A bipartisan gun bill passes the Senate; why the media is bad at changing minds on climate change

Plus, Alexa could soon speak to you in the voice of a deceased loved one. [View this email online]( [NPR]( by Suzanne Nuyen First up [Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, the lead Republican negotiator, talks to reporters after giving a speech in support of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act at the Capitol on Wednesday.]( Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Here's what we're following today: A bipartisan gun control bill has passed in the Senate and moved to the House. If it becomes law, it would be the [first gun control legislation to come out of Congress]( in nearly three decades. Measures in the bill include incentivizing states to pass red flag laws and expanding background checks for 18- to 21-year-olds "Just say it was corrupt and leave the rest to me." Former DOJ officials testified yesterday on the pressure Trump put on them to [find evidence of voter fraud when it didn't exist]( and a tense showdown in the Oval Office. Here were the biggest takeaways from their testimony. ➡️ Many skeptics have called these hearings congressional show business. But they have achieved something rare: they’re surprisingly [tangible, understandable and substantive](. Climate change has impacted the world's water, air and land masses. To reinforce public belief. researchers found people need to hear the [same accurate messages again and again]( — but news media isn't designed that way. A historic shortage of housing and other factors have created a rental market that's setting records for a lack of vacancies and high costs. Renters are entering into bidding wars, landlords feel forced to raise prices dramatically and [low-income renters are being shut out completely](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Support This Newsletter With every story we report and every newsletter we deliver, our goal remains the same: to equip you with the facts needed to make informed decisions and better understand our world. We are a non-profit organization that works to keep you informed. [Your donation is what keeps NPR reporters vigorously focused on this work](. We hope you consider making a gift to your NPR station today to keep this newsletter (and many other great things) possible. [Donate Now]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Picture show [A bridge in Irpin, Ukraine, in April.]( Vladyslav Krasnoshchok Vladyslav Krasnoshchok describes himself as a "geopolitical surrealist" painter. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, he's been [photographing the war in stark black and white]( with a vintage Olympus 35 mm camera. --------------------------------------------------------------- Today’s listens [Jody Runge (left), Bev Smith, Peg Rees and Becky Sisley are four women who fought to make college sports change at the University of Oregon after Title IX banned discrimination based on sex in educational institutions fifty years ago.]( Celeste Noche for NPR Fifty years ago, Title IX banned discrimination based on sex in educational institutions. College sports had to change. 🎧 [Listen to how four women fought to make that happen]( or [read their stories](. The largest bacteria known to science have been discovered in the Caribbean. They're visible to the naked eye and surprisingly complex. 🎧​​​​​​​ [Listen and learn more about this remarkable scientific discovery]( or r[ead about it](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Weekend picks [Austin Butler stars as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis.]( Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Check out what [our critics]( are watching, reading and listening to this weekend: Movies: What happens when director Baz Luhrmann takes on the man, the myth, the legend? You get a hunk-a hunk-a burnin' excess of an [Elvis]( biopic. TV: Smart, funny, raw, tense, warm but not sentimental and, most of all, real. All episodes of FX's [The Bear]( — a story about a young wunderkind chef who returns to his family's greasy spoon — are available on Hulu, and it is fantastic. Books: Animals can perceive the world in ways humans can't even imagine. In [An Immense World]( Ed Yong explores the diversity of animal perception and the limits of our own. Music: Two years ago at what seemed to be the peak of his career, the rapper Logic announced he was retiring. He's back now with [Vinyl Days]( and wants to remind everyone: "I rap good! Let's just be honest here." --------------------------------------------------------------- Before you go [Amazon Echo and Echo Plus devices behind illuminated Echo Button devices during an event by the company in Seattle in September 2017.]( Elaine Thompson/AP - Alexa, I miss my dead relative: Amazon unveiled a new feature in the works for Alexa that can [read aloud in a deceased loved one's voice]( based on a short recording of the person. - The FDA has ordered Juul to take all of its vaping products out of the U.S. market — [sparking intense reactions]( both in and outside of the industry. - U.S. artistic swimmer Anita Alvarez suddenly passed out and sank to the bottom of the pool at the World Aquatics Championships. When lifeguards were dumbfounded, [her coach jumped into action]( and saved her life. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 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]