Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.

Today's top stories

Gun violence marred Fourth of July festivities in many cities nationwide. Eleven mass shootings have already occurred this month. Experts say the emotional impact of gun violence extends beyond those killed or injured.

A bullet casing is seen at the site of a mass shooting in the Brooklyn Homes neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland, on Sunday. Two people were killed and 28 others were wounded during the shooting at a block party on Saturday night.

A bullet casing is seen at the site of a mass shooting in the Brooklyn Homes neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland, on Sunday. Two people were killed and 28 others were wounded during the shooting at a block party on Saturday night. / Getty Images

  • NPR's Rhitu Chatterjee says on Up First that the people closest to the acts of violence face the highest risk of long-term mental health issues like hypervigilance, trouble sleeping and a sense of shattered safety. A Duke University psychologist told her communities like Sandy Hook or Columbine are forever changed when they become linked to mass violence.

President Biden is meeting with Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson today to discuss the country's NATO membership ratification before next week's summit. Sweden is still vying to join the alliance, but Turkey continues to block its application.

  • The administration has been trying to change Turkey's mind for months, according to NPR's Deepa Shivaram. Sweden's longtime reputation as a neutral country changed after Russia invaded Ukraine. Turkey claims Sweden is harboring Kurdish separatists that Turkey has designated terrorists. Last week, Erdogan also condemned Sweden's Quran-burning protest, which complicated the already long-standing conflict.

A federal judge blocked key Biden administration agencies and officials from communicating with tech companies yesterday. The lawsuit from Republican attorneys general in Missouri and Louisiana alleges illegal collusion between the Biden administration and the tech industry to unfairly censor conservative viewpoints through policies addressing misinformation.

  • The case "marks a new twist in Republican's complaints that tech companies are silencing their views," according to Washington Post reporter Cat Zakrezewski. These companies have argued that they have a First Amendment right to decide what appears on their websites. So, Republicans are focusing instead on the federal government's role in that process.

During the pandemic, millions of women lost their jobs or left the market to look after children and sick family members. Years later, women's participation in the workforce has rebounded more quickly than men's. May saw an all-time high in the share of women aged 25 to 54 working or looking for work.

Picture show

Rice mill workers start their day at the break of dawn. Some of them boil the paddy rice. Others carry it and spread it outside the rice mill to dry in the sun. To make sure that it dries properly, they rake it out, then sweep it back.

Rice mill workers start their day at the break of dawn. Some of them boil the paddy rice. Others carry it and spread it outside the rice mill to dry in the sun. To make sure that it dries properly, they rake it out, then sweep it back. / Md Tanveer Hassan Rohan

A rice field, a playground, piles of garbage — the 2023 Drone Photo Awards winners captured earthly images with dazzling results. Read the stories behind these stunning images.

Deep dive

A deep hole dug from layers of paper covered with text.

A deep hole dug from layers of paper covered with text. / NPR

Generative AI apps are more accessible than ever. While AI-generated images are still relatively easy to detect, spotting text written by AI is much harder. Experts are concerned about what this means for the 2024 election.

  • Stanford and Georgetown researchers found AI-generated articles affected reader opinion more than the foreign propaganda used to generate them. The researchers have submitted their findings for review.
  • Software for detecting machine-generated text often fails.
  • AI technology has also gotten less expensive, breaking down the cost barrier for bad actors.
  • The content doesn't have to be good. Machine-generated text can flood social media, making it hard for people to have a real conversation. 
A young male in a retro suit looks relaxed as he floats above the Montana countryside.

A young male in a retro suit looks relaxed as he floats above the Montana countryside. / Getty Images

  1. Have you ever had an out-of-body experience? Scientists say this sausage-like piece of the brain nestled between hemispheres could be responsible.
  2. Tipping has changed a lot since the pandemic began. Here are three reasons why.
  3. The fast fashion industry has become one of the world's biggest polluters. These innovators are looking to circular design to sustainably create clothing and reduce the industry's impact. 

This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Tags: Series: Up First  Series: Up First Newsletter