Extreme Heat In The West; Capitol Riot Probe; Why FEMA Aid Never Gets To The People Who Need It The Most

Plus, the revolutionary solar fridge that's keeping COVID vaccines cold in sub-Saharan Africa. [View this email online]( [NPR]( by Jill Hudson First Up [A display at an Olympia Federal Savings branch shows a temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit, Monday, June 28, 2021, in the early evening in Olympia, Wash.]( Ted S. Warren/AP Here's what we're following today. Heat-related illnesses have sent hundreds of people to emergency rooms on the West Coast and in Vancouver as temperatures hit unprecedented highs. [Read more about it](. At least three lawsuits have been filed in the partial collapse of the building in Surfside, Fla., and attorneys say more are coming. [Click here to read the story](. The House votes today on the creation of a select committee to investigate the January 6th attack on the Capitol. [Hear more about it](. For more breaking news, follow our Morning Edition [live blog here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listens [Donnie Speight, 77, and her husband, Stephen, survived Hurricane Laura in 2020. But they couldn't afford to fix most of the damage to their home in DeQuincy, La.]( Ryan Kellman/NPR When a hurricane destroys your house, the clock starts ticking. Every day without stable shelter puts survivors in danger. Sick people stop taking their medications, medical devises stop working and mold threatens everyone's health. FEMA is supposed to prevent that disaster after the disaster, but an NPR investigation finds that the people who most need help are the least likely to get it. [Hear the first report]( or [read it](. [An artistic image of what happens when a monstrous black hole collides with — and gulps down — a neutron star the size of a large city.]( Carl Knox/OzGrav/Swinburne Astronomers say they have spotted one monster eating another. A black hole swallowing a neutron star — a star more massive than our sun but only about the size of a city — has been observed for the first time ever. [Listen to NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce]( or [you can read her story](. Screencap by NPR/Cartoon Network For decades, children's cartoons have had queer-coded characters in the margins. Now, a new database shows that more animators are pushing for nuanced and overtly queer stories. [Click here to listen]( or [read the story](. [Mariama Koroma shows a revolutionary type of solar-powered refrigerator in the Songo Health Clinic, used to store vaccines. They don't use batteries but use a "direct-drive" system to store coldness.]( Jason Beaubien/NPR The challenge of refrigerating COVID-19 vaccines is acute in sub-Saharan Africa, where only 28% of health-care facilities have reliable power. One solution? Freezers powered by the sun. [Listen here]( or [read the details](. --------------------------------------------------------------- The Picture Show [Graduating senior Kameron Farmer stands for a portrait with her family outside Reynolds High School.]( Beth Nakamura for NPR Most of the class of 2020 experienced canceled or online-only graduation ceremonies, but this year many colleges are finding creative ways to celebrate their graduates in person. NPR attended a few ceremonies around the country, [and each had its own twist](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [This file photo shows the marble bust of Chief Justice Roger Taney that is currently displayed in the Old Supreme Court Chamber in the U.S. Capitol. The House voted Tuesday on a bill that would remove the bust from public display.]( J. Scott Applewhite/AP - The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to remove all Confederate statues from public display in the U.S. Capitol. [Read more here](. - How can your workplace be truly equitable to transgender people? Life Kit has [four good suggestions](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]