Apple News Today

With polls indicating that Governor Gavin Newsom is likely to win the recall election in California, some Republicans are trying to taint the results preemptively. Vox is out with a story about how several GOP members are pushing a familiar campaign strategy: refusing to accept the final result if they lose. Progressives are calling for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to retire. But the 83-year-old tells NPR and the Wall Street Journal he intends to do so on his own terms, and that many factors will play into the decision. Hurricane Ida was the most severe storm to hit Louisiana since Katrina more than a decade ago. The Wall Street Journal spoke with members of a tribal community on the coast who are struggling to rebuild after the storm without power and water. Jeopardy makes an awkward return in its 38th season. The Washington Post explains why this week’s episodes will be hosted by the recently ousted Mike Richards.

Some people are trying to bypass COVID-vaccine mandates by claiming getting the shots goes against their faith. CBS News looks into what constitutes a religious exemption. In recent years firefighters in Western forests have used computer models grounded in sports analytics to anticipate how wildfires might spread. But the Wall Street Journal reports that this year’s blazes are so extreme the programs have been less effective. The United States has a history of displacing communities of color to build roads. The Washington Post investigates what a highway-expansion proposal in South Carolina means for a community that was divided by freeway construction decades ago.  If watching someone tap their foot, twirl their hair, or smack their gum makes you mad, you could have misokinesia. Miami Herald is out with a story about the psychological phenomenon, which translates as the hatred of small movements.

In his latest film for ‘Frontline,’ documentary filmmaker Michael Kirk lays out how the United States went from a moment of national unity after an act of terrorism to an attack on our democracy by American citizens.

President Biden says he’ll open up secret government files about the 9/11 attacks. ProPublica investigates what answers they may provide to questions victims’ families have about whether Saudi Arabia bears some responsibility. A bill before the governor of Texas would limit access to abortion-inducing medication. ABC News reports on how it would further narrow options for pregnant Texans, following the new law restricting abortions in the state. Retailers are spending millions to combat organized shoplifting rings that steal from their stores in bulk and sell the goods online. The Wall Street Journal goes inside the fight against a $45 billion crime wave. Runners smashed records like never before during the pandemic. The New Yorker explains how they were helped by unusual circumstances brought about by lockdowns.

After the 9/11 terror attacks, federal defense spending surged. The Wall Street Journal explains how the funding increase transformed the national-security industry and paid for a vast surveillance system. The News-Times reports on how families of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting victims are working to block a move by Remington’s lawyers to subpoena the school records of some of the students and educators killed. As the NFL season kicks off, FiveThirtyEight releases its football projections. Many gardeners think talking to plants helps them grow. The BBC looks at research on the controversial question of whether plants might be able to listen and even talk back.

Twenty years after 9/11, the accused mastermind behind the attacks is still awaiting trial at Guantanamo Bay. NBC News investigates why the process is taking so long. After the widespread protests against police brutality that followed George Floyd’s murder, leaders in law enforcement and city halls said police were demoralized and quitting in waves. The Marshall Project finds that labor data tells a very different story. Men are falling even further behind women in college enrollment. The Wall Street Journal looks at how colleges are dealing with this controversial issue. National Geographic reports on a new study that offers a ”treasure map” to an undiscovered planet that may be hiding in our solar system.

Millions of Americans are losing jobless benefits because federal aid has expired. The Washington Post looks at the impact on them and the broader economy. Forty million people depend on the Colorado River for water. ProPublica investigates the role that overuse and climate change are playing in its depletion. American cities are trying to reverse a spike in violent crimes seen during the pandemic. Bloomberg CityLab breaks down new research that finds a connection between helping people repair their homes and reduced crime. The growth of remote work during the pandemic is helping drive the decline of physical business cards. BBC News reports on what’s replacing them.

Jason Fagone is a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. In a recent article, Fagone details how Joshua Barbeau created an A.I.-powered chatbot based on his late fiancée. The technology brings up ethical and moral questions about the ways we use A.I. and process loss.

A doctor and Washington Post columnist addresses parents’ concerns about how to keep their kids safe as classrooms reopen. Days after Hurricane Ida knocked out power, people are dealing with extreme heat and shortages of gas. The Louisiana Illuminator looks at the challenges on the ground. The Texas Tribune speaks to doctors on how they are dealing with the state’s restrictive new abortion law. Apple News has a special collection of the best reporting on the topic. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Federal Trade Commission is looking into repair issues involving McDonald’s ice cream machines. Frequent breakdowns have been infuriating fans of the fast-food chain’s McFlurry and other desserts.

Powerful remnants of Hurricane Ida are causing deadly floods in East Coast states, CNN reports. A new report says 750,000 households could be hit by eviction following the end of the federal moratorium protecting renters. Politico looks at the potential impact. The Los Angeles Unified School District is mandating that its roughly half a million students and faculty be tested for the coronavirus every week, regardless of vaccination status. The Washington Post breaks down the massive program. In a short career, Aaliyah left a considerable mark on music. Vox examines the singer’s life as a genre-blending artist, 20 years after her death in a plane crash. The Wall Street Journal looks into why rising coffee-bean prices have coffee shops and drinkers facing sticker shock.