NPR

Videos and photographs of underwhelming meals like are going viral on the Chinese internet accompanied by the playful hashtag: #whitepeoplefood, or #白人饭 in Chinese.

This barista knows tipping is contentious. But tips also make up 10% to 20% of his pay — and he depends on them to make a livable wage. "I've never made more than $25,000 a year," Dylan Schenker said. For him, customers that don't tip are not understanding that businesses treat tips as a baked-in part of workers' wages. "If you aren't tipping, you are taking advantage of that labor.”

A remarkable fossil reveals a brutal scene from 125 million years ago — a “badger-sized” mammal sinking its teeth into a much larger dinosaur. The discovery shakes the traditional view of early mammals as cowering in the shadows from dinos, and suggests a more complex ancient food web. The encounter is preserved in stunning detail due to the eruption of a nearby ancient volcano, which buried the two animals almost instantly.

⚡️ JUST IN: Illinois is now the first state in the country to eliminate cash bail. The Illinois Supreme Court ruled today that a provision in the state's SAFE-T Act eliminating bail is constitutional. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed the legislation into law, and it was supposed to go into effect on Jan. 1, but it had been challenged by lawsuits from prosecutors and sheriffs across the state.

GM ☕️ A few headlines to start your day: • A Florida court will decide today when former President Donald Trump's classified documents case will go to trial. • U.S. special climate envoy John Kerry is in China to reestablish climate talks between the two countries. • The E.U. is offering hundreds of millions of dollars to Tunisia to help stem the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean into Europe and promote economic stability, a deal that has garnered criticism.

Here's a look at a few recent developments from Russia's war in Ukraine: • Zelenskyy left the NATO summit with assurance for long-term backing from the U.S. and other allies but no timeline on when Ukraine might join the alliance • Ukraine received cluster munitions from the U.S. The Pentagon said that compared to other cluster bombs, the munitions have a far lower "dud rate," or failure to explode. • Belarus said Russia's Wagner Group mercenaries agreed to train Belarusian soldiers.

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An experimental drug was shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer's by about 35%, scientists reported, and may soon be a new option to stave off memory loss. "This is the biggest effect that's ever been seen in an Alzheimer's trial for a disease-modifying drug," said Dr. Daniel Skrovonsky of Eli Lilly. The drug, donanemab, is not a cure, and its benefit amount to about a seven-month delay in the loss of memory and thinking, experts say.

GM 🌞 A few headlines to start your morning: • The only bridge linking Russia to Crimea has been damaged — and two people killed — in an apparent explosion that Russian officials are blaming on Ukraine. • Alabama's GOP-led legislature is holding a special session to approve new congressional districts after the Supreme Court said its current map weakens the power of Black voters. • The latest 2024 campaign fundraising numbers are out, with Biden raising $72 million from April to June.

The alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer had searched for updates in the investigation as recently as last month, authorities say. According to court documents, he impulsively searched for pictures of the victims and relatives, as well as questions like "why hasn't the long island serial killer been caught." Today, he was charged with the murders of three women.

50 years ago, an 18-year-old DJ Kool Herc played his sister’s back-to-school fundraiser in the rec room of their apartment building. But he and his friends sparked something much bigger.

Scientists found something surprising on a nearby asteroid: stardust 💫 The dust, which drifted from distant stars for millions or billions of years, is thought to be similar to grains that eventually helped form the planets — including Earth. In fact, stars created nearly all of the elements of the universe. Many of the atoms that make up our own bodies were forged in the core of a star somewhere else. Read more here 👇