Initial Impression: Headlines for July 29

Your once-weekly, wide-ranging headline digest featuring linked stories and quick takes to help you cut through the noise and stay informed.

TA-DAAAAAAAA!

This past Sunday, The Brie-fing introduced our new Sunday series called Worthy of Brainspace, but we’re not done there! I’d love to formally introduce our new Tuesday series, Initial Impressions!

The purpose is a simple one: We know that the Trump administration aims to keep us distracted and overwhelmed by the news, so Initial Impressions is your once-weekly WIDE-RANGING headline coverage to make sure you’re all caught up.

You’ll see the headline (linked to the original story for your viewing) along with a very quick impression from me. Ideally, you’ll have heard or read about these stories already, but there may be one or two you’ve missed… that’s what we’re here for!

So, without further ado, here’s what’s happening:

New York Times: What We Know About the Shooting in Midtown Manhattan

This is the deadliest mass shooting in NYC in more than two decades. It appears the gunman was heading for the National Football League, but went to the wrong floor. He turned the gun on himself after taking four lives; preliminary details indicate that he believed he was suffering from CTE.

New York Times: Marjorie Taylor Greene Is First Republican Lawmaker to Call Gaza Crisis a ‘Genocide’

Perhaps I’m just searching for hope in a situation that feels hopeless lately, but this feels like a big development. I could not have predicted Greene, of all people, to be the leading Republican on this view.

New York Times: E.P.A. Plans to Revoke the Legal Basis for Tackling Climate Change

In case this doesn’t sound like a huge deal on first impression, just know that EPA administrator Lee Zeldin says ““The proposal would, if finalized, amount to the largest deregulatory action in the history of the United States.” Effectively, this move eliminates the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, and the ramifications are VERY wide ranging.

Wall Street Journal: JPMorgan Chase Nears a Deal to Take Over Apple’s Credit-Card Program

Apple may be nearing an end to their two-year search for a firm to take over Goldman’s role in their credit-card program. Slowing them down is a high number of subprime borrowers (who have a credit score lower than 660) within the portfolio.

Wall Street Journal: AI Is Wrecking an Already Fragile Job Market for College Graduates

One of the cruelest ironies of being a Millennial or Gen-Z American: You’re told your whole life that you have to go to college if you want to make decent money… but then, this big new invention steals all the entry-level jobs that college graduates typically fill. Young adults will be up against the wall as AI advances further.

Wall Street Journal: A Divided Fed Eyes Future Rate Cuts but Won’t Move This Week

President Trump is sure to talk some shit once the Fed officially announces that the rates won’t change this week, but he has nobody to blame but himself; When the year started, the U.S. was poised for growth and lower interest rates. Trump’s tariffs reversed that trajectory.

BBC News: PM: UK will recognise Palestinian state unless conditions met

It should NOT have taken this much. We should NOT have gone this far. Still, it’s a step in the right direction.

CBS News: Immigrant kids detained in "unsafe and unsanitary" sites as Trump administration seeks to end protections

At issue in this case is the Flores agreement, in place since 1997, and it established requirements for safe and sanitary detention facilities, access to clean water, appropriate food, clothing, bedding, recreational and educational opportunities, sanitation, plus appropriate medical and mental health care for migrant children. The Trump administration is seeking to end the Flores agreement.

BBC News: IMF upgrades global growth forecast as tariffs ease

The world seems to be breathing a sigh of relief as the estimates are updated to something less catastrophic than was predicted earlier this year. Still, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, the IMF's chief economist, notes “The world economy is still hurting, and it's going to continue hurting with tariffs at that level, even though it's not as bad as it could have been."

Military Times: Government shutdown talk starts early ahead of a tough funding fight

The Big Beautiful Bill (which should be formally noted, imho, as the Trump Tax) was completed through a process that only requires a simple majority of 51 votes. The problem is, the budget bill needs 60 votes… meaning they have to get at least 7 democratic senators to vote with them.

Psychology Today: Can AI Chatbots Worsen Psychosis and Cause Delusions?

Just a quick heads up: be careful about what you’re telling your chatbots!

CNN: Judge rails against last-minute bid by Trump ally to open Federal Reserve interest rate meetings to the public

CNN Notes: Azoria (the company who filed the lawsuit) said the practice violates the “Sunshine Act,” a Nixon-era law requiring open access meetings by government agencies. US District Judge Beryl Howell rejected the investment firm’s request since the FOMC is not a government agency, and therefore is not subject to the Sunshine Act.

The Hill: GOP bill seeks to rename Kennedy Center for Trump

Rest assured, folks; the GOP is hard at work tackling the real issues affecting our nation.

Fox 5 Washington DC: Several Maryland lawmakers denied access to Baltimore ICE facility: 'This is a cover-up'

Despite giving advanced notice of their visit, and despite warning ICE that denying them access is a violation of federal law, Maryland lawmakers were denied access anyway.

AP News: Maine police chief says Jamaican officer arrested by ICE had cleared federal check for work in May

From AP: “ICE said in a Monday statement that Evans had legally entered the U.S. in September 2023 and violated the terms of his admission by overstaying his visa. But Old Orchard Beach Police Chief Elise Chard said in her own Monday statement that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had verified that Evans was authorized to work in the U.S. in May of this year.”

The Hill: Sydney Sweeney ‘good genes’ ad courts controversy

I’ve watched the ads myself, several times… all I’m gonna say is this; American Eagle has more than 1,000 locations with nearly 50 years of business under their belt… they knew exactly how this would be interpreted.

Fortune: Lawyers say ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detainees are being held ‘incommunicado, with no ability to access the courts’

Just one more report detailing the ongoing violation of due process and human rights on American soil.

CNBC: Trump Organization says Amazon, Walmart, eBay sellers are hawking knockoff shirts, hats, mugs

I’m no expert, but this story has an unprecedented sort of feeling to it; three of the largest corporations in America have just become defendants against a company owned by the President of the United States, WHILE he sits in office.

Raw Story: 'Stunning error': Records show LA protest charges collapsed because of agents' lies

This story covers an analysis by the Guardian finding multiple false statements made by the Department of Homeland Security when charging protesters. It’s a rather stunning story, and I encourage you read this one entirely.

Federal News Network: Federal employees get more leeway to express religion at work

Step by step, day by day, the separation of church and state grows ever-more challenged.

Al Jazeera: Trump administration pressed to address starvation in Gaza

What we’re seeing in Gaza doesn’t happen in a few days, or a few weeks; the crisis which humanitarian groups warned about for over year is here, and the world is poised to watch thousands of people starve to death unless conditions change immediately.

What did you think? Do you find this new format helpful? Any stories catch you by surprise? Lemme know in the comments please!