Welcome back, folks–thank you for your patience! On a related note, I’m considering moving the NNR to a biweekly schedule, while things are still relatively calm over the summer. Let me know your opinion, if you have one! Okay, that’s all the news about the news. Let’s talk about July so far.
Standard standing reminders still apply: I may be well into my seventh year of journalism, but I summarize news within my areas of expertise. NNR summaries often contain some detailed analysis that’s outside my expertise–I’m a lawyer, not a continuance!–but all offroad adventures are marked with an asterisk. And, of course, for the things that are within my lane, I’m offering context that shouldn’t be considered legal advice. Okay, I think that’s about it for the disclaimers. Onward to the news!
Cleanup in Aisle 45:
There’s less news coming in, but we’re still stuck on 45 for the original flavor Election Rejection for now. Here’s what has happened:
- Indictment Season? Remember Trump’s aide Walt Nauta, who helped him hide the documents in the Mar-a-Lago case? After postponing his arraignment three times, he finally pled not guilty this week. Meanwhile, in a modern definition of chutzpah, Trump argued this week that his case should be continued indefinitely because he is running for President.
For yet another week, the main news story on the Biden Rebuilding front is financial. Here’s what I have for you:
- Student Loan Plan Scramble (cont). In the aftermath of SCOTUS striking down Biden’s student loan plan, his administration announced a new additional stopgap on Friday. Similar to his plan which cleaned up Public Service Loan Forgiveness, this plan will clean up mistakes in enrollment for people under the Income Driven Repayment plan, which is supposed to allow forgiveness after 240 qualifying payments. It’s estimated these supports will assist about 800,000 borrowers. It’s a small step, but hopefully it will help some people.
Your New Normal:
- Health Mini-Roundup. There was a lot of health news for yet another roundup. Scientists estimate that climate change is responsible for temperatures last week, when we had a new record for consecutive heat and nearly the hottest day in history. In other news, the FDA approved a new Alzheimer’s drug, which is apparently the first to slow cognitive decline in patients. A new study of Long Covid suggests that, uh… it’s not good. (Also, it might cause damage to the vagus nerve.) But in more positive news, the FDA has approved the first over-the-counter instance of birth control in the United States.
The Bad:
- Political Determinants of Health. We also saw several updates on the gender-affirming care and reproductive health fronts. In Tennessee, the Sixth Circuit allowed the state’s gender-affirming care ban to go back into effect after it was paused by injunction. Meanwhile, Iowa passed a six-week ban on abortion, but the law was paused by a court order just today. This makes twelve states with effective bans of abortion on their books.
The Good:
- SAG Strikes Back. After two months of the Writers’ Guild strike in Hollywood, the Screen Actor’s Guild opted to join the strike on Thursday. The move brings a lot more power to the existing strike in Hollywood, where both groups attempt to protect against AI creating a replacement of their labor (and to preserve living wages in a field where residuals are increasingly meaningless). It’s likely to give a lot more power back to workers now that both groups are striking, and hopefully it will result in better conditions.
So that’s what I have for you, and I’m sorry, there are no news refunds. For making it through, you deserve this bear’s playground jaunt and a more functional government. I’ll be back next week with more restructured and improved news, and I hope you will be back as well–but in the meantime, feel free to ping the National News Roundup ask box, which is there for your constructive comments. Send me questions! Send me feedback! Send me your opinions on a bi-weekly schedule!
National News Roundup 