Two unvaccinated people in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have died from measles, marking the first measles deaths in the U.S. this year. The U.S. is experiencing its worst measles outbreak since 1991, with falling vaccination rates contributing to the spread.
Key Facts
Two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, died from measles.
These are the first measles-related deaths in the U.S. in 2026.
Measles was mostly eliminated in the U.S. in 2000 due to high vaccination rates.
Vaccination rates in the U.S. have dropped below the 95% needed to prevent outbreaks.
The U.S. had 2,777 measles cases in 2026 by mid-year, surpassing 2025’s total of 2,289 cases.
Some communities, like the Amish in Lancaster County, often decline vaccinations for religious reasons.
Kindergarten vaccination rates in the U.S. have decreased, with more children receiving exemptions.
International health officials will meet in November to decide if the U.S. and Mexico have lost their measles-free status.
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The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration’s executive order to restrict mail-in ballot voting by lifting a block set by a lower court. Democratic governors, including New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, disagreed with the decision and emphasized that states have control over their own elections.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court lifted a block on an executive order from President Donald Trump about mail-in voting.
The executive order restricts how mail-in ballots are handled.
Lower courts had previously blocked this executive order.
Democratic governors criticized the Supreme Court’s ruling.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said states, not President Trump, should run elections.
Governors expressed concern about federal interference in state elections.
The decision affects how mail-in voting rules are applied ahead of elections.
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Darline Graham is competing in a special Republican runoff election in South Carolina to keep her Senate seat after some difficulties with her foreign policy positions. Meanwhile, Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has responded to controversial comments made by a left-wing influencer about Israel and Jewish Americans.
Key Facts
Darline Graham is in a special Republican runoff election in South Carolina.
The election is to replace the late Senator Lindsay Graham.
Darline Graham has faced criticism or challenges related to her foreign policy views.
Ralph Norman is her opponent in the runoff election.
Abdul El-Sayed is a Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan.
He addressed remarks made by Hasan Piker, a left-wing influencer.
The remarks involved Israel and Jewish American communities.
CBS News reporter Taurean Small provided coverage of these political updates.
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Election analyst Nate Silver predicts that Democrats have a better chance than Republicans to win control of the U.S. Senate in the 2026 midterm elections. He identifies several key Senate races in states like Texas, Ohio, Maine, Michigan, and Iowa that could determine which party controls the Senate.
Key Facts
Nate Silver’s forecast gives Democrats a 56.8% chance to control the Senate and Republicans a 43.2% chance as of August 24.
Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate.
The Texas Senate race between Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton is seen as the most likely to decide control, with Talarico favored to win 60.7% of the time.
Democrats need to win four more Senate seats to gain a majority and must defend seats in Georgia and Michigan.
Competitive Senate races are also occurring in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, and Ohio, with some considered toss-ups.
President Donald Trump carried the states where Democrats are trying to flip GOP seats.
Voter concerns about the economy and President Trump’s declining approval ratings may influence key races.
Experts say it is difficult to predict one single race will decide the Senate control since several races will matter equally.
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President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to 33 percent in a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll. This is a 14-point decrease since he began his second term and a 4-point decrease from one month ago.
Key Facts
President Trump’s current approval rating is 33 percent.
His approval rating was 47 percent at the start of his second term.
The rating has fallen by 14 points since the start of his term.
There was a 4-point drop in approval in the past month.
The data comes from a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
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A man named Joshua Culver has been charged with impersonating a federal officer multiple times and forging the signature of Chief Justice John Roberts on fake court papers in Indiana. He was indicted last week in a federal court in Northern Indiana.
Key Facts
Joshua Culver is accused of pretending to be a federal officer.
He allegedly forged Chief Justice John Roberts’s signature.
The forged signature appeared on fake court documents from Indiana.
Culver faces four charges of falsely impersonating a U.S. officer.
He also faces one additional unspecified charge.
The case is being handled in the Northern District of Indiana federal court.
The impersonation involved claiming to be an agent from the National Security Agency (NSA).
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Senator Darline Graham and Representative Ralph Norman are very close in a recent poll before South Carolina’s Republican primary for the U.S. Senate race. The poll shows nearly half of the voters support each candidate as they prepare to vote.
Key Facts
The poll was done by the Trafalgar Group from Saturday to Monday.
1,031 people participated in the survey.
Graham has about 47.9% support.
Norman’s support is nearly the same as Graham’s.
The poll is for the Republican primary in South Carolina.
The primary determines which candidate will run in the Senate election.
Voting is scheduled for Tuesday.
Both candidates are competing for the chance to run as a Republican senator.
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Kemi Badenoch, now the Conservative leader, reportedly tried to remove Prime Minister Rishi Sunak months before the 2024 general election, according to a new book by Anthony Seldon. The book claims Badenoch contacted other ministers about replacing Sunak but decided not to challenge him directly before the election.
Key Facts
Kemi Badenoch was business secretary and later became Conservative party leader after the 2024 election.
A book by Anthony Seldon says Badenoch tried to gather support to replace Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in 2023.
Badenoch reportedly disliked Sunak and was unhappy with his migration policies.
Badenoch considered resigning from the cabinet if Sunak did not change the Rwanda asylum seeker deportation plan.
She contacted other cabinet ministers to see if they wanted a new prime minister but avoided a direct leadership challenge.
Badenoch feared being blamed if the party lost the 2024 election or losing a leadership contest to Penny Mordaunt.
Sunak publicly condemned the rebels and said he focused on running the country despite the infighting.
After the Conservatives lost the July 2024 election, Badenoch became party leader, beating Robert Jenrick.
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Pennsylvania has reported its first two deaths from measles in 35 years, both in unvaccinated people from Lancaster County. The state has seen 393 confirmed measles cases this year across 29 counties, amid a national rise in cases.
Key Facts
Two people died from measles in Pennsylvania, the first deaths there in 35 years.
Both individuals who died were not vaccinated against measles.
There have been 393 measles cases in Pennsylvania this year, spread over 29 counties.
Measles cases nationwide are at the highest level in 35 years.
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella and is usually given in two doses to children.
Pennsylvania health officials urge people to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their communities.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order suggesting the MMR vaccine should be given as three separate shots.
The national vaccination rate for kindergarteners has dropped from 95.2% in 2019-20 to 92.4% in 2025-26; a 95% rate is needed for herd immunity.
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Some progressive Democrats who criticize Israel have recently won important primary elections. However, the Democratic Party’s main leaders still strongly support Israel, even though polls show many Democratic voters want less US aid for Israel. The party appears to be balancing public opinion and political strategy without making major policy changes.
Key Facts
Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic Senate nomination in Michigan despite over $54 million spent against him by pro-Israel groups.
Adam Hamawy won a Democratic House primary in New Jersey after showing support for Palestinians.
Polls show a large majority of Democratic voters disapprove of US aid to Israel and think the US is too supportive.
Democratic leaders have attacked some protests against Israel and praised crackdowns on student activists.
Some Democrats now speak more critically about Israel, with a few admitting Israel committed war crimes.
On July 15, nearly half of House Democrats voted to reduce military aid to Israel by $3.3 billion annually, but the bill did not pass.
The Democratic Party continues to rely on AIPAC, a pro-Israel political lobby, and rejected efforts to condemn its influence.
AIPAC changed tactics to make its funding less visible to voters during elections.
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A federal judge rejected Ghislaine Maxwell's request to overturn her sex trafficking conviction and release her from a 20-year prison sentence. The judge said her claims were based on false information and did not show any new facts to change the trial's outcome.
Key Facts
Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking related to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes.
She filed a petition arguing her conviction was unfair and asked to be released from prison.
The petition claimed there was important new evidence that could affect the verdict.
Judge Paul A. Engelmayer ruled that her arguments were based on speculation and falsehoods.
The judge called the petition “demonstrably meritless,” meaning it had no real legal strength.
The court found no facts in dispute that could change the result of Maxwell’s trial.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for her conviction.
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Francisco Villarruel, a former gang member from Los Angeles, now mentors young people affected by gang violence to help break the cycle of trauma and violence. Using boxing and personal support, he guides youth like Gustavo Galvez, who fears gun violence due to his past experiences.
Key Facts
Francisco Villarruel grew up around gangs and served 17 years in prison for crimes linked to gang activity.
Villarruel works as a social worker and mentors young people exposed to gang violence, often through boxing lessons.
Many Hispanic people in California are victims of gun violence; in one year, half of the state’s homicide victims were Hispanic.
Gang violence often creates a cycle where victims can become perpetrators due to trauma and lack of support.
Villarruel shares his personal story in workshops to explain how trauma influences violent behavior and to offer hope for change.
His goal is to address trauma across generations as a way to reduce gang violence in communities.
Villarruel was affected by violence in his family from an early age, including a traumatic robbery and the death of a relative.
Mentoring and guidance help young people like Gustavo Galvez feel supported and less alone in facing violence risks.
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Jay Inslee, former governor of Washington, says state governments should use their power to create affordable clean energy projects. He believes this is important because the Trump administration is opposing federal support for these efforts.
Key Facts
Jay Inslee is the former governor of Washington state.
He supports affordable clean energy initiatives.
Inslee urges states to use their regulatory powers to promote clean energy.
He says this action is necessary because the Trump administration opposes these efforts at the federal level.
States can play a key role in shaping energy policy even without federal support.
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Two unvaccinated people have died from measles in Pennsylvania amid a large outbreak of the disease in the US. Measles cases are the highest in 35 years, with lower vaccination rates contributing to the spread.
Key Facts
Two unvaccinated people died of measles in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania has had 393 measles cases in 2026 so far.
The US reported 2,777 confirmed measles cases by July 2026, up from 2,289 last year.
About 85% of kindergarteners in Lancaster County are vaccinated, below the 95% needed for herd immunity. Herd immunity helps stop the spread and protects people with weak immune systems.
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella, and is about 97% effective with two doses given between ages one and six.
Vaccine hesitancy, or people choosing not to vaccinate, has increased in recent years in the US.
President Trump signed an executive order calling for fewer childhood vaccinations and splitting the MMR vaccine into three shots, which public health experts worry may cause confusion.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has changed vaccine policies and shared mixed messages about the MMR vaccine’s safety; some changes have been blocked by courts.
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A New York City business group sued Mayor Zohran Mamdani over his plan to open five city-owned grocery stores by 2029. The group says the plan could hurt small, immigrant- and minority-owned stores because the new stores would sell groceries at much lower prices.
Key Facts
The Multicultural Business Coalition, representing many small supermarkets, filed two lawsuits against Mamdani’s plan.
The group argues smaller stores cannot compete with city stores that will offer groceries about 30% cheaper.
Mamdani’s plan aims to reduce grocery costs for New Yorkers by opening one subsidized store in each borough.
The first city-owned grocery store is planned to open in the Bronx in 2027.
One lawsuit claims the city did not study how the new stores would affect small neighborhood grocers.
Another lawsuit says the city does not have the legal right to open these grocery stores.
Mamdani says the program is legal and needed because grocery prices have risen 30% recently.
The city is also exploring ways to help local grocers with tax breaks, incentives, and zoning changes.
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The Supreme Court has allowed parts of President Donald Trump's order that limits mail-in voting to stay in effect for now. This means some restrictions on mail-in voting will continue while legal challenges are ongoing.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court made a decision about mail-in voting rules tied to President Trump's order.
Portions of the order limiting mail-in voting are allowed to continue temporarily.
The decision is not final and may change as legal challenges go forward.
The order comes from President Donald Trump and affects how mail-in voting can be done.
CBS News legal reporter Katrina Kaufman provided additional information on this topic.
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A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report found that Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division reduced its efforts on fentanyl drug cases as it focused more on deportations under President Donald Trump’s immigration strategy. This shift led to fewer investigations, seizures, and agent hours spent on fentanyl cases, while immigration enforcement activities increased significantly.
Key Facts
Between fiscal years 2024 and 2025, fentanyl investigations by HSI dropped by 24%.
Agent hours spent on fentanyl cases decreased by about 31%, totaling over 250,000 fewer hours.
Fentanyl seizures fell by 39% during the same period.
Immigration enforcement hours increased by more than 1.7 million, which is an 800% rise.
HSI invested over $150 million in the RAVEn data analytics system, but agents found it unhelpful and largely stopped using its tools.
Delays in getting funds slowed down some fentanyl investigations, with at least one case waiting over two months for money.
Information sharing problems meant Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sometimes failed to send fentanyl seizure information to HSI as required.
DHS disputed claims that the anti-fentanyl mission weakened, saying ICE-HSI is actively working to track and improve fentanyl enforcement.
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The Supreme Court allowed President Donald Trump’s order that limits mail voting to proceed for now, but it did not say the order is definitely legal. This delays the court fight, meaning election rules may stay the same for the November midterms, but uncertainty remains about mail voting in many states. The legal process will continue on a tight schedule as ballots start to be sent soon.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court gave preliminary approval to President Trump’s mail voting restrictions.
The court decided it is too early for states led by Democrats to officially challenge the order.
A federal judge previously blocked the order for the November election.
This Supreme Court action restarts the legal fight on a very short timeline.
Mail ballots for some voters, like military overseas voters in North Carolina, start going out on Sept. 4.
Another court order prevents the U.S. Postal Service from changing operations to follow Trump’s rules.
The administration has asked to remove that second hold and proposed new Postal Service rules.
If allowed, these rules could start as early as Tuesday.
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Senator Ted Cruz said the Republican Party has not yet united behind Vice President Vance as their candidate for the 2028 presidential election. He also said the party needs to have a bigger conversation about its future after President Trump’s time in office.
Key Facts
Senator Ted Cruz is from Texas and ran for president in 2016.
Cruz is seen as a possible future presidential candidate.
He believes the GOP (Republican Party) has not fully backed Vice President Vance for 2028.
Cruz wants the party to talk more about its future direction after President Trump leaves office.
The comments came during an interview with MS NOW.
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A Gen X mother describes how raising her Gen Alpha daughter requires different parenting approaches than those she experienced herself. She reflects on the differences in childhood values, emotions, and maturity between the two generations while aiming to allow her daughter both resilience and the freedom to enjoy being a child.
Key Facts
The author is a Gen X mom raising a 9-year-old daughter from Generation Alpha.
The daughter reacted negatively to the violent slapstick cartoon "Tom and Jerry," showing a different perspective on media from the mother's childhood.
The author grew up in a strict, traditional environment where children were not encouraged to question adults or express many emotions.
She recognizes that while resilience is important, it doesn’t require suppressing feelings.
The daughter is mature for her age and interacts comfortably with adults due to living in a house with older family members.
The mother wants her daughter to have a normal childhood, including watching age-appropriate shows and being playful.
She aims to balance passing on valuable lessons from her generation with adapting to her daughter's needs and times.
The mother also values sharing cultural knowledge from her era, such as classic music artists, with her daughter.
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