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He told the committee that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leaders who left the agency last week deserved to be fired and criticized CDC recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic tied to lockdowns and masking policies, claiming — wrongly — that they “failed to do anything about the disease itself.�

The U.S. Senate Finance Committee called Kennedy to a hearing about his plans to “Make America Healthy Again.� But the health secretary was grilled over layoffs and planned budget cuts that detractors say are wrecking the nation’s ability to prevent disease.

Here's the latest:

Massachusetts to require insurers to cover vaccines if state recommends, even if CDC doesn’t

Massachusetts insurance carriers will be required to cover vaccinations recommended by the state’s health department, regardless of whether those continue to be recommended by the federal government, Gov. Maura Healey announced Thursday.

The Democrat says that’s meant to ensure Massachusetts residents can afford the vaccines they need and want, “even if the federal government issues narrower recommendations.�

The announcement comes after U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s extensive restructuring and downsizing of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has long set the nation’s guidance on which vaccines are recommended and who should get them.

“We won’t let Donald Trump and Robert Kennedy get between patients and their doctors,� Healey said in a statement.

Vaccinations that Massachusetts insurers would be required to cover under Healey’s guidance include respiratory virus vaccines, like COVID, flu and RSV, and routine vaccines for children, like measles, chickenpox and Hepatitis B.

Justice Department probes mortgage fraud claims against Lisa Cook of Federal Reserve, AP source says

The Justice Department has issued subpoenas as part of an investigation into mortgage fraud allegations against Lisa Cook, who is fighting a Trump administration effort to remove her from her role as a Federal Reserve Governor.

A person familiar with the matter confirmed that subpoenas had been sent in connection with the probe, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

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Kids need AI training for the jobs of the future, first lady says

First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday called on business and technology leaders to invest in AI training for America’s schoolchildren, saying it would empower students with the skills they need for jobs of the future.

The first lady’s comments came at a Thursday meeting of the White House’s new Artificial Intelligence Education task force, which she chairs. Education Secretary Linda McMahon sat beside Trump, along with several Cabinet heads and government and business leaders.

“As leaders and parents, we must manage AI’s growth responsibly,� Trump said, calling for both action and caution. “During this primitive stage, it is our duty to treat AI as we would our own children — empowering, but with watchful guidance.�

Last month, the first lady launched a nationwide contest for students in grades K-12 to use AI to complete a project or address a community challenge. The project was aimed at showing benefits of AI, while Trump has also highlighted its drawbacks.

Rubio says ‘we don’t like the humanitarian suffering’ in Gaza

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that the war in Gaza could end “tomorrow� if Hamas disarmed, surrendered and released the remaining hostages.

But, as scenes of famine play out in parts of Gaza, he said that “we don’t like the humanitarian suffering.�

“We’ve provided a lot of aid,� Rubio told reporters alongside his Ecuadorian counterpart in Quito. “We’re prepared to provide aid now, and we’re prepared to provide a lot of aid after the war ends as well.�

He also dismissed reports about any Israeli annexation of the West Bank, saying, “That’s not a final thing. That’s something that’s been discussed among some elements of Israeli politics.�

The United Arab Emirates warned this week that it would be a red line.

Kennedy decried the number of childhood vaccinations

As Sen. Roger Marshall — a physician — spoke critically of the number of vaccines he said U.S. children are required to get, a staffer behind him held up a white sign with “76 Jabs!� printed in red. Marshall, a Kansas Republican, has previously questioned the necessity of giving children a high number of shots.

The current childhood vaccination schedule recommends routine protection against 18 diseases. How many shots between birth and age 18 that entails can vary for many reasons. The list recommends a once-a-year flu vaccination, for example. That would also include a yearly COVID-19 vaccine for at least some children depending on how Kennedy’s attempts to curtail that shot pan out.

Some on the list may not be recommended for every child, such as a preventive shot for RSV in young babies.

And another variable depends on what type of vaccine is used against a particular disease, where one choice may require two doses and another three.

Kennedy falsely claims that many vaccines haven’t been properly studied but decades of research leading to and after their approval has shown those on the market are safe and effective -- including placebo-controlled studies.

There is no evidence that the childhood vaccine schedule is harmful. It’s backed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and doctors say multiple vaccines are not a problem.

Vance comes to Kennedy’s defense

Vice President JD Vance was not pleased with the behavior of some senators at Kennedy’s hearing on Capitol Hill Thursday.

In a post on X, the vice president accused senators of “trying to lecture� and catch Kennedy in a “gotcha� moment.

Senate Democrats warn of health insurance premium hike unless Congress acts

Several Democratic senators are releasing a from Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms that finds people who buy their own health insurance could see the largest rate increase in nearly a decade, if Congress doesn’t extend tax credits for those plans.

“Pulling the rug out from under working families — especially at a time when so many are struggling to make ends meet — would be catastrophic,� said Sen. Jeanne Shahee, a New Hampshire Democrat. “I’m going to continue pushing hard on my Republican colleagues to actually come to the table and get this done.�

The report finds insurers have proposed raising their rates because of increasing health care costs and the expiration of the tax credits, which were started under the Affordable Care Act and increased by Congress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some moderate Republicans are pushing to extend the tax credits, but it is unclear whether GOP leadership will take up the cause.

Federal judge orders Trump administration to release billions in foreign aid approved by Congress

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to release billions of dollars in foreign aid funding approved by Congress, including money that President Donald Trump said last week he won’t be spending.

U.S. District Judge Amir Ali in Washington ruled Wednesday the administration’s decision to withhold the funding was likely illegal and likely arbitrary and capricious. He issued a preliminary injunction ordering the release of $11.5 billion that is set to expire at the end of the month. Messages to the White House and State Department were not immediately returned.

The administration filed a notice of appeal on Thursday.

‘UN doesn’t know what they’re talking about,’ Rubio says

Rubio challenged the findings of the latest U.N. World Drug Report, which does not give Venezuela the outsize role in drug smuggling that the White House has in recent months.

“I don’t care what the U.N. says. The U.N. doesn’t know what they’re talking about,� Rubio said in a press conference, adding that Venezuela’s leader Nicolas Maduro was indicted in Manhattan federal court, along with several close allies on federal and conspiracy to import cocaine.

“Let there be no doubt,� Rubio said. “Nicolas Maduro is an indicted drug trafficker in the United States, and he’s a fugitive of American justice.�

The latest U.N. World Drug Report says various countries in South America, including Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, reported larger cocaine seizures in 2022 than in 2021.

Rubio slams allies for plans to recognize a Palestinian state

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he warned allied countries that their plans to recognize a Palestinian state would “create big problems.�

He says it’s not the way forward and that it would make it harder to get a ceasefire in Gaza and provoke a response from Israel.

France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium and others have announced the plans to mount pressure on Israel as humanitarian conditions deteriorate during the war in Gaza.

Rubio called it “all fake� and “not even real� and said Hamas walked away from talks the same day France made its announcement.

“Sometimes, you know, these guys don’t listen, they do what they’re going to do because of their own domestic politics,� Rubio said. “But these are consequences of that.�

French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement came shortly after the Trump administration’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, in July, blaming Hamas for their failure. Last month, that Arab mediators said was almost identical to one that had been approved by Israel. There has been no public sign that Israel or the U.S. have returned to those talks.

Opposition to childhood vaccines may be more about choice than safety

For the small group of Americans who are opposed to childhood vaccine mandates, concerns about parental rights may be playing a larger role than worries about safety, a recent survey suggests.

A from March found that among those who do not support routine childhood vaccine requirements, about 8 in 10 said a “major reason� for that opposition was that it should be the parents’ choice whether or not to vaccinate their child.

Many fewer vaccine opposers said concerns about safety were a major reason.

Republicans are less likely to see vaccines as important, polls show

Even though most support mandatory vaccinations for kids to attend school, polls show U.S. adults are less likely to think childhood immunizations are important than they were several decades ago.

The drop in support is driven largely by Republicans.

Only about one-quarter of Republicans said it was “extremely important� for parents to get their children vaccinated in a 2024 Gallup survey, down from about half in 2019. About 6 in 10 Democrats say this is highly important — a number that’s been steady in recent years.

The two parties began to diverge on the issue before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the gap widened substantially after 2019, when Republicans became much more likely to dismiss the importance of childhood vaccinations.

Polls show Americans broadly support vaccine mandates

Most Americans say kids should be vaccinated to attend school — meaning to eliminate childhood vaccine mandates runs largely counter to national public opinion.

About 8 in 10 U.S. adults in a said parents should be required to have children vaccinated against preventable diseases to attend school — including most Democrats and Republicans. And about 7 in 10 in a NYT/Ipsos poll said healthy children should have vaccine requirements because of the risk to others otherwise.

found a narrower split, though, with about half of U.S. adults saying the government should require childhood vaccines. That’s a dramatic shift from 1991, when 81% of Americans said the government should require childhood vaccinations.

Rubio said Trump will “wage war� on drug trafficking gangs

Rubio said Trump wants more aggressive measures to stem the flow of drugs into the U.S., saying he will “wage war� on drug trafficking groups.

“This time we’re not just going to hunt for drug dealers in the little fast boats and say ‘let’s try to arrest them,’� Rubio said in a press conference during his visit in Ecuador. “No, the president has said he wants to wage war on these groups because they’ve been waging war on us for 30 years and no one has responded.�

Rubio contested U.S. actions were being directed more toward Venezuela, and not Mexico, because of its adversarial relation with the South American country.

“There’s no need to do that in many cases with friendly governments, because the friendly governments are going to help us,� Rubio said. “They may do it themselves, and we’ll help them do it.�

Kennedy scrolling on cellphone during Wyden’s second round

The secretary held his cellphone in his lap, tapping and scrolling as the panel’s ranking member asked for a safety review of mifepristone, a drug used for medication abortion.

After Kennedy gave his commitment to use “good science and good scientists,� Wyden thanked him.

Minutes later, asked by chairman Sen. Mike Crapo if he had further points to clarify, Kennedy relented.

“I think I’ll have mercy on everybody here and let us adjourn,� Kennedy said, after the three-hour-long hearing.

“Wise choice,� Crapo replied.

Sen. Tina Smith accuses Kennedy of “blaming school shootings on antidepressants

In response, Kennedy said that Smith was “just making stuff up.�

Kennedy did not say outright in a last week that antidepressants are responsible for school shootings. But he did suggest that they could play a role, saying that the National Institutes of Health is “launching studies on the potential contribution of some of the SSRI drugs and some of the other psychiatric drugs that might be contributing to violence.�

SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are medications commonly used to treat mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Rubio announces additional terrorist designations

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday announced the designation of two ruthless Ecuadorian gangs as terrorist organizations.

Rubio’s announcement against the Los Choneros and Los Lobos criminal groups came during his visit to Ecuador’s capital, Quito. The groups are blamed for the surge in violence across the South American country that began since the pandemic.

Rubio told reporters in a joint press conference with Ecuador’s foreign minister that the designation gives the U.S. “all sorts� of options “to stamp these groups out.�

’When were you lying, sir?'

That’s what Sen. Tina Smith asked Kennedy, contrasting his assertion during confirmation that he wasn’t opposed to vaccines with his statements on a podcast that a safe and effective vaccine did not exist.

“Both things are true,� Kennedy said, attempting to say more before the Minnesota Democrat interrupted him. “No, actually I want you to listen to me,� Smith said, going on to say Kennedy had “stacked� a panel that makes vaccine recommendations.

Tillis wants clearer answers from Kennedy

How does Kennedy actually feel about Operation Warp Speed? How did he go from supporting his CDC director to firing her less than a month later? Is it true that every American can get a COVID booster if they want it?

Those are some of the questions that senators have repeatedly asked Kennedy throughout the hearing, but Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, still spent his time saying he wants clearer answers from Kennedy or his staff.

Tillis’ line of questioning emphasizes how many contradictions and muddled answers have come out of the hearing. Kennedy has repeatedly denied accusations and said senators were making things up as they grilled him for answers on his health care agenda.

Kennedy says ‘anybody can get the booster’ for COVID-19

While saying that anyone could get a booster shot, Kennedy also acknowledged that access “depends on the state.�

That came during an exchange with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who said Kennedy was contradicting promises made during his confirmation hearings that he wouldn’t restrict vaccine access.

“It’s not recommended for healthy people,� Kennedy went on.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has OK’d new shots from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax, but the approvals came . Until now, the U.S. — following guidance from independent experts who advise the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — has recommended yearly COVID-19 vaccinations for everyone age 6 months and older.

The question of who can get a shot is complicated for many people. The answer may depend on your age, laws and policies in the state where you live, insurance coverage and finding a health care professional who will give you the shot.

Chicago suburb with processing center prepares for federal immigration operation

Leaders of a Chicago suburb where there’s a federal immigration processing center are telling residents that a could last more than a month.

Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson said in a recent letter to residents that the suburb will serve as the main processing center for the operation and be open 7 days a week for 45 days.

She cites communication from federal officials. Officials in the village of about 8,000 people declined to elaborate Thursday, saying they’re focused on safety. Department of Homeland Security officials have also requested to use a Naval Station north of the city for .

Thompson says they’re talking to area businesses about expected protests and traffic disruptions.

Kennedy says no one knows how many Americans died from COVID. Here are the numbers

In an exchange with Sen. Mark Warner about how many Americans have died from COVID-19, Kennedy claimed nobody knows because of a lack of government data.

“I don’t think anybody knows that, because there was so much data chaos coming out of the CDC and there were so many perverse incentives,� he said.

But this data is easily accessible. Approximately 1.2 million Americans have died from the virus, according to both the , and the .

Kennedy faces heated questions over limits to updated COVID shots

He deflected questions from Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan about recent changes limiting access to COVID-19 shots for healthy children and adults.

Last month, the Food and Drug Administration approved updated COVID shots but only for seniors or younger people with underlying health risks. That’s sparked confusion and frustration from some Americans, including parents interested in vaccinating healthy children against the virus.

Many pharmacies are unwilling or legally barred from giving vaccines outside the uses endorsed by the FDA and other federal authorities.

Kennedy said drugmakers did not provide the FDA with studies showing their vaccines significantly benefited healthy children and adults. People can still get a shot with a prescription from their doctor, Kennedy added.

Memos released by the FDA last week show the agency’s top vaccine regulator, a Kennedy ally, overruled his staff in placing limits on COVID vaccines.

While opposed by many U.S. medical groups, the narrower criteria for seasonal shots mirrors many countries in Europe and elsewhere in the world.

Cassidy, eyeing reelection, walks a fine line in questioning Kennedy

Sen. Bill Cassidy tried to strike a balance between his support for President Trump and his medical ideals. He praised Trump’s handing of COVID while suggesting Kennedy is making it more difficult for Americans to receive the vaccine.

The Louisiana Republican is already facing a crowded GOP primary field in his 2026 reelection bid. And after placing a key vote for Kennedy’s nomination, his questions were under particular scrutiny.

Cassidy, also a medical doctor, asked about Kennedy’s anti-vaccination stances. He also asked about members Kennedy has named to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunizations who’ve testified as expert witnesses in lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies who developed the COVID vaccine.

“I would say you seem more interested in settlements than science,� Cassidy said, ending his time with Kennedy by saying, “Effectively, you are denying people vaccines.�

Republican senator and surgeon: ‘I’ve grown deeply concerned’

Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, an orthopedic surgeon, said he has “grown deeply concerned� that trust in vaccines could be in jeopardy under Kennedy’s leadership.

“If we’re going to make America healthy again, we can’t allow public health to be undermined,� he told Kennedy. “I’m a doctor. Vaccines work.�

Kennedy told Barrasso that Americans have lost faith in the CDC and pledged to make health recommendations “clear, evidence-based and trustworthy.�

Kennedy tells Hassan she’s ‘just making stuff up’

That’s what Kennedy told Sen. Maggie Hassan repeatedly after she accused him of restricting COVID-19 vaccines, while having applauded their initial development.

Over and over, Kennedy decried Hassan’s questions as “crazy talk� as the New Hampshire Democrat asked about why he “acted behind closed doors to overrule scientists� on vaccine access.

Last month, U.S. regulators approved but limited their use for many Americans — and removed one of the two vaccines available for . The new restrictions are a break from the previous U.S. policy, which recommended an annual COVID-19 shot for all Americans 6 months and up.

Kennedy’s past association with Jeffrey Epstein questioned

Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell asked Kennedy, who’s said he flew on the now-disgraced financier’s plane, what he thought about victims of Epstein who appeared on the steps of the Capitol this week to call for greater transparency into Epstein’s operation and demise.

“I don’t know about any women on the steps,� Kennedy told Cantwell, who tied critiques of the health secretary’s decision-making to his ties to Epstein, and called Kennedy a “charlatan.�

Earlier in the hearing, Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon criticized Kennedy for claiming he was “a protector of children� even though the secretary had said he had flown on Epstein’s plane “on multiple occasions.�

Kennedy touts ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine as COVID-19 ‘therapeutics’

During his exchange with Cassidy, Kennedy noted that Trump pushed development of the COVID-19 vaccine, but said he also “promoted therapeutics like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine.�

The unproven treatments soared in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, largely among those skeptical of vaccines.

Ivermectin is an anti-parasite drug. Trump said he took hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug, to try to prevent COVID-19.

In repeated tests, neither drug has been shown to effectively prevent or treat COVID-19.