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 vaccine initiative COVAX isn’t getting the shots to the developing world faster.

Federal student-loan payments were paused during the pandemic, but that is set to end in September. Borrowers tell BuzzFeed News how they’ve benefited from the forbearance, and what it will mean if they have to restart payments in the fall.

A study says the presence of wolves may reduce incidents of cars hitting deer. The Atlantic’s Ed Yong brings us the details of this surprising research.

Floyd Shockley is a professional bug collector for the Smithsonian. The Washington Post joins him as he searches for the perfect cicada specimens.

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 restaurant jobs during the economic shutdown have decided to leave the business completely. The Washington Post spoke to industry veterans to find out why.

WABC reports on the first recordings of humpback whales singing off the coast of New York.

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 Washington Post reports on the Indian American doctors in the U.S. volunteering their time to help COVID patients in India remotely.

After their performance in a Los Angeles public library went viral, an all-girl punk band of teens and preteens snagged a record deal. The L.A. Times has their story.

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 advertising budget on Black-owned media companies like his. Bloomberg explains how the lawsuit changes the conversation around diversity in advertising.

News that South Carolina is allowing executions by firing squad has been in the headlines. But the wider U.S. capital-punishment story is that of the death-penalty’s decline, as Vox explains.

The Golden Gate Bridge has started making a “humming” noise on windy days, and many people find it irritating. The San Francisco Chronicle looks at engineers’ attempts to fix the issue.

Israel and Hamas may have reached a cease-fire, but there are still tough problems ahead. NBC News is covering the massive rebuilding effort in Gaza and concerns the truce won’t last.

Some surprising developments are happening as the housing market heats up further. The Wall Street Journal reports on how rich investors are outbidding small-town families looking to buy homes. And CNN explains why the old tactic of writing “love letters” to sellers may put people in legal jeopardy.

The United States is seeing a major spike in trash during the pandemic. Time Magazine breaks down some of the reasons why.

An Italian village was underwater for decades, but it recently reemerged. BBC News takes us inside the ghostly remains of a lost community.

A bill to establish a commission to independently investigate the Capitol insurrection is dividing the GOP, as Politico and the Hill explain.

Survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921 are speaking out. NPR reports on their Congressional testimony calling for reparations and remembrance.

The European Union is taking steps toward allowing vaccinated U.S. tourists to visit. The Atlantic looks at why the tourism industry is eager to have Americans back, even if they’re stereotyped as loud and irritable.

Seeing people without masks on is messing with our brains. The Wall Street Journal talks to a cognitive scientist about why it can be confusing and surprising when we see what people look like without masks.

Arizona’s controversial election audit is drawing growing criticism. The Washington Post explains why many elections experts are raising red flags. And Vox looks at how former president Trump’s false election-fraud claims are affecting the Republican Party.

In the Atlantic, Zeynep Tufekci argues that the recent Colonial Pipeline hack needs to be a wake-up call to fix major security problems in the code that runs our infrastructure.

President Biden is proposing to set aside $200 billion dollars to fund universal preschool. NPR’s Planet Money details research on how beneficial early education can be.

In the early weeks of the pandemic, rush-hour traffic practically disappeared. But the Wall Street Journal reports it’s coming back, where we might least expect it: the afternoons.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments later this year in a case that could challenge Roe v. Wade. Amy Howe of SCOTUSblog breaks down why the stakes are high for the future of abortion law in America.

The Biden administration will soon begin distributing expanded child-benefit payments to tens of millions of American families. The Washington Post details how the program will work.

Ahead of a much-anticipated government report on UFOs, the New Yorker explains how the issue has gained legitimacy over the past few years, in part thanks to the work of one investigative journalist.

A lack of gender diversity in clinical trials is not only a problem in those involving humans. CNN reveals how it also affects animal experiments.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is rejecting global calls for a cease-fire in Gaza. Politico reports on how the response from Democrats in Congress is different this time around. And Zack Beauchamp argues in Vox that a shift to the right by Israel’s government has stoked divisions between Jews and Arabs.

A recent ProPublica investigation shows that millions of people in the U.S. may be exposing themselves to huge financial risk by purchasing short-term health-insurance policies with major coverage limitations in the fine print.

A Black homeowner wondered if her race was a factor in why appraisals of her home were suspiciously low. The Indianapolis Star reports that when she hid her race, the value doubled.

A new, experimental device can turn a person’s thoughts of handwriting into actual text. NPR has the story behind this groundbreaking research.

New CDC guidance says fully vaccinated people can mostly remove masks indoors. NPR takes a look at what has and hasn’t changed.

More than 1.9 million Americans could be affected by Republican governors cutting back unemployment benefits. The Washington Post examines the possible impact.

As American troops withdraw from Afghanistan, the White House is weighing how to evacuate thousands of Afghan citizens who have worked for the U.S. government. Bloomberg News describes the danger they face.

Breanna Stewart is the first WNBA player in a decade with a signature-sneaker deal. ESPN explains why it could be a significant development for women’s athletics.