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Diesel costs more than $6 a gallon for the first time. Here’s how that affects you
The price of diesel, the workhorse fuel that powers the world economy, topped $6 a gallon on Friday for the first time ever.
Even if it’s real, Trump’s new Ukraine push is already being undermined by events
Events since the United States revived its Ukraine peace bid say more about its chances than the sunny rhetoric that accompanies it.
Vance makes pitch to undecided voters frustrated with Trump’s presidency
Geraldo Rivera: Trump’s ‘life is a campaign’
El-Sayed: Trump’s trying to ‘literally bribe American voters’
Fact check: Trump, RFK Jr. and others make false claims on night 2 of GOP convention
President Donald Trump delivered another rapid-fire series of false claims on the second night of Republicans’ midterm convention on Thursday. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did his own barrage of wrongness. And various other speakers uttered statements that were untrue, misleading or missing critical context.
Shouts of ‘he should be shot’ heard during GOP midterm convention speech criticizing Democratic candidates
Shouts of “he should be shot” could be heard multiple times Thursday night at the Republican midterm convention as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was criticizing prominent Democratic politicians by name.
Salmonella outbreak linked to broccoli sprouts sickens 16 in Washington
The sprouts were purchased from grocery stores, food co-ops, and restaurants.
Dolly Parton's sister Stella shares the singer's final request
Dolly Parton's sister is sharing the last thing the queen of country music requested of her before she died Aug. 25. In an interview on CBS Mornings that aired Sept.
Dolly Parton’s sister thinks Nashville stars haven’t sent condolences because of her outspoken political beliefs
Dolly Parton’s sister Stella said that she hasn’t received a single condolence from Nashville musicians, and she thinks it’s because of her outspoken political beliefs.
GA Secy of State: ‘Not enough time’ to implement Trump’s changes to mail-in voting
Trump’s pledge for $5K checks catches officials and allies off guard, sparks GOP blowback
President Donald Trump blindsided many of his own administration officials and allies with his vow to pay all American adults $5,000 if Republicans keep control of Congress, prompting an internal scramble on Thursday to backfill the proposal’s specifics, two people familiar with the matter told CNN.
Trump admin pick to oversee a conspiracy investigation into president’s foes resigns
The Trump administration’s pick to oversee a conspiracy investigation into the president’s foes has resigned under pressure from the Justice Department.
Former crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried appeals conviction to Supreme Court
Sam Bankman-Fried, the former crypto mogul who was convicted of defrauding investors by secretly diverting billions of dollars of their money, asked the Supreme Court on Thursday for a new trial and to throw out a court order requiring him to pay $11 billion as part of his sentence.
AI’s confusing terms, explained
The last few weeks have seen a deluge of news about AI – from models going rogue to doom predictions about how AI could cause the end of humanity.
Apple AirPods 5 Are Up for Preorder, Featuring Active Noise Cancellation and Starting at $129
Apple AirPods 5 offer active noise cancellation and start at just $129. Preorders are live now.
Why Trump dividend is trending
Trump to send $500 rebate checks to nearly one million Obamacare enrollees
A day after promising to send $5,000 dividend payments to all Americans, President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he would distribute $500 rebate checks to nearly one million Affordable Care Act enrollees in 30 states.
Sony introduces the WH-1000XM4C, its new wireless noise-cancelling headphones inspired by its most popular over-ear model
Your headphones game just got an upgrade with Sony’s brand new WH-1000XM4C, which builds on its popular WH-1000XM4; combining the legendary 1000X Series noise cancellation, trusted premium sound in its beloved timeless design. Image courtesy of Sony. Ideal for everyone from the frequent travellers to students and commuters, the WH-1000XM4C is able to deliver rich […]
Kamala Harris to campaign with Sen. Jon Ossoff as part of midterm campaign swing
Kamala Harris will keynote a Fulton County Democrats dinner and stump with Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff at the end of October, capping off a spate of appearances on the trail for a select group of candidates on the midterms ballot this year.
Uganda: Catholic Caravan 2026 brings healthcare to underserved communities
Medical personnel under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Mbarara Development Association (AMDA), an umbrella organisation uniting Catholics from the ...
Dolly Parton’s sister Stella reveals what the late country star looked like without her makeup
Stella appeared on “CBS Mornings” to talk about her sister’s legacy.
Supreme Court again rejects GOP-friendly congressional map in Missouri for midterms
The Supreme Court sided with opponents of a Republican-friendly congressional map in Missouri on Thursday, handing down a quick decision rejecting a plan that could have given the GOP an extra seat in the House of Representatives.
Global oil hits $105 per barrel and bond yields surge
Oil prices rose Thursday, with Brent crude hitting $105 per barrel for the first time since May, as conflict in the Middle East continued to roil global markets.
CMA Awards nominees 2026: Ella Langley leads the pack with 9 nominations
Lainey Wilson returns to host the country music awards show, which will air live from Nashville on Nov. 18.
The Odds: Can Paxton Turn Things Around?
Ella Langley leads Country Music Association Awards nods
Ella Langley leads the 2026 Country Music Association Awards nominations with nine nods, thanks to her hit “Choosin’ Texas.”
Ella Langley leads Country Music Association Awards nods, with mentor Miranda Lambert close behind
Ella Langley leads the 2026 Country Music Association Awards nominations with nine nods, thanks to her hit “Choosin’ Texas.” | WWL
Dolly Parton’s sister Stella reveals ‘the last thing’ the late singer asked her for
Parton died on Aug. 25 at 80 “after bravely facing a brief battle with cancer.”
The closest planet to our sun is shrinking. Here’s what that means
Mercury may be shrinking even more than previously believed, according to new research.
Ferris girls soccer seniors attend to 'unfinished business' in quest for state appearance
For four years, Leah Weller, Hailey Orellana and Sami Asan have shared just about every chapter of their soccer journey for the Ferris Saxons.
Match Officials Appointed: Newcastle (H)
The match officials for Monday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle have been announced, with Michael Salisbury set to take charge at Elland Road.The Lancashire-based official is vastly experienced...
Sen. Tim Scott blasts Democrats in wild RNC speech
‘America wants beef:’ How Omaha Steaks is overhauling its business as prices soar
Omaha Steaks, the pioneering meat delivery company, has been around for over a century. But if it wants to survive amid record-high beef prices, the company has to become speedier, leaner and offer cheaper cuts.
Ectopic pregnancy deaths have nearly doubled. It’s worse in states with abortion bans
The number of women who died after an ectopic pregnancy has spiked in recent years, a ProPublica analysis found. The mounting deaths in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data have drawn little scrutiny or response.
The GOP heads into the general election with a significant enthusiasm deficit
It remains to be seen whether this week’s unusual GOP midterm convention will fire up the base for the final two months of the campaign, but the party clearly needs some help.
Thousands have suffered and died from 9/11 health effects. A new moment of silence will honor them
A seventh moment of silence at the September 11 ceremony at Ground Zero will honor those lost to diseases and other health effects from 9/11.
Students in Asia extend lead over a flagging US as AI reshapes education
High-school students across Asia are pulling ahead of their Western peers, an annual global assessment indicates, as artificial intelligence spurs a worldwide race for talent and reshapes how young people learn.
Trump announces dividend if Republicans maintain control of Congress
In pictures: The first-ever Republican midterm convention
Republicans are gathering in Dallas for an unusual 2026 GOP midterm convention, an event backed by President Donald Trump and designed to energize voters, raise money and highlight key Republican candidates ahead of the elections in November.
Trump jokes about Paxton’s attire at midterm convention
Helena Foulkes will defeat Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee, CNN projects, marking a rare incumbent primary loss
Former CVS executive Helena Foulkes will win the Democratic nomination for governor of Rhode Island, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, defeating incumbent Gov. Dan McKee as she capitalized on voter frustration over the partial closure of a key bridge and the ensuing traffic chaos.
‘Trump-a-palooza’ aims to energize Republican base
Republicans gathered Wednesday night in Dallas for the first-ever Republican midterm convention, an event designed to energize voters, raise money and highlight key Republican candidates ahead of the November election. CNN’s Alayna Treene takes us through the key moments.
James Talarico says Democratic Party needs ‘new blood’
Top election forecaster: GOP losing ground with Hispanic voters in key Texas races
Fact-checking the Republican midterm convention night 1
Some of the speakers at the Republican midterm convention on Wednesday made false or misleading claims.
Fetterman introduces McCormick in video played at GOP midterm convention
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman appears in surprise video at GOP midterm convention
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman praised his fellow senator from his home state, GOP Sen. Dave McCormick, in a surprise video appearance at the GOP midterm convention, and condemned the rise of far-left voices in his own party.
Pelosi on what’s needed from Democratic party leadership before midterms
Meet the Democrat who may primary Sen. John Fetterman
Missouri redistricting chaos returns to US Supreme Court
A fast-moving legal battle over Missouri’s effort to eke an additional Republican seat out of its congressional map for this year’s midterm election returned to the US Supreme Court on Wednesday, a day after Justice Brett Kavanaugh had effectively rejected the same proposed map.
Voters could move Congress to revisit H.R. 1 healthcare overhaul, Kaine and McClellan say
It would still be a long shot, he and U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, noted. But since H.R. 1 passed, every member of Congress has spent time in their districts hearing from their constituents, as voters name healthcare a chief concern.
ENTERTAINMENT: Museum’s Tinkerfest, various concerts on calendar
Okorie “OkCello” Johnson kicks off the 11th Acansa Arts Festival of the South, 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Morgan Hall of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s Stella Boyle Smith Music Center.
ABC responds to rumored ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ cancellation
NEW YORK — ABC is setting the record straight amid rumors that it has plans to cancel “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” at the end of its current season. “This information is
Midterms, Trump’s inflation nation and Netanyahu skepticism
Appeals court considers future of nationwide access to medication abortion
The issue of medication abortion was back before a New Orleans-based appeals court on Wednesday, in the latest iteration of a years-long legal effort to end the provision of abortion drugs via telehealth.
Apple debuts $129 AirPods 5 with better noise cancellation and transparency mode
AirPods 5 with noise cancellation is cheaper than its predecessor.
ERNEST Opens Up About Mental Health After Leaving Ella Langley Tour
ERNEST is opening up about his mental health after leaving Ella Langley's tour.
What to know about the Republican midterm convention
Apple shows off AirPods 5 with improved active noise cancellation
The AirPods 5 support better noise cancellation, Siri AI, and offer volume controls on the stem.
Apple unveils AirPods 5 with upgraded noise cancellation, more
Today during its iPhone 18 Pro event, Apple announced the next generation AirPods 5 with improved active noise cancellation.
AirPods 5 Announced With Improved Noise Cancellation, Audio Quality, and More
Apple today introduced AirPods 5, bringing Active Noise Cancellation to its entry-level wireless earbuds at a starting price of $129. Apple says AirPods 5 remove up to 50% more external noise than AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. A redesigned acoustic architecture and updated Adaptive EQ also promise richer, more detailed sound, while an improved Transparency mode makes nearby voices and sounds more natural.
New CNN poll in Maine shows a razor-thin contest between Sen. Susan Collins and Troy Jackson
CNN polling team surprised by this finding in Maine
An onslaught of midterm polling is coming. Here’s how to sort through it
If read carefully, high-quality polls can still tell you a lot about how this year’s midterms are shaping up – and keeping a few simple questions in mind can help you sort through the overwhelming and sometimes overblown deluge of data.
Lori Loughlin files for divorce from Mossimo Giannulli
Designer Mossimo Giannulli and actress Lori Loughlin attend LACMA's 50th Anniversary Gala on April 18, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. (Donato Sardella/Getty Images for LACMA)
The Odds: Israel’s Image
The Cost of Cutting American Science: How Federal Cuts Diminish Public Health Capacity
Among the federal government’s many responsibilities is the work it does to protect public health. Federal agencies monitor our food supply to ensure safety, conduct research to better understand emerging health threats, provide funding for public health programs in communities and work to detect and respond to disease outbreaks. Americans rely on these efforts every day—in a 2024 online survey, 74% of respondents said that “if the federal government issued safety guidance about food you eat regularly,” they would follow it. Changes to Federal Public Health Capacity The Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the federal government have resulted in significant impacts on our nation’s public health capacity over the past 20 months, affecting the response to health concerns such as measles, Ebola and cyclosporiasis. Agencies with core public health, food safety and disease prevention responsibilities experienced large workforce decreases during the first year of the administration. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for instance, the workforce in February 2026 was 26.7% smaller than in September 2024 before the start of the Trump administration. The Food and Drug Administration saw a similarly steep decline of 21.6%. Agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Food Safety and Inspection Service also experienced large workforce decreases. (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); Changes can also be seen in crucial public health occupations. The number of federal food inspectors, for example, decreased by more than half between September 2024 and February 2026, going from 1,035 to 473. This is the lowest number of food inspectors employed by the federal government since at least 2005. By February 2026, there were also 33.3% fewer federal public health program specialists, whose work includes advising federal funding recipients on public health activities and analyzing the effectiveness of public health programs. Government’s capacity is diminished as employees with specialized knowledge and experience in protecting the public and responding to health risks depart, leaving agencies less prepared to carry out their public health missions. There also have been vacancies in critical high-level leadership positions at public health agencies, most notably at the CDC, which had a permanent Senate-confirmed director for less than a month between January 2025 and early August 2026. Although the CDC has previously been led by acting directors at the start of an administration, the nearly yearlong gap since the departure of the administration’s first permanent director in August 2025 is without precedent. As of August 2026, the FDA is also currently without a Senate-confirmed commissioner following the previous commissioner’s resignation in May 2026. Additionally, public health agencies are experiencing increased politicization of their leadership ranks. In agencies such as the CDC and Food Safety and Inspection Service, the number of individuals in the Senior Executive Service—the most senior career leaders in government—has declined significantly, while at the same time the number of political appointees has reached record levels. (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); At the CDC, for example, the number of career SES decreased 42.9% between December 2024 and February 2026, while the number of non-Senate confirmed political appointees at the agency was six times larger than the agency’s historical average from 2009 and 2024. Knowledgeable career leaders are integral to the ability of public health agencies to carry out their work with scientific integrity and professional judgment, and rapid leadership turnover and increased politicization threaten agencies’ ability to make evidence-based decisions to protect our health. The upheaval and politicization in public health agencies have also negatively affected employee engagement. Strong employee engagement is crucial to the ability of agencies to carry out their mission and successfully provide essential services to the public. In the 2025 Public Service Viewpoint Survey conducted by the Partnership for Public Service, the Department of Health and Human Services—which encompasses major public health agencies such as the CDC and FDA—had an employee engagement and satisfaction score of 20.4 out of 100, one of the lowest among large agencies. Only 2.8% of HHS employees indicated trust in their political leaders and only 8.7% reported confidence that they could report a suspected violation of law or regulation without retaliation. Employees at HHS also reported that the agency’s ability to provide services to the public had suffered. Nearly half of employees at HHS, 47.5%, said their work unit was worse at delivering quality services compared to its performance in 2024. In addition, 57.8% said their work unit was performing worse at fulfilling stakeholder needs. In addition to the work done within federal agencies, the federal government also distributes significant funding for public health and disease prevention work to state and local governments, nonprofits and small businesses—funding which has been significantly disrupted. At the CDC, for example, there was a 71.9% decrease in the amount of project grant funding issued in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024. The FDA also issued far less funding in fiscal year 2025—a 21.3% decrease from its fiscal year 2024 funding. Changes in federal funding include the ending of grants to community organizations that worked on HIV prevention and the cancellation of funding for research into improvements to patient safety and healthcare quality. These changes go beyond federal agencies to impact the broader public health ecosystem, including the state and local health departments responsible for much of the on-the-ground public health work in their communities. About 80% of the CDC’s domestic funding is directed towards state and local partners—meaning that cuts to CDC funding can ultimately result in cuts to state and local public health capacity. Federal agencies also provide expertise and assistance to state and local health agencies as they deal with particular health challenges, but workforce cuts have resulted in fewer federal employees available to help. The Impact of Changes to Public Health Capacity These changes to federal public health capacity are not abstract concerns. Disrupted programs, reduced funding and lost expertise at public health agencies across all levels of government threaten the public’s physical well-being and safety. In some cases, this has already led to harm. The most immediate impacts of federal cuts were seen in interruptions to ongoing public health programs and crisis responses. In one instance, when CDC grants were canceled during the 2025 Texas measles outbreak—the most severe measles outbreak in 25 years—public health officials in Lubbock, Texas were forced to pause parts of their measles response work supported by the frozen funding. Lubbock’s director of public health further said that a lack of available CDC experts to reach out to for advice “definitely” impacted the department’s response to the measles crisis. Cuts to federal funding also forced Dallas County Health and Human Services to cut staff and cancel 50 community vaccination clinics during the outbreak. Public health work outside of major outbreak responses was also disrupted. For example, in April 2025, the Milwaukee Public Health Department was unexpectedly unable to reach experts on lead poisoning due to firings at the CDC when responding to concerns about lead contamination in Milwaukee public schools. Due to federal workforce cuts, several programs at the CDC, including Alzheimer’s and epilepsy programs, have also become trapped in limbo—existing on paper, but without the staff necessary to operate. More recent crises reveal how federal cuts have weakened the public health infrastructure needed to prevent and respond to dangerous new outbreaks. Internationally, cuts at the U.S. Agency for International Development eliminated funding for disease testing and contact tracing abroad, which delayed detection of and responses to the 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While international outbreaks may seem far removed, the unchecked spread of disease in any country can quickly pose a danger to economic well-being, security and health around the world. Within the United States, public health cuts inhibited responses to the summer 2026 outbreak of the food-borne parasite cyclospora. At the federal level, cuts to funding for lab equipment and for CDC staff with expertise in parasitic infections—including 9 out of 11 staff members at the lab responsible for identifying parasitic outbreaks in 2025— contributed to the largest reporting delay in outbreak cases at the CDC in 15 years. Conflicting communications from the FDA about the source of the outbreak, which followed cuts to the agency’s communications department, additionally led to confusion among the public about how to best avoid infection. At the same time, cuts to HHS funding and support for local and state public health slowed some health departments’ responses to the crisis. The exact costs of these delays, constraints and confusion in public health responses are difficult to estimate. However, their message is clear: federal cuts have already made containing threats to public health even more of a challenge. Conclusion Protecting public health—from food safety to disease prevention—is one of the federal government’s most important missions. Dramatic and haphazard cuts to federal agencies and funding have already disrupted the public health system, impacting the response to challenges such as measles, lead poisoning and cyclosporiasis. The U.S. public health system needed improvement before these disruptions. Since 2022, federal leadership and coordination in response to public health outbreaks has been on the Government Accountability Office’s High-Risk List of areas in need of attention to improve government effectiveness and efficiency. Recent cuts only compound these concerns. The chaotic dismantling of government and resulting disruptions to crucial functions like public health and disease prevention highlight the need for meaningful reform and concrete policy proposals to reimagine how government can better serve the public and be more effective, responsive and accountable. To learn more about the impact of federal cuts to public health and science more broadly, visit The Cost of Cutting American Science. Learn more For more information on the Partnership for Public Service’s government reform initiative, visit Government for a New Era. View here In line with The Cost of Cutting American Science, federal workforce data in this brief is as of February 2026
The Cost of Cutting American Science: How Federal Cuts Diminish Public Health Capacity
Among the federal government’s many responsibilities is the work it does to protect public health. Federal agencies monitor our food supply to ensure safety, conduct research to better understand emerging health threats, provide funding for public health programs in communities and work to detect and respond to disease outbreaks. Americans rely on these efforts every day—in a 2024 online survey, 74% of respondents said that “if the federal government issued safety guidance about food you eat regularly,” they would follow it. Changes to Federal Public Health Capacity The Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the federal government have resulted in significant impacts on our nation’s public health capacity over the past 20 months, affecting the response to health concerns such as measles, Ebola and cyclosporiasis. Agencies with core public health, food safety and disease prevention responsibilities experienced large workforce decreases during the first year of the administration. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for instance, the workforce in February 2026 was 26.7% smaller than in September 2024 before the start of the Trump administration. The Food and Drug Administration saw a similarly steep decline of 21.6%. Agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Food Safety and Inspection Service also experienced large workforce decreases. (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); Changes can also be seen in crucial public health occupations. The number of federal food inspectors, for example, decreased by more than half between September 2024 and February 2026, going from 1,035 to 473. This is the lowest number of food inspectors employed by the federal government since at least 2005. By February 2026, there were also 33.3% fewer federal public health program specialists, whose work includes advising federal funding recipients on public health activities and analyzing the effectiveness of public health programs. Government’s capacity is diminished as employees with specialized knowledge and experience in protecting the public and responding to health risks depart, leaving agencies less prepared to carry out their public health missions. There also have been vacancies in critical high-level leadership positions at public health agencies, most notably at the CDC, which had a permanent Senate-confirmed director for less than a month between January 2025 and early August 2026. Although the CDC has previously been led by acting directors at the start of an administration, the nearly yearlong gap since the departure of the administration’s first permanent director in August 2025 is without precedent. As of August 2026, the FDA is also currently without a Senate-confirmed commissioner following the previous commissioner’s resignation in May 2026. Additionally, public health agencies are experiencing increased politicization of their leadership ranks. In agencies such as the CDC and Food Safety and Inspection Service, the number of individuals in the Senior Executive Service—the most senior career leaders in government—has declined significantly, while at the same time the number of political appointees has reached record levels. (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); At the CDC, for example, the number of career SES decreased 42.9% between December 2024 and February 2026, while the number of non-Senate confirmed political appointees at the agency was six times larger than the agency’s historical average from 2009 and 2024. Knowledgeable career leaders are integral to the ability of public health agencies to carry out their work with scientific integrity and professional judgment, and rapid leadership turnover and increased politicization threaten agencies’ ability to make evidence-based decisions to protect our health. The upheaval and politicization in public health agencies have also negatively affected employee engagement. Strong employee engagement is crucial to the ability of agencies to carry out their mission and successfully provide essential services to the public. In the 2025 Public Service Viewpoint Survey conducted by the Partnership for Public Service, the Department of Health and Human Services—which encompasses major public health agencies such as the CDC and FDA—had an employee engagement and satisfaction score of 20.4 out of 100, one of the lowest among large agencies. Only 2.8% of HHS employees indicated trust in their political leaders and only 8.7% reported confidence that they could report a suspected violation of law or regulation without retaliation. Employees at HHS also reported that the agency’s ability to provide services to the public had suffered. Nearly half of employees at HHS, 47.5%, said their work unit was worse at delivering quality services compared to its performance in 2024. In addition, 57.8% said their work unit was performing worse at fulfilling stakeholder needs. In addition to the work done within federal agencies, the federal government also distributes significant funding for public health and disease prevention work to state and local governments, nonprofits and small businesses—funding which has been significantly disrupted. At the CDC, for example, there was a 71.9% decrease in the amount of project grant funding issued in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024. The FDA also issued far less funding in fiscal year 2025—a 21.3% decrease from its fiscal year 2024 funding. Changes in federal funding include the ending of grants to community organizations that worked on HIV prevention and the cancellation of funding for research into improvements to patient safety and healthcare quality. These changes go beyond federal agencies to impact the broader public health ecosystem, including the state and local health departments responsible for much of the on-the-ground public health work in their communities. About 80% of the CDC’s domestic funding is directed towards state and local partners—meaning that cuts to CDC funding can ultimately result in cuts to state and local public health capacity. Federal agencies also provide expertise and assistance to state and local health agencies as they deal with particular health challenges, but workforce cuts have resulted in fewer federal employees available to help. The Impact of Changes to Public Health Capacity These changes to federal public health capacity are not abstract concerns. Disrupted programs, reduced funding and lost expertise at public health agencies across all levels of government threaten the public’s physical well-being and safety. In some cases, this has already led to harm. The most immediate impacts of federal cuts were seen in interruptions to ongoing public health programs and crisis responses. In one instance, when CDC grants were canceled during the 2025 Texas measles outbreak—the most severe measles outbreak in 25 years—public health officials in Lubbock, Texas were forced to pause parts of their measles response work supported by the frozen funding. Lubbock’s director of public health further said that a lack of available CDC experts to reach out to for advice “definitely” impacted the department’s response to the measles crisis. Cuts to federal funding also forced Dallas County Health and Human Services to cut staff and cancel 50 community vaccination clinics during the outbreak. Public health work outside of major outbreak responses was also disrupted. For example, in April 2025, the Milwaukee Public Health Department was unexpectedly unable to reach experts on lead poisoning due to firings at the CDC when responding to concerns about lead contamination in Milwaukee public schools. Due to federal workforce cuts, several programs at the CDC, including Alzheimer’s and epilepsy programs, have also become trapped in limbo—existing on paper, but without the staff necessary to operate. More recent crises reveal how federal cuts have weakened the public health infrastructure needed to prevent and respond to dangerous new outbreaks. Internationally, cuts at the U.S. Agency for International Development eliminated funding for disease testing and contact tracing abroad, which delayed detection of and responses to the 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While international outbreaks may seem far removed, the unchecked spread of disease in any country can quickly pose a danger to economic well-being, security and health around the world. Within the United States, public health cuts inhibited responses to the summer 2026 outbreak of the food-borne parasite cyclospora. At the federal level, cuts to funding for lab equipment and for CDC staff with expertise in parasitic infections—including 9 out of 11 staff members at the lab responsible for identifying parasitic outbreaks in 2025— contributed to the largest reporting delay in outbreak cases at the CDC in 15 years. Conflicting communications from the FDA about the source of the outbreak, which followed cuts to the agency’s communications department, additionally led to confusion among the public about how to best avoid infection. At the same time, cuts to HHS funding and support for local and state public health slowed some health departments’ responses to the crisis. The exact costs of these delays, constraints and confusion in public health responses are difficult to estimate. However, their message is clear: federal cuts have already made containing threats to public health even more of a challenge. Conclusion Protecting public health—from food safety to disease prevention—is one of the federal government’s most important missions. Dramatic and haphazard cuts to federal agencies and funding have already disrupted the public health system, impacting the response to challenges such as measles, lead poisoning and cyclosporiasis. The U.S. public health system needed improvement before these disruptions. Since 2022, federal leadership and coordination in response to public health outbreaks has been on the Government Accountability Office’s High-Risk List of areas in need of attention to improve government effectiveness and efficiency. Recent cuts only compound these concerns. The chaotic dismantling of government and resulting disruptions to crucial functions like public health and disease prevention highlight the need for meaningful reform and concrete policy proposals to reimagine how government can better serve the public and be more effective, responsive and accountable. To learn more about the impact of federal cuts to public health and science more broadly, visit The Cost of Cutting American Science. Learn more For more information on the Partnership for Public Service’s government reform initiative, visit Government for a New Era. View here In line with The Cost of Cutting American Science, federal workforce data in this brief is as of February 2026
First on CNN: Routine blood testing may hold hidden clues to colorectal cancer before age 45
When you have your blood drawn in a routine doctor’s visit, some of the markers in your blood that get tested could hold unexpected clues to how likely you are to develop colorectal cancer at a young age, new research suggests.
Democrats demand Trump administration halt collection of patients’ ER records
A group of Democratic lawmakers is calling for the Trump administration to suspend a new surveillance program it quietly launched to collect the personal and identifiable health data of Americans who visit emergency rooms.
The wildest sport you’ve never heard of has some unlikely stars: American cowboys
Nine American cowboys joined thousands of global athletes in Kyrgyzstan for the World Nomad Games, competing in Kok-Boru — Central Asia’s ancient, brutal sport of equestrian goat-grabbing.
‘Fat b*tches’: Videos reveal the extent of GOP candidate’s crude sexual remarks
Brandon Herrera repeatedly made vulgar sexual statements and derogatory comments about the appearance and intelligence of women, CNN found.
After a decade as GOP’s main character, Trump gets one more starring role at midterm convention
For a decade, President Donald Trump has made himself his party’s main character — a singular force around whom its rallies, conventions and political identity have revolved.
The world’s best-paid politician is getting a $1 million pay rise
Singapore’s ministers are already among the world’s highest-paid politicians, with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong earning more than four times US President Donald Trump’s annual government salary.
Student view: Building a business from a passion for baking
MSU senior Jade McLellan shares how campus programs, mentors and an internship helped her grow Baking By Jade and prepare for an entrepreneurial career.
Nats boss to meet UK transport secretary as second day of flight chaos takes cancellations past 1,300
Technical issue at air traffic control provider Nats grounds flights to and from UK airports for second day
Trump gave Natalie Harp and two other aides $45,000 each in cash gifts for holidays
President Donald Trump gave Natalie Harp and two other White House aides $45,000 each in cash gifts, according to financial disclosure statements.
49ers defensive lineman Alfred Collins' injury latest blow to largely unproven unit
San Francisco 49ers second-year defensive lineman Alfred Collins tore his patellar tendon at the team's second practice in Melbourne and will be out for the season, coach Kyle Shanahan said.
USI drops their second straight match at home
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — The University of Southern Indiana men’s soccer is still looking for their first win under new head coach Mads Kaiser after falling 2-1 to Bellarmine. The loss was their second straight at home after falling to IU Indy last week. The Knights got on the board first in the first half with […]
The Trump administration slams Ford for its ties to China
The Trump administration on Tuesday expressed “profound concern” to carmaker Ford about its alleged ties to Chinese technology and manufacturing.
Rep. Chris Pappas will face former Sen. John E. Sununu in New Hampshire Senate race, CNN projects
Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas will face Republican former Sen. John E. Sununu in the race for New Hampshire’s open Senate seat, CNN’s Decision Desk projects.
A study links prenatal acetaminophen with reproductive changes in girls. Doctors say it remains safe to use when needed
A new study found that some girls born to mothers who took acetaminophen during pregnancy developed reproductive organ changes that could affect fertility later in life. It’s a finding the study authors say should drive future research but shouldn’t yet change how certain symptoms are treated during pregnancy.
Not hitting your step goal? Pick up the pace
Walking at a brisker pace may lower the risk of early death, even for people who don’t reach high daily step counts, a new study found. Here’s what experts recommend.
Live results: Delaware primary election
See Delaware election results and maps for the 2026 primaries.
Live results: Rhode Island primary election
See Rhode Island election results and maps for the 2026 primaries.
Live results: New Hampshire primary election
See New Hampshire election results and maps for the 2026 primaries.
Supreme Court rejects Missouri’s request to use congressional map with extra GOP seat
The Supreme Court on Tuesday denied Missouri’s request to use a congressional map for the November midterm election that would have given Republicans a chance to flip a seat, a rare setback for the GOP’s effort to keep control of the House next year by eking out an advantage from its political boundaries.
Dolly Parton's sister slams 'fake AI garbage' following icon's death
In a Sept. 4 Instagram statement, Dolly Parton's sister Stella Parton thanked fans for the “genuine” support, urging supporters to use her sister’s life as an “example for tolerance and respect towards others.”
US targets multiple Iranian tankers near Kharg Island
The US targeted multiple Iranian tankers near Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, according to two US officials.
AT&T Business Expands Work with Amazon Leo for Resilient Connectivity
AT&T Business has furthered its agreement with Amazon’s Amazon Leo constellation to offer “converged connectivity solutions” integrating satellite
NFL media hires two veterans as new analysts
NFL Media is bolstering its ranks ahead of the 2026 season with a pair of familiar names. The league’s media arm is undergoing a transition this season with NFL Network now under the umbrella of ESPN. That arrangement is part of the equity deal that now sees the league as a minority owner in the…
Trump honors 9/11 first responders — and plugs his political priorities
President Donald Trump on Tuesday honored the heroes of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks — but couldn’t resist mentioning the Iran war and communism.