The U.S. Supreme Court has put a hold on a Biden administration initiative aimed at reducing student debt, a plan that could potentially alleviate billions in financial burdens for borrowers. This comes as several Republican-led states are actively seeking to block these loan forgiveness efforts. Last year, the Supreme Court dismissed a proposal that would have canceled over $400 billion in student loans. In response, the administration has introduced a revised plan that would lower the repayment cap from 10% to 5% of borrowers' incomes, with loans of $12,000 or less being forgiven after ten years.

In a separate legal development, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has secured a new trial against the New York Times. A federal appeals court ruled that a judge erred in dismissing her defamation case while the jury was still deliberating. Palin's lawsuit stems from a 2017 editorial that incorrectly linked her to a mass shooting. Although the Times later issued a correction, this case could prompt the Supreme Court to reevaluate its precedent set in New York Times v. Sullivan, which established a high standard for public figures to prove defamation.

In Nevada, a jury has convicted former Las Vegas politician Robert Tellis of first-degree murder in the death of investigative journalist Jeff Gherman, who had published critical articles about him. Tellis, who has been in jail without bail since his arrest in 2022, faces a potential life sentence without parole.

Meanwhile, a severe heat wave that initially affected the upper Midwest has now spread to the East Coast, prompting heat advisories across a large portion of the mid-Atlantic region. Philadelphia is under an excessive heat warning, with humidity levels making temperatures feel as high as 105 degrees. As a result, numerous schools have opted to close early for the second consecutive day.