Tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate and hundreds of structures have been destroyed amid the wildfires continuing to burn in Spokane, Washington. For those looking to help the people affected, GoFundMe has set up a hub of verified fundraisers supporting local nonprofits and families who will need to rebuild and recover after the fires.
Must Reads
Not too late: A new initiative is on a mission to help 100 of the world’s most threatened species make a comeback — meet the species
Tiny Island Nation Reclaims Its Original Name of Naoero
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The world’s third-smallest country by population size has made a poignant change to its name — going by Naoero (pronounced “Now-ero”) instead of Nauru (“Now-roo”). But the name isn’t really new. According to The Guardian, the atoll within the Oceania region became known internationally as Nauru for convenience’s sake, because many foreigners struggled to pronounce Naoero. The South Pacific island nation was colonized by Germany in the late 19th century and later administered by Australia until it became an independent republic in 1968. Other associated changes include adjusting the country code from NRU to NRO and referring to the island’s people as dei-Naoero rather than Nauruan. The shift marks “the beginning of renewed national pride,” per last week’s announcement from the government. The statement continued: “The name Naoero has never been lost, but rather waiting to be fully embraced.”
Together With Outskill
Your Call to Join the Claude-athon Happening This Weekend
In the U.S., 87,714 people lost their jobs due to AI from January to May 2026. Meanwhile, Fortune 500 companies are paying a 62% salary premium to people with AI skills. Claude is one of the premier platforms out there — so do you know how to use it to your advantage? Outskill hosts the world’s first Claude-athon, led by mentors who have condensed 800-plus hours of Claude research, articles, YouTube content, and real-world practice into a focused 16-hour curriculum. You’ll learn how to master Claude’s three modes, vibe code apps, and dashboards without writing code, and hear about more than 10 other AI tools and workflows that pair with Claude. It’s Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET: Sign up below.
Meet Yoko Morishita, the World’s Oldest Prima Ballerina
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When Yoko Morishita was 3 years old, she started ballet on the advice of a physician who noticed she was weak and recommended exercise to strengthen her body. Over seven decades later, the 77-year-old Japanese dancer is recognized as the world’s oldest active prima ballerina, and she’s not likely to be resting on her laurels anytime soon. According to The Wall Street Journal, the star of the Matsuyama Ballet Company trains for at least six hours a day, six days a week (and stretches on her day off). This November, she’s set to play Clara in The Nutcracker for the 45th time, a role she’s preparing for one lesson at a time. “Once today is over, I think about tomorrow’s lesson,” she told the outlet. “Before I knew it, 75 years had passed.” See the septuagenarian dance en pointe.
Environment
Sharks Don’t Pay Much Attention to Humans, Study Finds
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With headlines about summer shark sightings abounding, this story is rather reassuring: A first-of-its-kind study found that sharks can pick up the sounds of humans from over 100 feet away — stay with us! — and largely ignore us. Researchers at Cal State Long Beach’s Shark Lab tagged juvenile white sharks in the Pacific and played them recordings of people doing three water activities: freestyle swimming, kayaking, and paddling on a surfboard. Preliminary findings indicate that sharks can not only differentiate the three sounds but also tend to tune out the noise, with gentler, continuous sounds (like kayaking) eliciting little reaction. “We don’t look like food. We don’t smell like food. We don’t sound like food. And, therefore, they ignore us,” Chris Lowe, the director of Shark Lab, told Good Morning America. He added: “If you watch Shark Week, if you watch Jaws, you’re under this impression that if a white shark’s nearby it’s going to come get you. That is not the case. We are just floating objects.” This adds to the slew of research showing that sharks don’t have a hankering for humans (phew) and prefer animals with a high fat and blubber content, like seals. But even though attacks are exceedingly rare, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on safety tips for extra peace of mind.
In Other News
In what’s believed to be a world first, California produced more than half of its May electricity from solar (read more)
Virginia restored voting and other civil rights for over 66,000 formerly incarcerated individuals (read more)
It’s official:U.S. men’s soccer coach Mauricio Pochettino is staying with the team through the next World Cup (read more)
A hummingbird’s tiny broken wing was realigned with the help of expertly used tweezers and medical tape (read more)
“BIG news arriving from above”: See the new fire service aircraft that can drop 4,000 gallons of retardant (read more)
Something We Love
Vuori Performance Jogger These are the perfect wear-anywhere joggers. They’re so stretchy and soft — comfy enough to exercise in or wear around the house all day, but still polished enough to wear out and about. I also love that they come in tall sizes! – Stephanie Baxter, Staff Writer
If you’re in need of a kind stranger in Philadelphia, a group of four college grads have your back. The friends are ready and willing to help neighbors with everyday tasks on a free or pay-what-you-wish model, aptly naming the initiative Kind Stranger. So far, they’ve got 15 jobs under their belts, including house cleaning and preparing a space for someone returning home from the hospital. “I understand how it feels to be overwhelmed and feel like you can’t ask for help and you’re alone,” said one of the group’s members, Carter Karpinski.
Photo of the Day
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Congrats to Alexandra Eala! On Monday, the 21-year-old tennis phenom won the DC Open, becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA Tour-level singles title. “I’m really, really, proud,” she said, per AFP, adding: “At the beginning of the week, there is no way I would have thought that I would be holding this trophy. Even at the beginning of the year. These things kind of creep up on you and I hold these moments really close to me.” Watch her reaction to the win.
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