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Alex Leff

@alexleff.bsky.social

6.7K followers 260 following 210 posts

Editing world news and features online at the venerable @npr.org

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Reposted by Alex Leff

NPR @npr.org · 3d

When millions lost power in Spain and Portugal this spring, some were quick to blame too much solar and wind power. That wasn't the cause, but the misinformation had an impact.

After Spain's blackout, critics blamed renewable energy. It's part of a bigger attack

When millions lost power in Spain and Portugal this spring, some were quick to blame too much solar and wind power. That wasn't the cause, but the misinformation had an impact.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · 3d

"Populous developing countries like China and India led the charge in making the switch to renewable energies, Ember reports. Meanwhile, Western societies including the European Union and the United States increased their consumption of coal during this period." www.npr.org/2025/10/09/n...

Renewable energy outpaces coal for electricity generation in historic first, report says

For the first time on record, renewable energy generated more electricity for the planet than coal, a new report says.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · 10d

Why scientists are using corals from other countries to help save Florida's reefs
www.npr.org/2025/10/01/n...

Why scientists are using corals from other countries to help save Florida's reefs

The past three summers have been the worst on record for Florida's coral reefs. To try to restore them, scientists are breeding corals that can handle heat better, using coral from other countries.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · 11d

Rest in Nature
💔

www.npr.org/2025/10/01/4...

Jane Goodall, legendary primatologist, has died at age 91

Jane Goodall, primatologist who transformed our understanding of the lives of apes, has died, according to an announcement from the Jane Goodall Institute.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · 11d

Hundreds of celebrities relaunch a McCarthy-era committee to defend free speech
www.npr.org/2025/10/01/n...

Hundreds of celebrities relaunch a McCarthy-era committee to defend free speech

The Committee for the First Amendment first launched in the 1940s, when the House Un-American Activities Committee accused Hollywood actors, directors and writers of being communists or sympathizers.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · 12d

Spotify's Daniel Ek announces that he'll step aside as CEO
www.npr.org/2025/09/30/n...

Spotify's Daniel Ek announces that he'll step aside as CEO

The founder of the world's biggest music streaming service says he'll remain at the company as Executive Chairman, and will be replaced by two co-CEOs.

Reposted by Alex Leff

Micah Loewinger @micahloewinger.bsky.social · 18d

My employer New York Public Radio just announced that it is offering @onthemedia.bsky.social, @radiolab.bsky.social, and other programs to at-risk public radio stations for free! More info: current.org/2025/09/wnyc...

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · 18d

Unbelievable this is STILL on the AI Overview

Geoff Brumfiel @gbrumfiel.bsky.social · 18d

With the advent of LLMs, Journalism may be dead but Robert Redford, apparently, is not.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · 19d

The director of the Center for Autism Research Excellence at Boston University and founder of the Coalition of Autism Scientists said the administration's made "a very significant distortion" of what science says about any possible links between acetaminophen and autism. www.npr.org/2025/09/23/n...

3 thoughts from an autism researcher on Trump's acetaminophen and vaccine claims

President Trump and his administration claim there could be a link between autism and acetaminophen and vaccines. We asked a researcher who has studied autism for decades for her thoughts.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Sep 11

Brazil's Supreme Court has reached a majority vote to convict former President Jair Bolsonaro, with three of the five justices on the panel voting to find him guilty of attempting a coup to stay in power after losing the 2022 election. www.npr.org/2025/09/11/n...

Brazil's Supreme Court votes to convict ex-President Bolsonaro of a coup plot

A historic conviction: Brazil's Supreme Court delivers a majority vote to convict former President Jair Bolsonaro over a plot to overthrow the government.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Sep 11

Mortgage rates are finally falling, and just saw their biggest weekly drop in the past year. The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage in the past week was 6.35%, according to Freddie Mac, down from 6.5% a week earlier. @laurelwams.bsky.social reports
www.npr.org/2025/09/11/n...

Home mortgage demand surges as rates drop to 6.35%

Rates saw the biggest one-week drop in a year, spurring a spike in new purchase and refinance applications.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Sep 10

Utah Valley University said a suspect in the shooting of Charlie Kirk is not in custody. In an email to NPR, university spokeswoman Ellen Treanor said a person had been detained earlier but said, "That individual was released, it is still an active investigation." www.npr.org/2025/09/10/n...

Trump says right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has died after shooting

"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead," President Trump wrote in a Truth Social Post. Kirk was shot during an outdoor speaking event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Sep 9

Musicians keep leaving Spotify in protest of CEO's defense investments - Isabella Gomez Sarmiento reports on @npr.org
www.npr.org/2025/09/09/n...

Musicians keep leaving Spotify in protest of CEO's defense investments

In the last few months, bands including Hotline TNT and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have pulled music from Spotify in a new wave of artist-led protests against the platform.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Sep 8

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has launched a new surge of immigration enforcement action in Massachusetts - @wbur.org reports www.wbur.org/news/2025/09...

ICE launches new immigration enforcement surge in Mass.

The Department of Homeland Security did not specify how long the ICE crackdown would last around the state. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said she expects federal agents to follow local and state laws, war...

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Sep 8

Even as the US scolds Europe and India about Russian fuel imports, the US is one of the leading importers of Indian oil products — many of which are refined from Russian oil. www.npr.org/2025/09/08/n...

The U.S. is a major importer of Indian products made from Russian oil

The United States imports oil products from India's Reliance Industries refinery, which sources nearly half its oil from Russia.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Aug 28

Kari Lake can’t fire Voice of America’s director www.npr.org/2025/08/28/n...

Federal judge says Kari Lake can't fire Voice of America director

A federal judge has ruled that Trump administration official Kari Lake can't unilaterally fire the director of Voice of America.

Reposted by Alex Leff

NPR @npr.org · Aug 28

Foreign doctors have been serving as medical volunteers, but must be approved by Israel to enter Gaza. The World Health Organization says denial rates have increased by 50% since March.

Israel increasingly bars foreign doctors who want to volunteer in Gaza

Foreign doctors have been serving as medical volunteers, but must be approved by Israel to enter Gaza. The World Health Organization says denial rates have increased by 50% since March.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Aug 28

Doctors and nurses are among the last remaining international witnesses to the catastrophic toll on civilians in Gaza. But some doctors tell NPR that Israel has barred them from going — Jane Arraf reports www.npr.org/2025/08/28/g...

Israel increasingly bars foreign doctors who want to volunteer in Gaza

Foreign doctors have been serving as medical volunteers, but must be approved by Israel to enter Gaza. The World Health Organization says denial rates have increased by 50% since March.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Aug 28

In the space of a week, Russia has damaged the British Council, an EU diplomatic office and an American electronics factory in Ukraine.
www.npr.org/2025/08/28/n...
and
www.npr.org/2025/08/21/g...

A major Russian attack on Kyiv kills 18 people and damages European offices

Russia launched a major air attack early Thursday on Kyiv that included a rare strike on the city center, killing at least 18 people, wounding 48 and damaging European diplomatic offices.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Aug 27

Don't miss the latest installment of Far-flung postcards by the one and only @emilyzfeng.bsky.social who had the fortune of visiting this Christian archaeological site in the Negev www.npr.org/2025/08/27/g...

Greetings from the Negev desert, where traces remain of a vanished ancient civilization

Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Aug 27

Follow Minnesota's @mprnews.org for updates on the shooting at a church and school in Minneapolis. The latest, police say “the shooter is contained.” www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0...

Police: 'Shooter is contained' after reported south Minneapolis Catholic church, school shooting

Police are responding to a shooting Wednesday morning at a church and school in south Minneapolis. They say “the shooter is contained.”

www.mprnews.org

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Aug 25

reutersagency.com/media-centre...

Reuters and AP issue joint letter to Israeli officials to demand clear explanation for airstrikes that killed journalists in Gaza

Reuters and AP issue joint letter to Israeli officials to demand clear explanation for airstrikes that killed journalists in Gaza

reutersagency.com

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Aug 23

AP: Immigration officials said they intend to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda, after he declined an offer to be deported to Costa Rica in exchange for remaining in jail and pleading guilty to human smuggling charges, according to a Saturday court filing.
www.npr.org/2025/08/23/n...

US seeks to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda

Immigration officials said they intend to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda after he declined an offer to be deported to Costa Rica, according to a Saturday court filing.

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Aug 22

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said it was "utterly horrifying" and held Israel responsible. "The Israeli government's refusal to allow sufficient aid into Gaza has caused this man-made catastrophe. This is a moral outrage."

Alex Leff @alexleff.bsky.social · Aug 22

"This is the first time famine has been confirmed in the Middle East. And it's happened in a 25-mile-long strip of land, where trucks piled with thousands of tons of food are parked at border crossings."
www.npr.org/2025/08/22/n...

Famine confirmed in northern Gaza, says U.N.-backed agency

Famine has been officially declared in northern Gaza, a U.N.-backed group warns — marking the first such confirmation in the Middle East.

Reposted by Alex Leff

NPR @npr.org · Aug 22

In a new album, the youngest ever Van Cliburn winner puts his own stamp on Tchaikovsky's undervalued set of piano pieces called The Seasons.

How Yunchan Lim changed my mind about Tchaikovsky's 'Seasons'

In a new album, the youngest ever Van Cliburn winner puts his own stamp on Tchaikovsky's undervalued set of piano pieces called The Seasons.