U.S.
State Attorneys General Allege ICE Shared Medicaid Data With Palantir in Possible Violation of Court Order
A motion from more than 20 Democratic attorneys general says immigration officials passed a federal Medicaid dataset to contractor Palantir; the administration says its data use is lawful and a judge will weigh the dispute in August.
Wind-Driven Wildfires in Eastern Oregon Destroy Homes, Force Evacuations; State Invokes Conflagration Act a Third Time in 2026
The Lower Dry Creek Fire in Umatilla County and the Hoag Fire in Gilliam County burned multiple homes and displaced hundreds of residents as Oregon mobilized additional state firefighting resources.
CDC and FDA Link Cyclospora Outbreak to Shredded Lettuce Served at Taco Bell; Supplier Taylor Farms Begins Recall
Federal and state investigators traced a five-state cyclosporiasis cluster to Mexican-grown iceberg lettuce, as 2026 becomes the worst U.S. year on record for the parasite and a debate opens over whether federal budget cuts slowed the response.
Epstein Survivors and AG Nominee Todd Blanche Give Opposing Accounts of Meeting Held to Secure a Republican Senator's Vote
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein at the demand of Sen. Thom Tillis; survivors called the session unproductive while Blanche's Justice Department called it productive, days before a committee vote on his confirmation.
Trump Declassifies China Intelligence in Primetime Speech, Renewing 2020 Election Claims and Pushing Voter-ID Bill
In a July 16, 2026 East Room address, President Trump released documents he says show Chinese interference in U.S. elections and urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act; Democrats and the intelligence record dispute his conclusions.
DHS Finalizes Rule Ending Open-Ended 'Duration of Status' for Foreign Student, Exchange, and Media Visas
A rule published July 17 replaces indefinite student-visa admission with fixed terms capped at four years, effective September 15, 2026.
Secret Service Proposes Permanent Fence Around Lafayette Park; Federal Design Panel Reviews Plan
The proposal for 8-to-9-foot fencing around the White House–adjacent park drew security arguments from officials and First Amendment objections from civil-liberties groups and local lawmakers.
Maryland Legislature Sets August Special Session on a Redistricting Constitutional Amendment
Democratic leaders will convene the General Assembly on Aug. 3 to consider asking voters to change how congressional districts are drawn, part of a national mid-decade map fight.
Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Challenges to Illinois and Connecticut Assault-Weapons Bans
The consolidated cases ask whether the Second Amendment protects AR-15-style semiautomatic rifles, with a ruling expected by mid-2027.
NPR Analysis Finds TrumpRx Lists Discounts on Under 12% of Participating Drugmakers' Brand-Name Medicines
The federal drug-buying site carries about 92 discounted brand-name drugs, a fraction of the more than 800 such drugs sold by the companies that signed pricing deals with the Trump administration.
Darline Graham Nordone Appointed and Sworn In as South Carolina's First Female U.S. Senator
South Carolina's Republican governor appointed the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham to serve out his term until January, a temporary pick made at President Trump's urging.
CDC and FDA Investigate 12-Case E. Coli Outbreak Linked to Recalled Frozen Blueberries Sold at Publix
Officials tie a small multistate E. coli outbreak to Chilean-grown organic blueberries sold under Publix's GreenWise store brand, a separate event from a much larger cyclosporiasis outbreak also unfolding this summer.