A Texas judge has blocked a state law that would have banned transition-related medical care for minors, while a Missouri judge ruled that a similar ban in that state can take effect on Monday. The ruling in Missouri means that health care providers are prohibited from providing gender-affirming surgeries to minors, with the exception of those who began puberty blockers or hormones before Monday. Physicians who violate the law face having their licenses revoked and being sued by patients, and the law has been met with strong opposition from civil rights groups. The legal fight over efforts by conservatives to restrict transition-related medical care is ongoing.
News Mash
The FDA and CDC are expecting to approve a new COVID-19 booster shot to broaden immunity against currently circulating variants of the virus in the coming weeks. Vaccinated Americans are being warned against seeking out another booster this month, and instead should continue to follow safety protocols and get the current vaccine now. The updated booster shot will be available to the public in mid-September.
The Spanish Women's Soccer team has announced a boycott of all matches until the president of the Spanish Soccer Federation, Luis Rubiales, is removed from his position. This follows an incident in which Rubiales kissed player Jenni Hermoso without her consent during the country's World Cup victory ceremony. The Association of Professional Soccer Players has expressed their "firm and resounding condemnation" of Rubiales' unsolicited kiss, and all 22 of Hermoso's fellow world champions, and 58 other Spanish players, have joined the boycott. Rubiales has refused to step down from his position, claiming the kiss was consensual, a claim which Hermoso has strongly denied.
Despite the defeat of an anti-choice ballot initiative earlier this month, Ohio Republicans are continuing their efforts to pass anti-choice legislation. The Ohio Ballot Board, led by anti-choice advocate Frank LaRose, has approved language for the ballot initiative that may confuse voters. The language bears little resemblance to the full amendment, which seeks to enshrine abortion rights and other reproductive freedoms into Ohio's Constitution. Supporters of the amendment are concerned that the language could mislead voters and lead to the amendment's defeat.
A U.S. military jet crashed near the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, California late Thursday night, leaving the fate of its pilot unknown. Search and rescue efforts are underway, with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department providing assistance. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and MCAS Miramar houses over 12,000 Marines, sailors, and civilians.
Former President Donald Trump was booked on Thursday in the Georgia election interference case and released with a mug shot, which his joint fundraising committee is now selling as merchandise. John Bolton, who served as national security adviser under Trump, said the mug shot was likely intended to be a sign of intimidation. Trump is also fundraising off his latest surrender, with a fundraising email sent out shortly after his release from jail.
Former President Donald Trump was arrested on Thursday in Fulton County, Georgia, on 13 felony counts related to an alleged scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election. He was booked and had his mug shot taken at the Fulton County jail, and is the latest of 18 co-defendants indicted by the Fulton County District Attorney's office. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to fight the charges, the outcome of which remains to be seen.
A woman in Arizona was rescued after she passed a note to a customer at a gas station begging for help. She had been abducted by a man posing as an Uber driver and was being driven towards Las Vegas. The customer contacted the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office, who were able to locate the van and rescue the woman. The woman was reunited with her family and the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office commended her quick thinking and bravery.