“Planned Parenthood has moved to drop its legal challenge against the Trump administration for cutting off Medicaid funding to its abortion providers across the U.S. Since July, Planned Parenthood’s attorneys have been fighting to block part of President Donald Trump’s tax bill that they argued unfairly targeted their clinics and would leave vulnerable patients with even fewer health care options. However, in December, a federal appeals court ruled that the Trump administration could continue to withhold Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood and other health centers. … ‘The goal of this lawsuit has always been to help Planned Parenthood patients get the care they deserve from their trusted provider. Based on the 1st Circuit’s decision, it is clear that this lawsuit is no longer the best way to accomplish that goal,’ the organization said in a statement.” (02/02/26)
“Eighteen years ago, when I first moved to the Twin Cities, they had a reputation for being ‘Minnesota nice.’ I sigh now to remember it. Somewhere deep in a dresser drawer, I still have a t-shirt that reads: ‘Keep St. Paul Boring.’ I liked boring St Paul. I admit that things could be worse. Our recent adventures haven’t been nearly as exciting as the ones in 2020. During the George Floyd riots, the chaos spilled over noticeably into surrounding neighborhoods, with columns of black smoke visibly rising into the sky, presumably from burned buildings and cars. … Even without the smoke and shattered windows, these have certainly been Interesting Times, which naturally prompts reflection.” (02/02/26)
“The eldest son of Norway’s crown princess has been arrested, just before his trial opens on charges including rape in a case that has been an embarrassment to the royal family, police said on Monday. Marius Borg Høiby was arrested on Sunday evening and is accused of assault, threats with a knife and violation of a restraining order, police said in a statement. They requested four weeks’ detention on grounds of risk of reoffending. … Ahead of the trial, Friday’s release of the latest batch of documents from the Epstein files shone an unflattering spotlight on Mette-Marit. They contained several hundred mentions of the crown princess, who already said in 2019 that she regretted having had contact with Epstein, Norwegian media reported.” (02/02/26)
Source: Independent Institute
by Jonathan Hofer & Kristian Fors
“When people decide to rent or purchase a home, they often focus on financial liabilities (what they pay to others) and overlook the economic costs of capital. Several rent vs. buy calculators are available online …. These offer many insights but tend to understate the unrealized opportunity costs of the road not taken, from both the renter’s and the homebuyer’s perspectives. Renters may have the opportunity to invest what would have otherwise gone toward a down payment and closing costs, as well as the monthly savings they gain from not having a mortgage. On the other hand, at some point, a homeowner’s monthly mortgage payment is likely to be lower than monthly rent, and it also offers the potential benefit of property appreciation.” (02/02/26)
“Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid is pushing for Qatar to be named an ‘enemy state’ in the latest Israeli political broadside against the Gulf state. Lapid, who is the biggest challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Israeli political scene, said on X on Sunday that he would begin a bill in the Knesset ‘Declaring Qatar an Enemy State,’ which follows months of opposition attacks against the premier on the issue. … Critics of Netanyahu have repeatedly tried to link his government to Qatar due to Doha’s past role in facilitating payments to authorities in Gaza to provide state services and facilitating negotiations between Hamas and Israel.” (02/02/26)
