Apple News Today

The western U.S. is at high risk of devastating wildfires during the current scorching heat wave. But California developers are still building homes in fire zones. The Sacramento Bee explains why. Senate Republicans blocked a sweeping bill from Democrats to overhaul federal voting rules. The Washington Post reports on how it happened and what comes next. It’s ridiculously easy to make a fake...

The deadliest coronavirus hotspot is very close to the United States. The Wall Street Journal reports on South America, which has only 5 percent of the global population but accounts for a quarter of the world’s COVID-19 death toll. New York City residents are facing something new in the mayoral primary: ranked-choice voting. Vox breaks down the arguments for and against this balloting syste...

Proponents of a four-day workweek say it would be good for businesses, workers, and society. The Atlantic explores the idea. The Summer Olympics will have up to 10,000 Japanese spectators at each event. The Wall Street Journal reports from Tokyo. The arrival of a new president in Iran complicates the country’s already tricky relationship with the United States. Bloomberg News looks at the nu...

After Democrats won the 2020 presidential election, Republicans responded by proposing a series of new voting laws in red states — designed, they say, to protect future elections. But the U.S. government says last year saw some of the safest elections in American history. Ari Berman is a senior reporter at Mother Jones, and he sees these new laws as an effort to disenfranchise newly mobilized Blac...

Juneteenth is now a federal holiday. Food writer and producer Nicole A. Taylor shares recipes for celebrating it with family and friends in Food & Wine . CNBC has the story of how extreme heat is presenting serious health and environmental problems across the U.S. West. The Wall Street Journal reports that because of uneven vaccination rates, the future of COVID in the U.S. could vary by state...

Newly released documents and emails show how Trump and his allies pressured the Department of Justice to overturn the election results. The Washington Post reveals the key findings. The FDA recently approved a new Alzheimer’s drug, despite its panel of expert advisers voting unanimously against the move. Stat explains how doctors are navigating the consequences of the controversial decision....

As President Biden meets with Russian president Vladimir Putin, another round of Mideast violence breaks out. The L.A. Times looks at what the new Israeli administration could mean for American interests in the region. The term “critical race theory,” once rarely heard outside of universities, is now used on cable news, on social media, and by national politicians. NBC News reports on...

As the Trump administration’s Department of Justice comes under scrutiny, a former federal prosecutor argues in Slate that the Biden administration isn’t doing enough to root out past corruption. American workers are quitting their jobs at rates not seen in decades. The Wall Street Journal explores what’s driving the trend. The White House says it’s exploring how to expand...

America’s largest Protestant denomination may be about to split over race, gender, and political issues. The New Yorker reports on how this week’s meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention could mark a turning point. The problem of homelessness has intensified during the pandemic. The Washington Post talks to residents of an encampment on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon. Tornadoes a...

Ryan Lochte is the second-most decorated swimmer in Olympic history. After tarnishing his reputation in Rio in 2016, Lochte is gunning to make it back to the games one last time. But, at the age of 36, that’s no easy task. For Burnsed’s story in Sports Illustrated — available to read (and listen to) in Apple News+ — the writer spent time with Lochte, watched his grueling pr...

As President Biden’s trip to Europe continues, Politico says one of his major challenges will be aligning with other Western leaders on China strategy. And CNN looks at America’s complicated diplomatic dance with Russia. A provocative new piece in the Atlantic argues that the daily commute is an important way to keep work and life in balance. The Wall Street Journal reports on the rise...

For decades, researchers have struggled to develop a viable vaccine for malaria, which disproportionately impacts people in Africa. The Washington Post highlights efforts to apply lessons from the fight against COVID-19 to malaria. Many parents of color say remote learning has meant their children experienced less bullying and racism in school. USA Today reports that some now want to keep their ki...

In a new investigation into secret IRS documents, ProPublica reveals how American billionaires manage to pay little or no income tax — without breaking the law. For months now, some scientists have been calling attention to the once-controversial idea that the coronavirus originated in a laboratory. Vox lays out what we know and don't about the lab-leak theory. The growth of for-profit medic...

Hundreds of people in more than a dozen countries have been arrested in a vast operation targeting organized crime. Suspects thought they were messaging via an encrypted app. CNN reports on how it was actually a digital trap laid by the FBI and the Australian Federal Police. NBC News reports on the new Senate report on the Capitol insurrection. Many businesses struggling to find adult workers are...

Kamala Harris is visiting Guatemala and Mexico in her first trip abroad as vice president. Politico and the Los Angeles Times examine the stakes. The U.S. housing market does not have enough homes listed for sale to meet demand. The Wall Street Journal explains how “whisper listings” might be making matters worse. When it comes to alcohol, America tends to swing between extremes of ind...

A down-on-his-luck father, his drug-addicted son, and the work trip from hell. That’s the set-up for Bearman’s new story for New York Magazine — available to read (and listen to) only in Apple News+. In this special edition of Apple News Today, host Shumita Basu talks to him about this strange saga involving an ill-fated Nas concert, a gun-toting client who won’t let them l...

When U.S. politicians talk about the “digital divide,” they often focus on the lack of broadband access in rural areas. But even where service is available, many families simply can’t afford it. Vox looks at research showing cost is more of a factor than access. CNET examines what governments and the private sector are doing. This week, the NFL promised to end “race-norming...

Israel could soon get a new leader. Reuters looks at the unusual and fragile coalition that says it has enough votes to oust Benjamin Netanyahu, the country’s longest-serving prime minister. As ransomware attacks become increasingly common, many companies are turning to professional negotiators to get their computer systems unlocked. The New Yorker speaks to a negotiator to take us inside th...

As violent crime rises in Atlanta, the Washington Post reports that some residents of a wealthy, mostly white neighborhood are considering forming their own city. Pandemic-triggered workplace measures such as flexible hours and hazard pay may be coming to an end for many people. Vox looks at why some employers are starting to roll back these changes. An experimental gene therapy has had some succe...

In the Atlantic , new research quantifies the decades-long financial impact of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. And NPR gets reactions from Black business leaders. Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the French Open, citing mental-health issues. Sports Illustrated explains the significance. And Jonathan Liew writes in the Guardian that the dispute over whether she would participate in pres...

Senate Republicans filibustered a bill to create a commission on the Capitol insurrection. Politico reports on the vote. ProPublica reports on a study that says U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement may be using a strategy of quietly releasing detained immigrants who challenge it in court to maintain the status quo on prolonged detentions. As we head into grilling season, the price of beef is g...

President Biden is asking U.S. intelligence to intensify its investigation into the pandemic’s origins. NPR has the story. Developing countries are losing out to wealthier nations when it comes to getting COVID-19 vaccines. The Wall Street Journal looks at the debate over whether temporarily waiving drug patents could make shots more widely available. And Vox explains why the international v...

The debate over Middle East policy is changing in the U.S., with more Americans expressing support for Palestinians. The Washington Post and L.A. Times explain the role Black Lives Matter has played in this shift. Some Republicans who supported Trump’s election falsehoods are now running to become their states’ top election officials. Politico has the story. Many people who lost restau...

One year ago today, George Floyd was murdered. Minnesota Public Radio tells the story of his life. And Politico asks journalists, academics, and politicians to reflect on how his death has reshaped the United States, and the progress that’s still to be made. Antisemitic attacks are on the rise across the U.S. NPR explains how violence has risen along with tensions in the Middle East. The Was...

President Biden wanted to sign major police-reform into law before the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, which is tomorrow. NBC News looks at why legislators are missing the deadline, while the Washington Post examines how changes to policing are playing out in Minneapolis. Entrepreneur Byron Allen is suing McDonald’s for $10 billion, saying it doesn’t spend enough of its adv...