Western intelligence officials say Iran is escalating efforts to kidnap and assassinate journalists, activists, and government officials who have spoken out against the regime. The Washington Post has the story.

Kyrsten Sinema talks to Politico about switching her party affiliation from Democrat to independent. The move is shaking up the Senate.

Thousands of nursing homes across the U.S failed to meet federal staffing requirements, putting residents at risk. A USA Today investigation finds that nearly all of them are getting away with it.

NPR explains why South Koreans are about to instantly get a year younger.

Yahoo Sports ranks the World Cup quarterfinalists.

WNBA star Brittney Griner has been released from Russian detention in a prisoner swap. She is now in U.S. custody. CBS has the story. 

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could impact 2024 races. Reuters reports on how justices reacted.

Peru’s president was removed from office and charged with “rebellion” after attempting to shut down Congress. The Guardian reports from Lima.

A Washington Post reporter investigates a string of overdose deaths in her hometown of Greenville, North Carolina.

Hyperallergic has some things to consider before you jump on the A.I.-portrait trend.

Incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock won Georgia’s Senate runoff election. The Los Angeles Times takes a look at what that means.

A jury found the Trump Organization guilty of tax fraud for engaging in a 15-year scheme in which top executives accepted off-the-books perks. Bloomberg has the story. Meanwhile, Vox argues that while the case may be embarrassing for Donald Trump, his real legal dangers lie elsewhere.

A major climate conference that begins today aims to stop the decline of ecosystems and wildlife. Vox lays out its goals.

The Atlantic explains why most food-expiration dates are actually meaningless.

Voters in Georgia are heading back to the polls to decide the final Senate contest of the year, as Sen. Raphael Warnock faces Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a runoff. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has been following both candidates’ campaigns. 

Venice was recently saved from a flood by an engineering marvel. The Washington Post reports on the expensive barrier system — and warns that rising sea levels mean it is not a permanent solution.

Taylor Swift fans are suing Ticketmaster after the presale for the singer’s upcoming tour crashed the site, leaving fans waiting for hours and many without the coveted tickets. The Verge has the story. 

Bloomberg Businessweek breaks down how Duolingo distinguished itself by gamifying language-learning, and its struggles to to turn free users into paying customers.

CNN reports on skepticism in and out of Iran over comments from a key official that the hijab law is under review and the feared “morality police” have been disbanded.

Unusual shooting attacks targeting power stations left tens of thousands of people without electricity in North Carolina. The Charlotte Observer has the story.

Dave Matthews took to the stage to support Raphael Warnock ahead of Georgia’s Senate runoff. New York Magazine explains why so many Democratic candidates have been calling on the jam-band icon to rally voters.

The Wall Street Journal looks at kids who’ve made their families millions by playing with toys in YouTube videos.

The Supreme Court is putting Biden’s student-loan forgiveness plan on hold until it can hear a challenge to its legality, ABC News reports.

USA Today looks at legislation that could help borrowers in a different way, by changing how people with debt can save for retirement.

CBS News reports on Biden’s proposal for a major shake-up to the presidential primary calendar.

NPR goes inside scientists’ efforts to save Florida's coral reef before it's too late.

National Geographic reports on the legend of a demon cat who is said to have haunted the U.S. Capitol for more than 100 years.

NPR reports on how Congress is moving to block a strike by railway workers, and Politico goes inside Biden’s decision to go against key union allies on the issue.

Migrant workers who helped build Qatar’s World Cup infrastructure want compensation for the dangerous and sometimes deadly conditions they experienced. USA Today spoke to some.

People say they’re worried about a recession in America, but they’re still spending. The Washington Post explains how economists are watching that disconnect for signals as to where things may go.

Want a four-day workweek? Show this Bloomberg article to your boss.

Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes was convicted of seditious conspiracy, in the highest-profile Capitol-attack case yet. CNN has the story.

NBC reports on how top Democrats in the House are stepping down from key posts to make way for younger politicians, and how House Republicans are battling over who will lead them when they take over the chamber.

Decades after the Americans With Disabilities Act became law, many people with disabilities say much of medical care is still inaccessible to them. The Atlantic and Undark detail the problems.

Our soccer podcast After the Whistle With Brendan Hunt and Rebecca Lowe looks at how the U.S. team’s narrow win over Iran has kept the Americans in the tournament.

The U.S. faces Iran today in a World Cup match that has political implications that go far beyond the game itself. CNN has the story.

USA Today reports on the Supreme Court’s first major immigration case of the term, in a case that could test the limits of Biden’s executive power.

The number of Americans attending college is about to crash. Vox explains how that will change higher education forever.

Shirley Wheeler had an illegal abortion in 1970 — and was charged with manslaughter. In Conversation explores how Wheeler’s case is a warning of what’s to come after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

The Hill looks at what early voting numbers tell us about the Georgia Senate runoff. And Vox explains why the contest matters, even after Democrats have clinched Senate control.

Protests have erupted across China against strict COVID-lockdown and quarantine policies. CNN has journalists on the ground.

Married couples are richer than cohabiting unmarried couples. The Wall Street Journal looks into why.

Bloomberg Businessweek explores how seizing a Russian superyacht is much more complicated than you think.