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Public health is having a messy family fight.

HHS Secretary RFK Jr. spent yesterday in a contentious Senate hearing that included multiple shouting matches over his stance on vaccines and last week’s abrupt ousting of CDC Director Susan Monarez. RFK Jr. promised “new blood” at the CDC, saying the U.S. “did worse than any other country” at handling COVID. 

It came a day after nine former CDC directors published a NYT op-ed accusing RFK Jr. of “endangering Americans’ health,” and California, Oregon, and Washington announced the West Coast Health Alliance—an organization that promises to provide science-based vaccine recommendations to “strengthen public confidence in vaccines and in public health” as federal guidance shifts. 

Meanwhile, Florida is also weighing in: Gov. DeSantis (R-FL) and Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo announced plans to eliminate all childhood vaccine mandates, calling them “immoral.”

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CHOOSE HUMILITY
Public health policy can spark heated debate. Remember that both your stance and how you take your stance reflect on Christ (Ephesians 4:15). 

“O Lord, let those who claim your name do no harm to it by their abrasiveness and impatience, but rather, speaking your precious truth in love, let them present your story winsomely that it might be well-loved, and that others might be drawn to your goodness, your beauty.”
Every Moment Holy, Volume 3, page 376

Fighting continues over the release of the Justice Department’s Epstein files.

The House released more files Tuesday, including the murder-conspiracy-fueling “missing minute” of video surveillance from outside Jeffrey Epstein’s jail cell on the night he died (watch nothing happen here). On Wednesday, some of the late sex offender’s alleged victims shared abuse stories on Capitol Hill to pressure Congress for greater transparency. 

Most Republicans say quickly releasing files without proper review would breach victims’ privacy and is a political distraction. Democrats are pushing for full release without redactions, saying secrecy protects powerful elites associated with Epstein, not victims.

The bipartisan group hoping to force a House vote to release everything needs two more GOP signatures. Four Republicans have already broken ranks to support the move that the White House calls “a Democrat hoax that never ends.” 

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ABOVE ALL, LOVE
Christians may disagree about what justice looks like with the Epstein case, but there are some non-negotiables when it comes to how we disagree: humility, gentleness, patience, love, and harmony.

“I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:2-3 (CSB) (read full passage)

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Basketball season hasn’t started yet, but the LA Clippers are being accused of a flagrant foul.

The NBA is investigating whether Clippers’ owner Steve Ballmer used a fake endorsement deal to “circumvent” the league’s salary cap and pay star forward Kawhi Leonard an additional $28M.

In 2021, Ballmer invested ~$50M in a now-bankrupt sustainability company called Aspiration. An investigative sports podcast alleged that Aspiration signed a four-year endorsement deal with Leonard that involved no actual endorsement and only required him to remain with the Clippers.

Ballmer says the allegations are “provably false,” but if they’re true, it could mean serious penalties for Leonard and the Clips, including multi-million-dollar fines, voided player contracts, and the loss of future draft picks.

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Verse to consider whether your favorite team’s in the spotlight for a big win, a big scandal, or yet another disappointing season… “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” 
Colossians 3:2-4 (CSB) (read full passage)

D.C. Mayor Bowser (D) has ordered local police to continue cooperating with federal agencies “to the maximum extent allowable by law” after President Trump’s 30-day takeover of the nation’s capital expires next week. Critics say the crackdown was unnecessary in the first place and D.C. shouldn’t be cooperating; supporters say the increased law enforcement presence has been effective.

The courts are busy. This week, a federal appeals court ruled President Trump cannot fast-track deportations for suspected Venezuelan gang members, and a U.S. district judge ruled the White House must restore $2.6B in research funding to Harvard. The Trump admin is expected to appeal both decisions and has also asked the Supreme Court to uphold its tariffs after a lower court defeat.

Google received an unexpectedly light punishment for being an illegal monopoly. A judge ruled Google must share some search data with rivals and end certain exclusivity agreements, but is not forcing the tech giant to sell off its Chrome or Android. Critics called the ruling a “slap on the wrist,” while investors cheered, sending stocks to an all-time high.

StreamEast has logged off for good. The illegal sports streaming service has reportedly shut down following a year-long investigation by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, an anti-piracy coalition. The pirating site—which boasted ~1.6B visits over the last year—was busted during a raid in Egypt that led to two arrests and uncovered ~$6.2M in laundered ad revenue.

The Red Dragon flexed its firepower in a massive military parade on Wednesday (see pics). Flanked by Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, China’s President Xi addressed 50,000+ people in Tiananmen Square, calling “mankind” to choose between “peace or war… win-win or zero-sum.” New military hardware on display included deep-sea drones, hypersonic missiles, and a weaponized “robot wolf.”

Bird feeder expectations... vs reality.

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