Emory University

Current and former students of 10 elite schools are receiving payments from a $284 million financial aid settlement following a lawsuit alleging price-fixing in favor of wealthy students. Payments average $2,000 and were first distributed on July 20 via digital methods and checks.

Semona Holmes in Brunswick, Georgia, lives near a former pesticide plant Superfund site, facing floodwater risks and concerns about toxic contamination. A new $15 million Superfund research center, involving six institutions, will study health effects and future exposure risks from Glynn County's toxic sites, including climate change impacts like rising seas and stronger storms.

Over 4 million Americans have lost access to SNAP benefits since Congress passed President Donald Trump’s tax and spending law. Experts, including trauma surgeon Dr. Sharven Taghavi, link reduced food assistance to increased gun violence, citing studies showing SNAP expansion correlates with lower firearm injury rates.

The preliminary cause of death for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was determined to be an aortic dissection by a medical examiner. His death certificate is pending completion of toxicological and microscopic tests.

A study on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness, initially blocked from publication in a CDC journal, was published in JAMA Network Open. The study found vaccines reduced hospitalizations by 55% and emergency/urgent care visits by 50%, using a methodology criticized by CDC acting director Jay Bhattacharya but defended by public health researchers.

A study on the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, initially blocked from publication in a CDC journal, found the vaccine to be 55% effective against hospitalizations and 50% effective against emergency department/urgent care visits. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, used a test-negative design methodology, which CDC acting director Jay Bhattacharya criticized for potential flaws, though public health researchers defend its reliability.

Emory University received a $15 million NIH grant to establish a research center studying health effects of Superfund sites in Glynn County, Georgia. The center will collaborate with multiple universities and conduct five studies, including assessing toxicant exposure and developing remediation methods. A 2023 pilot study found higher levels of specific toxicants in local residents compared to national averages.

Democratic voters outnumbered Republicans in Georgia's primary election, with Democrats securing 52.6% of ballots compared to 45.4%. This marks the largest Democratic advantage since 1998 and is seen as a sign of momentum for November's general election, where candidates like Jon Ossoff and Keisha Lance Bottoms are highlighted.

Americans possibly exposed to hantavirus on a cruise ship are in quarantine in the US. Sixteen passengers are at University of Nebraska Medical Center and two others are at Emory University in Atlanta. They were reported by Ian Lee.

Emory University is facing a lawsuit from three tenured professors over its handling of 2024 protests against Israel's assault on Gaza. The university has also faced protests over surveillance cameras and racist social media posts. Faculty and students have demanded action on these issues.