Extra, Extra
A Spray Area: “Walgreens on Wednesday said it will offer its own cheaper version of the over-the-counter opioid overdose reversal spray naloxone. The drug is available online and will be in all stores at the end of the month.” Why is news about a store-branded naloxone clone top news in NextDraft? Because the problem it addresses is massive. US drug overdose deaths decreased in 2023 for the first time in five years. But the numbers are still shocking.
+ Protection v Racket: “The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the federal watchdog created in response to the 2008 financial meltdown may continue to operate in its current form, brushing aside claims from the payday lending industry that could have severely jeopardized years of consumer-friendly banking regulations.”
+ Manhattan Simposium: As expected, things are getting pretty heated during the cross-examination of Michael Cohen. I’m not sure anything that happens in the court room can be as sad as what’s been happening outside of it, where Trump enablers are trashing the trial. “Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., took a shot at the rolling cast of VP wannabes and MAGA House members attending Trump’s trial over the past several days, saying each was trying to out-“simp” the others. (Simping refers to someone who is overly submissive or doting in a way that’s often not reciprocated.) ‘It was like ‘The Hunger Games’ of simp,” Fetterman said of the string of Trump allies showing up in Manhattan. “It’s like, ‘I’m gonna simp’ and, like, ‘I’ll simp harder.’ … And, of course, they all have a uniform and it’s kinda sad.'” Here’s the latest from CNN and NBC.
+ Unsettled: “How did a young nation turn so quickly on its own democratic ideals, and at what price? Any meaningful answer to these questions has to take into account how a half-century of lawless behavior that went largely unpunished propelled a radical form of ultranationalism to the center of Israeli politics. This is the history that is told here in three parts.” This isn’t about Gaza. It’s about the West Bank settler movement. But it’s very related to the current crisis because it’s so connected to the power brokers in Netanyahu’s government. NYT Mag: The Unpunished: How Extremists Took Over Israel. And The Atlantic (Gift Article) on the opposition to this group. The Israeli Defense Establishment Revolts Against Netanyahu.
+ Can You Hear Me Now? “The White House has blocked the release of audio from President Joe Biden’s interview with a special counsel about his handling of classified documents, arguing Thursday that Republicans in Congress only wanted the recordings ‘to chop them up’ and use them for political purposes.”
+ The Seconds Are Short, The Years Could Be Long: “Authorities said they executed their elaborate heist in April 2023, stealing $25 million from traders in just 12 seconds by fraudulently gaining access to pending transactions and altering the movement of cryptocurrency.” Two former MIT students charged with stealing $25 million of crypto in 12 seconds.
+ The Kicker is Wide Right: “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.” Backlash over NFL player Harrison Butker’s commencement speech has reached a new level. He also called pride month a deadly sin, quoted Taylor Swift, and told the male graduates to “be unapologetic in your masculinity.” (I mean, he’s a kicker…)
