California in flames, with more to come

The speed and ferocity of the wildfires raging through Northern California's wine country and left officials and firefighters scrambling -- but for fire researchers, it's no surprise. Heat records have been broken this year in California, Oregon and Montana, and ongoing climate change promises more of the same in future years.

Alex Wong/Getty Images With Congress incapable of passing an Obamacare replacement, Trump has started chipping away at the law On Thursday as he signed an executive order allowing stripped-down health plans previously barred by the Affordable Care Act, President Trump promised "today is only the beginning." On Friday he proved it, halting subsidies targeting the lower middle class in move analysts say could destabilize health insurance exchanges. It may drive up premiums and cost the government billions of dollars. Stephanie Hayworth/University of Nottingham A misfit gastropod’s lonely life has ended — after just a little love Jeremy the snail had a very unusual shell, which curled to the left. The malformation meant Jeremy couldn’t properly procreate with his almost entirely right-shelled species. But the matchmakers at the BBC launched a worldwide search, and found Jeremy two potential partners. Who promptly fell for each other. Jeremy was found dead on Wednesday, but scientists discovered the story still has a happy ending. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Dozens dead and thousands of buildings burned, across an area the size of Maryland — and future years will be worse Uncontrolled infernos swept through California’s wine country this week, turning whole subdivisions into apocalyptic scenes. (Here’s how to help.) Fire researchers saw the same scenario play out in Montana and Oregon earlier this year as all three states coped with their hottest summers on record. Warm, dry years are spawning more large fires. And wildfire seasons last three months longer than they did 50 years ago. AP It turns out you shouldn’t manhandle and arrest a nurse just trying to do her job Salt Lake City Police Detective Jeff Payne is out of a job, and his supervisor has been suspended. In July, body camera footage showed him demonstrating, in his chief’s words, “extremely poor professional judgment” after nurse Alex Wubbels calmly told him they weren’t allowed to take blood for the police from an unconscious patient, at least without a warrant. Body camera footage showed her being dragged from the hospital and roughly handcuffed. Westend61/Getty Images/Westend61 Is 'American Pie' too moldy? Should 'Hotel California' be condemned? Does 'Macarena' make you muy furioso? Certain songs that get played so much that, while they’re classics for a reason, it would be understandable if you never wanted to hear them again. As a public service, All Songs Considered is trying to collect them all in one place (before presumably shooting that place into the sun). What beloved tunes would you load into a time capsule labeled “Open: Never”? You received this message because you're subscribed to our Best of NPR emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002