| Harvey's cost could rival Katrina and Sandy — combined | | Hurricane Harvey could well end up being the nation's costliest natural disaster ever, with a staggering price tag of $160 billion, the private weather firm AccuWeather estimated. That would be a nearly 1% hit to America's gross national product, according to AccuWeather, which said the economic shockwaves would disrupt employment, businesses and corporate earnings. Floodwaters in Houston slowly receded on Wednesday, as residents face the daunting first steps of emerging from Harvey's devastation. The city's two airports were set to resume limited operations after days of closure, but to the east, the Texas city of Port Arthur remained "underwater," the its mayor said. | | Michael Phelps opens up about his mental illness
About 44 million American adults experience some form of mental illness, and research suggests athletes may be at increased risk. They face pressure to perform, often under intense public scrutiny, while competing in a culture that inhibits them from seeking the help they need. USA TODAY Sports talked to eight athletes who have struggled with mental illnesses, including NBA legend Jerry West, NFL star Brandon Marshall and Olympic golden boy Michael Phelps. "For the longest time, I thought asking for help was a sign of weakness, because that's kind of what society teaches us," Phelps says. "Well, you know what? If someone wants to call me weak for asking for help, that's their problem." | | $1,000 iPhones? It's a thing now | | Want the new Galaxy Note 8 or waiting for Apple's rumored iPhone 8? Get ready to save. New features like high resolution edge-to-edge screens, fancy dual-cameras and facial recognition will be costly. The new Galaxy Note 8 is priced between $929 and $960 (depending on carrier), while speculation points to the radically redesigned iPhone 8 costing over $1,000. Start filling up that piggy bank. | | Transgender troops stay put — for now | | Although President Trump announced more than a month ago that transgender troops will no longer be allowed "to serve in any capacity in the U.S. military," those troops will remain for the time being. Trump's July 26 tweet took the Pentagon by surprise, and Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, responded by saying there would be no policy change until an official notification by the White House. The president issued that notification Friday night, directing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to study the issue and determine how to implement it. Mattis announced late Tuesday that transgender troops will be allowed to continue serving in the military, pending the results of that study. |  | | Houston pastor shrugs off Harvey backlash: 'We never turned anyone away' | | Televangelist Joel Osteen waved off a flood of criticism during Tropical Storm Harvey that his 16,000-seat megachurch in Houston was reluctant to open its doors as a shelter. "The church has always been open," Osteen, senior pastor of Lakewood Church, told CNN. Flooding kept the church from opening at first, he said, and church leaders needed time to make it livable for evacuees. Photos showing passable streets outside Osteen's church cast doubt on his claims over the weekend. "It probably helped us to step up some things, to do it faster,' he said of the criticism. | | Mandatory reading: Survey finds the key to the female orgasm | | Those rapid-fire moves seen in the movies won't win any brownie points in the bedroom, boys. When it comes to orgasms, many women say they need clitoral stimulation, according to a recent survey. The survey of 1,055 women ages 18 to 94 found that only 18.4% of women said intercourse alone was enough to orgasm. When it comes to what works in the bedroom, women vary in their preferred style of touch, pressure, and motion. The bottom line? It may be time for more foreplay. | | What else is happening this week? Bookmark our calendar. | | This is a compilation of stories from across USA TODAY. | |
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