Jul 30, 2026
The Trump administration is seeking personally identifiable medical records from emergency rooms across the country through the Consumer Product Safety Commission, raising privacy concerns among healthcare providers and civil liberties advocates.
A growing number of activists are physically disabling Flock Safety's automated license plate reader cameras across the US, citing privacy concerns. The vandalism campaign has become so widespread that Flock is now disguising its surveillance devices inside other objects to avoid detection.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the creation of a joint task force between the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice to identify and prosecute individuals who make unauthorized disclosures of sensitive information to news media. The announcement comes days after DOJ issued subpoenas to several New York Times reporters to appear before a grand jury.
U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne issued a preliminary injunction blocking Virginia's measure that would have banned law enforcement officers from wearing masks, ruling it was an unconstitutional attempt to regulate the federal government. The injunction came in response to a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department.
More than 10,000 Hungarians participated in Budapest's 31st annual Pride march on Saturday, the first since right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was voted out of office in April 2026. Participants braved record heat to celebrate what many described as a 'new era' after 16 years of government restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights and the event itself.
The American Civil Liberties Union will spend over $50 million on the 2026 midterm elections, allocating half the funds to monitor election certification and administration processes amid concerns about President Donald Trump's election-related activities.
The Taliban has issued a directive banning smartphones for all government officials and civil servants in Afghanistan, with violators facing confiscation, device destruction, and potential imprisonment. The order, attributed to Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, has prompted government employees to switch off their devices, while analysts warn it could precede broader restrictions on the general population.