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US News
Latest developments and key stories from across the United States
A blast occurred early Thursday morning in Queens, New York, causing a fire and thick smoke. One person died, and several police officers were taken to the hospital after the incident.
Key Facts
The explosion happened in Queens, New York.
The blast caused a fire and a large amount of smoke.
One person died due to the explosion.
Multiple New York Police Department (NYPD) officers were injured and sent to the hospital.
Police body camera footage captured the moment of the explosion.
The incident took place early on a Thursday morning.
Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene.
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A Texas mother of four was held in an immigration detention center run by ICE for more than a month. Her lawyer says the experience has deeply affected her, and she is now free from detention.
Key Facts
The woman is a single mother with four children.
She was held in an ICE detention center in Texas for over a month.
ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a U.S. agency that handles immigration enforcement.
Her lawyer described the detention as emotionally and mentally harmful to her.
After more than a month, she was released from ICE custody.
The case was reported by CBS News with updates from reporter Shanelle Kaul.
The story highlights the challenges faced by immigrants in detention.
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Conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly said he made a mistake by defending late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after Kimmel made comments about MAGA before the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting. O’Reilly admitted this during an interview on NewsNation with Chris Cuomo.
Key Facts
Bill O’Reilly is a conservative commentator.
O’Reilly had previously defended Jimmy Kimmel.
Jimmy Kimmel made remarks about MAGA (a political movement supporting President Donald Trump).
These remarks were made before the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting.
O’Reilly said he was "absolutely wrong" to give Kimmel a pass on his comments.
O’Reilly shared this opinion on the NewsNation network.
The interview was with Chris Cuomo, a host on the same network.
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The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits dropped to 189,000 last week, the lowest level in over 50 years. This decline shows fewer layoffs despite challenges like the war in Iran.
Key Facts
Jobless claims fell by 26,000 to 189,000 for the week ending April 25.
This is the lowest weekly number of claims in more than fifty years.
The previous week's claims were 215,000.
Analysts had expected about 214,000 new claims.
Unemployment benefit applications are a way to measure job layoffs.
The drop suggests the U.S. job market remains strong.
Economic concerns include the ongoing war in Iran.
The U.S. economy grew 2% from January to March this year.
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Rep. James Walkinshaw said Pam Bondi will testify in late May about how the Justice Department handled files related to Jeffrey Epstein. The testimony will happen in a private setting before the House Oversight Committee.
Key Facts
Pam Bondi is the former attorney general.
She will give a deposition about the Jeffrey Epstein case.
The deposition is scheduled for late May.
It will be a closed-door session, meaning it is not open to the public.
The House Oversight Committee is leading the questioning.
Rep. James Walkinshaw from Virginia will ask questions during the deposition.
The focus is on the Justice Department’s handling of Epstein files.
The news was discussed on CBS News’ show "The Takeout."
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Gasoline prices in the United States have reached an average of $4.30 per gallon, rising sharply since late February amid the US-Iran conflict. President Donald Trump said gas prices will fall after the conflict ends but has rejected Iran’s offers for a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Key Facts
The average US gas price is $4.30 per gallon, up from under $3 before the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28.
Gas prices rose 27 cents in the past week amid the ongoing conflict and naval blockade of Iran.
Oil prices are above $100 per barrel due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route.
California’s average gas price is over $6 per gallon, the highest among US states.
The conflict and higher gas prices are contributing to inflation and economic worries in the US.
President Trump rejects preliminary deals from Iran and insists the military campaign will prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
Iran denies pursuing nuclear weapons and demands the US lift its naval blockade before talks.
Despite a ceasefire on April 8, US gas prices have continued to rise.
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Five people were stabbed at Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington, and were taken to the hospital. Police arrested one suspect in connection with the stabbing.
Key Facts
The incident happened at Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington.
Five people were injured and sent to the hospital.
Four of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.
The stabbing occurred around 1:40 p.m. local time on Thursday.
Tacoma Police have one suspect in custody.
The police and fire department responded quickly to the scene.
Further details and updates are still being collected.
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New rules in England start on Friday that ban no-fault evictions, limit rent increases, and change rental agreements. Before the ban begins, many landlords are rushing to use eviction notices, creating a busy time for lawyers and worries for tenants.
Key Facts
England’s Renters’ Rights Act bans no-fault evictions starting Friday.
The law limits rent increases to once a year and caps upfront rent demands to one month.
Fixed-term rental agreements are abolished, and bidding wars for rentals are banned.
Councils gain new powers to investigate and act against bad landlords.
The law stops discrimination against tenants who receive benefits or have children and allows tenants to request pets.
Solicitors have seen a big increase in last-minute eviction notices called section 21 notices.
Tenants often cannot find new housing and choose to stay until formally evicted.
The law aims to make renting fairer and more secure for renters in England.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded strongly to Senator Elissa Slotkin during a discussion about the 2026 midterm elections. Slotkin asked if Hegseth would follow President Trump’s order to seize ballots and voting machines, and Hegseth called the question a "gotcha hypothetical."
Key Facts
Senator Elissa Slotkin asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about following a possible order from President Trump.
The question involved seizing ballots and voting machines during the 2026 midterm elections.
Pete Hegseth rejected the question, calling it a "gotcha hypothetical," meaning it was designed to trap or embarrass him.
The exchange took place during a tense conversation covered by CBS News.
The discussion relates to potential actions in upcoming U.S. elections and the defense secretary’s role.
President Donald Trump is the sitting president at the time of the discussion.
The topic centers on U.S. domestic politics and election security.
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New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez criticized Meta after the company threatened to stop offering its social media platforms in the state. This reaction followed a jury verdict against Meta related to the state's demands.
Key Facts
Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, threatened to shut down its platforms in New Mexico.
The threat came after a jury made a verdict against Meta.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez called Meta’s threat a “PR stunt.”
The dispute involves demands made by the state of New Mexico toward Meta.
The situation was highlighted in court documents shared with a news outlet.
Attorney General Torrez represents the state government in legal matters against companies.
Meta’s reaction reflects ongoing tensions between the company and state regulations.
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Senator Bill Cassidy criticized Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry for continuing with the state’s Senate primary election despite a recent Supreme Court decision. The Court ruled Louisiana’s congressional map unconstitutional, leading Landry to suspend the House primary elections but not the Senate primary.
Key Facts
Senator Bill Cassidy is from Louisiana and a member of the Republican Party.
Governor Jeff Landry, also a Republican, decided to keep the Senate primary election as planned.
Landry signed an order to suspend the House primary elections in Louisiana.
The suspension followed a Supreme Court ruling that the state’s congressional map is unconstitutional.
The Senate primary election is scheduled to happen next month despite the ruling.
Cassidy publicly expressed disappointment with Landry’s choice to move forward with the Senate primary.
The Supreme Court’s decision affects how the state’s voting districts are drawn.
The article focuses on state-level election decisions influenced by a federal court ruling.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding shutdown lasted for 76 days and ended on Thursday. CBS News reported the details surrounding the start and conclusion of this shutdown.
Key Facts
The DHS funding shutdown lasted 76 days.
The shutdown ended on a Thursday.
CBS News correspondent Nikole Killion provided information on the shutdown.
The shutdown affected the Department of Homeland Security.
The article focused on how the shutdown started and how it was resolved.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced tough questions from Senate Democrats during a hearing about President Trump’s approach to Iran, the proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget, and the idea of sending troops to polling stations. The hearing lasted nearly three hours and showed disagreements between the Pentagon and lawmakers.
Key Facts
Pete Hegseth is the U.S. Secretary of Defense.
The hearing took place before the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC).
Senate Democrats questioned Hegseth about President Trump’s handling of tensions with Iran.
The Pentagon has requested a $1.5 trillion budget for defense spending.
There was debate about the possibility of deploying troops to polling places during elections.
The hearing lasted just under three hours.
There were clear disagreements between the Defense Department and some Senate members.
This was Hegseth’s second day of hearings on Capitol Hill.
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President Donald Trump announced he will remove certain tariffs on Scotch whisky following a visit to the White House by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The tariffs relate to the materials used in making whisky, particularly the wooden barrels used for aging Scotch and bourbon.
Key Facts
President Trump said he is lifting some tariffs on Scotch whisky.
The announcement came after King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited the White House.
Trump posted about the change on social media.
The tariffs involve wooden barrels used to age Scotch whisky and bourbon.
It is unclear if the removal affects finished bottles of Scotch or just the materials to produce it.
The change aims to help Scotland and Kentucky cooperate on whisky and bourbon production.
President Trump said no one else had managed to get this change done before.
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A former Department of Justice official criticized the recent indictment of former FBI Director James Comey. The official said the case is without merit and harms the reputation of the Justice Department and those involved.
Key Facts
James Comey, former FBI Director, has been indicted.
A former DOJ official called the indictment "makes no sense."
The official said the case has no valid basis.
The indictment is seen by the official as bringing dishonor to the DOJ.
The criticism includes the department’s leadership and prosecutors connected to the case.
The official was previously a federal prosecutor.
The article does not provide details about the charges against Comey.
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U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine testified before the Senate about the ongoing war with Iran. They defended the U.S. military actions, discussed costs and stockpile status, and addressed questions about legal limits and foreign involvement.
Key Facts
Hegseth and Caine appeared before the Senate Armed Forces Committee after previous testimony to the House.
The U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, starting the current conflict.
Pentagon officials say the war has cost the U.S. at least $25 billion so far.
Hegseth claimed U.S. munitions stockpiles remain "in good shape," despite reports suggesting depletion.
Caine acknowledged that Russia has provided some assistance to Iran but gave no details.
President Trump notified Congress 60 days ago about the attacks, which starts a legal timer under the War Powers Act.
Hegseth argued the 60-day limit "pauses" during a pause in fighting, a view questioned by lawmakers.
Senators raised concerns about civilian casualties and the reduction of Pentagon offices that oversee civilian protection.
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Louisiana has paused its May 16 congressional primaries after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the state's current district map. This ruling could allow several southern states to redraw their voting maps, potentially increasing the number of Republican-friendly seats in Congress for future elections.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court invalidated Louisiana's congressional district map on Wednesday.
Louisiana suspended its House primaries scheduled for May 16 but will continue other primaries as planned.
Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, urged the state legislature to redraw new district maps quickly.
The old map favored Republicans in five districts and Democrats in one.
Redrawing districts could increase Republican seats by breaking up majority Black districts.
The ruling weakens parts of the Voting Rights Act that protect majority-minority districts.
Time constraints and legal challenges make redrawing districts before the 2026 elections difficult for many states.
Other southern states like Georgia and South Carolina may also try to redraw maps, with potential to add several Republican seats in coming elections.
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Spencer Pratt, known for the reality TV show "The Hills," is running for mayor of Los Angeles. He recently released a new campaign advertisement that has attracted attention online.
Key Facts
Spencer Pratt was a star on the mid-2000s reality TV show "The Hills."
He is currently a candidate for mayor of Los Angeles.
Pratt released a new campaign ad that is getting noticed on the internet.
CBS News political director Fin Gómez provided analysis of Pratt’s candidacy.
The article focuses on Pratt’s unexpected rise as a serious contender in the mayor's race.
The campaign and coverage are based in Los Angeles, a major U.S. city.
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President Donald Trump signed a bill that provides money to the Department of Homeland Security, ending a 76-day government shutdown. In addition, Louisiana delayed its House primary elections after a decision by the Supreme Court.
Key Facts
The government shutdown lasted 76 days.
President Trump approved funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
This funding bill ended the shutdown.
Louisiana postponed its House primary elections.
The postponement followed a ruling by the Supreme Court.
The news was covered on CBS News program "The Takeout with Major Garrett."
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Britney Spears was charged with a misdemeanor for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs in California. She was arrested in March after driving erratically, has since entered substance abuse treatment, and will face arraignment soon.
Key Facts
Britney Spears was charged with driving under the influence of both alcohol and at least one drug.
The arrest happened on March 4 after she was stopped for driving fast and erratically on a California highway.
Spears took field sobriety tests and was then arrested and taken to jail.
She was released on bail the next day.
Prosecutors received the full police report on March 23.
Spears voluntarily entered substance abuse treatment about a month after the arrest.
Her arraignment is scheduled for Monday, and she does not have to appear in court because it is a misdemeanor charge.
Spears was under a court conservatorship from 2008 to 2021, which controlled her personal and financial decisions.
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