Collin Binkley

President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the federal government to revise childhood vaccine recommendations, including promoting separate measles, mumps and rubella shots and spacing immunizations across multiple appointments. Medical groups and public-health experts warn that delaying vaccines could leave children vulnerable to preventable diseases and say there is no credible evidence linking childhood vaccines to autism. The order also seeks a plan for offering individual MMR vaccines in the United States, reviews international vaccine guidance, and encourages states to reconsider school-mandate policies. Its practical authority is limited because states generally control school vaccination requirements, although legal experts say the administration may try to pressure states through federal policy and funding.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, raising fears that the Iran conflict could spread to another critical shipping route. The attacks followed Houthi threats to disrupt Saudi-linked maritime traffic and came as Iran and the United States intensified their confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global oil and gas normally travels. Reports indicated no casualties in the tanker attacks, while separate strikes and interceptions were reported across the region. The disruptions pushed Brent crude above $100 a barrel and heightened concerns about global shipping, energy supplies and the wider economic impact of the conflict.

The U.S. warned Iran that it will destroy one bridge or power plant for each attack on ships in the Strait of Hormuz following new American strikes on Iranian territory. Iranian air defenses fired over Tehran as Iran launched a missile attack on a city in Jordan near Israel, prompting alerts in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The developments reflect rising regional tensions amid escalating military exchanges.