[The Headline] Judge Blocks Trump’s Ban on Reporters, and How A.I. Is Driving Up Health Care Costs

A federal judge ruled against the Trump administration’s effort to bar several reporters from White House press briefings, finding the move likely violated First Amendment protections. The administration had barred access to journalists from outlets it deemed hostile, a practice critics called an unconstitutional form of press censorship.

The judge issued a preliminary injunction, ordering the White House to restore press credentials while the lawsuit proceeds. Press freedom advocates welcomed the ruling, arguing that no administration has the right to select which journalists may cover official government proceedings based on editorial viewpoint.

Health insurers are increasingly deploying artificial intelligence tools to review and deny patient claims, a trend that is drawing sharp criticism from physicians and patient advocates. These AI systems can process thousands of claims per hour, but critics argue they cut corners on individualized review, leading to inappropriate denials of medically necessary care.

When patients appeal denials, the process is often lengthy and burdensome, and many simply give up. The result is that insurers save money in the short term while patients forgo needed treatments. Regulators are now examining whether AI-driven claim denials violate existing consumer protection laws, and Congress has begun holding hearings on the practice. The broader concern is that algorithmic decision-making in health care lacks the transparency and accountability required for life-affecting choices.

Across the United States, a quiet but significant movement is underway to remove aging dams and restore rivers to their natural flow. Dam removal, once considered radical, has become an increasingly mainstream tool for ecological recovery. Hundreds of dams have been decommissioned over the past two decades, and the results have been striking: fish populations rebound, water quality improves, and riverside ecosystems recover faster than scientists predicted.

Many of the targeted structures are small, obsolete dams that no longer generate meaningful power or serve agricultural needs, yet continue to block migratory fish like salmon. Environmental groups and tribal nations have been among the loudest advocates for removal, arguing that free-flowing rivers are essential to both biodiversity and Indigenous cultural practices. Federal funding made available through recent infrastructure legislation has accelerated the pace of projects nationwide.