Up First briefing: smoke and heat waves; French protests; gravitational waves Canadian wildfire smoke and heat make for unhealthy U.S. air. Protests erupt in France after police kill a teen boy during a traffic stop. A new physics discovery could help us understand black holes. Read more on NPR

Is gun violence an epidemic in the U.S.? Experts and history say it is Deaths and injuries from guns in the U.S. have increased for years, mirroring the 1990s – the last time gun violence was considered an epidemic. Read more on NPR

Fatal police shooting of teenager triggers protests and arrests across France The killing of a 17-year-old boy, captured on video, shocked the country and stirred up long-simmering tensions between young people and police in disadvantaged neighborhoods around France. Read more on NPR

Juan Wauters wants to connect with you, no matter what The Uruguayan-American musician reflects on identity, autonomy and how the pandemic changed his artistic process. Read more on NPR

AI-generated text is hard to spot. It could play a big role in the 2024 campaign Recent research shows how generative AI could make effective and cost efficient propaganda. It’s difficult to detect AI-generated text, raising concerns about the 2024 election. Read more on NPR