What's Happening

Politics

Walzing Into the Spotlight 

What's going on: Last night, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) made the biggest speech of his political career, as he officially accepted the Democratic nomination for vice president. “Coach Walz,” whose Midwestern dad energy inspired countless memes, called the Trump campaign “weird” and “dangerous.” He touted his accomplishments as Minnesota governor and as a former teacher. His experience as a coach was also on display, as he tossed around plenty of football analogies, vowing to “leave it all on the field” for VP Kamala Harris. Walz wrapped up the Democratic National Convention’s third night, which also highlighted reproductive rights. Other speakers who took the stage: Oprah, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and former President Bill Clinton.

What it means: Last night served as an opportunity for Walz to introduce himself to voters, many of whom didn’t know of him before Harris added him to the ticket. It also marked his first major test amid the Democratic Party’s wave of enthusiasm. As he has stepped more into the public eye, Walz hasn’t escaped the heat, facing questions about his background, like his military experience and his family life. Republicans have also painted Walz as being too liberal, calling out his policies in Minnesota. Still, polling shows that about 36% of US adults have a favorable view of Walz, while only 27% feel the same about Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance. 

Related: Gwen Walz Is Opening Up About Her Fertility Struggles for the First Time (Glamour)

US News

The Supreme Court's 'Shadow Docket' Is In Session

What's going on: In the coming days, the Supreme Court is expected to resolve cases on its so-called “shadow docket.” It might sound like the name of a fall horror flick, but, actually, it’s the nickname for the court’s list of emergency cases that are decided outside of its regular session, which starts in October. The emergency docket is controversial, partially, because the court bypasses oral arguments and doesn’t have to explain its rulings or even sign them. Two questions the court is expected to resolve as soon as this week: whether the Biden administration’s latest student debt relief plan and rules limiting power plant emissions can take effect.

What it means: While these legal challenges usually deal with narrower questions, they can have broad implications. In the past, the Supreme Court has issued emergency rulings on the abortion pill, asylum, and travel bans. Most recently, the court blocked a Biden admin plan to protect transgender and pregnant students’ civil rights. Emergency docket decisions used to be rare. But as the conservative-majority court has taken on more of these cases, legal experts are raising concerns that there’s a lack of accountability for decisions that have real-world consequences. One expert told NPR the “best explanation for when the court is intervening and when it’s not, is partisan politics.”

Related: The Potential “Shadow Docket” Case That Could Affect Some Voters in November (CNN)

Health

Long COVID Symptoms Might Look Different in Kids

What's going on: A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health is giving insights into the long COVID symptoms an estimated 5.8 million children in the country may experience. Researchers analyzed data from more than 5,000 children between the ages of 6 and 17. The results: Symptoms varied among different ages and from what adults with long COVID experience. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 struggled with symptoms like headaches, memory loss, a lack of focus, sleep problems, and stomach pain. Older kids between 12 and 17 suffered from body pain, low energy, fatigue after walking, and dizziness.

What it means: Health experts believe that kids can have milder symptoms when they contract the virus compared to adults. However, the study’s lead author said it’s important for doctors to know the signs of long COVID, “otherwise, we may be missing children” suffering from it. NBC News reports some kids are missing school or skipping extracurriculars because of long COVID. Still, the researchers relied on data from caregivers who might not have provided an accurate description of the symptoms or missed some of them. The findings also only account for early variants of COVID cases, not later ones like omicron.

Related: There Is a New COVID Surge (and Variant) In the US (USA Today)