Top 8 today

Top 8 stories today include the U.S. Supreme Court’s reining in of states seeking to revamp how elections are held; A report finding the FBI was woefully unprepared for the Capitol riot; A judge denied the FTX wunderkind Sam Bankman-Fried’s bid to dismiss fraud charges; Canadian wildfires brought Chicago the world’s worst air quality; Texas heat wave continues unabated; The new episode of Sidebar ponders the question of whether rhythm be can copyrighted; Global confidence in the U.S. has recovered under Biden; And a “smart textile” the size of two stamps is helping to assess injuries and aid in rehab.

National

Supreme Court gutters radical election theory that would save gerrymandered map

In a major elections case, the justices were asked to consider a fringe theory poised to change the administration of elections nationwide.

In this Feb. 16, 2016, photo, Republican state Sens. Dan Soucek, left, and Brent Jackson, right, review historical maps during the Senate Redistricting Committee for the 2016 Extra Session in the Legislative Office Building at the N.C. General Assembly, in Raleigh, N.C. (Corey Lowenstein/The News & Observer via AP, File)

Jan. 6 riot caught FBI off guard, Senate report finds

A panel on homeland security blasted law enforcement for their “shocking failure” to prepare for the 2021 attack on the Capitol.

Violent insurrectionists loyal to President Donald Trump storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

Bankman-Fried loses bid to dismiss cryptocurrency fraud indictment

With no objection from the Bahamian authorities who extradited him, the FTX wunderkind lacks standing to challenge superseding fraud charges..

Samuel Bankman-Fried sits in Manhattan federal court on Dec. 22, 2022. (Courtroom sketch by Elizabeth Williams via AP)

Regional

Canadian wildfires bring Chicago worst air quality in world

The National Weather Service urged locals to stay indoors, “even if physically healthy.”

In Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood on June 27, 2023, heavy smoke was visible both in the sky and at ground level. (Dave Byrnes / Courthouse News)

Texas set to endure another week of searing heat wave

Temperatures in the Lone Star State continue to be dangerously high — and in some spots, record-breaking.

The sun rises over power lines June 27, 2023, in Houston. Meteorologists say scorching temperatures brought on by a heat dome have taxed the Texas power grid and threaten to bring record highs to the state. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Podcast

New on Sidebar: Give me a beat!

The courts have spoken: You can’t copyright a groove. But what about a rhythm? And what if that rhythm has spiraled into worldwide popularity with artists like Bad Bunny?

Science & Research

Global confidence in US recovers under Biden

Just 39% of people polled in 23 countries thought Donald Trump would “do the right thing regarding world affairs,” compared to 54% of people who think Biden acts with the global good in mind.

A mural of US Presidential candidate Joe Biden on a gable wall in Ballina, west of Ireland, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020. Ballina is the ancestral home of US Presidential candidate Joe Biden. President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, are in a tight battle for the White House. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

‘Smart textile’ designed to help assess muscle injuries, improve rehab

A device the size of two stamps can help gather data from patients to aid in muscle rehabilitation.

A screenshot from a video demonstrating a smart patch that can convert muscle movements into distinct electrical signals. (Courthouse News image via Jun Chen)

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