COVID-19 cases are rising again in the United States, and the "stratus" variant might be to blame.
The big picture: A summer outbreak of COVID-19 cases isn't a shocker. But it's arriving before children head back to school, where the virus could spread even more.
Pressure on Congressto renew Affordable Care Act subsidies is likely to ramp up this fall as notices of 2026 premium increases go out and consumers get their first warnings that huge rate hikes could be coming.
Why it matters: Backers of renewing the enhanced tax credits, which expire at the end of this year, hope the sticker shock could motivate Republicans to get behind a short-term reauthorizationto avoid an uproar over premium increases in an election year.
U.S. officials doubled a reward for the arrest of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro from $25 million to $50 million on Thursday.
The big picture: Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the increased reward in a video posted to X that accused the Venezuelan leader of using criminal gangs including Tren de Aragua (TDA) and the Sinaloa Cartel "to bring deadly drugs and violence" into the U.S.
Trump health officials are considering a policy that would limit hospitals' ability to participate in Medicare and Medicaid if they perform gender-affirming medical procedures for transgender youth.
The big picture: Hospitals are highly dependent on payment from public health insurance.
Coca-Cola, Steak 'n Shake, Mars and other food companies earned valuable exposure for pledging to remove certain ingredients and align themselves with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s bid to clean up what America eats.
But some of Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" base question if the companies deserve a celebration.
American adults and kids over age 1 got more than half of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods like hamburgers, pizza and sweetened drinks between 2021 and 2023, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Why it matters: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made cleaning up the U.S. diet a priority, though critics say he's mostly extracted pledges from companies to swap out single ingredients, which won't make much difference in health.
Americans are increasingly turning to pottery as they seek to build community and connection away from their screens.
The big picture: Throwing pottery on a wheel is a calming and therapeutic activity that's also challenging. It takes some logic and creativity, but is accessible to people who don't think of themselves as artsy.
