The Trump administration moved this spring to accelerate audits of Medicare Advantage insurers, then days earlier finalized a payment increase for the same plans that was far larger than its initial proposal. The decisions affect a program that now covers more than half of eligible Medicare beneficiaries.

A new Gallup survey found 71% of Americans oppose building an AI data center in their local area, even as companies pour billions into new facilities. Industry analysts say the buildout is still moving slowly because power, labor and permitting constraints are proving as important as public resistance.

Federal forecasters said El Niño conditions were expected to strengthen through the 2023-24 winter, increasing the odds of wetter conditions across the southern U.S. and more mountain snow in parts of the West. NOAA said the pattern also favored warmer-than-average temperatures across the northern tier.

The Trump administration has launched a new effort to limit birthright citizenship by focusing on so-called birth tourism, a narrower target after courts rejected a broader order. The move revives a constitutional fight over the 14th Amendment, which was adopted in 1868 after the Civil War.

New research shows immigrant founders and executives remain central to U.S. business growth, especially in Silicon Valley. A Trump-era visa fee crackdown is now forcing tech companies to reassess hiring, expansion and where future jobs will be based.

Three people in different states have been charged after authorities said they threatened a judge, a witness and local offices tied to the investigation into Nolan Xavier Wells’ death on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. The charges come as the case continues to draw scrutiny and federal assistance.

A new federal cost-sharing rule takes effect in October, requiring states to cover 75% of SNAP administrative costs. The change does not reduce October food benefits directly, but it adds a significant new budget obligation for state governments.

Zohran Mamdani faced boos during an NYPD-linked National Night Out appearance on Staten Island, underscoring the strained relationship between the mayor and parts of the city’s police community. The episode also highlighted Staten Island’s distinct political landscape within New York City.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pointed to his uncle John F. Kennedy’s vaccine-era leadership while backing changes to childhood immunization policy. Public health researchers and medical groups say the comparison breaks down because the modern policy shifts rely on disputed evidence and alter long-standing protections for children.

New York City’s release of a searchable property roll tied to its new pied-à-terre surcharge has drawn criticism from opponents who say the tool makes owner information easier to find in one place. City finance records show the roll was published in late July as part of the new non-primary residence tax process.

New Mexico has sued the Trump administration and the U.S. Justice Department to obtain unredacted Jeffrey Epstein investigative files tied to Zorro Ranch in Santa Fe County. State officials said the records are necessary to advance an active criminal investigation into possible crimes committed in New Mexico.

Companies that moved production from China to Vietnam, Thailand and Mexico after earlier tariffs are rethinking those plans as new Trump tariffs narrowed the advantage of those alternatives. Recent trade moves and temporary U.S.-China tariff changes have added new uncertainty for manufacturers weighing where to build and ship goods.