Arizona city, county seat of Coconino County, perched on the edge of the Colorado Plateau
The National Park Service has issued an extreme heat watch for the Grand Canyon’s inner canyon, predicting 105–110+ degree conditions at the bottom. Officials are urging hikers to avoid mid-day trails as several heat-related incidents have already occurred, with fatalities reported on Kaibab trails. Fire danger is rising nearby amid dry conditions.
NASA and partners are pursuing a high‑risk salvage to boost the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory into a higher, stable orbit. A Katalyst Space Technologies robot will capture Swift and lift it from 224 miles to about 373 miles, extending its life as solar activity threatens its destruction in October.
Three federal wildland firefighters have died while battling fast-moving wildfires in Utah and Colorado. Two others were injured as crews encountered a evolving blaze cluster near the Utah–Colorado line. The incidents revive scrutiny of a new Wildland Fire Service and a push for full suppression, drawing in resources from multiple Interior Department agencies.
NASA has hired Katalyst Space Technologies to send Link, a three-armed drone, to grab the Swift Observatory and lift it to a higher orbit. The mission, launched from the Marshall Islands, aims to prevent Swift from burning up in Earth’s atmosphere and keep it scanning gamma-ray bursts and exploding stars.
The LAPD has let its three-year contract with Flock Safety expire amid civil-liberties and privacy concerns. An external audit recommends pausing new ALPR deployments, tightening data-control rules, and boosting public input before any new agreements. City officials and civil-rights groups are pressuring for stronger safeguards and clearer ownership of data.
Katalyst Space Technologies’ Link, built to rescue NASA’s Swift gamma-ray observatory, has begun tumbling in orbit. Engineers are working to slow its spin and maintain control as the mission to boost Swift’s orbit faces a race against time.
Back-to-school season finds backpacks carrying more devices, notebooks and gear, with experts warning about potential strain. The American Academy of Pediatrics says signs of overload include leaning forward or difficulty walking, and advocates lightening loads where possible. Teachers are urging families to audit daily contents, balancing technology and traditional textbooks as districts weigh the role of print vs. digital learning.