Brazil Struggles to Stop Illegal Amazon Gold Mining as Gold Prices Surge 
US Southern Command Chief Holds Rare Military Meeting With Cuban Officials at Guantanamo Bay 
US Designates Brazil’s PCC and Comando Vermelho as Global Terrorist Entities Ahead of FTO Listing 
DOJ Opens Criminal Investigation Into E. Jean Carroll Over Alleged Perjury 
Netanyahu Gaza Expansion Plan Sparks Hamas Condemnation and International Concern 
US-Iran Ceasefire Extension Near as Strait of Hormuz Shipping Deal Advances 
Trump Signs Executive Order to Expand Access to Federal Lands in the U.S. 
U.S. Lawmakers Back Ukraine’s Request for More Patriot Missiles Amid Rising Russian Attacks 
US Condemns Russia’s Oreshnik Missile Strike, Warns Against New Attacks on Kyiv 
Netanyahu Orders Expansion of Israeli Control in Gaza to 70% 
Flavio Bolsonaro Meets Trump, JD Vance, and Marco Rubio Amid Brazil Political Crisis 
U.S. Reinstates Sanctions on U.N. Expert Francesca Albanese Amid Legal Battle 
Iran-U.S. Nuclear Talks Remain Unresolved as Strait of Hormuz Risks Keep Markets on Edge 
US Tightens Ebola Controls as Congo Outbreak Sparks Global Concern 
US Imposes Fresh Iran Oil Sanctions Despite Progress on Ceasefire Talks 
Russia Prepares New Large-Scale Attack on Ukraine, Zelenskiy Warns 
U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya will assume the role of acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to a Trump administration official. The appointment marks a major leadership shift within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as the administration prepares for the 2026 midterm elections.
Bhattacharya, a Stanford University professor known for criticizing COVID-19 lockdowns and pandemic restrictions, will now oversee both the NIH and the CDC. The NIH manages a nearly $50 billion budget and funds thousands of medical research projects nationwide, while the CDC leads public health surveillance, disease prevention, and emergency response efforts from its Atlanta headquarters. About two-thirds of the CDC’s budget supports state and local public health agencies.
HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill, who has served as acting CDC director since August, will step down from both roles as part of the department’s restructuring. He is expected to be offered the position of National Science Foundation director. Bhattacharya’s dual leadership role has raised concerns among former CDC officials, who argue that managing two major federal health agencies simultaneously could weaken the nation’s ability to respond to public health threats.
The CDC has experienced ongoing turmoil, including budget cuts, staffing reductions, and controversy under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. President Donald Trump previously dismissed CDC Director Susan Monarez after disagreements over vaccine policy changes. Her firing prompted several senior resignations and intensified scrutiny of vaccine guidance decisions, including revisions to childhood immunization recommendations.
Under federal law, Bhattacharya may serve as acting CDC director only until late March unless a permanent nominee is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, Kennedy announced additional HHS leadership appointments aimed at improving coordination with the White House ahead of the midterm elections, with Republicans expected to focus on healthcare costs, prescription drug pricing, and access to healthy food.
