The Well News - SAturday, Augo-ust 2, 2025 - Stories coverage from July27 to August 2, 2025

 

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Straight From The Well

Saturday, August 2, 2025

Happy Saturday! The TWN stories below span our July 27 - Aug. 2 coverage. Thanks for reading!

CONGRESS

Senators voiced concern for special education programs at a school choice subcommittee meeting held on Capitol Hill, emphasizing the importance of funding public education to protect disabled students, as Republicans want to privatize K-12 education through school vouchers. (July 28) Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., widely considered a rising star in the Democratic Party, is stoking speculation that he is considering running for president in 2028, with back-to-back trips to New Hampshire and Iowa during the Senate’s August break. (July 28) The co-chairs of the House Problem Solvers Caucus are reaching out to President Donald Trump, asking for a meeting to discuss “opportunities for bipartisan compromise on immigration, permitting reform and the national debt.” (July 28) Despite a dramatic shift in the federal government’s support of electric vehicles, Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., continues to believe lithium, a critical component in EV batteries, can and will drive the future of his district in the far southern reaches of the Golden State. (Aug. 1)

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COURTS

The District of Columbia Council is giving clear hints it plans to revise a local law that could allow a group of activist lawyers to recover losses on behalf of people who lost money through sports gambling. (July 28) President Donald Trump announced his revised plans for tariffs worldwide but still faces a possibility that a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., will try to override his authority. (Aug. 1)

WHITE HOUSE

The White House and European Union agreed to a preliminary trade deal that imposes a 15% tariff on nearly all goods made in the EU, but staves off what could have become a nasty and protracted trade war between the trading partners. (July 28) The Trump administration is doubling down against policies that seek inclusivity toward transgender persons with threats of two enforcement actions. (July 29) The Trump administration rescinded the designation of all areas on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf that had previously been earmarked for offshore wind development. (July 30) President Donald Trump signed a measure into law that could prevent tens of thousands of veterans from defaulting on their VA homes and losing the roofs over their heads to foreclosure. (July 30) The Trump administration released a policy report that recommends deregulation of cryptocurrency as well as legislation to govern how it could create investment opportunities. (July 31) The first major construction project at the White House in 73 years will get underway in September when ground is broken on a new 90,000-square-foot ballroom on its grounds. (July 31) President Donald Trump said he will delay imposing tariffs on Mexico as trade negotiations continue, noting that a conversation he had with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had been “very successful.” (July 31) President Donald Trump ordered two nuclear submarines “to be positioned in the appropriate regions” in response to provocative remarks posted on X by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. (Aug. 1) President Donald Trump fired the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner, hours after the agency reported far weaker-than-expected job numbers. (Aug. 1)

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Texas Republicans released their plan for a new congressional map that would add five massively GOP-friendly districts and virtually ensure the party maintains control of the House after the 2026 midterm election. (July 30)

Summer nights invite us to stay up late and bask in the warmth. But for many of us, they can also bring restless sleep. Blame it on more than just the heat. Seasonal shifts in nighttime temperature and daylight patterns subtly disrupt how we wind down, fall asleep and stay asleep. (July 28)  Here we look at the science behind how a dose of novelty, from a big trip to a local outing, can boost cognitive and emotional health. Whether it’s new landscapes, fresh routines or simply stepping away from the familiar, these experiences fall under what’s known as “environmental enrichment.” (July 28) The use of cannabis and assorted hallucinogens increased among people aged 12 and over during the four-year period that ended in 2024, according to a report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (July 28) Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary announced the agency’s decision to start the process of scheduling 7-hydroxymitragynine, also known as 7-OH, as an illicit substance, and the kickoff of a campaign to educate the public about its dangers. (July 30)

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Within minutes after a National Transportation Safety Board hearing started, aircraft industry experts implicated a combination of instrument error and pilot oversight as the main factors in the Jan. 29 collision over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people. (July 30) Implementation of the All-Electric Buildings Act was approved by New York state’s Building Code Council, meaning that beginning next year, most new buildings in the state under seven stories must use electric heating and appliances. (Aug. 1)

CARTOONS OF THE WEEK