Where laws have people's attention… Indiana. Yesterday, its near-total abortion ban went into effect. The legislation, passed last month, doesn’t allow elective abortions at any stage of pregnancy. Instead, there are exceptions for rape and incest (before 10 weeks), lethal fetal anomalies (before 20 weeks), and medical emergencies. Doctors who perform illegal abortions will lose their medical licenses. Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) says the new law “accomplishes" the goal of protecting life. Others are concerned about how the ban could impact a state with one of the worst infant and maternal mortality rates in the country. The ACLU — which won a case in Ohio earlier this week — is challenging the ban in court. Montana. Yesterday, a judge blocked health officials from enforcing a state rule that would prevent transgender people from changing the gender on their birth certificate. Last year, state lawmakers passed a similar law restricting birth certificate updates. It required transgender people to have a “surgical procedure” before being able to make a change. But the law’s language was vague so it didn’t hold in court. Now, the judge is saying ‘if that law didn’t stand, this rule can’t either.’ And has ordered the state health department to return to a simplified process. Tennessee, Oklahoma, and West Virginia also have restrictions in place. Who’s trying to keep what happens in the US, in the US… President Biden. Yesterday, he signed an executive order expanding a Treasury committee's review process on foreign investments in the US. The nearly 50-year-old committee mostly focused on ensuring that foreign investors don’t buy US firms or companies that could impact national security (like military contractors). But under Biden’s new order, the gov can now look into whether a pending deal would expose Americans’ data. And whether a foreign gov or company would exploit that information. The White House isn’t pointing fingers and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says ‘this is totally about national security.’ But it comes as lawmakers have expressed concerns about China’s involvement in tech. What put a ring on Saturn… A moon. Yesterday, a new study revealed that Saturn may have gotten its ring after a moon got too close and shattered. Scientists say the moon pieces went on to orbit Saturn and eventually flattened into the ring we see today. TBD if that was a proposal or the moon tried breaking up. Ba dum bum. Who’s got the tennis world up in arms… Roger Federer. Yesterday, the 20-time Grand Slam champ announced he’s retiring from playing tennis professionally. The 41-year-old, who’s suffered from injuries and surgeries, says his final event will be next week at the Laver Cup in London. Federer called it a “bittersweet decision” and thanked the world for making “the dreams of a young Swiss ball kid come true.” While mortgage rates hit the roof... Viola Davis’s performance in “The Woman King” is hitting all the right notes. What Ye is no longer Bound 2… Gap. | 