Trump Targets Foreign Drones With New Tariffs to Strengthen U.S. Production
President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping new tariff regime on imported drones and their components, arguing that the United States has become dangerously dependent on foreign manufacturers for technology that is increasingly important to national security, defense and the broader economy. The measures represent another expansion of the administration’s use of trade policy to […]
Former SPLC Extremism Expert Indicted in Federal Fraud Case Over Informant Payments
A former senior official at the Southern Poverty Law Center has been indicted in a widening federal criminal case examining the civil-rights organization’s use of donor money to pay confidential informants embedded in extremist groups. Heidi Beirich, 59, a longtime expert on far-right extremism who previously led the SPLC’s Intelligence Project, was named in an […]
U.S. Prescription Drug Prices Post Their Biggest Decline in More Than Six Decades
Prescription drug prices in the United States have recorded their sharpest annual decline in more than 60 years, offering a rare sign of relief for consumers facing persistently high healthcare costs. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, prescription drug prices fell 3.1% during the 12 months ending in July 2026, the largest annual decline […]
Trump Administration Ends Federal Funding for Gender-Affirming Care for Youth
The Trump administration has finalized a major healthcare rule that would end federal Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding for gender-affirming medical care for minors, intensifying the national debate over transgender healthcare and the federal government’s role in determining which treatments public insurance programs can cover. The rule is scheduled to take effect […]
Historic Wildfires Push the Pacific Northwest Into a New Era of Extreme Fire Risk
The Pacific Northwest is confronting one of the most destructive wildfire seasons in its history, as extreme heat, drought and unusually dry vegetation transform large areas of Washington and Oregon into landscapes increasingly vulnerable to fast-moving fires. More than 2.9 million acres have already burned across the two states in 2026. Oregon has recorded more […]
Florida Builds a New Coastal Conservation Network to Protect Marine Life and Strengthen Its Economy
Florida is pursuing an ambitious new approach to marine conservation with a “coastal corridor” designed to connect restoration projects and protected habitats along its extensive shoreline. Inspired by the state’s successful land-based Florida Wildlife Corridor, the initiative seeks to create a more coordinated network for restoring vulnerable marine ecosystems while supporting the coastal economy that […]
California Moves to Rein In AI “Therapists” as Mental Health Risks Mount
California lawmakers are moving to impose new restrictions on artificial-intelligence chatbots used for emotional support and mental-health advice, responding to growing concerns that people—particularly teenagers and vulnerable users—are increasingly treating AI companions as substitutes for professional therapists. The debate highlights a difficult challenge for regulators: AI systems can provide inexpensive and immediately available support, but […]
Grail’s Galleri Cancer Test Faces Landmark FDA Review After Mixed Clinical Results
Grail’s ambitious effort to transform cancer screening is approaching a pivotal regulatory moment. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has scheduled an advisory committee meeting for September 23, 2026, to evaluate the company’s Galleri multi-cancer early detection blood test. It will be the first FDA advisory panel convened to consider a premarket approval application for […]
America Turns to Arkansas Lithium in Push to Break China’s Grip on Critical Minerals
Arkansas is emerging as a potentially important player in America’s effort to build a domestic lithium industry and reduce its dependence on China for one of the most strategically important minerals of the energy and technology economy. Beneath southern Arkansas lies the Smackover Formation, a geological formation containing lithium-rich underground brines that companies and state […]
Massachusetts ZIP Code Emerges as America’s Hottest Housing Market
While much of the U.S. housing market has slowed under the pressure of high mortgage rates and affordability challenges, certain communities remain intensely competitive. At the top is ZIP code 01960 in Peabody, Massachusetts, which Realtor.com identified as the hottest housing market in the country based on strong buyer demand and the speed at which […]
