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Latest developments and key stories from across the United States
The Virginia Supreme Court canceled a new congressional map that voters had approved recently. This decision may affect the upcoming November elections in Virginia.
Key Facts
The Virginia Supreme Court rejected the new congressional district map.
The map was approved by voters last month.
The ruling could change how districts are drawn for the November midterm elections.
The decision is seen as a setback for the Democratic Party in Virginia.
The change might influence which candidates win seats in Congress.
The court’s ruling means the previous map or a new one might be used instead.
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The U.S. Labor Department reported that unemployment stayed the same in April while the country added 115,000 jobs, which was more than expected. Experts discuss what these job numbers mean for the overall health of the U.S. economy.
Key Facts
The unemployment rate did not change in April.
The U.S. added 115,000 new jobs in April.
This number of new jobs was higher than what experts predicted.
The Labor Department provided the job and unemployment data.
Mohamed El-Erian, a business professor and economic advisor, talked about the economic impact of these numbers.
The discussion was part of a report by Amna Nawaz.
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California will start a program called "Golden State Start" this summer to give 400 free diapers to every newborn at selected hospitals. The program aims to help families with the high cost of diapers, beginning with hospitals serving low-income patients and planning to expand later.
Key Facts
The program will begin this summer at 65 to 75 California hospitals.
Each newborn discharged from these hospitals will receive 400 free diapers.
The program focuses first on hospitals with many Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid) patients.
California set aside $7.4 million last year and requested $12.5 million this year to fund and expand the program.
Families spend about $1,000 a year on diapers for babies in California.
The diaper supply should last a baby about five weeks, assuming about 10 diaper changes per day.
California’s Medicaid program currently does not offer free diapers for newborns.
The diapers will be provided through a nonprofit called Baby2Baby, which oversees distribution in participating hospitals.
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Virginia’s Supreme Court rejected a new congressional map that voters had approved. The map was seen as favoring Democrats, and the court’s decision is a setback for the party during a national fight over changing voting districts.
Key Facts
Virginia’s Supreme Court struck down a voter-approved congressional redistricting plan.
The plan was designed to help Democrats win more seats in Congress.
Both Democrats and Republicans are competing to redraw district maps in the middle of the decade.
The court ruling affects Virginia’s political landscape and could influence the balance of power.
The decision happened amid ongoing national debates about how voting districts are drawn and changed.
Experts from the Cook Political Report discussed the ruling and its wider implications.
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Republican Representative Nancy Mace says that since 2004, the House of Representatives has paid $338,000 to settle sexual harassment claims against lawmakers. This information came from a subpoena and was discussed during a CBS News segment.
Key Facts
The House has paid $338,000 to resolve harassment claims against members since 2004.
The claims involved sexual harassment allegations.
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina brought this information forward.
The information was revealed through a subpoena, which is a legal order to provide evidence.
Former Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier of California responded to the news on a CBS show.
The discussion took place on CBS News’ program called "The Takeout."
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Reports say President Donald Trump plans to remove Marty Makary as the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Makary has faced challenges and controversy during his time leading the agency, which began last year.
Key Facts
Marty Makary is currently the Commissioner of the FDA.
President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to fire Makary.
Makary became FDA Commissioner last year.
His time in the position has been difficult and marked by turmoil.
Health policy reporter Liz Whyte discussed this situation with Stephanie Sy.
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A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s cancellation of more than 1,400 humanities grants was unconstitutional and showed clear discrimination. The judge said the cuts targeted grants related to minority groups and violated constitutional rights like free speech and equal protection.
Key Facts
In April 2024, President Trump’s administration ended over 1,400 humanities grants totaling more than $100 million.
The cuts were managed by a government group called Doge, led by Elon Musk, aiming to reduce spending.
The judge found the cuts discriminated based on race, ethnicity, religion, sex, and sexual orientation.
The grant terminations violated the First Amendment (free speech) and the Fifth Amendment (equal protection).
Doge lacked legal authority to cancel the grants.
The judge rejected Doge’s use of ChatGPT (an AI tool) as a defense for their decisions.
Rights groups worry the cuts could harm education, arts, and diversity efforts in the U.S.
President Trump has criticized cultural and educational institutions for having “anti-American” views and threatened to cut their funding over various issues.
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A judge in Utah has decided to allow cameras inside the courtroom during the murder trial of Tyler J. Robinson, who is accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The defense wanted to ban cameras, saying they might harm Robinson’s right to a fair trial, but the judge ruled against it.
Key Facts
Judge Tony Graf ruled that cameras can be present during the murder trial.
Tyler J. Robinson is charged with the murder of Charlie Kirk.
Robinson has not yet formally entered a plea.
Robinson faces the death penalty if found guilty.
The defense argued that cameras could cause sensationalism and affect a fair trial.
The judge said the defense did not show Utah law allows banning cameras.
Charlie Kirk was a supporter of President Donald Trump and an active voice in the MAGA movement.
The trial coverage will be ongoing and updated as more information becomes available.
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The U.S. government has released a new counterterrorism strategy that includes fighting drug cartels as a threat. However, the strategy does not mention right-wing extremist groups. Officials from the U.S. and allied countries are meeting to coordinate their efforts against terrorist groups and other dangerous actors.
Key Facts
The U.S. has a new strategy to fight terrorism.
This strategy lists drug cartels as among the threats.
Right-wing extremist groups are not included in the strategy.
U.S. counterterrorism officials are meeting with allies to discuss coordination.
The focus is on terrorist groups and non-state actors (groups not controlled by any government).
The new strategy was recently released.
William Brangham interviewed Colin Clarke, an expert on terrorism, for more insight.
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David Brooks and Ruth Marcus discussed recent political events with Amna Nawaz. They focused on Virginia's Supreme Court decision to reject a voter-approved congressional map and updates on the conflict with Iran.
Key Facts
Virginia's Supreme Court struck down a congressional map that voters had approved.
This ruling affects how voting districts are drawn in Virginia.
The discussion included the political impact of this decision.
They also talked about recent developments in the war with Iran.
The conversation took place on a news program with Amna Nawaz.
David Brooks writes for The Atlantic and Ruth Marcus writes for The New Yorker.
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Congressional Democrats are investigating some pardons given by President Donald Trump. They want to find out if any of the pardons were connected to payments or favors, a practice sometimes called "pay-to-play."
Key Facts
Democrats in Congress have started an investigation into certain pardons by President Trump.
They are looking into whether money or favors influenced some of these pardons.
The investigation was launched by three Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Dave Min from California.
Rep. Dave Min spoke about the probe in a recent interview on a news program called "The Takeout."
This investigation is part of the Democrats’ efforts to check the reasons behind some presidential pardons.
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Labour, the main opposition party in the UK, lost many seats in recent local elections, including losing control in Wales after 27 years. Despite pressure and some calls for his resignation, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he will stay on as prime minister and work to unite the party.
Key Facts
Labour lost over 1,100 council seats in England.
Labour lost power in Wales for the first time in 27 years.
Reform UK gained over 1,400 seats and won control in some councils historically held by Labour and Conservatives.
The SNP is expected to remain the largest party in Scotland but without a majority.
Labour and the Conservatives are tied with about 17% each in the projected national vote share, behind Reform UK and the Greens.
22 Labour MPs publicly want Sir Keir Starmer to resign or set a departure timetable.
Starmer said he will not resign and wants to build unity within the party.
Labour cabinet members mostly support Starmer and believe he has a mandate to lead change.
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President Donald Trump has approved a plan to fire Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary, though the plan is not yet final. The decision follows controversies and disagreements over FDA policies, including the approval of flavored vaping products.
Key Facts
President Trump approved a plan to remove FDA Commissioner Marty Makary.
The plan is not final and could still change.
Sources reported the news to major outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and The Washington Post.
Makary faced criticism for slow approval of flavored vapes including menthol, mango, and blueberry.
Trump and his advisors wanted faster approval to fulfill a campaign promise to support vaping.
The FDA approved the flavored vapes after Trump’s pressure.
Makary had conflicts with other health officials and pharmaceutical companies.
The FDA and other health agencies have had many leadership vacancies under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
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The Pennsylvania attorney general's office is looking into the death of a Bucknell University freshman football player. The player collapsed and died during his first team workout in 2024.
Key Facts
The investigation is being conducted by the Pennsylvania attorney general's office
The victim was a freshman football player at Bucknell University
The player collapsed during his first football workout in 2024
The player died after collapsing at the workout
The investigation aims to find out the cause and circumstances of the death
Bucknell University is involved as the player was part of their football team
The incident happened in Pennsylvania
The details of the cause of death have not been publicly shared yet
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President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Defense to release dozens of classified files about UFO sightings to increase transparency for the American public. The released materials include videos and documents about unidentified anomalous phenomena, but they do not provide clear proof of alien life or technology.
Key Facts
President Trump directed the Defense Department to make UFO-related files public.
About 160 files, including videos and photos, were released.
These files contain footage of known UFO sightings.
No definite evidence of aliens or alien technology was found in the files.
This release is part of an ongoing process that started in the late 1970s.
More classified UFO materials will be declassified in the future.
Some analysts noted that many documents had been publicly available before.
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Nebraska's National Quarantine Unit is preparing to receive 17 American passengers from the M/V Hondius cruise ship, which experienced a hantavirus outbreak. The unit is a specialized facility designed to safely house individuals exposed to dangerous infectious diseases, and officials say the quarantine will be similar to a hotel stay with no fixed length yet determined.
Key Facts
The National Quarantine Unit is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and opened in November 2019.
It is the only federally funded quarantine unit in the U.S., supported by a $20 million federal grant.
The facility has 20 beds with special negative air pressure rooms to contain contagious diseases.
None of the 17 American cruise ship passengers currently show confirmed hantavirus symptoms.
Passengers will enter quietly without emergency transport if they remain symptom-free.
Quarantine length will be decided after the passengers arrive and are evaluated.
The unit offers amenities like food delivery, phone and video calls, and in-room exercise equipment.
The unit also contains a six-bed training center for biocontainment to prepare medical staff.
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Senator Mark Warner from Virginia criticized the state Supreme Court for rejecting a redistricting plan supported by Democrats. He said the court's decision went against what most voters wanted.
Key Facts
Virginia's Supreme Court ruled against a redistricting plan backed by Democrats.
Senator Mark Warner spoke out against this ruling.
Warner said the decision ignored the majority of voters' wishes.
Warner shared his views in a video on the social media platform X.
The ruling concerns how voting districts in Virginia are drawn.
Redistricting plans can affect political representation in government.
Warner is a senior U.S. Senator representing Virginia.
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Alabama asked the U.S. Supreme Court to quickly approve its new congressional voting map. The state wants to use the new map before the November elections because recent court decisions have changed how voting district rules are applied.
Key Facts
Alabama requested an emergency order from the Supreme Court to allow its new voting map.
The new map was signed by Governor Kay Ivey, a Republican.
Lawmakers created the map after a Supreme Court decision in Louisiana that affected the Voting Rights Act.
The new map is designed to improve Republican chances in the House of Representatives elections.
Alabama argues the recent court ruling lets it remove previous voting district boundaries set by judges.
The request aims to have the new map in place for the November 2024 elections.
This move is part of ongoing efforts by some states to change voting maps after changes in voting rights law enforcement.
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A Florida surgeon, Thomas Shaknovsky, is facing manslaughter charges after he mistakenly removed a patient's liver instead of his spleen, resulting in the patient's death. Shaknovsky expressed deep regret and trauma over the incident, which led to a lawsuit and a grand jury indictment.
Key Facts
Surgeon Thomas Shaknovsky removed 70-year-old William Bryan’s liver instead of his spleen during surgery.
Bryan died from heavy bleeding caused by the surgery.
Shaknovsky was indicted on a manslaughter charge in April by a grand jury in Tallahassee.
The surgeon admitted to being mentally upset and crying over Bryan’s death.
Shaknovsky reportedly told a nurse to label the removed liver as a spleen and falsely documented this in medical notes.
Bryan’s widow filed a medical malpractice lawsuit accusing Shaknovsky of trying to cover up his mistake.
The surgery resulted in catastrophic blood loss, leading to Bryan’s death on the operating table.
If convicted, Shaknovsky could face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $10,000.
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Federal prosecutors want to take away the U.S. citizenship of Manuel Rocha, a former American diplomat who spied for Cuba for many years. Rocha was arrested in 2023, admitted his spying, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Key Facts
Manuel Rocha was a U.S. Ambassador and diplomat.
He secretly worked as a spy for Cuba starting in the 1970s.
Rocha was born in Colombia and became a U.S. citizen after moving to New York at age 10.
He was arrested in late 2023 and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Prosecutors filed a legal case to revoke his U.S. citizenship.
Rocha praised Fidel Castro in a secret recording by the FBI.
The case is considered one of the longest betrayals in U.S. foreign service history.
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