Apple News Today

As U.S. coronavirus case numbers surge, driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant, more and more governments and businesses are mandating COVID vaccines. Washington Post health reporter Dan Diamond joins the show to explain the trend. Restorative justice is a form of conflict resolution that attempts to tackle problems that prison sentences alone don’t typically resolve, including by having offenders and survivors face each other. New York Magazine takes us inside the process. The Arab Spring protests began in Tunisia. Right now, democracy in that country is on shaky ground. Vox explains. NBC Sports reports on Simone Biles’ decision to pull out of the individual all-around gymnastics competition at the Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental health.

Officers who defended the Capitol against rioters during the January 6 insurrection testify before a House select committee today. The Washington Post speaks with some of them about the mental and physical injuries they experienced. BuzzFeed News has an in-depth report into how the government handled a criminal conspiracy case that included an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor. It’s raising questions about the role of government informants in the case. Low-wage workers in America have been pushing for more pay and better benefits for years. Time reports that many of them are starting to win those fights. NBC Sports reports on surprising Olympic upsets in tennis and swimming. Plus, our interview with American swimming gold-medalist Lydia Jacoby.

Doctors and public-health officials in states with low COVID-vaccination rates are trying to get more shots in arms as the Delta variant helps drive case numbers back up. Politico’s Erin Banco reports from Alabama and Louisiana on why some states are having trouble. The catastrophic flooding we’ve seen around the world lately is a reminder that many American cities aren’t well prepared for heavy rain, Slate says. The price of diapers is on the rise. The Wall Street Journal reports on how this has politicians considering new moves to help families who are struggling with the cost. As U.S. Olympians compete in Tokyo, a 101-year-old coaching legend will be watching. The L.A. Times has the story of the godfather of judo in America.

Lolo Jones is one of only a few Olympic athletes who has competed in both the Summer and Winter Games. She started out racing in track and field but suffered a crushing loss in the 2008 Olympics. Jones later turned to bobsledding and won’t be competing in Tokyo this year. Instead, she’s currently training to qualify for the Winter Games in 2022. Sports Illustrated recently featured a profile of Lolo Jones written by Julie Kliegman. The piece looks at the ways Jones has used her setbacks as fuel to pivot and redefine success for herself. It also covers how the athlete has suffered intense media scrutiny throughout her career. Kliegman’s article, called “Lolo Jones’s Eternal Reinvention,” is available to read (and listen to) in Apple News+. Jones joined Apple News Today’s In Conversation to discuss the Tokyo Games, her struggles with mental health, and her experiences appearing on reality TV. 

Pandemic shutdowns pushed Olympians to get creative about their training while gyms and other facilities were closed. The Wall Street Journal spoke to athletes who improvised in unusual ways, from swimming in a kiddie pool to fencing in an alley. Many women in the restaurant industry face sexual harassment. NPR looks at new research linking dependence on tipping, and job requirements to appear friendly, with an increased likelihood of being sexually harassed. A tiny island off the coast of Louisiana is disappearing, leaving its Indigenous residents with a difficult decision to make. Inside Climate News went there to tell their story. A clever community of cockatoos in Australia has figured out how to open people’s trash cans. The Atlantic reports that scientists are fascinated by the way the birds seem to be learning to lift the lids from one another.

The Washington Post speaks to business and policy leaders who worry the fast-spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus could upend America’s economic recovery, just as federal stimulus programs run out. Many customer-service representatives regularly face both verbal abuse from customers and pressure from demanding managers. ProPublica talked with several of these workers, who shared often disturbing stories about their jobs. If you’re looking to adopt a dog, you might have to wait a while. New York Magazine has an in-depth look at why the number of rescue dogs is dwindling as demand grows. The host of the NBC Olympics podcast The Podium joins the show to talk about what to watch for as the Games get underway.

New numbers show U.S. life expectancy dropped by about a year and a half in 2020. CNBC has the latest data on COVID-19’s deadly impact on America. Talks over big-ticket infrastructure spending could finally come to a head in Congress this week. Politico explains how a risky bet by the Senate’s top Democrat could determine the fate of around $600 billion in new spending. ESPN reports on the Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA Finals victory, their first championship win in 50 years. At least a dozen athletes competing for Team USA in Tokyo are mothers. The Washington Post talks to a number of Olympians on the fight to change attitudes about motherhood and sports. Tilda Swinton’s dogs have won an acting prize at Cannes. W Magazine has the story of the Palm Dog, an unofficial award with quite a following.

The Washington Post is out with new investigative reporting on how governments around the world have used powerful spyware to track journalists, activists, and executives by hacking their smartphones. As climate change drives temperatures up, USA Today looks at how farmworkers are facing increasing health hazards in the extreme heat. It’s a bad time to buy a car, new or used. Slate explains why prices are so high and says they’re likely to stay that way for a while. Olympians Kristie and Samantha Mewis are the first sisters to play together for the U.S. women’s soccer team in a world championship. The Wall Street Journal spoke with their parents about what it was like to raise two soccer stars under one roof.

The Refugee Olympic Team consists of athletes who have fled their home nations. Its road to Tokyo has been challenging. Time correspondent Vivienne Walt joins us to talk about why several athletes who have left the team since the 2016 games say they felt trapped and exploited. Vox explains why DACA has been ruled illegal, and what that means for the future of this immigration policy. Hiring is picking up as the economy starts to recover. But the Wall Street Journal says that many jobs lost during the pandemic won’t be coming back. The summer phrase “dog days” takes its name from the sky, not how our pets laze around in the hot sun. National Geographic explains the term’s celestial origin.

Simone Biles is the most decorated gymnast in the world, with four Olympic gold medals and 25 world championship wins. At age 24, she is still breaking new ground in the sport, and she will be leading the U.S. gymnastics team in Tokyo this month. And Biles has accomplished all of this tremendous success while facing many challenges in her personal life. In WSJ. Magazine, sports reporter Louise Radnofsky has a profile of Simone Biles. Radnofsky spoke with Biles about her remarkable career and how she keeps gymnastics in perspective amid enormous pressure. Radnofsky’s article, called “Simone Biles Will Not Be Denied,” is available to read (and listen to) in Apple News+.