philippe Magoni/AP hide caption

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Philippe Magoni/AP

Sports

Demi Vollering wins Tour de France for the 2nd time

Vollering, who first won the competition in 2023, finished the stage more than a minute ahead of Spaniard Paula Blasi Cairol and 2024 champion Polish rider Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney.
The CoreCivic, Inc. California City Immigration Processing Center stands in the Kern County desert awaiting reopening as a federal immigrant detention facility under contract with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in California City, California on July 10, 2025.

The CoreCivic, Inc. California City Immigration Processing Center stands in the Kern County desert awaiting reopening as a federal immigrant detention facility under contract with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in California City, California on July 10, 2025. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
The CoreCivic, Inc. California City Immigration Processing Center stands in the Kern County desert awaiting reopening as a federal immigrant detention facility under contract with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in California City, California on July 10, 2025.

The CoreCivic, Inc. California City Immigration Processing Center stands in the Kern County desert awaiting reopening as a federal immigrant detention facility under contract with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in California City, California on July 10, 2025. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Immigration

Private prisons announce $1.4 billion in revenue as immigration detentions climb

That revenue does not include net proceeds of $1.6 billion made by CoreCivic after the recent sale of four of their facilities to the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE detention approaches record highs as for-profit prison profits soar

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President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Washington.

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Washington. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption

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Alex Brandon/AP
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Washington.

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Washington. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption

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Alex Brandon/AP

National

Trump signs new orders targeting birthright citizenship, weeks after Supreme Court ruling

President Trump is once again attempting to put restrictions on who is automatically guaranteed citizenship after being born in the U.S., just weeks after the Supreme Court struck down his attempt to end birthright citizenship.

Trump signs new orders targeting birthright citizenship, weeks after SCOTUS ruling

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Members of Q_ARE, a Chilean K-pop-inspired boy band, pose for a photo in Santiago, Chile.

Members of Q_ARE, a Chilean K-pop-inspired boy band, pose for a photo in Santiago, Chile. Rony Curifuta hide caption

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Rony Curifuta

The Americas

K-pop's global wave inspires Chile's next pop stars

K-pop conquered the world — now Chile's young creatives are remixing the movement and making it their own.

K-pop mad in Chile

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A drug user uses a test strip on Aug. 22, 2018, in New York, to see if fentanyl has been added to heroin, which could increase the risk of overdose.

A drug user uses a test strip on Aug. 22, 2018, in New York, to see if fentanyl has been added to heroin, which could increase the risk of overdose. Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo hide caption

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Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo
A drug user uses a test strip on Aug. 22, 2018, in New York, to see if fentanyl has been added to heroin, which could increase the risk of overdose.

A drug user uses a test strip on Aug. 22, 2018, in New York, to see if fentanyl has been added to heroin, which could increase the risk of overdose. Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo hide caption

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Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo

Health Reporting in the States

Federal funds can't be used to give test strips to drug users, raising overdose fears

 WYPR - 88.1 FM

Drug addiction groups are reeling after Trump officials said federal grants cannot be used to hand out test strips to drug users. The strips help users check street drugs for dangerous adulterants.

Federal funds can’t be spent on giving drug users test strips, raising overdose fears

Listen · 2:54
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Construction has continued on the White House ballroom all summer, as seen on Wednesday.

Construction has continued on the White House ballroom all summer, as seen on Wednesday. Tierney L. Cross/AP hide caption

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Tierney L. Cross/AP
Construction has continued on the White House ballroom all summer, as seen on Wednesday.

Construction has continued on the White House ballroom all summer, as seen on Wednesday. Tierney L. Cross/AP hide caption

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Tierney L. Cross/AP

Politics

Another court blocks White House ballroom work, teeing up a Supreme Court review

A federal appeals court says above-ground construction cannot continue without approval from Congress, siding with historic preservation advocates.

WATCH

Charlie Puth: Tiny Desk Concert

Charlie Puth, one of the biggest pop hitmakers of the last decade, turns the Tiny Desk into a jazz club.
Schmitz-Swiss-Bunkers/5.jpeg
Rob Schmitz/NPR
Schmitz-Swiss-Bunkers/5.jpeg
Rob Schmitz/NPR

World

Switzerland is a neutral nation but has more nuclear bunkers than any country in the world

Instead of scrapping its network of bomb shelters after the Cold War, Switzerland kept building them. The country has more than 370,000 nuclear bomb shelters. Some are now used to house migrants.

Why does Switzerland have so many nuclear bunkers?

Listen · 7:25
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People walk in Tehran's traditional main bazaar, Iran, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026.

People walk in Tehran's traditional main bazaar, Iran, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. Vahid Salemi/AP hide caption

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Vahid Salemi/AP
People walk in Tehran's traditional main bazaar, Iran, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026.

People walk in Tehran's traditional main bazaar, Iran, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. Vahid Salemi/AP hide caption

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Vahid Salemi/AP

World

Yemen's Houthis claim attack on Aramco oil facility in Saudi Arabia, and other Middle East news

Meanwhile, Iran has made new demands about the restart of negotiations and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the Pentagon is pressing the U.S. defense industry to accelerate production of weapons.
Brittany Apgar (left), Maggie Foxx (center), and Mo'ne Davis (right) of the Los Angeles Queens exchange jokes in the dugout prior to the start of the inaugural game of the Women's Pro Baseball League. Springfield, IL, August 3, 2026.

Brittany Apgar (left), Maggie Foxx (center), and Mo'ne Davis (right) of the Los Angeles Queens exchange jokes in the dugout prior to the start of the inaugural game of the Women's Pro Baseball League. Springfield, IL, August 3, 2026. Jaclyn Licht for NPR hide caption

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Jaclyn Licht for NPR

The Picture Show

The Women's Professional Baseball League makes its historic debut

The Los Angeles Queens, the New York Heights, the Boston Hunters and the San Francisco Firebells take the field in Springfield, Ill., as the Women's Pro Baseball League kicks off its inaugural season.
An aerial view of a data center on April 14 in Vernon, Calif. A surge in demand for AI infrastructure is fueling a boom in data centers across the country and around the globe.

An aerial view of a data center on April 14 in Vernon, Calif. A surge in demand for AI infrastructure is fueling a boom in data centers across the country and around the globe. Mario Tama/Getty Images hide caption

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Mario Tama/Getty Images
An aerial view of a data center on April 14 in Vernon, Calif. A surge in demand for AI infrastructure is fueling a boom in data centers across the country and around the globe.

An aerial view of a data center on April 14 in Vernon, Calif. A surge in demand for AI infrastructure is fueling a boom in data centers across the country and around the globe. Mario Tama/Getty Images hide caption

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Mario Tama/Getty Images

Elections

Data centers are a political issue crossing party lines, driving voters to candidates

Wisconsin Democratic candidate for governor Francesca Hong called for a moratorium on data centers. So did Ohio Republican governor hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, as data centers begin to dominate campaigns.
Ray Bradbury, Abdul El-Sayed, Natalie Portman.

Ray Bradbury, Abdul El-Sayed, Natalie Portman. Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images; Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images hide caption

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Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images; Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Ray Bradbury, Abdul El-Sayed, Natalie Portman.

Ray Bradbury, Abdul El-Sayed, Natalie Portman. Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images; Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images hide caption

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Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images; Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

The NPR news quiz

Who or what is 'taking a step back from visibility'? The quiz knows

Plus, if you know what "TMZ" stands for, you'll get at least on question right this week!
The Lago family (left) and Zucchero family (right) exemplify a growing phenomenon in American families: parents who help financially support their adult children, due in part to a difficult economy.

The Lago family (left) and Zucchero family (right) exemplify a growing phenomenon in American families: parents who help financially support their adult children, due in part to a difficult economy. Mabel Lago/David Zucchero hide caption

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Mabel Lago/David Zucchero

Family

Amid cost of living stress, many parents are supporting children well into adulthood

Polls show most Americans think young adults today have it harder financially than past generations. A majority of parents help their grown children with expenses, even if it hurts their own finances.
Antonio Mays Sr. holds a picture of himself and his son, Antonio Mays Jr., in Superior Court at the King County Courthouse in Seattle on Dec. 10, 2025.

Antonio Mays Sr. holds a picture of himself and his son, Antonio Mays Jr., in Superior Court at the King County Courthouse in Seattle on Dec. 10, 2025. Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times hide caption

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Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times
Antonio Mays Sr. holds a picture of himself and his son, Antonio Mays Jr., in Superior Court at the King County Courthouse in Seattle on Dec. 10, 2025.

Antonio Mays Sr. holds a picture of himself and his son, Antonio Mays Jr., in Superior Court at the King County Courthouse in Seattle on Dec. 10, 2025. Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times hide caption

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Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times

Embedded: We Keep Us Safe

What happened to Antonio Mays Jr.?

The teenager was killed at a Seattle protest encampment called CHOP in 2020. The case is still unsolved. But a new investigation from KUOW, The Seattle Times and NPR's Embedded podcast uncovers new evidence and witnesses.
Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder in Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.

Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder in Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. MUBI hide caption

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MUBI
Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder in Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.

Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder in Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. MUBI hide caption

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MUBI

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

A tale of two very different horny movies

One Night Only manages to fail as a dystopia and as a rom-com. Meanwhile, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is a perfect tale for this moment — if you don't mind your eroticism with a side of gore.
The new film Tony focuses on just a splinter of Anthony Bourdain's life — the mid-1970s summer when he was 19. Above, Antonio Banderas as Chef, left, and Dominic Sessa as a young Anthony Bourdain.

The new film Tony focuses on just a splinter of Anthony Bourdain's life — the mid-1970s summer when he was 19. Above, Antonio Banderas as Chef, left, and Dominic Sessa as a young Anthony Bourdain. Seacia Pavao/A24 hide caption

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Seacia Pavao/A24

Review

Movie Reviews

The new movie about Anthony Bourdain is none of the things you fear it could be

The internationally known chef, writer, and television star died in 2018. Tony, starring Dominic Sessa, tells just a splinter of Bourdain's life — the mid-1970s summer when he was 19.

Movie Review: Tony

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A medical illustration depicts drug-resistant Shigella sp bacteria, 2019. The image addresses antimicrobial resistance. Image courtesy CDC.

A medical illustration depicts drug-resistant Shigella sp bacteria, 2019. The image addresses antimicrobial resistance. Image courtesy CDC. Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images hide caption

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Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images
A medical illustration depicts drug-resistant Shigella sp bacteria, 2019. The image addresses antimicrobial resistance. Image courtesy CDC.

A medical illustration depicts drug-resistant Shigella sp bacteria, 2019. The image addresses antimicrobial resistance. Image courtesy CDC. Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images hide caption

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Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images

Global Health

A new vaccine could vanquish a major cause of deadly diarrheal disease

Over 1 million people a year die from diarrheal disease. Nearly half are kids under age 5. A new vaccine in trials offers great hope.
The third album by Role Model, whose real name is Tucker Pillsbury, comes on the heels of his viral hit "Sally, When the Wine Runs Out." "I love that song for what it is," he says, but he knew by the time it was out he needed to move beyond it.

The third album by Role Model, whose real name is Tucker Pillsbury, comes on the heels of his viral hit "Sally, When the Wine Runs Out." "I love that song for what it is," he says, but he knew by the time it was out he needed to move beyond it. Chloe Chippendale hide caption

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Chloe Chippendale
The third album by Role Model, whose real name is Tucker Pillsbury, comes on the heels of his viral hit "Sally, When the Wine Runs Out." "I love that song for what it is," he says, but he knew by the time it was out he needed to move beyond it.

The third album by Role Model, whose real name is Tucker Pillsbury, comes on the heels of his viral hit "Sally, When the Wine Runs Out." "I love that song for what it is," he says, but he knew by the time it was out he needed to move beyond it. Chloe Chippendale hide caption

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Chloe Chippendale

Music

Can Role Model move past his viral moment by leaning into authenticity?

The singer, who had a viral hit last year with "Sally, When the Wine Runs Out," filled his follow-up album, Chuck Timely & The Hourglass, with dive bar jukebox melodies and live instrumentation.
Kalshi and Polymarket say allowing people to bet on the outcomes of clinical trials and FDA drug approvals provides valuable information about the drug development process. But researchers warn the bets could incentivize insider trading and interfere with the integrity of the process.

Kalshi and Polymarket say allowing people to bet on the outcomes of clinical trials and FDA drug approvals provides valuable information about the drug development process. But researchers warn the bets could incentivize insider trading and interfere with the integrity of the process. Fred Tanneau/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Fred Tanneau/AFP via Getty Images

Technology

Kalshi and Polymarket bets on clinical trials criticized as 'ghastly'

Researchers warn betting on clinical trials could incentivize insider trading and interfere with drug development. But Kalshi and Polymarket say they provide valuable information to patients.

Kalshi and Polymarket bets on clinical trials criticized as 'ghastly'

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