National News Roundup: Measles Outbreak, Court Cases, TikTok Claims, Redistricting, and Skin Regeneration Research
The United States is grappling with a resurgence of measles, legal battles over airstrikes, scrutiny of social media content, political redistricting, and advancements in skin regeneration research.
A significant measles outbreak in South Carolina has led to serious complications in some children, according to state epidemiologist Linda Bell. As of February 3, 2026, the outbreak, which began in October, had climbed to 876 cases, with 700 reported since the start of the year, according to Wired. Bell noted that some children affected by the measles outbreak in South Carolina have developed encephalitis, or swelling of the brain. The surge in cases could signal another challenging year for the U.S., which saw over 2,267 cases in 2025, the highest in 30 years. Declining vaccination rates across the country are believed to be a major factor driving the resurgence. Encephalitis is a rare but severe complication of measles that can lead to convulsions and cause deafness or intellectual disability.
In legal news, a lawsuit filed by relatives of two Trinidadian men killed in a U.S. airstrike last year reached a U.S. court, NPR reported. The lawsuit alleges extrajudicial killings.
Meanwhile, research on TikTok's content moderation policies has been released. According to NPR, some users claimed political topics were being suppressed after a U.S.-led investor group took over the social media platform's U.S. operations earlier this year. However, new research contradicts those claims. Posts went viral on social media pinning the perceived suppression of content on Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and posts related to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on TikTok.
In election news, the Supreme Court allowed California to use its new congressional map for this year's midterm election, NPR reported. The decision clears the way for the state's gerrymandered districts as Democrats and Republicans continue their fight for control of the U.S. House. Voters approved the ballot measure, allowing the state's Democratic leaders to temporarily replace the state's congressional map to help Democrats win five additional U.S. House seats.
Finally, research into skin regeneration is showing promise. According to Nature, mysterious ridges in the skin could help with regeneration.
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