Today’s read: 2 min 19 sec

First time here? I’m Ari, and this is Upward News. Every day, we scour 100s of sources to bring you need-to-know news and insights you won’t see in the MSM. Sign up here.

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

🚨 Columbia University protesters defied orders to disband. Columbia President Minouche Shafik gave anti-Israel demonstrators until 2:00 p.m. on Monday to vacate their tent camp, but students and faculty flouted the order. Late Monday night, dozens of students broke into and occupied an on-campus building, hanging an “Intifada” banner from the roof to claim their supposed victory.

🏛 A federal appeals court ruled states must cover transgender surgeries. A federal appeals court ruled against West Virginia and North Carolina’s decision to refuse government insurance coverage for sex-change surgeries, claiming it was discriminatory. This decision marks a major turning point, with the state now mandated to recognize the medical necessity of such surgeries.

🙅‍♂️ Nearly 100 high-power lawyers will urge Biden to halt Israel aid. Around 90 attorneys, including 20 from federal agencies, plan to send a letter to A.G. Merrick Garland alleging that sending military aid to Israel violates U.S. and international law. Not only are Democrat voters divided on Israel, but the dissent now runs through the heart of the president’s own administration.

🇺🇦 The U.S. and Ukraine are working on a 10-year security commitment. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced ongoing negotiations for continued “armed support, financial, political, and joint arms production” from the U.S. to Ukraine. As Russia persists with its offensive, the agreement raises questions about what Ukraine's political landscape will even look like in the next decade.

WASHINGTON

Biden attempts to get around SCOTUS on loan cancellations

What’s happening: President Joe Biden is trying to find a way to eliminate student loan debt for millions of Americans after the Supreme Court blocked his first attempt last year.

Why it matters: Young voters are not excited about voting for Biden in November. Desperate moves like eliminating student debt could bolster Biden's support among that crucial demographic.

Blocked before: The president previously tried to eliminate $10,000 in student debt for all federal loan holders, which would have affected about 40 million people. The Supreme Court blocked the measure in a 6-3 ruling, writing that the executive’s application of the measure was overly broad.

New plan: Since the 2022 Supreme Court ruling, Biden has found different ways to “forgive” student debt, totaling around $153 billion in cancellations. The new plan would impact up to 30 million Americans who fit into various categories.

• New reasoning: The White House claims the Higher Education Act would permit the Education Secretary to waive loans for borrowers whose debt increased due to unpaid interest.

• Detractors: Biden is already being challenged in court by a coalition of 17 state Attorneys General arguing that he does not have the authority to cancel debt for so many individuals.

Tilting at windmills: By May 2020, Biden led Trump among under-30 voters by 23 points; now, his lead is only 8. While Democrats are assuming the drop in support is due to the war in Gaza, an analysis of the data shows Biden was unpopular with that group far before the October 7 massacre. Gaining the support of youth voters may require more than dubious efforts to waive loans.

—A.C.

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WHAT WE’RE HEARING

• The University of Florida released a forceful memo saying student protesters will face consequences for violating school rules, and that the university “is not a daycare.”

• Donald Trump said he has “the full and enthusiastic support of Governor Ron DeSantis” after the two met privately in Florida.

• Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) labeled some Jewish students supporting Israel as “pro-genocide.”

Governments Wary of Secure Messaging Apps Amid Censorship

What’s happening: The founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, was recently interviewed by Tucker Carlson…

🔗 Members can read it here.

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OUR QUESTION TO YOU

POLL RESULTS FROM YESTERDAY

Are college administrations purposefully letting these protests escalate?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 👍 Yes (488)

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 👎 No (19)

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🤔 Unsure (38)

IN THE LOOP

• The cost of the humanitarian pier being constructed off the coast of Gaza will cost the U.S. north of $320 million.

• Hunter Biden is planning to sue Fox News for defamation.

• Texas is suing the Biden administration over its new Title IX rule that mandates “radical gender ideology” in schools.

• Republican voters are overwhelmingly more enthusiastic about voting in the 2024 election than Democrat voters.

• The most clicked link in our last newsletter was Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND) as Trump’s potential V.P.

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