4-Day Workweeks Work; How David Hasselhoff Became A Rock God In Germany; Is Voting On Your Phone Safe?

Plus, an exclusive NPR interactive on one town's struggle with flooding.

Stories And Podcasts You May Have Missed Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg via Getty Images Workers at Microsoft Japan enjoyed an enviable perk this summer: working four days a week and still getting their normal, five-day paycheck. The result, the company says, was a productivity boost of 40%. The first U.S. census to allow all households to participate online is facing another unprecedented challenge — the looming threat of disinformation through social media. Being a mom without a husband in China leaves many women in a legal gray zone in which they are unable to access medical services for themselves and their children. Some women are even fined. There’s new evidence that girls start out with the same math abilities as boys, according to a new study. The finding challenges the idea that more boys than girls end up in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) because they are inherently better at the sort of thinking those fields require. In a leaked video posted Tuesday by the right-wing activist group Project Veritas, news anchor Amy Robach expresses her frustration to a colleague over ABC's failure to broadcast her interview with a key accuser of the late Jeffrey Epstein. President Trump is calling for the whistleblower whose complaint sparked the impeachment inquiry to be identified, presenting the question of whether it would be a crime for Trump to unmask the anonymous whistleblower.  Newsletter continues after sponsor message This Week's Best Listens How David Hasselhoff became a rock 'n' roll God in Germany. Frank Hoensch/Getty Images On New Year's Eve of 1989, David Hasselhoff sang his hit song "Looking for Freedom" while hoisted by a crane above the Berlin Wall to an estimated half-million Berliners. "I grew up with the idea that he was responsible for breaking down the wall," remembers 36-year-old fan Thomas Erdmann. ► LISTEN Voting on your phone may be in the near future. But is it a good idea? Despite unanswered questions about security and transparency, mobile voting pilots aimed at overseas and military voters are moving forward in a number of states. ► LISTEN NPR Exclusive Interactive Climate change: After the water.  Ryan Kellman/NPR The most dangerous and immediate threat from climate change in the U.S. is flooding. For small towns, the threat is existential, and the answers are not obvious. Ellicott City is an old Maryland mill town that has long faced flooding — but with climate change, the floods have become bigger, faster and more deadly. People in Ellicott City recently made the painful decision to destroy part of historic Main Street to save the rest of the town. This NPR exclusive interactive tells their story.  Our Picture Show Picks Scientists "freeze in" to study a warming Artic.  Ravenna Koenig/NPR High up in the Arctic Ocean close to the North Pole, a solitary ship floats in darkness, moored to an expansive piece of ice. If all goes according to plan, the ship will remain with that ice for an entire year, so that scientists onboard can study the Arctic system and how it's responding to climate change.   The doctor will Skype you now. Bangladesh’s low-lying, temporary “char” islands are home to more than 6 million people, many of whom face repeated displacement from flooding and erosion. They are also at risk for a range of health ailments, including malnutrition and malaria, but are often cut off from medical services. A new service could help. — By Suzette Lohmeyer What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback:  bestofnpr@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings  — including Daily News, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy