Daniel Brooks

The United States has recorded more measles cases in the past 18 months than in the previous 25 years combined, as outbreaks tied to undervaccinated communities and travel continue to spread. Federal and state data show the surge has pushed the country to its highest measles totals since the early 1990s.

A resurfaced clip of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani saying “Israel is not a place” has renewed criticism of his views on Israel and sharpened debate in a city with the nation’s largest Jewish population. The latest backlash builds on earlier disputes during the 2025 mayoral campaign over whether he supports Israel as a Jewish state.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing temporary warning signs outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington. The move targets public sidewalks because the White House does not directly control the Smithsonian’s exhibits.

A little-used court created by Congress in 1996 has received its first case, after the Trump administration filed a sealed removal application on July 15, 2026. The filing opens a new legal front in the administration’s national-security-based deportation strategy.

Rising Treasury yields tied to inflation fears from the Iran war have pushed U.S. mortgage costs higher. The move has lifted the average 30-year fixed rate and added pressure to an already strained housing market.

A Secret Service agent assigned to Vice President JD Vance’s detail was placed on administrative leave after investigators examined whether sensitive travel information was shared with a reporter. The review followed reporting that included operational details about Vance’s family and personal travel.