NIH Chief leads CDC; NYC resumes sweeps; DOE policy

National headlines for Feb. 19, 2026, cover major shifts in federal health and education policy. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya takes over as acting head of the CDC following the dismissal of Jim O'Neill. In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani resumes homeless encampment clearings after a spike in cold-related deaths. Meanwhile, the Department of Education agrees to drop race-based criteria for McNair grants following a legal victory by the Young America's Foundation.