Plus, Chicago and Boston brace for possible immigration raids on Mexican Independence Day.
Federal judges throw heavy criticism at the Supreme Court. States threaten to upend a decades-long approach to nationwide vaccine guidance. And fears the Trump administration might target Mexican Independence Day celebrations for immigration raids.
Here's what to know today.
In rare interviews, a dozen federal judges -- appointed by Democratic and Republican presidents, including Donald Trump -- expressed frustration with the Supreme Court for increasingly overturning rulings involving the Trump administration with little or no explanation.
Lower court judges are routinely assigned contentious cases involving the Trump administration. When judges rule against the government, administration officials and allies of the president routinely criticize them and appeal to the Supreme Court.
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The judges said they've observed a concerning pattern in the appeals process, wherein the Supreme Court issues swift rejections of the judges' decisions in emergency rulings. Often, no explanation is provided.
Through the "shadow docket," the Supreme Court has granted the government's emergency requests 17 out of 23 times since January. An NBC News review showed that five of those included no substantive reasoning at all.
All twelve judges spoke to NBC News on condition that they not be identified, with some citing concerns about publicly criticizing justices who ultimately decide on their rulings and others citing security threats.
One judge said they've received threats of violence and fears that if major efforts are not made to address the situation, "somebody is going to die."
With the CDC caught up in internal drama, states are beginning to make their own vaccine decisions, threatening to fracture the once-national consensus around immunization.
California, Oregon and Washington are forming a public health alliance to provide "credible information" about vaccine safety in response to a recent exodus of top CDC officials and the Food and Drug Administration's new guidelines for who should get Covid shots.
In Florida, meanwhile, the state's surgeon general moved to eliminate vaccination mandates across the state, including in public schools.
The differences in approach come as long-debunked claims about the health risks of vaccinations have found mainstream appeal and been embraced by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.
At least 17 people were killed in a crash of a popular funicular railway in Lisbon, Portugal, on Wednesday. At least 21 others were injured in the capital's worst accident in recent history.
Cordoned off by police, the crumpled wreckage of the yellow-and-white streetcar known as Elevador da Glória was still on the road early Thursday.
As investigators continued to work out what caused the accident, officials declined to speculate on whether a damaged brake or a snapped cable may have been at fault. The funicular car "derailed, crashed into the building, and now the causes will have to be analyzed by the competent authorities," the commander of the Lisbon fire brigade, Alexandre Rodrigues, said.
Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro expressed condolences for the victims in a statement and said an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident.The mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, announced three days of mourning "for the victims of the tragic accident" on X.
State and city officials fear that a federal law enforcement crackdown in Chicago could come as some residents celebrate Mexican Independence Day.
"We have reason to believe that Stephen Miller chose the month of September to come to Chicago because of celebrations around Mexican Independence Day that happen here every year," Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said.
Pritzker said Trump was positioning armed federal agents on federal property in the Chicago region and warned that masked agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement were "planning to raid Latino communities."
Immigrant rights advocates in Chicago are making sure its rapid response teams are ready, increasing the hours on its ICE enforcement hotline, providing information on rights, and connecting people to legal and social services.
Advocates and officials in Boston are also preparing for immigration raids after a Politico report indicated Trump was preparing a crackdown in the city.
Few people can pinpoint the moment their life changed. For Jim Murphy, it was Jan. 12, 2025, when his motivational book, which had previously sold single-digit copies per week, was suddenly selling tens of thousands after an NFL broadcast showed a superstar receiver reading his book on a sideline.
Eight months later, as a new NFL season opens tonight, I wanted to understand how the author who teaches "Inner Excellence" and selflessness has dealt with the external attention that comes with overnight fame. Speaking with Murphy was a reminder of the power and influence the NFL has on American life, and also a window into one life that has been irrevocably changed. -- Andrew Greif, sports reporter
The NBC Select team tested teeth whitening strips for three months and chose four favorite options. According to dentists, using toothpaste made with fluoride is the key to cavity-free teeth. Here are 14 best toothpastes for clean, healthy teeth.
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