A year after Dobbs and the end of Roe v. Wade, there’s chaos and confusion With states empowered to regulate abortion, doctors say they’re trapped by vague laws that criminalize care. And ongoing court battles make it hard to keep up with the procedure’s legal status. Read more on NPR

For amateur astronomers, ‘star parties’ are the antidote to light-polluted skies Each year in northern Pennsylvania, hundreds of stargazers attend gatherings under increasingly rare dark skies to look for faint galaxies, star clusters and nebulae. Read more on NPR

Japan’s plan to boost its birthrate raises doubt. But one city has reason for hope For years, Japanese leaders have tried to halt the country’s falling birthrate. They might find lessons in the city of Akashi, whose population has been growing. Read more on NPR

Putin denounces Wagner actions as treason, promises harsh punishment Russian president Vladimir Putin described the actions of the head of the private military Wagner Group as an act of rebellion and a crime against Russia Read more on NPR