With the 2026 midterm season approaching, voters on both sides of the abortion debate are likely to head to the polls to influence reproductive care laws in several states.
Why it matters:Abortion laws in many states have been in limbo since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
The battle against infectious diseases like the flu and measles has taken a hit with sinking vaccination rates for children in many parts of the U.S., per new data collected and analyzed by the Washington Post.
The big picture: Vaccination rates for school-age children have plunged in hundreds of counties as chaos reigns over vaccination schedules, setting the stage for a potentially grim 2026.
Why it matters: Benefits are rising 2.8%, or about $56 a month for the average retiree, but higher Medicare premiums and tax rules will determine how much of that increase ends up in retirees' pockets.
All child care payments to Minnesota were frozen Tuesday evening as the Trump administration investigates alleged fraud by organizations in the state, Health and Human Services deputy secretary Jim O'Neill announced.
Why it matters: The Trump administration has repeatedly portrayed Minnesota as a propagator of fraud, particularly placing blame on the state's large Somali community.
The number of recorded measles cases in the U.S. during 2025 has exceeded 2,000 for the first time in more than 30 years, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Why it matters: This year's surge in cases and prolonged outbreaks could cause the U.S. to lose its globally recognized measles "elimination status" for the first time in decades by the end of January 2026.
The big picture: The judge's order permits sharing of basic biographical, contact and location information, a win for the Trump administration's effort to use Medicaid data in its immigration crackdown — an arrangement that critics said raised privacy concerns.
The United States is seeing a massive surge in flu cases this winter, many of them attributed to the so-called "super flu."
Why it matters: An unprecedented rise in flu cases comes as other sicknesses — such as the "winter vomiting bug," COVID and whooping cough — are slamming the United States this winter.
