Supreme Court Rulings, GLPs Go Medicaid, & Highest Paying Jobs by State

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Adam Rogers
June 30, 2026

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The Supreme Court issued a pair of closely watched rulings yesterday that delivered both victories and setbacks for President Trump, preserving mail-in ballot deadlines while expanding presidential authority over many independent federal agencies.
In a 5-4 decision, the court upheld laws in Mississippi and 13 other states allowing mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted after polls close. The ruling preserves existing election procedures ahead of November's midterm elections and rejects a Republican National Committee challenge backed by Trump.
The court also ruled Trump cannot immediately remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook while she challenges her dismissal, preserving the Fed's traditional independence. But in a separate 6-3 ruling, the justices gave presidents broader authority to fire leaders of most other independent agencies, overturning a 90-year-old precedent that had limited executive power.

More than 145 million people are under heat alerts as an intense heat wave spreads across the eastern United States ahead of the July Fourth holiday. Temperatures are expected to climb into the upper 90s and 100s, with heat index values reaching 105 to 115 degrees in cities including New York, Washington, Chicago, and Boston.
Forecasters expect the most dangerous conditions from Thursday through Saturday, when nearly 100 daily temperature records could fall. Warm overnight temperatures will provide little relief, increasing the risk of heat-related illness.
The dangerous heat comes as wildfires continue to burn across the West, where three firefighters were killed battling blazes along the Colorado-Utah border. The Cottonwood Fire in southwest Utah has grown to more than 93,000 acres with no containment.

Some Medicare beneficiaries can begin receiving GLP-1 weight-loss drugs for a $50 monthly copay today under a new pilot program that expands Medicare coverage for obesity treatment for the first time. The program includes Wegovy, Zepbound, and Foundayo.
To qualify, patients must enroll in an eligible Medicare Part D plan, obtain prior authorization, and meet body mass index and health criteria. The program is aimed at people using GLP-1 medications solely for obesity. This group previously received little or no Medicare coverage despite out-of-pocket costs that often exceeded $350 per month.
The program will run through Dec. 31, 2027, after which Medicare coverage for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs could end unless federal regulators extend the pilot or Congress changes the law.

The Archdiocese of San Francisco agreed to a $395 million settlement with about 530 clergy sexual abuse survivors. (More)

The Supreme Court declined to hear President Donald Trump's appeal of a civil verdict finding he sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll, leaving a $5 million judgment intact. (More)

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will launch a UC Berkeley institute focused on strengthening democratic institutions, with research, leadership training and public forums beginning in January 2027. (More)

Afghan officials said Pakistani airstrikes killed 36 civilians after Pakistan targeted suspected militant hideouts following an attack that killed three of its security personnel in Karachi. (More)

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele registered to seek a third consecutive term after constitutional reforms allowing indefinite reelection, launching his 2027 campaign alongside Vice President Félix Ulloa. (More)

Vladimir Putin admitted Russia is experiencing fuel shortages for the first time, as Ukrainian drone strikes increasingly disrupt energy infrastructure deep inside the country. (More)

US stock markets closed higher on Monday (S&P +0.59%, Nasdaq +2.01%, Dow +0.59%) as Alphabet’s addition to the Dow helped it post a record close. (More)

Rocket Lab will acquire Iridium Communications in an $8 billion cash-and-stock deal, combining launch services with satellite communications in one of the space industry's biggest consolidation moves. (More)

Comcast will spin off NBCUniversal and Sky into a separate publicly traded company, separating its media and cable businesses. (More)

Paraguay upset four-time champion Germany in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw, advancing to the World Cup round of 16. (More)

Viktor Hovland defeated world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in a Monday playoff to win the Travelers Championship, securing his first PGA Tour victory since March 2025. (More)

Former NBA players Malik Beasley and Ed Davis were indicted alongside four others for allegedly manipulating player performances to profit from sports bets during the 2023-24 NBA season. (More)

ChatGPT-4o tended to portray older adults as warm but less competent than younger people, mirroring common age-related stereotypes, according to an analysis of 900 AI-generated responses. (More)

Recycled plastic bottles can be transformed into battery-grade synthetic graphite with a highly ordered crystal structure, potentially creating a new source of anode material for lithium-ion batteries. (More)

Giraffes can mentally add quantities to identify where more food is hidden, suggesting the animals possess numerical reasoning previously documented mainly in primates and birds. (More)

Celebrate America’s 250th as the oldest restaurant in your state.

Science says scratching mosquito bites is a bad idea.

What is the highest-paying job in your state?

Noah Kahan reminds concertgoers to use the bathroom instead of the floor.

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