President Donald Trump issued an executive order reducing the number and schedule of recommended childhood vaccines. Outlets on the right framed the decision as shifting medical power to parents, while outlets on the right and center tended to emphasize pushback from the larger medical community.

The Details: Trump's order, called the "Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations," reduces the number of recommended vaccines from 18 to 11 as well as suggests parents spread out the vaccines over 5 appointments rather than administering them all at once. The order also splits vaccines into three categories: those recommended for all children, those recommended for children at high risk of infection, and those recommended after consultation with a physician. In the memo, the president wrote, "Parents can still choose to give their children all of the vaccinations if they wish, it's up to the parents—we're making recommendations that are strong—but it's up to the parents if they wish, and they will be covered by insurance. However, this updated recommendation finally aligns the United States with other advanced and developed nations around the world. More importantly, it aligns us with common sense and knowledge."

For Context: Trump said that his new recommendations align more closely with other peer nations in Europe, according to Fox News (Right bias). However, Reuters (Center) reported that "vaccine experts say that other developed countries that may recommend ⁠fewer shots face different disease risks and have different healthcare systems."

How the Media Covered It: Fox News wrote that Trump's order "dramatically shift[s] medical power to parents," emphasizing the reported alignment with other countries' vaccine schedules and the president's continued support of the Make America Healthy Again movement. Reuters reported on the World Health Organization's response to the order, writing that the organization "defended" its "science-based" process of determining childhood immunization schedules. Both Reuters and CNBC (Lean Left) denied Trump's comments linking vaccines to autism. Reuters wrote that "scientific studies and public health authorities have found no evidence of a link" between autism and childhood vaccines, and CNBC wrote that Trump "falsely tied vaccines to autism."

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A short text message chain involving Dr. Anthony Fauci sent from his government phone in early 2021 revealed he thought mRNA COVID-19 vaccines could have "theoretically" been "associated with miscarriage" in the first trimester of pregnancy.

The Details: The messages were released by Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) on Monday. Johnson's office said the phone had over 34,000 messages and 522 voicemails. In the exchange with Fauci were Doctors Vivek Murthy and Rochelle Walensky, the former US Surgeon General and CDC Director, respectively.

Key Exchange: Murthy asked on January 25, "For pregnant women considering getting the vaccine, are you aware of any data or theoretical reason why vaccinating early vs late in pregnancy would be preferred?"

After a reply from Walensky, Fauci wrote, "There are no data or theoretical reason to believe that vaccinating early versus later in pregnancy would be preferred… There is this misperception out there that we need to deal with that mRNA somehow can 'get into your genes'. When the misperception gets extended to an early developing fetus, the anxiety heightens." He added, "I asked around a bit more and another issue came up that you need to be aware of. Since many people have significant cytokines storm and fever after the 2nd dose, this theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester."

Later in the chat, Fauci said, "A large number (more than 10,000) pregnant women have been vaccinated. No issues have arisen. The FDA and the ACIP and the ACOG are all permissive for pregnant women to have a choice."

Previously: Several outlets across the spectrum that covered the story noted that days later in 2021, the Food and Drug Administration had found "thus far, no red flags about… pregnant women."

How The Media Covered It: The story was widely covered by major outlets from the right, though several major outlets from the left and center covered the story also. Outlets from the right generally framed Fauci's texts as an admission of risk or "concerns," and often noted his "no red flags" comment days later in headlines. Brittany Bernstein of National Review (Lean Right bias) split from this framing and published an analysis headlined, "No, Fauci's Texts Are Not Proof of a Conspiracy to Hide Vaccine Risks to Pregnant Women." From the center, Forbes and The Hill framed headlines around the release of the texts. Several outlets from the left noted the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine in headlines.

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Jason Arday, a high-profile professor at Cambridge University, resigned after investigations by major British outlets revealed inconsistencies and plagiarism in his personal story and works, prompting widespread media discussion on race and academia.

For Context: Arday was raised by Ghanaian immigrant parents and in 2023 became the youngest-ever black professor at Cambridge. He resigned on August 5.

The Investigations: Most notably, investigations from The Times (Center bias), The Telegraph (Center), and The Guardian (Left) revealed different false claims made by Arday.

The Telegraph: On July 24, The Telegraph said it analyzed Arday's 401-page PhD thesis and found "more than 100 passages" that were "identical or nearly identical to a 2009 PhD thesis by Paula Zwozdiak-Myers." In his thesis, The Telegraph, which described Arday as "a poster boy for the university's diversity drive," said he mentioned Zwozdiak-Myers by name 17 times. The Telegraph also spoke to several other academics who said they were suspicious of inconsistencies in Arday's work previously. On August 5, The Telegraph claimed he had repeatedly lied about being the author of a book titled Being Young, Black and Male: Challenging the Dominant Discourse.

Arday's Statement: On July 31, Arday told The Times, "I am accountable for the mistakes I've made. I hold myself accountable and other people should hold me accountable. We're talking about academia here. I didn't murder somebody. I think the cruelty that I've experienced, and the positioning of me as this kind of liar and fantasist, is totally unacceptable."

The Guardian: On August 1, The Guardian published a report that opened by mentioning a keynote speaker Arday gave in April where he accused conservatives of being racist and overscrutinizing the works of black academics. "That's the cancer that we need to eradicate from academia," Arday said. The Guardian said some of the audience thought Arday's speech was "strange" for a keynote. The publication then mentioned The Telegraph's July 24 report and two academics who previously criticized Arday's work, which it described as having "controversial views on race." Though it offered a softened framing at times, The Guardian reported, "But prominent academics of color that the Guardian spoke to said the claims of plagiarism were legitimate, and that Arday's alleged actions risked undermining others who study race."

The Times: On August 5, The Times analyzed Arday's work and said it found "false funding declarations; participant quotes that appear to have been taken from another researcher's own analysis; and 'impossible' samples, such as a breakdown of his participants' genders, which adds up to 110 per cent."

Police Investigate Journalist: On August 4, The Telegraph reported that Times journalist Jack Grove was investigated for four months by London police as he questioned Arday about his work. Grove said he hadn't been made aware of the investigation until after it ended and told his side of the story on August 5. American outlet Reason (Center) highlighted the investigation in a news feature on August 11.

From the Right: Taki Theodoracopulos, founder of The American Conservative (Lean Right) described Arday as a "black conman" who "was a poster boy for diversity" and criticized leftism because "Those who at first suspected our hero to be a cheat and a liar and a total phony were called a despicable lot of patronizing ignoramuses." Theodoracopulos added that even after Arday was forced to resign, he "did not offer an admission of guilt, nor did he apologize" and that "his ardent defenders on the left continue to attack the accusers who discovered his lies." Julie Burchill of The Spectator (Right) said Arday's story "has highlighted the strangeness of academia," where students gleefully put themselves "into lifelong debt to enter this LaLa Land."

From the Center: David Moriquand of Euronews (Center) said, "As to be expected, Arday's fall from grace has led rightwing media outlets and commentators to pile-on and exploit his story, making him their poster boy in an ongoing culture war centered around 'wokeness' and DEI." Moriquand questioned whether Arday is a "liar and fantasist who duped the system" or "a victim of that very same system which has led to an ambitious man being caught in the crossfire of the agendas of both liberal types who have exploited him and far-right figures guilty of scapegoating him."

From the Left: Jason Okundaye of The Guardian argued, "The takedown of Jason Arday has overjoyed the right, and must be a wake-up call for the left." He said Arday "rightly" resigned, but that it "won't end the targeting of senior black figures or the lazy way institutions promote faux equality." In an opinion for New Statesman (Left), Cambridge professor Nick Guyatt called on the university to thoroughly investigate how Arday ascended to the level he did, but "reject" media hype that racial politics and "woke" have taken over top British institutions. Guyatt said, "Since at least the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, much of the UK press (and conservative media around the world) has been obsessed with DEI and the narrative that white people are being discriminated against on every front by a liberal elite which prizes diversity over fairness." Daniel Engber of The Atlantic (Left) chronicled Arday's "unlikely ascent," which he said came to a "tragic end," and ultimately likened him to Icarus, the Greek god who flew too close to the sun.

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The University of Michigan (UM) will switch from letter grades to "pass or no credit" for some first-semester freshmen beginning in fall 2027. Outlets across the political spectrum highlighted debates over whether this will be effective or if higher-ed institutions are coddling students.

The Details: Only incoming freshmen in UM's College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) will be part of the pilot program, known as "grade covering." The university said the decision is part of an effort to "curb the mental health crisis unfolding among college-aged individuals." The university will retain internal records of the students' grades for academic advising, potential academic awards and scholarships, however, grades collected during the first semester won't be factored into GPA calculations. LSA students' grades will be recorded in their transcripts and reflected in their GPAs beginning in their second semester.

For Context: Other institutions including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, Swarthmore College and Wellesley College have implemented similar grading policies. Conversely, the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences voted in May to cap the number of A-grades given out by professors to 20%.

'Coddling' Students: Fox News (Right bias) said the policy "shield[s]" students. The outlet quoted psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert who said, "We're raising a generation of students to believe that discomfort is dangerous…A bad grade can be upsetting, embarrassing and stressful. That's not a mental health emergency. That's college." Alpert also criticized what he said was "therapy culture invading the classroom." The New York Post (Right) quoted Alpert separately saying, "At some point, young people have to learn that feeling bad is not the same thing as being harmed."

Praise for the Decision: The New York Times (Lean Left) and Washington Post (Lean Left) both led with the decision being an effort to "ease stress" for freshmen. The Times noted opposition to the change, but focused more on students and faculty who praised the idea, including the UM student body president who said the system is "an incredible thing" that "will do a lot to help get students into a routine that is healthy and sustainable." 

A Shift in Higher-Ed: Wall Street Journal (Center) wrote the move comes "as schools wrestle with grade inflation and the need for remedial instruction for freshmen ill-prepared for college-level classes." The Journal mentioned other universities that have sought to reinstate entrance exams and testing because incoming students were less prepared. It quoted a former Michigan professor who said he didn't think the new policy would make much of a difference because "grades have lost their value as an indication of quality or excellence."

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) this weekend announced that she is freezing her eggs as she shared a series of clips documenting her journey online. Many outlets speculated about what the decision could mean for AOC's political career, while some on the right were split in their support and criticism.

The Details: Ocasio-Cortez, 36, said she felt the decision could normalize conversations about women's fertility and help others facing similar decisions. She told viewers she'd been considering freezing her eggs for a long time and acknowledged what she called the "political risk" of publicly discussing the procedure. AOC also described the decision as taking back control over her body amid "an administration that wants to politicize our bodies." In an interview after the clips were posted, she said that she was open to running for president or the Senate.

Hypocritical: The Daily Wire (Right) was critical of her posts and suggested she was being hypocritical after telling young people to reconsider having children due to climate change and reproductive policies in the US. The outlet wrote the decision was "a notable shift in tone" as AOC "has long championed feminist causes, including abortion-on-demand." The Wire framed the discussion in terms of age and reproductive timing, saying "For AOC, the biological clock is ticking – and she knows it."

Praise for the Decision: Some outlets highlighted praise for AOC's decision and its potential to inspire other women to have children. The Washington Examiner (Lean Right) quoted Katie Miller, wife of White House senior adviser Stephen Miller, saying, "Good for her for wanting to be a mother and preserving the ability to do so. If she inspires other women to want to become mothers, awesome we need more babies." The Examiner said AOC's announcement comes as the US fertility rate has continued a two-decade decline. Reason (Center)'s Liz Wolfe wrote, "God bless her. Having kids is a wonderful thing!"

The Rise in Egg Freezing: Data shared in Reason showed that the number of women freezing their eggs quadrupled between 2014 and 2021. Many outlets on the left, including CNN (Lean Left), CBS News (Lean Left) and Axios (Lean Left) listed reasons why women may freeze their eggs and said AOC was joining tens of thousands of other women who have also undergone the process. The National Review (Right) and Daily Signal (Right) both wrote that the decision for women to have kids later on in life are most likely due to a lack of having a partner or because they are with someone who does not want to be a parent.

Presidential Prospects: Many outlets on the left generally focused on what the announcement could mean for AOC's political prospects. The New York Times (Lean Left) said the ABC interview was AOC's "most public suggestion yet of aspirations for higher office." The Times described AOC's position among the Democratic party and the rise of socialist Democrats this year. The National Review suggested the announcement could be a political strategy as AOC attempts to make herself "look relatable" ahead of a presidential bid. The outlet wrote that her decision was probably "political and cynical," but argued that people shouldn't "start attacking women" for wanting to become mothers at any age.

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As Flock Safety cameras have sparked privacy concerns nationwide, many major outlets across the spectrum have published opinions and analysis on the issue.

For Context: Flock is an Atlanta-based company that operates over 120,000 cameras nationwide. Last month, the city of Los Angeles cut ties with Flock after a dispute arose over who would control the data their cameras captured. Many other cities across the US have also cut their ties with Flock.

Privacy Infringement: Adriel Perez-Gonzalez of The Daily Caller (Right bias) framed Flock cameras as stifling and highlighted instances such as police "using the database to stalk ex-girlfriends" and "innocent drivers" that were "held at gunpoint over cases of mistaken identity." Perez-Gonzalez said "the central question is not whether a society can become safer by monitoring more of its citizens" but "whether Americans are willing to trade whatever semblance of privacy remains in exchange for safety and call it freedom." She also noted that China has deployed surveillance cameras widely and that "we are not China." Perez-Gonzalez concluded, "There will always be another threat. Another crime. Another emergency. Another reason why the responsible thing to do is to surrender just a little more privacy. And there will always be a politician willing to promise that this is the last concession. It never is."

Safer Streets: In an opinion for The Atlantic (Left), Charles Fain Lehman (Lean Right) argued, "Police cameras can help make the criminal-justice system both fairer and less punitive – if we let them." Lehman opened by highlighting that San Francisco rapper Dreamlife Rizzy, who is a convicted felon, has vocally stated he is against the cameras. He added that in addition to "criminals" being "upset" about the cameras, "Flock has become a fixation of the populist right," naming Tucker Carlson (Right) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) as opponents of them. Lehman touted data from Colombia, Sweden, Uruguay, and China that showed cameras lowered crime. He concluded that Flock is "an easy target for populist backlash," and while "some of the concerns are reasonable," eliminating them altogether would "just be foolish."

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Recent reports, including the results of a two-year-long investigation released in late July, detail decades of alleged abuses at the prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan.

The Details: NPR (Lean Left bias) highlighted the case of Paul Busch, who publicly shared his story for the first time in the exclusive report on Monday. Busch's ballet teacher at Interlochen, Thomas Clower, pleaded guilty to attempted fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct against the then-16-year-old in 2005. The charge, classified as a misdemeanor, resulted in a 90-day jail sentence, of which he served two-thirds due to "overcrowding." NPR reported, "Busch said he felt like a 'social pariah' for his final two years at Interlochen… [He] said he's still waiting for accountability."

Clower was added to Michigan's sex offender registry and fired from Interlochen, but he later obtained employment at the Ballet Academy of Texas, where he was described in his professional biography as "one of the most energetic and inspiring teachers across the country." He is not registered as a sex offender in the state of Texas.

Clower's case is among about 70 from the 1950s to 2010s, including some connected to Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein, who was an alumnus and benefactor of the school. The cases – "not only [against] staff but [against] trustees and guest artists," according to Michigan Advance (Center) – came to light in a 97-page report from Sanghavi Law Office, which conducted a two-year investigation with reported assistance and cooperation from Interlochen.

How The Media Covered It: Media across the political spectrum emphasized Epstein's connection to the school, despite him being one of about 50 alleged abusers. Michigan Advance highlighted, "After his 2008 conviction, and again after new charges were filed in 2019, Interlochen said it conducted an internal review of their records and found both times no reports of misconduct at Interlochen involving Epstein, though the external investigation indicates that is inaccurate." Another NPR report from February said Epstein and Maxwell's coordinated abuses of Interlochen students were made possible because Epstein's financial standing with the school "allowed for access to students and campus."

Common Ground: NPR called the cases "a stark contrast to the longtime idyllic image of Interlochen, which helped launch the careers of performers such as Josh Groban, Norah Jones, Chappell Roan, Felicity Huffman and Da'Vine Joy Randolph." It criticized, "Interlochen said that today it is 'fundamentally different from the institution described in this report.' In a statement to NPR, the school described safety measures it has put in place to protect students and a network of resources, including a team of school counselors, social workers and a psychologist…But for Busch, the response from Interlochen is not enough."

Michigan Advance agreed, "The report details an overwhelmingly permissive culture for this type of conduct to have occurred at Interlochen – made possible by a number of factors, including limited contact with family members by students and the power dynamic between students and teachers. But the lack of response from Interlochen made the overall environment one where adults were able to get away with this type of behavior." Blaze Media's (Right) article described the cases as "damning," harrowing" and "astounding."

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Israeli prosecutors have charged settler activist Yinon Levi with reckless homicide in the July 2025 shooting that killed Palestinan activist Awdah Hathaleen. The case marks the first such indictment of an Israeli in the West Bank in more than seven years.

How The Media Covered It:

Coverage agreed that the indictment was highly unusual but differed in how broadly it framed the case. Left-leaning sources often noted Israel's low conviction rate for violence against Palestinians. Center outlets paired the charges and Levi's denial with wider data on rising settler attacks, and right-leaning coverage focused on the criticism from both sides and the political debate over violence in the West Bank.

A "Rare Break" From Impunity: Haaretz (Lean Left) framed the indictment within a broader pattern of limited accountability for Israeli violence against Palestinians. The report cited Yesh Din, an Israeli human rights organization that monitors law enforcement in the West Bank, which found that "only three percent" of relevant cases opened between 2005 and 2025 led to a full or partial conviction. It also stressed that Levi was released to house arrest one day after the shooting and described reckless homicide as a less severe charge carrying up to 12 years in prison.

Charges, Denial, and A Broader Issue: Reuters (Center) highlighted the rarity of the prosecution while laying out competing claims and broader rise in West Bank violence. It noted that Levi denied firing the fatal shot and included Israel's position that authorities always investigate wrongdoing, alongside UN figures showing that 18 Palestinians had been killed in settler-linked incidents so far in 2026. B'Tselem called the indictment "the exception that proves the rule," arguing that Israeli impunity allows the violence "to continue and escalate."

Disputing the Charges: The Washington Examiner (Lean Right) brought forth Levi's self-defense argument and competing criticism of the reckless homicide charge by highlighting specific footage of the confrontation. While Hathaleen's family called the charge too lenient, Levi described the prosecution as "de facto support for terrorism," and his attorney called it a "mistaken decision." The report also connected the case to wider political tensions, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that Israeli settlers are "99.9% law-abiding citizens."

For Context:

• The 1995 Oslo II agreement divided the West Bank into Areas A, B and C, with differing levels of Israeli and Palestinian civil and security control. Umm al-Kheir is located in Area C, which remains under Israeli civil and security control.
• UN Humanitarian Data recorded more than 1,330 settler attacks resulting in casualties or property damage across 250 Palestinian communities during the first seven months of 2026.
• The Israeli government's position is that the West Bank is disputed territory and that the settlements are not inherently prohibited under international law.

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Americans pay more in taxes than they spend on food, clothing and shelter combined, according to data from the Committee to Unleash Prosperity (Lean Right bias) and a report from the US Treasury.

The Details: In an X post, economist and co-founder of Unleash Prosperity, Stephen Moore, shared a chart that estimated Americans paid about $8.19 trillion in taxes in 2025, compared to roughly $7.39 trillion spent on food, clothing and housing combined. The chart estimated Americans paid $2,691 billion in state and local taxes and $4,401 billion in federal income taxes, including $2,599 billion in federal personal income taxes in 2025. This is compared to an estimated $3,801 billion in housing and utilities; $1,530 billion in food at home; $1,495 billion in restaurants and accommodation, and $562 billion in clothing and footwear.

Data Framing: The data corroborated a recent a Treasury report shared by Real Clear Markets (Lean Right) showing individual income taxes increased 7% in the first nine months of the fiscal year to $136 billion. Unleash Prosperity used the data to argue that the government is too "big and bloated," and that "taxes make life less affordable."

Pressure to Increase Taxes: Real Clear Markets outlined the findings in the Treasury report. According to the outlet, total federal taxes have increased 57% from 2018 to 2025, with individual income taxes up nearly 60% and corporate tax revenue increasing 120%. The outlet said that the massive increase in taxes "is not enough for big government supporters" as "virtually every Washington interest group is calling on Congress to raise taxes even more to 'fund our unmet needs.'" It argued that "Congress should put a cap on total federal taxes and make every American's life more affordable."

The Iran War: The Center for American Progress (Lean Left) reported on the impact of the Iranian war on American spending. It reported that five of the top oil and gas companies have brought in $65.5 billion in profit this year – up 65% from last year – writing, "While Trump's war is driving up costs for consumers, oil and gas companies have been making enormous profits at the expense of everyday Americans and their families." The Center argued this isn't a coincidence, but part of President Trump's agenda to "enrich the industry" after he accepted millions of dollars in campaign donations from the oil and gas industry. It concluded by saying, "The first step in bringing energy prices down for American consumers is to stop the Trump administration's reckless and unnecessary war in Iran."

Affordability Challenge: Affordability continues to be a top issue for Americans, driven by increasing tax rates, the cost of living and an increase in gas prices amid the Iranian war. In April, a Pew Research Center (Center) survey found that 60% of US adults believed they paid more in federal taxes than is fair – up from 56% in 2023. A recent report by the McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation found that 90% of respondents identified groceries and food prices as their biggest cost concern, ahead of housing and healthcare.

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A report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) (Left bias) approximated President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown through deportations will cost American taxpayers an average of $2,358 throughout the course of his presidency. AllSides did not find coverage from the right of EPI's report outside of Newsmax (Right). However, right-leaning outlets heavily covered other elements of immigration news, such as the record levels of ICE arrests in 2026.

The Details: EPI estimated that the federal government will spend $268.9 billion on deportations throughout Trump's second term, with costs concentrated in major population centers rather than rural areas. Axios (Lean Left) noted that the EPI estimated the cost for taxpayers regionally, writing that taxpayers in a small, highly populated city like Washington, D.C., could pay around $3,930 each, while taxpayers in smaller, rural areas like West Virginia might only pay around $1,297.

Comparing the Numbers: EPI's report compared how the same funds could be spent in other programs. Los Angeles, for example, is estimated to use $9.25 billion, which the EPI reported could fund 24,000 teachers in the area. The amount spent in West Virginia could fund SNAP benefits for 328,000 people or Medicaid coverage for 31,000 people, according to Axios.

What EPI Didn't Measure: Newsweek (Center) quoted the president of NumbersUSA, an organization that advocates for immigration reform, saying, "The calculator doesn't measure the cost of non-enforcement. Just a couple of years ago, a historic surge in illegal immigration threatened to bankrupt even the largest and wealthiest cities in America." A spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security said, "It's ridiculous that investments to enforce the law are making headlines while the devastating consequences of breaking it went completely ignored under the Biden administration. Illegal immigration costs American taxpayers over $150 billion every single year, and that number will only grow unless our nation's laws are enforced. Deportations are absolutely vital to stop the bleeding." Daily Wire (Right) reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 51,000 immigrants in July, setting a new monthly record.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) was just used to create brand-new viruses, prompting echoes of both hope and fear across the political spectrum.

Equal Parts Hope and Terror: Every outlet covering the AI biological milestone highlighted both the plausible benefits to such research as well as the concerns. The Guardian (Left bias) said the "breakthrough offers hope for new medicines but also raises urgent biosecurity questions." The New York Times (Lean Left) said the study "goes well beyond duplicating viral genes," explaining how AI was coached "to recognize patterns of DNA structure in nature, and then to use that data to write recipes for entirely new viruses." The Daily Wire (Right) said that the breakthrough could be used by doctors to "successfully fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs and deliver targeted gene therapies," but added that "some biosecurity experts are warning of dark possibilities." The Independent (Lean Left) said "The results have inspired equal parts hope and terror about the future of AI-inflected biology."

Plausible Benefits: According to researchers cited by The Independent, "The newly created viruses showed promise in overcoming resistance from their hosts, suggesting similar methods could be used to develop medication targeting tuberculosis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus."

No Guardrails: The study, according to The New York Times "adds to growing worries that artificial intelligence might enable the creation of a new generation of biological weapons, from deadly poisons to unstoppable pandemics." Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security Dr. Moritz Hanke believes "governments and scientific organizations have been slow to develop guardrails that could block the creation of a deadly virus—even as the science races ahead." The Daily Wire highlighted recent federal guidelines "restricting high-risk laboratory research," but explained that these guidelines "stop short of prohibiting purely computer-based bio-design, leaving AI-created DNA blueprints in a regulatory gray zone."

Gain-Of-Function: Both The Guardian and The Independent cited professor of synthetic genome engineering at Imperial College London Tom Ellis saying "the threat from full AI design and writing of a genome of a virus or bacteria is very overblown when we consider that just taking existing pathogens and making gain-of-function changes to their genomes is so much easier and much more likely to be a real pathogenic threat."

New Creations: The viruses created by scientists at Stanford University and the Arc Institute using an OpenAI model called Evo pose no threat to humans. This is because they are bacteriophages resembling what is known as Phi X-174, which is only capable of infecting bacteria such as E. coli. The AI generated 700,000 potential DNA recipes, of which the scientists chose 285 to synthesize. Of the 285 DNA molecules, only 16 were viable, tested by inserting them into bacteria spread across petri dishes. According to the study, the new viruses were just as resilient as natural ones, with some multiplying even faster than Phi X-174.

Related: Senate Panel Refers Fauci to Justice Department After Contempt Vote

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A new report from Politico (Lean Left bias) suggested an outbreak of cyclospora is "prompting people to reconsider their fresh food choices" as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called for Americans to eat more "real food."

Politico Report: Politico said the "record outbreak" has hindered the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) efforts and "sickened thousands of Americans." Politico included several quotes from critics of HHS. Marion Nestle, an NYU professor who, according to Politico, "has supported parts of the MAHA agenda," said, "It's pretty hard to tell people to eat real food if that food is contaminated with pathogens." Sandra Eskin, former Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety during the Biden administration who now leads the activist organization Stop Foodborne Illness, said, "If we have outbreaks like this one and then a few months later, it's another one, that totally undermines the message." Politico's original headline, "​​RFK Jr.'s 'Eat Real Food' agenda gets snarled in cyclospora outbreak," was later changed to, "Fear of lettuce is making RFK Jr.'s food messaging harder for consumers to swallow."

HHS Response: In an X post, HHS senior adviser Calley Means noted that the Stop Foodborne Illness alliance includes many of the biggest food companies in the US and said, "You actually can't make this up. These companies are funding a fake 'food borne illness advocacy' group to give quotes to media attacking RFK's 'real food' pitch and argue ultraprocessed food is safer." He added, "There are cyclospora outbreaks every year. This is the first year there is a media frenzy." The Daily Caller (Right bias) highlighted this in an article. When asked for comment on cyclospora by Politico for its original report, Means said, "I don't have a comment on cyclospora. I don't want to get into it."

For Context: Cyclospora is a single-celled parasite that causes an intestinal illness called cyclosporiasis that can cause various stomach-related ailments such as diarrhea or fatigue. On July 21, Kennedy acknowledged the outbreak and said, "We do have the outbreak under control. We've identified the source of the outbreak. We and the companies that are involved have implemented a recall." Last week, the CDC said one current outbreak is linked to 15 states and iceberg lettuce in particular. In total so far, the CDC has received reports of 10,468 lab-confirmed cases, and tips regarding 12,255 additional cases. The previous high was in 2019 when the CDC reported 2,408 lab-confirmed cases.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected President Trump's 15-point peace plan for Gaza, saying that Israel will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is "genuinely" disarmed.

The Details: Hamas previously agreed to a plan proposed by Trump's Board of Peace in which it would forfeit its weaponry in exchange for Israel ending "all forms of aggression." Netanyahu said Israel "rejects the 15-point document" and "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens." He also said, "They have ideas, some of which are acceptable to us and some are not acceptable to us, and we know how to stand firm on these things."

For Context: Last week, after Hamas agreed to the plan, Israel expressed "serious" concerns and bombed Gaza, killing at least 19.

How The Media Covered It: Fox News (Right bias) included several full direct quotes from Netanyahu, compared to other outlets analyzed, which generally offered shorter snippets. BBC News (Center) included a bit of analysis near the end of its news coverage. It called the development a "blow" for Trump's plan and said, "Just months before Israeli elections, the Israeli prime minister is unlikely to want to make concessions." Reuters (Center) wrote in its opening lines, "Netanyahu ‌is in campaign mode as he seeks re-election at a vote due on October 27 but is caught between far-right ministers angered by concessions in Gaza and his key military backer, Trump." Qatar-based Al Jazeera (Lean Left) included the total Gaza death toll so far, which it states as 73,300, at the end of its coverage.

Hamas' Position: As of Sunday morning, most outlets AllSides reviewed didn't include a quote from Hamas, but Reuters reported one. Basem Naim, a senior Hamas official, told the publication, "We expect the mediators and the U.S. guarantor to press Netanyahu and his government to adhere to the roadmap and not obstruct the process for internal political and electoral reasons, while continuing to jeopardize the region's security and stability." Fox News mentioned Naim's statement to Reuters but paraphrased it in its own words and didn't link to the coverage.

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Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom has declared for the 2027 WNBA Draft, saying he wants the league to apply its eligibility rules equally as debate continues over transgender athletes in women's sports.

The Declaration: Freedom, who played 11 NBA seasons before the Houston Rockets waived him in February 2022, announced his plans in a video posted on social media.

"After careful consideration and reviewing the current eligibility guidelines, I'm officially declaring myself a @WNBA prospect. If simply declaring who you are is all that's required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA," Freedom said on X.

Freedom added that he was "definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices." He said his team had reviewed the WNBA's eligibility criteria and rules regarding self-identification and inclusion.

What the Rules Say: The WNBA's collective bargaining agreement states that "only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA." The CBA does not define "women" or specifically address transgender athletes. Freedom's announcement comes after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said she opposes transgender women competing in the WNBA. Several WNBA players and coaches have said they would welcome transgender athletes, according to Yahoo Sports.

The Response: NewsNation (Center) reported that the Women's National Basketball Players Association issued a response following Freedom's announcement. The union said it supports "justice, equity, diversity and inclusion" while protecting women's sports.

"Hate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group of people, including transgender people, only fuel fear, division, and harm," the union said. "We will continue to have hard conversations. But we will not be used as political pawns."

Mostly Right and Center Coverage: Media coverage of Freedom's announcement appears to have largely come from center- and right-leaning outlets, although Yahoo News (Lean Left) also covered the story through Yahoo Sports. CNN (Lean Left bias) took a different approach, focusing on Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham and the broader political debate surrounding her team. Its coverage examined political activism at WNBA games, including a Seattle Storm co-owner's suspension after confronting teens wearing anti-trans messages, and how debates involving Cunningham and Caitlin Clark have expanded into broader disputes over gender, race and women's sports. 

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