A Recap of This Week’s Top News – July 21, 2023

Changes to policy, scientific discovery, and expert recommendations and opinions all have the power to rapidly influence the landscape of a sector. Whether you’re a leader at a non-profit, a member of a university’s marketing department, or a stakeholder for a public health agency, being informed about the latest industry happenings can be the difference between exceeding and falling short of organizational goals. At Hager Sharp, our experts vigorously scan media coverage to identify areas of opportunity. And now, with the introduction of the Sharp Round-Up, you too can review what we consider to be some of the top news of the week.

Below you will find a compilation of news spanning the health and education, labor, and economy sectors. This list includes mainstream, DC-focused, and trade publication coverage from Saturday, July 15, to Friday, July 21. Let these clips serve as a resource when developing thoughtful strategies and use them to further foster organizational innovation and adaptability.

Here’s what you need to know.

Mainstream News:

• The World Meteorological Organization is warning citizens of parts of Europe, Asia, and the U.S. of an increased risk of death due to a global pattern of heat waves causing excessively high temperatures. Some ways to protect yourself include spending time outside to allow your body to adjust to the temperature before deciding to set out for a long day, hydrating, finding out if medications you take can make you more vulnerable to the heat, wearing lighter colors, and knowing the signs of heat-related illness.
• A virtual hearing kicked off the Education Department’s new plan for crafting regulations for student debt relief, following the Supreme Court’s ruling last month striking down the original plan. The Biden Administration’s second attempt will be aimed at helping those who need it most, the working- and middle-class borrowers left with debts that are “unaffordable, unreasonable, and unacceptable.”

Education News:

• According to a report released on Wednesday, the quality of classroom teaching dropped during the pandemic. School districts participating in the study stated that they found it “almost impossible” to implement their recovery plans due to staffing shortages and obstacles related to teacher training.
• A new analysis shows that degree-completion rates among Latino students have stagnated in recent years, while white students’ graduation rates rose, thus widening the gap between them.

Health News:

• A new study concluded that the use of hearing aids can lower the risk of dementia by 48 percent for older adults at risk, as age-related hearing loss nearly doubles the risk for dementia and accounts for over 8 percent of all dementia cases.
• A federal report showed that more people and animals, including pets, are getting sick from exposure to toxic algae that forms in natural bodies of water across the country. Exposure to high levels of blue-green algae and the toxins they create can cause illness and even death.