News Above the Noise—Week of August 23, 2025
1. Supreme Court Allows Trump’s Cuts to NIH Grants
On Thursday, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to temporarily cancel over $780 million in NIH grants tied to DEI, gender identity, and vaccine hesitancy research, while letting a lower court ruling against the policy stand for now. This means canceled grants won’t be immediately reinstated, while future cancellations may be blocked and legal challenges can proceed. The justice ruled by a 5-to-4 vote. Learn more here.
2. COVID Ages Blood Vessels, Especially in Women
In a new study published in the European Heart Journal, researchers tracked nearly 2,400 people from 16 countries and found that even mild COVID led to stiffer and more aged arteries, especially in women and those with long COVID symptoms. Women showed the greatest negative vascular impact, particularly those who had been hospitalized or admitted to intensive care. Vaccinated individuals showed less arterial stiffness, and signs of recovery were seen over time. Find out how to reduce future heart attack and stroke risks.
3. World’s Largest Retailer Says Tariff Costs Are Rising Weekly
Walmart says tariff-related costs are rising weekly and will likely continue climbing through the rest of the year, despite efforts to limit their impact. While the retailer has raised prices on some items, it has kept others, like back-to-school products, cheaper than last year. CEO Doug McMillon noted that customer behavior hasn’t shifted dramatically, though lower-income shoppers are skipping pricier items. As tariffs on imports take full effect, other major retailers like Home Depot face similar pressures but have avoided major price hikes so far thanks to stockpiling and slow tariff rollouts. Learn more about the latest price hikes here.
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