Apple News Today

It could now be more difficult to challenge local election rules under the Voting Rights Act, following a 6-to-3 Supreme Court decision upholding voting provisions that Democrats and civil-rights groups argue disproportionately hurt voters of color. SCOTUSBlog and Vox analyze the ruling. The Biden administration is pausing federal executions. The Wall Street Journal explains how this reverses the previous administration’s policy. With restaurants opening back up, the Atlantic looks at how the pandemic changed the way we tip and whether the new habits are here to stay. A massive research project has recorded more than 1 million hours of rainforest sounds. National Geographic details how these recordings help researchers better understand nature and fight poaching.

Bill Cosby is out of prison after a court vacated his 2018 indecent-assault conviction. NBC News speaks to legal experts for an explanation of this surprising turn in one of the highest-profile criminal cases of the #MeToo era. A grand jury in Manhattan has filed criminal indictments against the Trump Organization and its CFO, the Washington Post reports. Sources tell the Post the charges relate to allegations of unpaid taxes on benefits provided to execs. A year ago, China passed a national-security law in Hong Kong that has dramatically changed life in the city. CNN looks at its impact. When someone on Twitter accused pop star Olivia Rodrigo of copying an Elvis Costello song, the alt-rock icon had an unexpected response. Billboard has the story.

If you’ve tried to fly lately, you’ve probably had to deal with cancelations, delays, and extremely long waits. Vox explains why airlines are struggling to get back to business. Trees provide critical shade that keeps communities cool. The Guardian reports that unequal tree distribution means higher temperatures in many neighborhoods where the majority of residents are people of color. Bloomberg explores possible solutions. In the 1920s, Polish Jewish émigré Eve Adams wrote a book that may have been the first ethnography of American lesbian life. The New Yorker sheds light on how this lost piece of history was rediscovered. With Independence Day approaching, NPR looks at why consumer fireworks are hard to find and extremely expensive right now.

The heat wave that’s breaking temperature records in the Pacific Northwest is a health risk. Bill McKibben in the New Yorker details how extreme heat tests the physical and mental limits of our bodies. There’s been an explosion of college applications. USA Today reports that selective schools had some of their most diverse applicant pools in history after they stopped requiring standardized test scores. Nordic countries dominate the annual World Happiness Report, while the U.S. has never cracked the top 10. The Atlantic argues that Americans are taking away the wrong lessons from the rankings. The latest Fast & Furious movie is racking up big numbers at the box office. The Times of London spoke with the franchise’s stunt coordinator about how to make the perfect car chase.

As teams look for survivors of the Florida condominium collapse, the Wall Street Journal speaks to a veteran rescuer to understand how the search through the rubble is working. And NPR reports on previous warning signs of structural problems in the building. The U.S. blood supply is getting dangerously low, worrying surgeons and ER doctors. USA Today explains why the problem is one of both supply and demand, tied to the pandemic. As lockdowns end in the U.S., some people feel pressured to declare they achieved personal growth during the pandemic. Vox spoke with psychologists who say that’s not necessary. There’s no good way for astronauts to wash clothes while in space. Fast Company looks at cutting-edge research into a solution that also may lead to more sustainable ways to do laundry here on Earth.

MacKenzie Scott became one of the richest people in the world after her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019. Now Scott is working on giving away the majority of her fortune. She has already donated more than $8.5 billion in less than a year. Belinda Luscombe, editor at large at Time, recently wrote a profile of Scott — and how she is upending the world of philanthropy with her unique style of charitable giving. Luscombe’s profile of Scott is available to read (and listen to) in Apple News+.

A series of discoveries is shedding light on historical abuse of Indigenous children forced into school systems in North America. The Toronto Star reports on hundreds of unmarked graves found at a former school in Canada, as well as news that the U.S. is to investigate the issue. The Biden administration is banning imports of solar-panel materials from a Chinese company accused of using forced labor in Xinjiang. Bloomberg News puts this move in context. In a personal essay for Eater, Peneliope Richards shares the frustrations she has felt eating in restaurants as a wheelchair user. She argues that since restaurants were able to quickly transform to adapt to pandemic regulations, they should be able to do a better job accommodating diners with disabilities. Music plays a big role in celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community. MTV News goes through decades of musical history to explore how songs have served as means of representation and self-expression.

Britney Spears wants her freedom back. The L.A. Times has the story of the star’s much-anticipated court appearance, which confirmed what fans have long suspected: She’s unhappy with and angry at the legal conservatorship that governs her life. Legislation to overhaul how the U.S. military handles serious crimes like murder and sexual assault is gaining momentum, NPR reports. As children return to pre-pandemic activities, some parents are experiencing temporary separation anxiety. NBC News got tips from psychologists on how to handle it. Three hundred years ago, Rembrandt’s painting “The Night Watch” was trimmed to fit between two doors at Amsterdam’s city hall. Now artificial intelligence has re-created its missing parts. The Guardian explains how.

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 vaccination card in America. Bloomberg News breaks down why that’s bad news for businesses across the country. If you’re feeling anxious about returning to post-pandemic life, some experts recommend befriending a tree. The Wall Street Journal explains why this isn’t as crazy as it may sound.

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 system. And the Wall Street Journal uses bagel preferences to illustrate how it works. Las Vegas Raider Carl Nassib is the first active NFL player to come out as gay. CNN looks at the reaction from the sports world. A theft of more than 42,000 pounds of pistachios is just the latest in a series of nut heists in California. The Washington Post explains the trend.