Kamala Harris Accepts VP Nomination; Trump Addresses QAnon Conspiracy Theory; Apple Now Worth $2 Trillion

Plus, students with disabilities struggle to learn remotely. by Korva Coleman and Jill Hudson First Up [Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., speaks in Wilmington, Del., during Night 3 of the Democratic National Convention. She spoke about her upbringing and her family and her background as a prosecutor.]( Carolyn Kaster/AP Here's what we're following today. The Democratic National Convention wraps up Thursday night with Joe Biden formally accepting the party’s presidential nomination. [During the third night]( of the online convention, Kamala Harris used [her prime-time speech]( to introduce herself and excoriate President Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Former President Barack Obama [launched a rare attack on his successor]( and urged Americans to vote, saying, "Don't let them take away your power." President Trump [fired back on Twitter]( again claiming without evidence that the Obama Administration had spied on his campaign. President Trump addressed the baseless, far-right QAnon conspiracy theory directly for the first time on Wednesday, saying he didn't know much about the online community and its followers other than "they like me very much." When a reporter partially summed up the conspiracy theory to him — that [it revolves around a false narrative]( that Trump is leading a secret, government-led charge against pedophiles, cannibals and satanic worshippers — the president responded: "Is that supposed to be a bad thing?" Alexei Navalny, Russia's most outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin, is fighting for his life in a hospital, and his spokeswoman says [she believes he was poisoned]( — most likely when he drank a cup of tea in the airport before flying from Siberia to Moscow. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said on Wednesday that he had authorized the city to disconnect utility service at a Hollywood Hills house after it [hosted several large parties]( in "flagrant violation" of COVID-19 public health orders. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listens [Rattan Lal, an Indian-born scientist, has devoted his career to finding ways to capture carbon from the air and store it in soil.]( Ken Chamberlain/OSU/CFAES More than 40 years ago, in Nigeria, a young scientist named Rattan Lal encountered an idea that changed his life — and led, eventually, to global recognition and a worldwide movement to protect the planet's soil. Environmentalists these days call it regenerative agriculture, which reverses climate change by finding ways to capture carbon from the air and store it in soil. [Click here]( to listen or [read about Lal's story](. Universal History Archive/Getty Images Today the foundations of philosophy are seen as a straight line from Plato and Aristotle. But, between the 8th century and 14th century, the West was greatly overshadowed by the Islamic world and philosophy was in very different hands. [This episode of Throughline]( looks at how one Medieval Islamic philosopher put his pen to paper and shaped the modern world. There are more than seven million school children in the U.S. who receive special education services. But this spring, many of those vital services like physical therapy simply stopped. For those schools that plan to continue distance learning in the fall, some educators want to do things differently for students with disabilities. Parents say the schools have to do better. [NPR’s Cory Turner has the story](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [Callie Evans is a teacher and cheerleading coach at Monroe Comprehensive High School in Albany, Ga. She and her colleague Audri Williams rapped about virtual learning and the COVID-19 pandemic in popular music videos on Instagram.]( Callie Evans/Screenshot by NPR - A back t0 school Instagram video featuring two high school teachers in Georgia has gone viral for its creative approach to [raising students' morale](. - One of the shining lights of Americana music, Courtney Marie Andrews, recorded a [Tiny Desk concert]( at her home in Nashville. - Apple has become the first American publicly traded company to reach $2 trillion in market value. Much of the increase has come since late March, showing just how much the coronavirus pandemic has [boosted the fortunes of big tech companies]( as people rely on technology for work, school and entertainment. --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow [The New Normal]( on Instagram! What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [dailynewsletter@npr.org](mailto:dailynewsletter@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy](