June 27, 2022

As you look for Monday inspiration, think of Joshua Slocum, who completed the first solo circumnavigation of the globe on this day in 1898. One crazy fact about the famed mariner is that he never... learned how to swim. In 1909, he disappeared in the Atlantic Ocean, never to be seen again. Have a great week! 

In today's edition:

• Bizarre turtle finding
• Rome's e-scooter crackdown
• Roe v. Wade reversal

 Key Stories

Species Stock Market Proposed

A group of scientists has proposed a species “stock market” (SSM) to assess the value of different species

• There are currently ~2M known species in the world, although scientists believe ~10M await discovery. The SSM proposal aims to provide a price point through which people can buy or sell “stocks” of species based on the value that they provide to the world
• Per their paper, anything that harms a species would cause “selling,” lowering its value, while anything that helps a species is “buying,” which adds value
• The scientists hope that a SSM would encourage investments in environmentalism and biodiversity

G7 Announces Infrastructure Plan

The “Group of Seven” (G7), an organization of some of the world’s wealthiest nations, pledged $600B (€569B) to counter China’s investments abroad

• The G7, which includes the US, pledged public and private funding for clean energy, digital technology, and healthcare development, among other things
• The proposal seeks to counter China’s “Belt and Road Initiative,” a multi-trillion dollar effort to fund infrastructure development in 100+ countries
• President Biden called it an effort to show “the concrete benefits of partnering with democracies,” adding that it’s “an investment… for everyone”

• US policymakers have accused China's "Belt and Road Initiative" of debt-trapping, a process by which the country uses debt as political leverage over smaller, poorer countries. China defends its international development program, calling it the "modern Silk Road"

Severodonetsk Falls 

Russia fully captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk on Saturday

• Since February, Russia has narrowed the scope of its invasion to two eastern regions, which it recognizes as independent from Ukraine. The fall of Severodonetsk, a key city, is arguably Russia’s most significant victory of its eastern campaign yet
• President Zelensky announced that the loss was “morally and emotionally” painful, but vowed to retake the city. A top official called the loss a “tactical retreat”
• The setback comes days after Ukraine began the years-long process of joining the European Union

• Analysts have described Russia's invasion in the East as a war of attrition, in which both sides suffer heavy losses with the presumption that the stronger side — Russia — can outlast its opponent. Western countries have sent Ukraine new weapons, such as heavy artillery and precision-guided missiles, but President Zelensky has said it isn't enough

Study: Turtles Can Reverse Aging

A new study found that certain species of turtles and tortoises can change the rate at which they age

• Aging, or senescence, refers to a gradual decline in cell health and growth in animals over time. In most species, senescence increases with age, leading to tissue deterioration and, eventually, death
• The study, which analyzed data from 77 species of reptiles and amphibians, suggests that some reptiles can stop or even reverse their rate of aging
• The finding explains why some turtles can live 150+ years and offers clues as to how aging can be similarly mitigated in humans, the researchers said

• To infinity and flop: Lightyear plummeted 74% in its 2nd weekend at the box office. The Toy Story spinoff features Chris Evans as Buzz
• But someone else was flying high: Top Gun: Maverick surpassed $1B at the global box office after 31 days, making it Cruse's first $1B film
• The best or nothing: An electric Mercedes-Benz concept car drove 747 miles without charging, nearly 2x the range of Tesla's Model S

 What do you think?

See yesterday's results below the Wrap!

 Roca Wrap

On Friday, the US Supreme Court, the nation’s highest judicial body, officially overturned Roe v. Wade, the lawsuit that led to the 1973 decision that established a constitutional right to abortion. 

HISTORY

Roe v. Wade, decided by a 7-2 ruling, argued that reproductive rights fall under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause, which has been interpreted to include a right to privacy. The Court ruled that the right to privacy extends to women's’ rights to reproductive autonomy.

The court also rejected the argument that life begins at conception. In its majority opinion, the court held that “the unborn have never been recognized in the law as persons in the whole sense.”

The decision did not grant an absolute right to abortion: It allowed states to regulate it in the second trimester (weeks 13-26 of pregnancy) and to restrict it in the third (weeks 26-childbirth).

DEBATE

Since then, several cases pertaining to abortion have reached the SCOTUS. A 1992 ruling on Planned Parenthood v. Casey upheld the constitutional right to abortion while establishing a new “undue burden” legal standard to strike down laws that posed a “substantial obstacle” for women “seeking an abortion before the fetus attains viability.”

In 2016, the court struck down Texas abortion restrictions, once again upholding Roe. In total, SCOTUS has heard 10+ abortion-related cases since 1973, always upholding the Roe v. Wade decision.

RULING

Friday’s 6-3 decision ruled on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a 2018 case challenging a Mississippi law banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Lower courts repeatedly blocked enforcement of the law, citing SCOTUS precedent.

The majority opinion, signed by 5 justices, reads: “We … hold that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. Roe and Casey must be overruled, and the authority to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives.”

The minority opinion reads: “With sorrow — for this court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection — we dissent.”

SCOTUS' decision supersedes the rulings of lower courts, meaning that its decision is final. The decision effectively removes any constitutional right to abortion, leaving the issue to the states.

IMPLICATIONS

As abortion rights go back to the states, some have already made their position clear.

First, 13 states — Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming — have “trigger laws” that automatically ban abortions in the 1st and 2nd trimester soon after SCOTUS overrules the Roe decision.

Second, 9 states — Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia — have abortion bans that predate Roe. However, it is unclear if all of these laws will go back into effect, especially in Michigan. 

Third, 4 other states — Florida, Montana, Indiana, and Nebraska — are expected to pass laws that ban abortions. These expectations are based on prior legislation, court cases, and political messaging. With these 4 states included, analysts estimate that approximately 26 states will ban abortion.

Fourth, the decision paves the way for new SCOTUS disputes: Specifically, over whether or not states can ban the sale of abortion pills across state lines or interstate travel by women to get an abortion.

 Roca Clubhouse

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 Final Thoughts

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