The Actual News

Key Facts:

• The poll asked Pop Culture Happy Hour listeners to vote for their favorite Pixar movie.
• Participants could vote for up to three films each.
• Over 2,500 votes were collected for the ranking.
• The poll did not include Pixar's latest film "Elio" as it was conducted before its release.
• "Lightyear," a 2022 film, was the only Pixar movie that received very few votes.
• The top 10 list includes well-known movies like Toy Story 3 and Monsters, Inc.
• The survey highlights the strong opinions people have about Pixar movies and their sequels.

Key Facts:

• The incident occurred at Erin Patterson's home on July 29, 2023.
• Five people attended the lunch, but only one guest, Ian Wilkinson, survived after weeks in the hospital.
• The deceased victims were Don Patterson, Gail Patterson, and Heather Wilkinson.
• Erin Patterson was found guilty of three murders and one attempted murder.
• During the trial, evidence suggested Erin used death cap mushrooms, which are poisonous.
• Erin had claimed the poisoning was an accident, but evidence showed otherwise.
• Erin lied about having cancer to mislead her guests and attempted to destroy evidence.
• The incident took place in Morwell, Australia, leading to significant media attention.

Key Facts:

• Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is a charity helping people with personal debt issues.
• The CAP debt center in Epsom and Ewell has supported people in clearing £972,413 in debt over the past 10 years.
• The debt center opened in July 2015 at St Barnabas Church in Epsom.
• CAP offers services both at the church and by visiting people at home.
• Demand for CAP’s services is high, and many appointments are already scheduled into the summer.
• CAP collaborates with other organizations like Citizens Advice and StepChange to assist people in financial need.
• A person helped by CAP described struggling with overwhelming debt, with all income going to pay off various creditors.

Key Facts:

• The project aims to capture carbon emissions from cement and lime factories and store them underground.
• It will involve building a pipeline to transport carbon dioxide from Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and the North West of England.
• The stored carbon dioxide will go to depleted gas fields off the coast of Cumbria.
• The project is expected to create around 300 permanent jobs and 1,200 temporary jobs during construction.
• More than 2,000 jobs in cement and lime production will be supported by this initiative.
• The goal is to prevent over three million tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year.
• The Peak Cluster project has received £28.6 million from the UK's National Wealth Fund and £31 million from private companies.
• This effort is part of a broader plan to modernize industries and support the UK's transition to clean energy.

Key Facts:

• Maureen Futtner's older sister died unexpectedly, leaving her family in shock.
• A few days later, Futtner had to attend a work event in San Francisco.
• On a crowded subway, Futtner offered her seat to a woman with a white cane.
• The woman, named Simone, asked Futtner how her day was going.
• Futtner shared her recent loss, and Simone empathized, mentioning her own experience with losing her wife.
• Simone suggested that a bereavement group had helped her cope with her grief.
• Futtner introduced herself to Simone before getting off the train, expressing her gratitude for the support.

Key Facts:

• Biosphere 2 is located in Oracle, Arizona, near Tucson.
• It was created in the late 1980s and early 1990s to test human survival in a controlled ecosystem.
• Eight people lived inside the structure for two years from 1991, managing food production and experiments.
• The project faced issues, including low oxygen levels and interpersonal conflicts.
• Initially funded by Texas billionaire Ed Bass, it later shifted focus to research rather than human habitation.
• Columbia University first managed it to study the effects of carbon dioxide on plants.
• The University of Arizona currently owns and runs Biosphere 2.
• The facility helps scientists research problems related to climate change on Earth, also known as Biosphere 1.

Key Facts:

• Trees in the U.S. are generally not insured, unlike most other crops.
• The discussion includes why trees aren't insured.
• The rise in extreme weather events is a factor in reconsidering insurance for trees.
• Other episodes related to this topic are available on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• The episode from "The Indicator from Planet Money" explores this issue in detail.
• Fact-checking for the episode was done by Tyler Jones.
• Music for the show was provided by Drop Electric.

Key Facts:

• Nearly 80 people died in flash floods in central Texas, primarily in Kerr County.
• The Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in 45 minutes, leading to the floods.
• The Texas Division of Emergency Management activated emergency resources due to flood threats on Wednesday.
• The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Kerr County on Thursday, ahead of the flooding.
• Flash flood warnings were issued for Kerr County early Friday morning, with increasing urgency.
• Some areas did not have cell phone coverage, limiting the reach of alerts.
• Kerr County does not have its own warning system due to the high cost.
• The National Weather Service and Texas officials discussed the challenges of alerting people in remote areas.

Key Facts:

• The Horizon computer system gave incorrect data, leading to over 900 sub-postmasters being wrongfully prosecuted.
• The Post Office prosecuted 700 individuals between 1999 and 2015, while other bodies brought 283 more cases.
• In 2019, the Post Office agreed to pay £58 million in compensation, although much went to legal costs.
• Convictions for many sub-postmasters were overturned in 2021 following legal action.
• A TV drama, "Mr Bates vs The Post Office," increased public awareness of the scandal.
• Compensation schemes have awarded more than £1 billion to over 7,300 affected sub-postmasters as of June 2025.
• The Horizon system is still used, but improvements are being made with plans to replace it.
• A public inquiry started in 2022 to investigate the scandal and gather evidence from involved parties.

Key Facts:

• The program is called "How Trade Deals Are Really Made."
• It was released on July 7, 2025.
• The show is available on BBC Sounds.
• The program explores the process of negotiating trade agreements.
• It looks at the methods and strategies used in creating trade deals.
• The episode is 17 minutes long.

Key Facts:

• The floods started with fast-moving waters on the Guadalupe River.
• Over 70 people died due to the flooding, including 21 children.
• Missing persons include campers from a summer camp for girls.
• Tanya Burwick, a 62-year-old grandmother, was found dead after her SUV was submerged.
• Jane Ragsdale, director of a Texas summer camp, also passed away in the floods.
• Sarah Marsh, an eight-year-old from Alabama, died while attending Camp Mystic.
• The flooding affected more than 12,000 buildings in the San Angelo community.
• Rescue efforts are still ongoing, with searches for missing people continuing.

Key Facts:

• Akash Deep replaced Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for fitness reasons, in the second Test.
• Akash took six wickets in England's second innings, which was crucial for India's victory.
• India defeated England by 336 runs at Edgbaston, marking their first win at the venue in nine attempts.
• The win leveled the cricket series between India and England at 1-1.
• England was set a target of 608 runs and was bowled out for 271 runs.
• Akash's match figures were 10 wickets for 187 runs across both innings.
• Shubman Gill scored 269 runs in the first innings and 161 in the second for India.
• The next Test between India and England will start at Lord’s on Thursday.

Key Facts:

• Images from Gaza, such as those of destroyed hospitals and suffering children, have been shared widely on social media platforms.
• These images hold more influence than official statements and have altered public opinion globally.
• Prominent figures who once supported Israel publicly question its actions due to these images.
• Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram allow quick sharing of these images, bypassing traditional media controls.
• International allies of Israel face pressure at home to reconsider their support due to the spread of these images.
• Israel has tried to influence social media platforms to control the spread of negative images but has struggled to do so.
• The Israeli military has warned its soldiers about the risks of sharing images and footage that could be used as evidence of war crimes.
• Some Israeli citizens have faced legal action abroad due to these shared images and have had to leave certain countries.

Key Facts:

Key Facts:

• Pediatricians are trying to restore trust in vaccines among families.
• Recent changes in vaccine recommendations have caused confusion for parents.
• Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s health department is involved in altering past recommendations.
• NPR's Pien Huang spoke with professionals from the medical and research fields about these changes.
• The discussion explores how these changes might impact public health.
• Conversations between doctors and families are important in this situation.
• The article is part of an NPR program that offers episodes through various platforms.

Key Facts:

• A flash flood occurs within six hours of heavy rain, often surprising people.
• The flood in Texas raised river levels by 26 feet in just 45 minutes, damaging homes and vehicles.
• About 850 people were rescued from the flood, some with helicopters.
• Flash floods kill more people in the U.S. than any other storm-related event.
• Nearly half of flood-related deaths happen in vehicles because cars can be swept away in just 18 inches of water.
• A flood watch was issued in Texas before the flood, but it was upgraded to a warning overnight.
• Flash floods can occur in both rural and urban areas, and they can be caused by heavy rain, hurricanes, or dam failures.

Key Facts:

• A ship caught fire in the Red Sea after being attacked and the crew had to leave the vessel.
• The attacks involved bomb-carrying drone boats and other weapons like small arms and grenades.
• The ship was targeted around 60 miles southwest of Hodeida, Yemen, which is controlled by Houthi rebels.
• The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported the attacks and ongoing investigations.
• A maritime security firm, Ambrey, linked the attack to the Houthis, who have a history of similar actions in the region.
• The vessel is believed to be the Liberian-flagged tanker, Magic Seas, though it was not officially identified immediately.
• The Houthi rebels have been using attacks to oppose Israel's actions against Hamas.
• Between 2023 and 2025, the Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant ships, impacting trade routes through the Red Sea.

Key Facts:

• The ancient city Peñico was discovered in Peru's northern Barranca province.
• Peñico is estimated to be about 3,500 years old and was a key trading center.
• The city is located roughly 200 kilometers north of Lima and 600 meters above sea level.
• Researchers found 18 structures, including temples and homes, and discovered ceremonial objects and sculptures.
• The city is near Caral, the oldest known civilization in the Americas, established around 3,000 BC.
• Peñico's strategic location facilitated trade between coastal, highland, and jungle communities.
• The excavation was led by Dr. Ruth Shady, who also researched Caral in the 1990s.
• Peñico is considered a continuation of Caral society, which was impacted by climate change.

Key Facts:

• The government reversed a decision on welfare changes after pressure from Labour MPs.
• The original welfare changes aimed to save £5 billion a year by 2030.
• The Education Secretary said removing the two-child benefit cap would be costly.
• The two-child benefit cap limits benefits to help families with no more than two children.
• This cap affects children born after April 2017.
• Decisions about lifting the cap are uncertain due to financial concerns.
• The reversal of the welfare changes delays or possibly cancels the planned savings.
• The Chancellor faces added pressure ahead of the upcoming autumn Budget.

Key Facts:

• Camp Mystic is a Christian camp located in Texas.
• The camp was badly damaged by floods.
• The floods in Texas have been deadly.
• Several girls attending Camp Mystic cannot be found after the floods.
• The camp has served many generations of women.