California’s governor issues executive order for cities to clear homeless encampments California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Thursday urging cities to remove homeless encampments. But research shows clearing encampments doesn’t reduce homelessness in the long term. Read more on NPR

Russia sentences Russian American journalist to 6.5 years in secret trial On the same day that a Wall Street Journal reporter was convicted of espionage, Russian American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva was sentenced to six and a half years in prison in a similar case. Read more on NPR

Utah gets the Winter Olympics again Utah will host the 2034 winter Olympics, an honor it first had in 2002. The announcement came on the same day the state celebrates its founding by Mormon leader Brigham Young. There are critics and memories of a 2002 bribery scandal. Read more on NPR

The story of the church that ordains you with a few clicks online Over 60 years ago, the Universal Life Church made it possible for anyone to become a minister and ordain a wedding. Today, weddings officiated by family and friends have become a huge part of the way Americans get married. Read more on…

This week in science: Chimpanzee ‘conversations,’ deep ocean oxygen and rogue waves NPR’s Ailsa Chang talks with Regina Barber and Emily Kwong of Short Wave about chimpanzee “conversations,” oxygen from the bottom of the ocean and how a computer program may warn of rogue waves. Read more on NPR

How Delaware — Biden’s home state — is reacting to the end of his campaign Joe Biden has been part of the Delaware political scene for decades. Delawareans react to the announcement that he won’t run for reelection. Read more on NPR

Travelers will no longer be able to choose open seats on Southwest Airlines flights Southwest Airlines announced that it will drop the open seating model it’s used since its founding more than 50 years ago. The airline is under pressure to boost profits. Read more on NPR

A preview of tomorrow’s unique opening of the Paris Summer Olympic Games The Olympic games begin Friday. For the first time in the modern era, the opening ceremony won’t be in a stadium. The Games will kick off with a parade through Paris in boats along the river Seine. Read more on NPR

The family politics behind J.D. Vance’s ‘childless cat ladies’ comment NPR’s Ailsa Chang talks with Jessica Winter of The New Yorker about J.D. Vance’s politics, particularly his views around the importance of having children. Read more on NPR

U.S. gets its first big economic report card after Biden drops his campaign The health of the economy always looms large for voters. So the report should be great news for President Biden and Vice President Harris. But the reality is, a lot of Americans aren’t feeling it. Read more on NPR