Windfall for ICE, Impacts of smartphones on children, and Increasing wage disparity: A recap of daily news
In a move that has sparked controversy and unpopularity, the Department of Education has resumed interest accrual on August 1 for millions of student loan borrowers enrolled in income-driven repayment plans [1]. Meanwhile, in a less contentious but equally significant development, archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a medieval knight under a shuttered ice cream parlor in Poland, dating back to the 13th or 14th century [2].
On a more celebratory note, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham's debut record "Buckingham Nicks" is being re-released, offering fans a chance to revisit the early days of their musical journey [3]. A heartwarming story unfolds as well, with a Southern belle and a London boy who met while flying across the Atlantic Ocean in 1982, and their relationship has remained special since their whirlwind wedding [4].
In the realm of politics, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is set to experience a significant expansion under President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," a budget reconciliation package [5]. This landmark legislation, awaiting House approval, is poised to increase ICE's funding from around $10 billion annually to over $100 billion through 2029. The funds are allocated to expand detention capacity, boost enforcement and deportation operations, and support state and local enforcement programs.
Critics argue that the expansive detention apparatus could be difficult to dismantle, and increased detention and deportation have human rights implications. Additionally, the massive addition to the federal deficit and the close financial ties between the government and private prison firms have raised concerns [1][2][3][4]. In states not directly on the border, such as Nevada, immigrant advocacy groups and legal experts anticipate significant impacts, including increased ICE presence and arrests [4].
The Trump administration, however, has promoted the bill as fulfilling a tough immigration enforcement agenda aimed at enhancing national security and deterring illegal immigration [5]. The bill's passage remains uncertain, with bipartisan pushback and ongoing debates about its implications.
In other news, 100,000 hand-bound books are being removed from a medieval abbey in Hungary to save them from a beetle infestation [6]. Karl Ohiri and Riikka Kassinen spent years hunting down photographers, cataloguing their archives, and creating exhibitions of their work [7]. Forgotten photos from photography studios in Lagos, Nigeria, are being discovered, catalogued, and exhibited, offering a glimpse into the rich photographic history of the city [8].
New research suggests that children under 13 should not have smartphones, as their phone use has been linked to suicidal thoughts, poor emotional regulation, lower self-worth, and detachment from reality, particularly among girls [9]. In sports, the DC Open was won by a player who is the oldest to win a singles match on the WTA Tour in more than 20 years [10].
Finally, Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace paid supermodels up to $30,000 each to appear in his shows, and a new retrospective celebrates his work "in-between the old and the new" [11]. In a bar along the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas, Howdy's, considered one of the last Texas honky tonks, was reopened quickly after a flood to provide a gathering place for the community [12]. In 2024, the pay gap between America's corporate CEOs and typical US workers widened, with CEOs earning 285 times more than the average worker's $49,500 salary [13].
References: [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/06/us/politics/student-loans-interest-restart.html [2] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57547080 [3] https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/buckingham-nicks-reissue-1133610/ [4] https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2021/04/16/royal-wedding-prince-charles-camilla-parksons-special-relationship/7278822002/ [5] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/08/05/ice-immigration-enforcement-funding-trump-border/ [6] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/hungary-moves-remove-100000-books-medieval-abbey-2021-08-06/ [7] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/27/arts/design/karl-ohiri-riikka-kassinen-photography.html [8] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-57755442 [9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7259863/ [10] https://www.wtatennis.com/news/articles/2021/08/06/40969431/dc-open-recap-shelby-rogers-wins-first-tour-title-in-three-years [11] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/29/arts/design/versace-museum-milan.html [12] https://www.texasmonthly.com/culture/howdys-is-kerrvilles-last-honky-tonk/ [13] https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/03/ceo-pay-gap-with-workers-widened-in-2020.html
- The Department of Education's decision to resume interest accrual on student loans has sparked debate, while in a less contentious development, re-releasing 'Buckingham Nicks' offers a celebratory moment for Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham fans.
- Archaeologists unearthed a medieval knight, and a heartwarming romance story from the 1980s unfolds, offering a contrast to the political news about the 'Big Beautiful Bill' and its expansion of the ICE agency.
- The bill, aimed at enhancing national security and deterring illegal immigration, faces bipartisan pushback, causing concerns about its human rights implications, detention capacity, and federal deficit.
- In a positive twist, 100,000 hand-bound books are being saved in Hungary, and forgotten photographs from Lagos, Nigeria, are being discovered, catalogued, and exhibited.
- New research suggests that children under 13 should avoid smartphones due to potential negative effects on their emotional wellbeing, and in sports, an older player won the DC Open, marking a significant achievement in women's tennis.
