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June 5, 2022
This week, we look at the monkeypox outbreak and the shifting Uvalde police narrative. Plus, a stunning planetary phenomenon is visible this month.
Scott’s weekly weigh-in
Allison Dinner/AFP via Getty Images
A good weekend to you. I often worry that people think almost every idea must fall onto one side or another of our political divide. This can leave little room for compromise, much less original thinking.
And so it was especially interesting to interview Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, who tweeted just after the school shooting in Uvalde, “The Second Amendment did not come down from Sinai.” The cardinal sees his call for stronger gun laws as growing from his belief in the sanctity of all human life, which includes opposing capital punishment and supporting refugees and immigrants.
But he knows many who may cheer those views may also dispute his opposition to abortion, and vice versa, because it doesn’t match their own political grid. He is a thoughtful and engaging man, and interesting to hear in divisive times.
Just blocks north of the cardinal, we got to interview frontman Jeff Tweedy and drummer Glenn Kotche of Wilco in their studio loft — a kind of over-stuffed funhouse filled with recording equipment, guitars, drum sets, bunk beds and white ceramic cats. The band feels classified as alt-country for much of their career spanning 25 years. Their new album, Cruel Country, contains 21 songs about the country they both love and want to do better by, recorded in a studio that’s open to the sounds of the city. They are reflective and creative musical talents. (And they were kind enough to let me do a short riff on their drums — so can I say I’ve played with Wilco?)
Scott Simon is one of NPR's most renowned news anchors. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and one of the hosts of the morning news podcast Up First. Be sure to listen to him every Saturday on your local NPR station, and follow him on Twitter.
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Stories you might have missed
Allison Dinner/AFP via Getty Images
The police account of the Uvalde shooting has frequently shifted — and that’s rocking the public’s trust in the investigation. Authorities have repeatedly contradicted their own account with new intel, from the timing of the police response to whether the shooter was challenged as he entered Robb Elementary. Those inconsistencies are deepening the community’s pain and outrage. This rundown reveals how the narrative has changed over time.
One of Ukraine’s wealthiest men has set up his own infantry unit to fight the Russians. Vsevolod Kozhemyako made his fortune in grain production, storage and export. Now, he’s funding training, weapons and vehicles for his own Khartia battalion, a territorial defense squad on the front lines made up of farmers, carpenters and factory workers. Here’s a look inside.
Monkeypox rashes from the current outbreak strangely aren’t following all the tell-tale signs taught in textbooks. The world is facing its first international monkeypox outbreak — with 800 cases detected across the globe. But scientists are struggling to detect the virus, in part, because its symptoms don’t always seem to fit the classic monkeypox profile. This is what we know so far.
Summer reads
Jeannie Phan for NPR
Want to learn more about the 50 U.S. states? This reading list will lead you in the right direction. With the help of poets laureate, bookstore owners and librarians, we compiled more than 100 titles, whether you want to read about someplace you’re headed this summer or get to know your own home a little better. Peruse the list here — or submit your own recommendation!
Before you go…
Sarah Gonzales for NPR
In China, grueling hours used to be a point of pride – but now a younger generation of workers is rebelling. Meet Sang culture.
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