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Today's top stories
Despite two criminal indictments, former President Donald Trump remains popular with Republican voters. Now, he could face a third indictment related to his actions during the Jan. 6 insurrection and his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Leaders from seven top tech companies, including Google, Microsoft and OpenAI, will join President Biden at the White House today to announce voluntary commitments they've made on sharing, testing and developing new AI technology.
For years, the Pentagon has denied that U.S. troops harmed civilians during a 2019 raid on ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Syria. It claimed that two Syrian men who were killed and one wounded were combatants. NPR has analyzed internal documents and found flaws in that claim.
Consumers might find some relief with travel, gas and egg prices down, but homebuyers have no such luck. The median home price rose to $413,800 — the second highest ever, and rent has also risen 26% since February 2020. The high prices are driven by high interest rates and a low housing inventory.
Life advice
Few things feel better than entering an air-conditioned room after spending time in the oppressive heat. But engineers say AC systems are only designed to keep indoor temperatures 20 degrees cooler than outside, which means they can struggle during heat waves. Here's how you can maximize your AC's efficiency.
Weekend picks
Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:
Movies: Are you team Barbie or team Oppenheimer? Pop Culture Happy Hour host Aisha Harris writes that while Barbie could be corporate propaganda, sometimes it can be "fun as hell."
TV: Does Justified: City Primeval work as a reboot? NPR's Eric Deggans looks at the show's good and bad and compares it to other big reboots.
Books: Award-winning author and illustrator Jon Klassen loves a scary story. That's why his latest work, The Skull, is darker than his past children's books (don't worry — he promises it's not too scary).
Music: If you're among the thousands with Barbenheimer tickets, here's the perfect playlist for your double-feature pregame.
Games: It's been a huge year for video games. NPR's resident gaming nerds compiled an extensive list of the best ones so far. Check it out — there's something for everyone here.
Theater: Here Lies Love opened this week. The $22 million musical, scored by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, literally turns the Broadway Theatre into a disco
Quiz: Can you beat my weekly news quiz score? I got a 9/10 - my highest yet!
3 things to know before you go
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.
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