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As California battles raging wildfires, "containment" is a term used often by firefighters and in media coverage. But how does it work?

As extreme heat grips much of the country, some power grids may struggle to keep up with rising energy demand. But that is not the only challenge grid operators face in this heatwave.

Melissa Block talks with Tamara Keith in Ohio.

The Ukrainian government says the sixth reactor at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is now disconnnected from the Ukrainian power grid from Russian attacks.

Fungi, parasites, root rot: Climate change is increasing the risk of trees weakening and dying. Falling trees have increased power outages nationwide, which threaten public health and safety.

The head of Hawaii's power company and other officials are answering questions at a Congressional hearing about the causes of the Maui fire that killed at least 97 people.

Federal environmental regulations for lead in drinking water still leave room for concentrations high enough to pose a health hazard, critics say.

For just the eighth time in 40 years, a budget session did not require a special session to finish its work. There were many policy changes, too.

The Senate begins debate on overhauling the nation's immigration laws. Senators will consider a measure passed on Monday by the Senate Judiciary Committee that would clear the way for 11 million illegal immigrants to seek U.S. citizenship. It would create a guest worker program, something President Bush supports and the House of Representatives has rejected.

Some problems with voting machines and other issues have come up as voters turn out for the presidential election.

Maui's power company, Hawaiian Electric, is facing tough questions about its possible role in causing the Lahaina wildfire that took over a hundred lives and caused billions of dollars in damages.

A single tree plunged more than half of the island's population into darkness. It was a humbling reminder for some that power restoration is not yet complete in more remote parts of the island.

"Dwell time" is the amount of time visitors spend wandering through a museum. In most museums, that's around two hours. But in the newest Smithsonian, some visitors are there for as long as six.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee holds a hearing on BP's corrosion problems in Alaska. A leak forced the shutdown of half the Prudhoe Bay oil field. Committee Chairman Joe Barton says evidence indicates the problem was caused by BP's poor maintenance of the pipeline.

At modern auto plants, some tasks, like welding together a car's body, are entirely automated. But other essential jobs, including major portions of final assembly, are still best left to people.

China makes millions of masks. But ramping up production is tricky. "Making masks is not as easy as you imagine," a pharmaceutical executive in China says.

Brad Leithauser likes to look for poetry in graveyards. An author and poet himself, there's something he values greatly in tombstone epitaphs: brevity. In a piece for The New Yorker's Page-Turner blog, Leithauser cites tiny works that speak volumes.

Vikram Paralkar's novel takes place over one eventful night at a clinic in a small Indian village, where three murdered people confront a doctor; if he can treat their wounds, they'll live again.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Ben Bacon, a London-based furniture conservator, about decoding a 20,000-year-old writing system.

A winter storm has hit Mississippi particularly hard. Power is out in many places, streets are iced over and water is in short supply.