Apple News Today

Vox and the Washington Post recap the second day of Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination hearings. As the court allows the 2020 census count to stop temporarily, Reuters explains why some of the hardest-to-count regions may be even harder to survey this year because of the pandemic. KCRW has the latest on pro-Armenian protests in L.A. that are calling for an end to escalating violence between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Vox has an explainer on the conflict. The Guardian has the story of how Paul Milgrom found out he had won the Nobel prize in economics.

National Geographic looks at how the number of Supreme Court seats has changed throughout history. And Politico Magazine explains how Republicans have led efforts to change the number of justices on state Supreme Courts.  Stat reports that two presidents of historically Black universities who encouraged their communities to participate in coronavirus vaccine trails were immediately met with backlash. And ProPublica has the story of a Louisiana hospital that sent Black COVID-19 patients home to die. The L.A. Times is out with a piece about incarcerated people in prison factories who were kept working during the pandemic, sometimes manufacturing essential items like masks and hand sanitizer. Time discusses a UK-based study into the ability of dogs to detect the coronavirus.

As the Senate begins its debate over the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett Supreme Court, the Wall Street Journal says the hearings hold significant risks for both parties. Chuck Schumer tells Politico that Democrats have been instructed to avoid all questions about Barrett’s family or her religion, and plan instead to press her on her views on abortion and health care. Bloomberg News looks at Cameron, Louisiana, which was hit by both Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Delta. Reuters reports on the widespread damage the town has sustained due to the back-to-back storms. The Washington Post has the latest on the NFL games that were recently rescheduled due to coronavirus outbreaks. ESPN and the Wall Street Journal explain how the virus is affecting teams and the league’s current health and safety protocols. NPR reports that a conservation group is warning that half a million sharks could be killed if an approved COVID-19 vaccine uses an oil that comes from shark liver.

USA Today breaks down revelations that six members of a militia group were arrested and charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer. The Texas Tribune reports on the recent voting rule changes in its state. And the Hill writes about concerns that some of these changes could lead to voter suppression. The UN World Food Program is the winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. CNN has the latest. National Geographic reports on efforts to reintroduce the critically endangered Tasmanian devil to mainland Australia for the first time in 3,000 years.

Check out Apple News Spotlight for a complete review of the first and only vice presidential debate. Politico explains Joe Biden’s plan to address the pandemic, if elected. Politico also looks specifically at Vice President Pence’s role as the head of the coronavirus task force. And the Washington Post breaks down the details of President Trump’s travel ban from China at the start of the pandemic. NPR reviews Amy Coney Barrett’s mixed record on abortion rights.  CBS News compares Biden’s climate plan with the Green New Deal. Politico finds that some of Trump’s environmental rollbacks will result in an extra 1.8 billion tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere between now and 2035.   Plus, Apple News has a voter guide with everything you need to know to cast your ballot.

The Washington Post reports on the president’s call for an end to stimulus-bill negotiations. The Washington Post also offers an extensive analysis of the effectiveness of past coronavirus-relief spending. Two homes, less than a 30-minute drive from each other, highlight the different ways the economic crisis is impacting people in the U.S., particularly when it comes to homeowners and renters. Bloomberg Businessweek has the story.  The L.A. Times explains the origins and implications of a California wildfire that reached “gigafire” status this week. Reuters says more than 4 million people have already voted in the 2020 election. And CBS has the story of Beatrice Lumpkin, a 102-year-old woman who cast her ballot in a hazmat hood.

The Washington Post and the Atlantic are out with pieces that look at the role of the White House’s permanent household staff and some of the risks they face while working in middle of a pandemic. The Charlotte Observer provides an update on recent controversies in a competitive North Carolina Senate race. The State breaks down what happened at the South Carolina Senate debate. The State also outlines the issues South Carolina voters are paying attention to this election. As Nobel Committee announces prize winners this week, NPR points out that few women and people of color have won Nobel awards in medicine, physics, and chemistry. CNN has the results of today’s Nobel Prize in physics. National Geographic writes that a map that was launched into space 50 years ago to lead extraterrestrials to Earth needs un update.The Charlotte Observer provides an update on recent controversies in a competitive North Carolina Senate race. The State breaks down what happened at the South Carolina Senate debate. The State also outlines the issues South Carolina voters are paying attention to this election. An analysis by USA Today Sports finds a disconnect between professional sports players’ support for social justices causes and the political spending of team owners.  National Geographic writes that a map that was launched into space 50 years ago to lead extraterrestrials to Earth needs un update.

The Wall Street Journal breaks down the latest developments regarding President Trump’s health after his diagnosis with COVID-19 late last week. Axios examines comments at the Sunday press briefing by White House physician Sean Conley. And the Hill reports that Trump took a drive by the crowd gathered outside Walter Reed military hospital — a move that drew criticism from some medical professionals. Tim Alberta writes for Politico Magazine about White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and how his recent contradictory statements about the president’s health align with a reputation of being at times dishonest and unreliable. Vox says that since news broke of Trump’s diagnosis, more than 97,000 people in the U.S. have tested positive for the virus. The Washington Post explains how a Rose Garden gathering celebrating the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett became a possible “superspreader" event. And Peter Nichols in the Atlantic notes that protocol at the White House has barely changed since the news that many people in Trump’s circle are sick. National Geographic details different instances throughout history when a president has fallen seriously ill. And Stat spoke with several doctors who notice a disconnect between the White House’s positive message and the aggressive medical protocol the president is receiving.

President Trump and the First Lady have tested positive for COVID-19. Bloomberg and CNN have the latest updates. Zeynep Tufekci writes for the Atlantic that a more effective strategy for stemming the spread of COVID-19 is to focus on clusters of the virus, rather than each individual case. The Wall Street Journal has a collection of stories about how the coronavirus pandemic and economic recession are affecting women. One piece details a recent study that found a higher percentage of women than men are considering leaving the workforce. And the Washington Post is out with new analysis looking at how the economic recession has hit certain groups, like women, people of color, and younger people, much harder than others. Politico reports that the president’s calls for poll watchers has led to supporters showing up at election offices to observe people requesting or turning in their mail ballots. And Marketplace describes what happened when the Republican Party sent off-duty local law-enforcement officials to polling stations in majority Black and Latino communities in New Jersey in 1981. Vice celebrates an African giant pouched rat who saves human lives in Cambodia by detecting landmines, and was recently given an award for braver

NBC breaks down how grand juries work and what the public should understand about their findings. And USA Today reports on the delayed release of the Breonna Taylor grand jury recordings. The Wall Street Journal explains the implications of a Florida law that restricts the voting rights of an estimated 1.4 million people with felony convictions. The Cut tells us how to become a poll worker and what the job entails. CNN highlights Fat Bear Week — an annual contest that asks voters to decide which bear at Brooks River, Alaska, has been most successful in fattening themselves up for hibernation.