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CNN reports on a new Texas law banning abortions at six weeks of pregnancy that’s now in force. The U.S. Supreme Court did not block it from going into effect. Companies pledged around $50 billion for racial-justice causes after George Floyd’s murder. The Washington Post investigates where the money has gone. Leaded gas has finally been phased out worldwide, at least as a legal fuel for street vehicles, according to a United Nations report. NPR explains the importance of this long-awaited milestone. As the New York Mets struggled this season, fans booed. Some players replied with a thumbs-down. Yahoo Sports looks into what it says about the relationship between athletes and audiences.

The Atlantic explains how Ida’s rapid intensification may be a warning that states need new hurricane emergency plans, because storms can now gather strength faster than cities can evacuate. Afghans who helped American troops face a long and complicated path before they and their families can find permanent homes in the U.S. Vox looks into this. Jury selection begins today in the trial of Elizabeth Holmes, founder of blood-testing startup Theranos, who is accused of misleading patients and investors. The Wall Street Journal has a preview. Antibodies against the coronavirus wane over time, but the immune system may have a plan for that. Bloomberg reports on new research showing vaccines seem to help it develop a backup plan that doesn’t rely on booster shots.

CNN reports on the dangerous impact of Hurricane Ida. Around a million customers lost power as the devastating storm moved inland, flooding streets and destroying homes. The U.S. says it launched a drone strike Sunday targeting suspected suicide bombers near Kabul’s airport, the Wall Street Journal reports. U.S. Central Command is investigating reports of civilian deaths from the strike. Military families move frequently, which creates problems for the careers of civilian spouses. The Washington Post looks at new legislation that could make it easier for them to get the licenses they need to work in different states. African governments and businesses are spending more on space exploration. Quartz explains how this increase is driven by a need to expand internet access via satellites. Entrepreneurs are trying to teach computers how to smell, which has proven a real challenge. Bloomberg Businessweek explores how robot noses could change many industries, from food, to security, to health.

Jason Parham is out with a three-part feature in ‘WIRED’ chronicling how Black Twitter came to exist in its current form. To put together this history, he spoke with the people who have been there since the beginning.

Reuters reports that U.S. troops at Kabul's airport are bracing for more possible Islamic State attacks as they work to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies, following yesterday’s deadly strikes. The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, disproportionately affected people of color. Mother Jones explores how the majority-Black city’s response to COVID closed the racial gap. Next month, mortgage giant Fannie Mae will start considering rent-payment history as part of mortgage approvals. USA Today breaks down how this could help more Americans buy homes. Giant Burmese pythons are killing wildlife in the Florida Everglades. A Field & Stream reporter went along with the snake hunters doing the dangerous work of removing them.

CNN reports on casualties following what the Pentagon calls a “complex attack” on the airport in Kabul. Vox explains how the unusual design of California’s recall election could lead to Governor Gavin Newsom being replaced by a Republican. In Kansas, civic groups have stopped voter-registration drives. NPR looks into concerns that a new election law is making it harder to sign people up to vote. At a time when controversial statues are being taken down across the U.S., one Texas town is installing new ones. Texas Monthly reports on locals upset over a sculpture series that depicts 16th-century European explorers meeting Indigenous people. Succulent owners in China are outsourcing plant parenthood. The Washington Post takes a look at the growing popularity of succulent fostering.

The House passage of the $3.5 trillion budget plan came after moderate Democrats secured a pledge that a vote on a separate, bipartisan infrastructure package would take place by late September. The Washington Post explains how the tough negotiations that led to the deal highlight differences within the party. The Supreme Court is ordering that Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy be reinstated. Vox argues that the move leaves the Biden administration with two untenable options. Dirt floors, a health hazard, are common in rural parts of less-developed countries. Bloomberg CityLab looks at a surprising new technology that offers a potential solution. Swimmer Abbas Karimi was born without arms in Afghanistan and fled the country as a teen. Now he wants to become the first member of the refugee team to win a Paralympic medal. USA Today spoke with him.

The L.A. Times explains the extremely difficult economic situation Afghanistan now faces under Taliban control. Severe drought in California is taking its toll. The Atlantic and the L.A. Times look at the human and environmental impact. The long and complicated journey of a giant stuffed giraffe from a Chinese factory to an American customer shows how clogged the supply chain has become during the pandemic — and explains why many things are more expensive now. Time has the story. With the Paralympics underway, Sports Illustrated tells the remarkable story of 29-year-old Jessica Long, who has racked up 23 swimming medals.

A Miami Herald reporter joins us from Haiti to talk about recovery efforts following the country’s recent 7.2-magnitude earthquake. Interest in plant-based foods is growing as more people worry about impact of raising meat on animals and the environment. Vox looks at what a largely plant-based future could mean for Americans who currently work in the meat industry. Josephine Baker, the American dancer and wartime French Resistance agent, will be the first Black woman honored with a place in the Panthéon, the mausoleum for French national heroes. The Times of London has the story. Giant, venomous sea snakes might not intend harm when they attack divers. Gizmodo reports on new research that says the creatures might just be attempting to find a mate.

Craig Whitlock is the Washington Post reporter behind The Afghanistan Papers. Whitlock obtained a trove of government documents that revealed the false narrative the U.S. government had been pushing about the war for decades.