US Imposes New Tariffs
The United States imposed new tariffs on July 24 on 60 trading partners just as old ones were set to expire.
President Donald Trump set 10 percent and 12.5 percent levies on trading partners such as China and the EU, accusing them of failing to curb the use of forced labor in their supply chains.
This came on the cusp of the expiration of 10 percent universal tariffs that were set earlier this year and had a 150-day limit on them.
The tariffs, which will come into effect on Aug. 19, are targeting a number of items including cars, alcohol, and dairy products.
One of Trump’s campaign promises was to reduce trade deficits and end trade practices from other countries that are unfair to the United States, which he tackled in 2025 by unleashing a number of reciprocal tariffs against many countries worldwide in order to level the playing field.
Cyclospora Outbreak Expands to 9 States
A recent Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce in fast-food chains has spread to nine states, the Centers for Disease Control announced on July 24, with a total case count of 1,947.
The first cases of cyclosporiasis—a disease caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora—were recorded on June 22, when people started getting sick after eating at Taco Bell restaurants in the Midwest, and the outbreak has expanded to include Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.
The source was linked to Taylor Farms, which had sourced its iceberg lettuce from central Mexico.
Symptoms of cyclosporiasis include diarrhea, fatigue, and loss of appetite.
Mexican Drug Kingpin Sentenced in US to Life in Prison
Mexican drug kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada was sentenced to life imprisonment on July 20 for his role as leader of the Mexican Sinaloa cartel.
Zambada had been involved in trafficking millions of kilograms of cocaine as head of one of the most violent drug cartels in history.
Zambada was considered one of the most powerful drug lords next to Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who was sentenced to life in 2019.
Thousands of Noncitizens Registered to Vote in New Jersey
Thousands of noncitizens were discovered on New Jersey’s electoral roll whose registration was caused by a software error, the state’s governor announced on July 21.
Between June 2023 and June 2024, the Motor Vehicle Commission’s software had incorrectly registered to vote approximately 6,600 people who were not U.S. citizens, the governor said.
When registering for an ID card or a driver’s license, these individuals pressed “no” on a computer screen when asked whether they were a U.S. citizen, but the system registered them regardless.
Meanwhile, the identification software provider for the system said that those noncitizens also chose “Yes” when asked if they want to register to vote, and that it was the state’s responsibility to verify their status and eligibility to prevent noncitizens from being added to voter rolls.
The Trump administration described the incident as another reason for Congress to pass election integrity legislation the SAVE America Act.
“The bill requires states to use the Department of Homeland Security’s SAVE system to confirm citizenship before registering anyone to vote in federal elections, a safeguard New Jersey has refused to implement.”
Groups Sue Over Communication Records Linked to Somali Daycare Fraud Claims
Civil rights groups are challenging the U.S. government to publicly release communications between the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and a YouTube journalist whose reporting prompted the freezing of funding in several states over accusations of fraud.
The American Civil Liberties Union and the National Center for Law and Economic Justice sued the administration after they said HHS didn’t respond to a Freedom of Information Act request, demanding access to communications that may have taken place between HHS and Nick Shirley, who recorded viral videos of his visits to Somali-run daycare centers in Minnesota and accused them of fraud.
Earlier this month, HHS froze $10 billion in childcare funding in Democrat-led states, including California, Illinois, Colorado, New York, and Minnesota.
Nicolás Maduro Receives Trial Date
Former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has been given a trial date for June 1, 2027, for charges of narcoterrorism, drug trafficking, and others.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by U.S. forces on Jan. 3 during an early-hours raid at his home in Caracas, Venezuela, and he was brought to New York court, where they have both pleaded not guilty.
A pre-trial date is set for Nov. 17.
US Measles Cases Reach 35-Year Peak
Measles cases in the United States have reached their highest level in 35 years, the Centers for Disease Control said on July 24, with a total of 35 outbreaks and 2,318 confirmed cases so far this year recorded in 45 states.
In 2025, there were a total of 2,289 confirmed cases in 48 outbreaks for the whole year.
A resurgence started to appear last year following the CDC’s announcement in 2000 that measles had been eliminated in the United States.
House Passes Ban on Congressional Stock Trading
The House of Representatives advanced a bill on July 22 that would limit members of Congress from trading in stocks.
The Stop Insider Trading Act, introduced by Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), would ban lawmakers, their spouses, and dependent children from purchasing stocks and would force them to publicly announce any stock sales, with a 14-day announcement window. Penalties would include a fee of $2,000 or 10 percent of the transaction value, whichever was greater.
It has yet to go through the Senate, and some members of Congress have criticized the bill, saying that it has loopholes and does not include the president and cabinet officials.
