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Lonnie Bunch is leaving his job as leader of the Smithsonian Institution at the end of the year. His departure follows a difficult year in which President Donald Trump criticized the Smithsonian's presentation of U.S. history and suggested replacing its leaders.
Key Facts
Lonnie Bunch has led the Smithsonian Institution since 2019.
He announced he is stepping down with mixed feelings and gratitude.
The Smithsonian will officially have a leadership change at the end of the year.
President Donald Trump attempted to change how U.S. history is shown at Smithsonian museums.
A recent White House report accused Smithsonian leaders of being radical activists.
The report singled out leaders of the National Museum of American History for criticism.
This report suggests President Trump may want to appoint new leaders to the Smithsonian.
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Patrick Clancy's lawyer issued a warning that people spreading conspiracy theories about Patrick’s involvement in his children's deaths will face consequences. The statement came after false claims surfaced accusing Patrick Clancy of wrongdoing.
Key Facts
Patrick Clancy is the ex-husband of Lindsay Clancy.
There were conspiracy theories wrongly accusing Patrick Clancy of being involved in the deaths of his children.
Patrick Clancy’s lawyer publicly warned that those spreading these false claims will face consequences.
The warning was given through an official statement on Tuesday.
CBS News reported on the lawyer’s warning and the ongoing situation.
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Credit card debt in the U.S. increased to $1.26 trillion in the second quarter of 2026, with an average interest rate of 22.15%. While you usually cannot just negotiate a lower minimum payment on your credit card, many issuers offer hardship programs that can temporarily reduce payments or change terms if you have financial difficulties.
Key Facts
Credit card balances rose by $21 billion in the second quarter of 2026, reaching $1.26 trillion.
The average interest rate on credit card accounts with interest is about 22.15%.
Minimum credit card payments are calculated based on account terms and cannot usually be negotiated simply to pay less.
Card issuers may offer hardship or payment assistance programs for people facing financial problems.
Hardship programs can include reduced payments, lower interest rates, waived fees, or changed repayment plans.
Paying less than the required minimum without approval can cause late fees and hurt credit scores.
It is important to ask for details about hardship programs, like how long reduced payments last and if interest continues to accrue.
Consider how repayment terms will affect your total debt and long-term finances before agreeing to a hardship plan.
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Millions of Social Security recipients may get about $75 more per month in 2027 if the forecasted cost-of-living increase happens. This increase is meant to help benefits keep up with rising prices for everyday needs like food and housing.
Key Facts
The projected increase, called the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), could be between 3.5% and 3.6% for 2027.
Last year’s COLA was 2.8%, so this would be a bigger increase.
The average monthly benefit might go up from about $2,086 to around $2,161.
The exact increase depends on each person’s current payment amount.
Inflation and global factors, like conflicts and climate issues, are pushing prices higher.
The final COLA will be officially announced by the Social Security Administration in October 2026.
Social Security benefits make up the main income for many retirees.
Experts say retirees should consider their own costs for things like health care and housing, which may rise faster than general inflation.
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Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Ruslan Kravchenko, resigned after anti-corruption agents raided his office linked to a large corruption case involving fake call centres. These centres trick people into sending money and paid officials for protection, leading to a major scandal threatening President Zelenskyy’s government.
Key Facts
Ruslan Kravchenko resigned amid allegations that officials in his office protected illegal phone scam call centres.
These call centres pretended to be banks or officials to steal money from people in Ukraine, Russia, and the EU.
The call centres paid about $7,000 a month each in bribes, totaling millions of dollars.
Anti-corruption agencies had to use ladders to raid Kravchenko’s office after staff refused entry.
A suspect was arrested in Lviv, with evidence showing he managed bribe money and home repairs for Kravchenko.
Police found a safe with large amounts of cash, which was spent on luxury items and real estate.
President Zelenskyy initially tried to weaken the anti-corruption agencies but reversed his decision after protests.
The scandal emerged during ongoing attacks on Kyiv and after visits from envoys of President Donald Trump aiming to promote peace talks.
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Vice President JD Vance has said that the Iran War is not a war. This statement has caused reactions because it differs from common understanding about wars.
Key Facts
JD Vance is the current Vice President of the United States.
He stated that the Iran War should not be called a war.
The Iran War generally refers to military actions involving the U.S. and Iran.
Wars are usually defined as armed conflicts between nations or groups.
Some people disagree with Vance’s statement about the Iran War.
The statement has led to debate among veterans and officials.
Vance served as a Marine before becoming Vice President.
The article suggests Vance’s claim affects his relationship with fellow Marines.
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President Donald Trump honored the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks during an event at the Ellipse near the White House. He pledged to "never forget" the attacks and recognized heroes and victims, including issuing the Presidential Medal of Freedom to a rescuer known as the "man in the red bandanna."
Key Facts
The event was hosted by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation on September 8, 2026, near the White House.
A 21-foot steel beam from the South Tower of the World Trade Center was displayed and is part of a national Steel Across America tour.
The beam will move through New York City on September 11, retracing the route of firefighter Stephen Siller, who died in the attacks.
President Trump honored Jeffrey Palazzo, a New York City firefighter and Coast Guard reservist, by announcing a new Coast Guard cutter named after him.
Welles Crowther, known as the "man in the red bandanna" for rescuing people during 9/11, was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Crowther’s family accepted the award at the event.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who lost family and employees in the attack, was praised for rebuilding Cantor Fitzgerald and supporting victims’ families.
About 150 first responders from New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania attended the event.
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Israel has decided to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem after the UK imposed sanctions on goods from Israeli settlements that are considered illegal under international law. The Israeli government also banned entry for several UK politicians and ended cooperation on Palestinian security training and a Gaza coordination mission.
Key Facts
Israel will close the British consulate located in the Sheikh Jarrah area of East Jerusalem.
The UK imposed sanctions on trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Israel banned entry to several mostly left-wing UK MPs, including Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott.
British involvement in training Palestinian security forces on the West Bank will end.
The UK will be excluded from the US-led Gaza coordination mission based in Israel.
Israel views Jerusalem as its undivided capital, while most countries consider East Jerusalem occupied territory since 1967.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar coordinated the response with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s October election.
Israel criticized the UK’s sanctions as interference in its democratic process, while Israel’s president called for dialogue instead of sanctions.
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Attorney General Todd Blanche will speak at a memorial event at the Department of Justice on September 11, 2024. The event honors the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in 2001, as the accused mastermind of the attacks faces legal proceedings.
Key Facts
Attorney General Todd Blanche is leading a 9/11 memorial event at the DOJ headquarters.
The event marks 25 years since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who claims to be behind the attacks, has been ordered to stand trial.
The attacks targeted the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C.
The DOJ is highlighting the anniversary with this official ceremony.
This event reflects ongoing legal and memorial activities related to 9/11.
The ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, shortly before the anniversary date.
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Google has changed its travel search results in Europe to follow new rules from the European Union. These changes remove some features like showing prices and availability directly in search results, which Google says makes searching harder for users. The updates only affect users in Europe and aim to make the search results fairer for businesses by removing Google’s commercial preferences.
Key Facts
The European Union fined Google 460 million euros ($543 million) for favoring its own services in travel and shopping searches.
Google has changed its travel search results in Europe to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
New search results will show links to specialized travel search engines first, with less detailed information like no real-time prices or availability.
These changes aim to remove Google’s business bias and let the search algorithm decide rankings fairly.
Google claims these changes reduce the quality of search results and user experience for Europeans.
Features like instant pricing and booking availability will no longer appear directly in European search results.
The EU gave Google a 60-day deadline to comply, ending on September 23, after which fines can reach up to 5% of Google’s global revenue.
These search result changes are only for Europe and do not apply to users in other regions.
The US government has warned the EU against imposing fines on US tech companies like Google.
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Five people died in a crash of an Amazon cargo plane at Miami International Airport. Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz announced the victims' names. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has started investigating the accident.
Key Facts
The crash involved an Amazon cargo plane.
It happened at Miami International Airport.
Five people died in the crash.
Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz released the victims' identities.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation.
The crash occurred on Sunday.
CBS News reporter Skyler Henry provided updates on the event.
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Hurricane Lowell passed near the western side of Hawaii early Tuesday, causing flooding on the islands. The storm brought heavy rain and strong winds, leading to rising water and emergency situations.
Key Facts
Hurricane Lowell moved close to the western part of Hawaii.
The storm caused significant flooding after it passed.
Heavy rain and strong winds occurred during the hurricane.
The flooding created emergency situations for residents.
Authorities were monitoring the situation and providing updates.
The storm affected travel and daily activities on the islands.
Weather officials warned people to stay alert for changing conditions.
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The UK government plans to introduce a new law requiring tech companies to stop children from taking or sharing nude images on their devices. Apple and Google have made some changes but the government says more action is needed and will legislate if improvements are not made quickly.
Key Facts
The UK government wants a law to force tech firms to block nude images on phones used by under-18s.
Apple and Google were given three months to block access to nude images on children’s devices but current measures are seen as insufficient.
The proposed law would also require app providers to block nude imagery for child users.
Apple launched a feature in 2021 to stop children from seeing or sharing nude images and plans to improve it further.
Google says it has made progress and continues to work on online child safety.
Organizations like the NSPCC support the law to prevent grooming, sexual extortion, and child abuse.
Police chiefs say restricting children’s ability to take or share nudes could help stop crimes like sextortion.
The law focuses on children’s safety and does not stop adults from accessing nude images on their own devices.
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Canada started new tariffs on U.S. goods after trade talks broke down with President Donald Trump’s administration. These Canadian tariffs target about $27.6 billion of American products in sectors like farming equipment, dairy, and electronics. The U.S. and Canada have a close trade relationship worth over $1 trillion each year, and the tariffs affect many U.S. states differently depending on their goods exported to Canada.
Key Facts
President Trump imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods after trade talks failed.
Canada responded with tariffs from 15% to 50% on $27.6 billion of U.S. goods.
Canadian tariffs mainly affect dairy, agricultural equipment, electronics, and other products.
The U.S. and Canada trade around $1.3 trillion annually, with $2 trillion in cross-border investments.
Canada is the top export destination for 26 U.S. states.
States near Canada, like Illinois and Texas, trade the most with Canada, with exports including energy and vehicles.
Some U.S. lawmakers from both parties criticized the tariffs, fearing harm to the economy.
Economic experts suggest Canadian consumers may feel the tariffs more due to the U.S.’s larger economy.
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President Donald Trump posthumously gave the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Welles Crowther, who died saving lives during the 9/11 attacks. The award was presented to Crowther’s family at an event marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
Key Facts
Welles Crowther was an equities trader and volunteer firefighter.
He died during the 9/11 attacks while saving others.
President Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom after his death.
The award ceremony took place ahead of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Crowther’s mother and sister received the Medal of Freedom on his behalf.
The event was called Steel Across America, which remembers the 9/11 anniversary.
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The UK government announced sanctions against Israeli settlements in the West Bank to stop their expansion, focusing on the planned E1 settlement. In response, Israel said it would close the British consulate in Jerusalem and called the UK’s actions hostile.
Key Facts
The UK announced sanctions to prevent construction in the E1 area, part of the West Bank where Israel plans to build around 1,200 new homes.
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the UK will ban imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Miliband accused some settlers of ethnic cleansing and said the Israeli government ignores these actions.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized the UK and said Israel will close the British consulate in Jerusalem.
Ma'ale Adumim is an existing Israeli settlement near the proposed E1 site.
The West Bank is a disputed territory where Israeli settlement expansion is a subject of international concern.
The UK’s actions aim to pressure Israel to stop settlement building, which the UK considers illegal under international law.
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President Trump is considering banning certain foreign goods from the U.S. market, which is a stronger move than tariffs imposed earlier. He threatened to block Canadian company Bombardier from selling jets in the U.S. as part of his trade dispute with Canada, using legal powers that allow import bans under specific trade laws.
Key Facts
President Trump threatened to stop Bombardier, a Canadian plane maker, from selling jets in the U.S.
This threat came just before Canada started retaliatory tariffs on $20 billion of U.S. goods.
Trump suggested that countries wanting access to the U.S. market must build products in America instead of exporting.
Trump also demanded the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates and linked that demand to cutting off trade with countries the U.S. has a trade deficit with, like Canada, Japan, and China.
Federal laws give presidents the power to ban imports, which can cause more serious supply problems than tariffs.
A recent Supreme Court ruling blocked Trump’s emergency tariffs but noted presidents can prohibit imports entirely under certain laws.
Trump’s trade official Jamieson Greer said banning imports is extreme but might be needed to respond to foreign tariffs.
Bombardier is important to the U.S. economy, especially in Kansas, where many jobs and suppliers depend on the company, raising concerns among local politicians.
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The article discusses trade tensions between Canada and the United States that are affecting businesses in Kansas. It highlights how Canadian tariffs are having an impact on local industries in the U.S. Midwest.
Key Facts
Canada has imposed tariffs on certain goods from the United States.
These tariffs are part of an ongoing trade dispute between Canada and the U.S.
Kansas businesses are feeling the effects of these tariffs.
The tariffs make some American products more expensive for Canadian buyers.
This trade fight is causing economic challenges in local U.S. communities.
The issue is part of broader trade tensions between the two countries.
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An X account named 2001 Live plans to post about 410 live updates on September 11, 2026, retracing the events of 9/11 minute by minute on its 25th anniversary. The updates will be based on detailed research and eyewitness reports, avoiding graphic content to respect victims, with posts increasing frequency during the key moments of the attacks.
Key Facts
2001 Live (@25YearsAgoLive) is an X account that shares past events as if they are happening live, focusing on historical accuracy.
On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the account will post every 3 minutes on average, and more frequently between 8:46 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. ET, the critical period of the attacks.
The account curator, Manny Marotta, reviewed 240 hours of footage, news reports, and eyewitness accounts to build the timeline.
Graphic images and videos will not be shown to avoid disrespecting victims.
The timeline aims to follow the most supported version of events and will block users promoting conspiracy theories.
2001 Live began in 2022 and has since covered various years in history, attracting over 500,000 followers.
The US will mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11 with memorial events including readings of victims' names and moments of silence.
The project will not seek profit from the 9/11 coverage, pledging to donate any funds raised.
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President Donald Trump attended a "Steel Across America" event in Washington, D.C., to mark 25 years since the 9/11 attacks. He also made a statement about Iran, saying it will never get a nuclear weapon.
Key Facts
President Trump participated in the "Steel Across America" event.
The event commemorated 25 years since the 9/11 attacks.
It took place in Washington, D.C.
President Trump said Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon.
The event involved honoring the memory of 9/11 victims and heroes.
The phrase "We will never forget" was emphasized by President Trump.
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