Homeless Crackdown, Thailand Border Clash, & Squirrel Pot Pie

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Adam Rogers
July 25, 2025

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Trump signed an executive order changing federal policies on homelessness and public drug use. It requires agencies to redirect funding toward moving people with mental illness and addiction to treatment facilities, and ties federal grant eligibility to enforcing bans on “urban camping, loitering, and squatting.”
The order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to reverse legal precedents that limit states' ability to civilly commit people deemed a risk to themselves or others. It also requires states to track sex offenders to prevent them from being housed with children and stops federal grants from funding drug injection sites. (Read order fact sheet here)
The policy could affect cities and states nationwide that receive federal grants. Civil rights advocates warn that the expanded civil commitment powers raise constitutional questions about due process for people with mental illness and addiction.

Thai and Cambodian troops clashed along their border using artillery and rockets, while Thailand launched airstrikes in a major escalation. At least 12 people were killed in Thailand—including 11 civilians and one soldier—and 28 others were injured. Fighting continues in six areas as Thailand sealed border crossings, evacuated border communities, and urged its citizens to leave Cambodia.
The fighting was triggered by a mine explosion Wednesday that wounded five Thai soldiers on paths both sides had agreed were safe. Thailand says the mines were newly laid Russian-made devices, while Cambodia claims they’re remnants from past wars. Both sides withdrew ambassadors, and Cambodia called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting over "Thailand's aggression."
The crisis has already led to the suspension of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who faces an investigation over her handling of earlier border tensions in May.

A Boston judge dismissed over 120 cases in a single day due to public defender shortages. It is the first time Massachusetts used legal protocols to drop cases when defendants lack attorneys for over 45 days. The cases included charges of assault on a pregnant woman, attempted strangulation, and attacking a police officer.
Public defenders stopped taking new clients in May over a pay dispute, demanding an increase from $65–85 to $73–105 per hour. However, the state budget signed this month included no pay increases despite defenders being the lowest paid in New England.
Massachusetts joins a growing list of states where underfunded public defense systems are unraveling. Similar crises are hitting New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Oregon, where over 3,500 defendants lack legal representation. Prosecutors warn the dismissals pose a “clear and continuing threat to public safety,” while Mass. Governor Maura Healey called it both a “public safety issue and due process issue.”

The 9th 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 to block Trump's birthright citizenship order nationwide, the second court to issue such a ban despite Supreme Court limits on broad injunctions. (More)

Wisconsin's 73-year-old Democratic Governor Tony Evers won't seek reelection in 2026 to spend time with family, setting up a wide-open race in the crucial swing state. (More)

The USDA will close most Washington offices and move staff closer to farmers in five rural cities, after 15,000 employees resigned under Trump's government restructuring. (More)

Iran shut down government and businesses Wednesday as temperatures hit 125°F, worsening a water crisis in Tehran where dam capacity has dropped to just 14%. (More)

Massive wildfires in Cyprus have scorched over 120 square kilometers, killed two people, injured ten, destroyed homes, and forced 14 villages to evacuate. Officials suspect arson. (More)

All 48 people aboard a nearly 50-year-old Russian passenger plane died when it crashed in dense forests during bad weather in the Far East. (More)

US stock markets closed mixed on Thursday (S&P +0.07%, Nasdaq +0.18%, Dow -0.70%). Alphabet’s latest quarterly results came in better than expected, driving the S&P and Nasdaq gains. (More)

UnitedHealth admitted to Justice Department probes over Medicare fraud allegations, sending shares down 2% as the nation's largest insurer deals with increasing legal and corporate troubles. (More)

Southwest Airlines shares fell 13% after missing earnings targets and slashing its 2025 profit forecast from $1.7 billion to $600-800 million amid travel demand weakness. (More)

Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, whose shirt-ripping theatrics made him a household name in the 1980s, died Thursday at 71 from cardiac arrest in Florida. (More)

Trump signed an executive order on college sports, pushing for national NIL rules. It backs fair deals for athletes but opposes pay-for-play, aiming to protect scholarships and smaller sports programs. (More)

Jets quarterback Justin Fields, expected to be New York's starter this season, was carted off during practice Thursday with a toe injury during training camp. (More)

Lightning kills 320 million trees annually, according to new German research, releasing up to 1.09 billion tons of carbon dioxide. (More)

The US fertility rate dropped to an all-time low of 1.6 children per woman in 2024, falling below the 2.1 replacement rate needed to maintain population levels. (More)

Uber announced a pilot feature that only pairs women drivers with women riders to address safety concerns on the platform. It launches next month in three US cities. (More)

Experts say exercise in the morning for a healthier heart.

Squirrel pot pie was once America’s comfort food.

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