COVID hospitalizations expected to rise: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/covid-hospitalizations-forecast-increase-amid-concerns-omicron-subvariants/story?id=86760359 . This projection reflects the expectation that BA5 currently drives increasing case numbers while having a higher severity than other recent variants. Just to reiterate a point made here repeatedly, there is no reason to believe that variants get less severe over time. BA5 looks like a counterexample to that regular refrain from some in the medical community.
FDA authorizes Novavax COVID vaccine: https://apnews.com/article/covid-technology-science-health-aeae3f70dd82ceec71493beb54e5c9a7 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-authorizes-novavaxs-covid-19-vaccine-11657743595 .
COVID politics remain difficult: https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-israel-middle-east-bf3bb2dd71f4b83f261336b8f68cd604 . Despite the COVID emphasis in this article, the bigger issue is the optics of the visit to Saudi Arabia. Biden needs oil sales at a time when the Saudis have gotten closer to Russia.
HHS says pharmacies must fill prescriptions for medication abortions: https://www.aol.com/news/u-hhs-pharmacies-must-fill-172000211-193303288.html . In other words, states cannot ban the filling of these prescriptions because of the supremacy clause (federal law supersedes state law). WSJ: A somewhat different view: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-urges-pharmacists-to-fill-prescriptions-for-drugs-that-can-be-used-in-abortions-11657730714 .
National suicide and crisis prevention hotline, 988, activates July 16: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/988-suicide-prevention-lifeline-what-to-know-130005857.html . As the article details, funding and implementation work are lagging. We can expect dropped calls and other confusion, followed by a rapid effort to catch up. We will see. However, this new resource will hopefully provide real help to many people even before full implementation.
US inflation remains hotter than expected: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-inflation-rises-9-1-123223321.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/us-inflation-june-2022-consumer-price-index-11657664129 . Clearly, the Fed must stay the course on raising interest rates as they fall farther behind inflation. In turn, these rapid rate rises will deepen and accelerate the recessionary trend. As gasoline and commodity prices are falling, the government measures of inflation should cool off in the next month or two.
However, government figures have their limits in measuring inflation. In particular, services are underweighted, and price increases are likely to continue in that sector due to the strong employment market and wage increases. Housing and rent increases are likely to slow. And, as previously discussed, we are already in a technical recession. Things look ugly over the next 3 months.
OJ attempted to call former White House staffer talking to January 6 committee: https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/13/politics/trump-contact-white-house-support-staffer-january-6-committee/index.html .
Losing GOP candidate for Colorado secretary of state may win orange jumpsuit: https://www.yahoo.com/news/3rd-arrest-made-alleged-colorado-181633283.html . So there are now 3 arrests involving Tina Peters and her staff.
Texas power grid struggling again: https://news.yahoo.com/texas-power-breaks-record-heat-122512984.html . The grid works great, except in summer and winter. Will Texas voters ever choose governance over culture wars? Their government literally kills citizens. There has been time to correct, but apparently no interest.
States address climate change: https://news.yahoo.com/supreme-court-climate-change-federal-states-step-in-183420823.html . Whatever you think of Gavin Newsom, at least he focuses on real policy issues rather than culture wars silliness.