A COVID-19 Vaccine May Only Be 50% Effective; China's New Space Plane; Guns And America

Plus, what is important to Gen Z in this year's election?

by Jill Hudson and Suzette Lohmeyer Firdia Lisnawati) Firdia Lisnawati/AP Here are a few stories and podcasts you may have missed...  Human activities have caused the world's wildlife populations to plummet by more than two-thirds in the last 50 years, according to a new report. "The findings are clear," the report states. "Our relationship with nature is broken." As we get closer to a COVID-19 vaccine, it's exciting to imagine a day when the virus is gone. But a vaccine may be only about 50% effective. Is that good enough? Plus, a new study shows that adults who tested positive for the coronavirus were about twice as likely to have dined at a restaurant within a two-week period prior to becoming sick.  A commercial satellite photo may reveal a new Chinese space plane just moments after it landed at a remote site on the western side of China. So what do experts think it was?  An NPR and PBS Frontline investigation found that the oil and gas industry sold the public on an idea it knew wouldn't work — that the majority of plastic could be, and would be, recycled — all while making billions of dollars selling the world new plastic. Newsletter continues after sponsor message Listen Up! Getty Images Gen Z's formative years have been pockmarked by recession, war, a climate crisis, mass shootings, endless videos of police violence and now a global pandemic. NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with young voters about the issues that matter most to them. (Listen here or read the transcript). Plus, will 2020 be the year of the young voter? Read about that here.  Hilary Swank is known for her dramatic, Academy Award-winning roles in Boys Don't Cry and Million Dollar Baby. But her current dream role is to take the lead in an action movie. "I don't want to be the girl in the bikini in James Bond. I want to be Jane Bond," she told NPR's Ask Me Another host Ophira Eisenberg. Plus hear Hilary Swank talk parrots with NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro.  Albert Petrocelli died from COVID-19 in April, at 73 years old, marking the second time the Petrocelli family was touched by a national tragedy. Nearly two decades earlier, Petrocelli, a retired New York City fire chief, and his wife, Ginger, lost their youngest son, Mark, in the attacks on the World Trade Center. In a 2005 interview with StoryCorps, they remember Mark, a commodities broker who was just two days shy of his 29th birthday when he died. Only On NPR NPR Discover a social media empire with an unapologetic vision of gun rights — generating millions of likes, follows and dollars. From Guns & America, reporters Lisa Hagen of WABE and Chris Haxel of KCUR expose how three brothers from the most uncompromising corner of the gun debate are turning hot-button issues into donations and controversy. Photos Of The Wildfires In Oregon Bradley W. Parks/Oregon Public Broadcasting Deadly wildfires in northwest Oregon have forced hundreds of thousands of residents to flee their homes, while people in the southern part of the state start to assess their losses. Photographers Bradley W. Parks and Jonathan Levinson have been covering the wildfires for NPR member station Oregon Public Broadcasting. Here are their photos. Plus, why firefighting alone won't stop wildfires.  The Culture Club Jason Miller/Getty Images for Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame "The sound of Black life is more than a rejoinder or rebuttal to white violence," writes Ashon Crawley, author of The Lonely Letters and Blackpentecostal Breath. "It flowers. It unfolds. It provides safety and refuge. This moment, the ongoing time like this, is matched with the propulsion of Black livingness. Can you sense it, this propulsion, as sound and song? That is the sound of Twinkie Clark on the Hammond organ." Don't skip even the prologue of Bob Woodward's new book on President Trump, says NPR's Ron Elving. Woodward's Rage opens on the Oval Office, where the two top officials from the president's national security team are telling him that COVID-19 is a major threat to the U.S. and far worse than the flu. The date? Jan. 28, 2020.  NPR’s Guy Raz turned some of his How I Built This conversations into in-depth stories of the founders and the way they achieved success. Listen to Guy talk about his book here.  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