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An Apple store employee stands inside the store in New York on Feb. 5, 2021. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Coalition of Organized Retail Employees, which represents the employees at a Apple store location in Maryland, announced Friday, July 26, 2024 that it struck a three-year deal with the company that will increase pay by an average of 10% and offer other benefits to workers. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File )

An Apple store employee stands inside the store in New York on Feb. 5, 2021. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Coalition of Organized Retail Employees, which represents the employees at a Apple store location in Maryland, announced Friday, July 26, 2024 that it struck a three-year deal with the company that will increase pay by an average of 10% and offer other benefits to workers. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File ) Mark Lennihan/AP hide caption

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Mark Lennihan/AP

National

Apple reaches tentative contract agreement with unionized store employees in Maryland

The Apple store in the Baltimore suburb of Towson was the first in the U.S. to unionize. The contract agreement must be approved by roughly 85 employees there. A vote is scheduled for Aug. 6.
A sign outside the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice building is seen in Washington, May 4, 2021. Two former FBI officials have settled lawsuits Friday, July 26, 2024, with the Justice Department to resolve claims that their privacy was violated when the department leaked to the news media text messages that they had sent one another that disparaged former President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

A sign outside the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice building is seen in Washington, May 4, 2021. Two former FBI officials have settled lawsuits Friday, July 26, 2024, with the Justice Department to resolve claims that their privacy was violated when the department leaked to the news media text messages that they had sent one another that disparaged former President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) Patrick Semansky/AP hide caption

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Patrick Semansky/AP

National

Two former FBI officials settle lawsuits with Justice Department over leaked messages

The settlements resolve claims their privacy rights were violated when the DOJ leaked to the news media text messages that they had sent one another that disparaged former President Trump.
Seen in a long exposure photograph, the Park Fire burns along Highway 32 in the Forest Ranch community of Butte County, Calif., on Thursday.

Seen in a long exposure photograph, the Park Fire burns along Highway 32 in the Forest Ranch community of Butte County, Calif., on Thursday, July 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Noah Berger/AP hide caption

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Noah Berger/AP

National

California's largest wildfire explodes in size as fires rage across U.S. West

California's largest active fire exploded in size on Friday evening, growing rapidly amid bone-dry fuel and threatening thousands of homes as firefighters scrambled to meet the danger.
Palestinian children are sitting on a street flooded with sewage water in Deir el-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on July 23, 2024, as municipal infrastructures are failing due to Israeli bombardment of the besieged Palestinian territory amid the ongoing conflict with the Hamas movement. The World Health Organization is saying on July 23 that up to 14,000 people are needing medical evacuations from Gaza and is saying it is ''extremely worried'' that diseases could cause more deaths than war injuries after poliovirus is detected in the territory's sewage.

Palestinian children are sitting on a street flooded with sewage water in Deir el-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on July 23, 2024, as municipal infrastructures are failing due to Israeli bombardment of the besieged Palestinian territory amid the ongoing conflict with the Hamas movement. The World Health Organization is saying on July 23 that up to 14,000 people are needing medical evacuations from Gaza and is saying it is ''extremely worried'' that diseases could cause more deaths than war injuries after poliovirus is detected in the territory's sewage. Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images/NurPhoto hide caption

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Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images/NurPhoto

Goats and Soda

Investigators search Gaza for cases of polio after the virus turns up in wastewater

The territory hasn't had any polio cases for 25 years but this suggests the virus is spreading. Polio experts are scrambling to figure out the origins and whether or not there are active cases.

ATC & digital Friday 7/26: Polio in Gaza sewage

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Democrats cheer for Vice President Harris at a rally — the first of her campaign — in Milwaukee on July 23, 2024.

Democrats cheer for Vice President Harris at a rally — the first of her campaign — in Milwaukee on July 23, 2024. Jim Vondruska/Getty Images hide caption

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Jim Vondruska/Getty Images

Politics

From doom scrolling to hope scrolling: this week’s big Democratic vibe shift

Out: Tom Petty. In: Beyoncé. We look at what's behind the jarring vibe shift in the Democratic campaign this week.

The 180-shift in the Democratic campaign

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A Sig Sauer P320 9mm handgun from the display case at That Hunting Store in Ottawa, Canada.

A Sig Sauer P320 9mm handgun from the display case at That Hunting Store in Ottawa, Canada. Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images

National

Sig Sauer guns hanging on soldiers’ hips may be firing without trigger pull

 New Hampshire Public Radio

On military bases from Virginia to the Middle East, pistols made by New Hampshire-based Sig Sauer have allegedly fired without a trigger pull, seriously wounding soldiers in some instances.

Sig Sauer guns hanging on soldiers’ hips may be firing without trigger pull

Audio will be available later today.
Opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia (right) and party leader María Corina Machado wave to supporters in Las Mercedes on Thursday during their closing campaign event.

Opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia (right) and party leader María Corina Machado wave to supporters in Las Mercedes on Thursday during their closing campaign event. Lexi Parra for NPR hide caption

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Lexi Parra for NPR

Year of Global Elections

Sunday's election could bring dramatic change to Venezuela

Venezuela is holding a presidential election on Sunday that could bring dramatic change to the nation, if the opposition candidate can really knock out longtime President Nicolás Maduro.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, wearing Boeing spacesuits, wave as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center for Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to board the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for the Crew Flight Test launch, on June 5.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, wearing Boeing spacesuits, wave as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center for Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to board the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for the Crew Flight Test launch, on June 5. Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP via Getty Images

Opinion

Simon Says

Think you have a rough travel story? Try 52 days stuck in space

Two astronauts have been hanging out on the International Space Station since last month, waiting for the Boeing capsule that got them there to be repaired to bring them home.

ESSAY 7-27-2024

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WATCH

MORE VIDEOS

Bill Callahan: Tiny Desk Concert

Bill Callahan's new album, Resuscitate!, is out now. Watch him play a Tiny Desk (home) concert with a trumpeter and guitarist in 2020.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara speaks to the press after a multi-person shooting in the city on Feb. 27, 2024. O'Hara says the police department is staffed 40% below what it was in 2020.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara speaks to the press after a multi-person shooting in the city on Feb. 27, 2024. O'Hara says the police department is staffed 40% below what it was in 2020. Alex Kormann/Star Tribune via Getty Images hide caption

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Alex Kormann/Star Tribune via Getty Images

National

Police departments are offering big raises. Does it work?

Police officers in many U.S. cities have recently gotten large pay boosts. Departments are offering these raises to combat understaffing, but some say the money won’t help.

Police departments are offering big raises. Does it work?

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An electron microscope image of a Listeria monocytogenes bacterium, which has been linked to an outbreak spread through deli meat. Boar's Head recalled meat on Friday, after two deaths and 33 hospitalizations linked to Listeria.

An electron microscope image of a Listeria monocytogenes bacterium, which has been linked to an outbreak spread through deli meat. Boar's Head recalled meat on Friday, after two deaths and 33 hospitalizations linked to Listeria. Elizabeth White/AP/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hide caption

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Elizabeth White/AP/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National

Boar's Head recalls 200,000 pounds of deli meat linked to a Listeria outbreak

The Food Safety and Inspection Service made the announcement Friday. There are 34 cases of Listeria from deli meat across 13 states, including two people who died of Thursday, according to the CDC.
Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool and Hugh Jackman is Wolverine.

Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool and Hugh Jackman is Wolverine. Jay Maidment/20th Century Studios hide caption

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Jay Maidment/20th Century Studios

Review

Movie Reviews

'Deadpool & Wolverine' is a self-cannibalizing slog

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have good, thorny chemistry in this odd-couple action hero flick. But brand extension disguised as a satire of brand extension is still just ... brand extension.

'Deadpool & Wolverine' is a self-cannibalizing slog

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A furtive, red glowing hand sneaks up behind text message bubbles, capturing them, representing a text scam.
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Moor Studio/Getty Images
A furtive, red glowing hand sneaks up behind text message bubbles, capturing them, representing a text scam.
Moor Studio/Getty Images

Life Kit

8 simple things you can do to protect yourself from getting scammed

Scams can happen to anyone. Experts explain how to safeguard your data and money from being exploited or stolen by fraudsters.

8 good habits that can protect you from getting scammed

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  • Transcript
A Sudanese girl who has fled from the war with her family arrives at a refugee transit center. The conflict that began in April 2023 has displaced millions and created a humanitarian crisis.

A Sudanese girl who has fled from the war with her family arrives at a refugee transit center. The conflict that began in April 2023 has displaced millions and created a humanitarian crisis. Luis Tato/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Luis Tato/AFP via Getty Images

Goats and Soda

Why Sudan is being called a 'humanitarian desert'

An emergency coordinator from Doctors Without Borders has seen crises around the world but says she's never seen anything like this. A new report from the aid group underscores her assessment.

Civilians in Sudan face violence from both warring sides, humanitarian group says

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In the Bethel Park community where the shooter lived, residents tend to keep to themselves.

In the Bethel Park community where the shooter lived, residents tend to keep to themselves. John Altdorfer for NPR hide caption

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John Altdorfer for NPR

National

Trump gunman’s hometown of Bethel Park reels after assassination attempt

The working-class town of about 30,000 just outside of Pittsburgh was rattled after learning the gunman came from their community, but most are hoping to put the violent episode behind them.

Neighbors in Bethel Park are still reeling from the Trump assassination attempt

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Nick Gelos, Fire Captain with CalFire at the Gabilan Conservation Camp, holds the fire line on Route 32 northeast of Chico along with an inmate hand crew in the early morning of July 26, 2024. The crew drove from Monterrey to assist with the Park Fire.

Nick Gelos, Fire Captain with CalFire at the Gabilan Conservation Camp, holds the fire line on Route 32 northeast of Chico along with an inmate hand crew in the early morning of July 26, 2024. The crew drove from Monterrey to assist with the Park Fire. Beth LaBerge/KQED hide caption

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Beth LaBerge/KQED

As massive park fire rages, crews fight to save rural communities near Chico

 KQED

The Park Fire has already destroyed at least 134 structures, pushed some 4,000 people from their homes and charred more than 178,000 acres since it ignited Wednesday afternoon. It was expected to continue to grow Friday amid hot, dry conditions and gusts of up to 30 mph, fire officials said.
Jeeps are delivered to a dealership in Chicago on June 20, 2024. Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep, reported disappointing earnings for the first half of 2024.

Jeeps are delivered to a dealership in Chicago on June 20, 2024. Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep, reported disappointing earnings for the first half of 2024. Scott Olson/Getty Images/Getty Images North America hide caption

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Scott Olson/Getty Images/Getty Images North America

Business

U.S. automakers had a punishing week — with a silver lining for shoppers

The four major U.S. automakers — GM, Ford, Stellantis and Tesla — all reported earnings this week and saw their stocks decline. The auto industry is at a "Darwinian" inflection point, says one CEO.

Automakers report earnings

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TheTruthAboutDragons_9781250820587_INT_01.jpg
Hanna Cha / Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Picture This

To learn 'The Truth About Dragons,' go on a quest through this kids' book

A little boy must go on a hero's quest — through woods full of oak trees and a bamboo forest — to discover "The Truth About Dragons" in Julie Leung and Hanna Cha's Caldecott Honor children's book.

PICTURE THIS: THE TRUTH ABOUT DRAGONS

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This image provided by the U.S. Department of State shows Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel. Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of another infamous cartel leader, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas, the U.S. Justice Department said Thursday, July 25, 2024. (U.S. Department of State via AP)

This image provided by the U.S. Department of State shows Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel. Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of another infamous cartel leader, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas, the U.S. Justice Department said Thursday, July 25, 2024. (U.S. Department of State via AP) AP/U.S. Department of State hide caption

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AP/U.S. Department of State

National

U.S. authorities arrest top Sinaloa cartel leader and son of 'El Chapo'

Ismael Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of another cartel leader, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas, the U.S. Justice Department said.
Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., used an AI program on her iPad to speak in the chamber of the House of Representatives on July 25.

Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., used an AI program on her iPad to speak in the chamber of the House of Representatives on July 25. House Television via AP hide caption

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House Television via AP

Politics

A neurological disease stole Rep. Jennifer Wexton's voice. AI helped her get it back.

Wexton spoke on the House floor Wednesday using an "augmentative and alternative communication" program.

Wexton uses AI voice on floor

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A view from the Oak Tree Grove June 28, 2024 in Dos Rios State Park in Modesto, California.

A view from the Oak Tree Grove June 28, 2024 in Dos Rios State Park in Modesto, California. Geloy Concepcion for NPR hide caption

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Geloy Concepcion for NPR

Environment

California's newest state park is like a time machine

California's newest state park just opened this summer — and a visit is like stepping into a time machine as its creators reimagine what a state park can be.

California's newest state park is like a time machine

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A bipartisan bill seeks to ban octopus farming in the U.S., outlawing a practice that has drawn controversy in Spain. Here, an octopus is seen at the Oceanopolis sea center in Brest, western France.

A bipartisan bill seeks to ban octopus farming in the U.S., outlawing a practice that has drawn controversy in Spain. Here, an octopus is seen at the Oceanopolis sea center in Brest, western France. Fred Tanneau/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Fred Tanneau/AFP via Getty Images

Animals

Octopus farming in the U.S. would be banned under a new bill in Congress

The OCTOPUS Act would ban farming the animal, and imports of farmed meat. It was introduced by a senator whose office says he learned about the plan through a story on NPR.
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