In a major shift, the U.S. government explores giving renters cash, not vouchers Federal housing vouchers are the largest rental aid program, but many landlords reject them. Experiments will test whether cash helps more people sign a lease. Read more on NPR

Venezuela’s opposition leader says he was forced to sign letter that admits defeat Venezuela’s former opposition candidate, Edmundo González, on Wednesday said he was coerced into signing a letter effectively recognizing his defeat in July’s presidential election. Read more on NPR

Portugal declares a state of calamity as wildfires rage out of control More than 100 wildfires stretched thousands of firefighters to the limit in northern Portugal on Wednesday, with seven deaths as fires spread out of control over the weekend. Read more on NPR

Sterlin Harjo didn’t see himself in the TV shows he watched – so he made one When Sterlin Harjo was growing up, he didn’t see many Native Americans in mainstream media. But Sterlin’s TV show, Reservation Dogs, changed that, depicting the lives of four Native teenagers growing up in Oklahoma. Sterlin talks to Rachel about…

Inside the Brooklyn jail where Sean Combs is locked up: violence, squalor and death As they fought to keep Sean “Diddy” Combs out of jail after his sex trafficking arrest, the music mogul’s lawyers highlighted a litany of horrors at the Brooklyn federal lockup where he was headed. Read more on NPR

Forget tedious paper applications, Americans can now renew passports online The State Department announced Wednesday that its online renewal system is now fully operational, after testing in pilot programs, and available to adult passport holders whose passport had expired within the past five years or will expire in the coming year. Read more on NPR

Vance says Haitian migrants with protected status are ‘illegal aliens’ to be deported The Republican vice presidential nominee continues to rail against Haitian migrants living in Ohio, though many have Temporary Protected Status, as the GOP escalates its hardline immigration stance. Read more on NPR

Here are 4 ways the Federal Reserve’s big rate cut could change the housing market Here’s a look at what the Federal Reserve’s rate cut will mean for those looking to buy — or sell — a home. Read more on NPR

Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to new sex crime charge in New York Prosecutors revealed last week that Weinstein had been indicted on additional sex crime charges that weren’t part of the case that led to his now-overturned 2020 conviction. Read more on NPR

In Kashmir, voting begins in first local elections since India revoked autonomy In Indian-controlled Kashmir, residents are voting in elections that some hope will lead to restoration of the territory’s statehood, which ended when it became a federally governed territory in 2019. Read more on NPR