Listen To This Story

It’s a 12-Foot Tall Bird That Has Been Extinct for 600 Years — Can the Giant Moa Be Resurrected? (Maria) 

The author writes, “The giant moa is the tallest bird known to have walked on Earth. For thousands of years, the wingless herbivore patrolled New Zealand, feasting on trees and shrubs, until the arrival of humans. … But this week, the US startup Colossal Biosciences has announced that the giant moa has joined the woolly mammoth, dodo and  Tasmanian tiger on its list of animals it is trying to bring back from the dead. The announcement has provoked public excitement — and deep skepticism from many experts.”

Florida Lawmakers Who Were Denied Access to ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Sue Gov. DeSantis (Reader Steve) 

From AP News: “Thursday’s filing with the state Supreme Court is the most significant action yet by state officials seeking to challenge the DeSantis administration’s decision to construct and operate the 3,000-bed makeshift detention center at an isolated airstrip surrounded by swampland. The lawmakers argue that DeSantis and Kevin Guthrie, the director of Florida’s emergency management division, unlawfully restricted the Legislature’s independence as a co-equal branch of government in denying them access to the facility on July 3. Under Florida law, legislators are among officials who can visit all state correctional institutions ‘at their pleasure.’”

What We Know About Elon Musk’s Texas Lobbyists and Their Influence (Dana) 

The author writes, “Musk, the billionaire businessman behind carmaker Tesla and aerospace company SpaceX, influenced several new Texas laws this year. How his lobbyists came about these wins, however, is more of a mystery. His lobbyists, who represented Tesla, SpaceX and the social media giant X Corp., spent tens of thousands of dollars on things like gifts and meals for Texas elected officials and others during the session, according to an analysis of state ethics data. In most cases, Texas transparency laws do not require lobbyists to disclose which politicians they wined and dined or on behalf of which clients.”

DHS Tells Police That Common Protest Activities Are ‘Violent Tactics’ (Reader Jim) 

From WIRED: “The Department of Homeland Security is urging local police to consider a wide range of protest activity as violent tactics, including mundane acts like riding a bike or livestreaming a police encounter, WIRED has learned. Threat bulletins issued during last month’s ‘No Kings’ protests warn that the US government’s aggressive immigration raids are almost certain to accelerate domestic unrest, with DHS saying there’s a ‘high likeliness’ more Americans will soon turn against the agency, which could trigger confrontations near federal sites. Blaming intense media coverage and backlash to the US military deployment in Los Angeles, DHS expects the demonstrations to ‘continue and grow across the nation’ as protesters focused on other issues shift to immigration, following a broad ‘embracement of anti-ICE messaging.’”

IRS Says Churches Can Endorse Political Candidates Without Losing Tax Exemptions (Sean) 

The author writes, “The IRS made the statement in a court case challenging the Johnson Amendment, a 1954 U.S. tax code provision that prohibits all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations — including churches — from formally endorsing or opposing political candidates. In a filing Monday aimed at resolving a lawsuit between the National Religious Broadcasters and others against the IRS, the parties jointly agreed that churches can endorse candidates without fear of losing their tax-exempt status. The agreement likens such endorsements to a ‘family discussion concerning candidates.’”

Pope Leo XIV Approves New Mass Centered on Care for the Environment (Laura) 

From The Salt Lake Tribune: “As record‑breaking heat scorches much of Europe — with triple‑digit temperatures, wildfires and deaths reported — the Vatican released a new liturgy Thursday for Mass reflecting concern for the environment, offering prayers, readings and hymns that highlight the church’s responsibility to protect the Earth. This new Mass ‘can be used to ask God for the ability to care for creation,’ Cardinal Michael Czerny, who heads the Vatican’s Dicastery for Integral Human Development, said at a news conference. The new Mass, Pro Custodia Creationis (For the Care of Creation), was initially ordered by Pope Francis, who made the environment a major theme of his papacy.”