The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sent letters to election officials in several states warning about possible criminal penalties if they do not follow federal laws to stop noncitizens from voting. The letters asked states to explain how they will ensure only eligible U.S. citizens vote in federal elections.
Key Facts
The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division sent these warning letters to at least six states, including Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado.
The letters remind states about federal laws requiring proper election record-keeping and preventing noncitizen voting.
Noncitizen voting is illegal and very rare, with one study showing it made up 0.0001% of votes in 2016 in 42 areas.
The letters request a response within five days explaining how states will comply with federal election laws.
Nevada’s Secretary of State said safeguards are already in place to stop ineligible voters from casting ballots.
The warning letters come as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to increase federal oversight of elections before the 2026 midterms.
An election official described the tone of the warning as “threatening.”
The DOJ has the authority to seek court orders or criminally prosecute election law violations.
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Lyndsey Fifield, who previously accused Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner of violent behavior, has now alleged that Platner removed a condom during sex without her consent. These new claims were reported by The Washington Post.
Key Facts
Lyndsey Fifield is the ex-girlfriend of Graham Platner, a candidate for the U.S. Senate from Maine.
She previously accused Platner of violent behavior in a New York Times article.
Fifield now alleges that Platner removed a condom during sex without her permission.
The Washington Post reported these new allegations on a recent Tuesday.
Platner is also known as an oyster farmer.
These claims add to ongoing concerns about Platner's personal conduct during his political campaign.
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Kai Rackley, who once received help from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, recently became a first officer for United Airlines. Shortly after starting his new job, he met children who are currently receiving support from Make-A-Wish, sharing encouragement and hope with them.
Key Facts
Kai Rackley was once helped by the Make-A-Wish Foundation as a child.
He recently became a first officer (pilot) for United Airlines.
Shortly after his new job began, he met children supported by Make-A-Wish.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation helps children facing serious illnesses by granting wishes.
Kai’s meeting with the children aimed to inspire and give them hope.
The story was reported by Tony Dokoupil for CBS News.
The interaction highlights how children who receive help can later support others.
United Airlines is the company where Kai now works as a pilot.
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A childcare center in El Segundo, California, is being sued by the parents of a toddler. The parents say their child was injured after falling six feet while playing with a staff member.
Key Facts
The incident happened at a childcare center in El Segundo, California.
A toddler fell from a height of six feet.
The child was playing with a staff member at the time of the fall.
The toddler's parents have filed a lawsuit against the childcare center.
The lawsuit claims the center is responsible for the child's injuries.
No further details on the child's condition or the lawsuit's status were provided.
The case highlights safety concerns in childcare environments.
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Prosecutors showed new video evidence from just before and after the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a pretrial hearing in Utah. The hearing focused on details related to the murder suspect involved in the case.
Key Facts
The pretrial hearing took place in Utah.
New video footage was presented by prosecutors.
The videos show moments before and after the shooting.
The victim is Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist.
The hearing is part of the legal process before a possible trial.
Authorities are investigating the suspect linked to the murder.
Carter Evans reported from Utah for CBS News.
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Senate Republican leaders reported they have been in contact with Senator Mitch McConnell from Kentucky, who has been in the hospital for more than three weeks. The article discusses what happens when a lawmaker is absent for a long time.
Key Facts
Senator Mitch McConnell is currently hospitalized.
He has been in the hospital for over three weeks.
Senate GOP leaders have spoken with him during this time.
The article explores the impact of a long absence by a lawmaker.
Washington bureau chief Susan Page provided analysis on the situation.
The news was shared by CBS News and USA Today.
The focus is on U.S. government and congressional matters.
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A high-rise building under construction in New York City became unsafe after two of its support columns began bending on Tuesday morning. The building and nearby structures were evacuated due to concerns about falling bricks and structural instability.
Key Facts
Two support columns inside the building started to buckle.
The building is still under construction in New York City.
The building and surrounding buildings were evacuated for safety.
Reports of falling bricks were made before the evacuation.
Video footage shows the bending support beam inside the building.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed the building remains unsafe.
The incident happened on a Tuesday morning.
Officials are monitoring the situation closely.
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Top Democratic leaders are urging Graham Platner, the party’s nominee for the U.S. Senate seat in Maine, to withdraw from the race. Platner has faced several controversies during his campaign, including recent allegations of sexual misconduct.
Key Facts
Graham Platner is the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate race in Maine.
Several controversies have affected Platner’s campaign.
New sexual misconduct allegations have emerged against Platner.
Many Democratic leaders want Platner to drop out of the race.
The situation has caused former supporters to speak out against him.
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Democratic and Republican political experts discuss the situation around Graham Platner, who faces a sexual assault allegation during his campaign for the Maine Senate. Platner denies the accusation and has not stepped down from the race. Democrats are considering other candidates to replace him if needed.
Key Facts
Graham Platner is running for the Maine Senate seat.
He is accused of sexual assault.
Platner denies the allegation.
He has not withdrawn from the election race.
Democrats are exploring possible replacement candidates.
Political strategists T.W. Arrighi and Matt Bennett provided analysis on the situation.
The discussion was featured on CBS News.
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Democrat Graham Platner is under pressure to leave the Maine Senate race because of a sexual assault accusation that he denies. He must decide to quit by July 13, or he will remain the Democratic candidate.
Key Facts
Graham Platner is running for the U.S. Senate seat in Maine.
He faces a sexual assault allegation, which he denies.
Some people are asking him to end his campaign because of this accusation.
Platner’s deadline to drop out is July 13.
If he does not quit by that date, he will stay on the ballot as the Democratic nominee.
The information comes from a CBS News report with correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns.
Platner’s decision will affect the outcome of the Maine Senate race.
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A recent national poll shows that the public's opinion of several conservative Supreme Court justices, including Clarence Thomas, Amy Coney Barrett, and Brett Kavanaugh, has become more negative over the past year. The overall approval rating for the Supreme Court is low, with more people disapproving than approving, and opinions are divided heavily along political party lines.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court's approval rating is 36%, while 50% disapprove of it overall.
44% of respondents say the court is "too conservative," and 9% say it is "too liberal."
Justices Barrett, Thomas, and Kavanaugh all saw drops in their net favorability compared to last year, with Barrett's rating declining the most.
Chief Justice John Roberts, also conservative, has a net approval rating of -11%, slightly down from last year.
Justice Neil Gorsuch is the only conservative justice with a small improvement in net favorability this year.
Among the liberal justices, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor have positive net favorability ratings that improved compared to last year.
45% of people said recent Supreme Court rulings have given the president too much power, while 29% said about the right amount.
The poll surveyed 1,603 U.S. adults from July 3 to July 6 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3%.
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An 18-month-old toddler in Arizona was declared dead after a near-drowning but was later found alive in a hospital morgue room. The child was revived and survived after being flown to another hospital, while police are investigating possible negligence by the parents.
Key Facts
The toddler nearly drowned in a backyard pool on February 8.
First responders tried to save the child and took him to Mercy Gilbert medical center.
The hospital declared the toddler dead about an hour after arrival.
Hours later, police found the toddler breathing in the hospital’s "cold room" (a morgue area).
The child was flown to another hospital, survived, and was released.
Police noted a strong smell of marijuana and open doors at the home, suggesting lack of supervision.
Gilbert police may charge the parents with negligence.
The hospital reviewed the case and aims to improve care procedures after this incident.
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US Senator Mitch McConnell, a leading Republican, has been in the hospital since June 14 without detailed information about his condition. Some Republicans say they have spoken to him recently and report he is improving, while unproven rumors about serious health problems have circulated.
Key Facts
Mitch McConnell, 84, was admitted to the hospital on June 14.
His staff has not shared the specific reason for his hospital stay.
On July 2, his team said he is receiving good care and continuing to get better.
Some Republicans claim they have spoken to McConnell by phone and say he is alert and engaged.
Unverified rumors circulated that he was in a vegetative state or brain dead, which McConnell’s colleagues deny.
His wife, Elaine Chao, made a planned trip to China during his hospital stay.
McConnell has had several health issues recently, including falls and a concussion in 2023.
McConnell plans to retire when his current Senate term ends in January 2027.
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A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed a man in Houston during a law enforcement operation. The man, identified as Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, ignored commands to stop and tried to drive his car into the officer, who fired in self-defense.
Key Facts
The shooting happened in Houston on July 7, 2026, during an ICE operation.
The man shot was Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national living in the U.S. without legal permission.
Araujo attempted to avoid arrest by trying to hit an ICE agent with his vehicle.
The shooting occurred after Araujo’s car struck an ICE vehicle.
Araujo was taken to a hospital where he died.
The FBI Houston office is investigating the incident as a possible assault on a federal officer.
Representatives from the FBI’s evidence response team helped process the shooting scene.
U.S. Representative Sylvia Garcia called for a full and impartial investigation, including review of all footage and communications.
This shooting is part of a series of deadly encounters involving federal immigration officers during increased enforcement efforts since President Trump took office.
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Many families are facing higher food costs during school holidays in Northern Ireland, causing financial stress and worries about providing healthy meals for their children. A new bill in the Northern Ireland Assembly aims to bring back holiday food payments for children who qualify for free school meals, which were cut earlier this year.
Key Facts
During the Covid-19 pandemic, families of 90,000 children received £27 every two weeks to help with food costs during school holidays.
The Department of Education stopped these payments in March 2023 due to budget issues.
A new bill has been introduced to reinstate these holiday food payments, costing about £20 million a year.
Children qualify for free school meals if their household income is below £15,390 a year.
Food prices continue to rise, making it harder for families to buy fresh, healthy foods.
Single mothers and women using support centers report counting every penny to manage food budgets.
Lack of access to nutritious food can affect children’s growth, education, and mental health.
Local women’s centers offer support to families struggling with financial and mental health challenges.
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Republicans are spending $8 million on ads to introduce a new Democratic candidate for Maine’s Senate race, as the current Democratic nominee, Graham Platner, considers withdrawing. Platner has not officially left the race yet, causing uncertainty and affecting spending plans for both parties.
Key Facts
Republicans plan to release $8 million in negative ads targeting the new Democratic nominee in Maine.
Graham Platner, the current Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, is reflecting on his next steps but remains officially in the race.
Republicans see an opportunity to campaign against a new Democratic nominee who will have little time to connect with voters.
The pro-Senator Susan Collins super PAC, Pine Tree Results, raised $10.5 million in the first half of 2026 and has $8 million available now.
Donor Jon Gray, president of Blackstone and a longtime Democratic donor, gave $250,000 to the pro-Collins super PAC before allegations against Platner became public.
Platner is believed to want to influence who replaces him and prefers a progressive candidate, not a "corporate" Democrat.
Democrats have paused spending in Maine to pressure Platner to drop out, reallocating some funds to other states like Ohio, Alaska, and Michigan.
Platner’s situation is causing unease in the Democratic Party and highlighting tensions between progressive activists and party leaders.
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Nigel Farage resigned as the MP for Clacton and announced he will run again in a by-election, describing it as a fight between "people versus the establishment." Major UK political parties including Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Green Party, and Restore Britain decided not to compete in the by-election.
Key Facts
Nigel Farage resigned as MP for Clacton but plans to win the seat again in a by-election.
Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Green Party, and Restore Britain will not participate in this by-election.
Farage is under investigation for not declaring a £5 million gift from a billionaire donor before becoming an MP.
Farage insists he did nothing wrong regarding his finances and criticizes the media and the "establishment."
The by-election could happen as early as August and Farage's party has offered to pay for it.
Farage won Clacton in the 2024 general election with a large majority.
Labour called Farage’s move a distraction from the investigation.
Comedian Jon Harvey, known as Count Binface, plans to run in the by-election.
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The Trump administration ended a waiver that allowed Iran to sell oil after Iran attacked three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The new rules stop any new oil sales immediately but allow a short grace period for transactions already underway, with the money frozen in special accounts.
Key Facts
The original waiver, called "General License X," allowed some Iranian oil sales despite U.S. sanctions.
The waiver was part of a 60-day peace deal between the U.S. and Iran signed on June 18.
Iran attacked three commercial tankers, violating the peace deal’s ceasefire.
The U.S. replaced the original waiver with "General License X1," stopping new Iranian oil sales after the change.
Ongoing transactions are allowed until July 17, with funds held in blocked accounts.
The U.S. military struck targets inside Iran in response to the tanker attacks.
Oil prices rose after the waiver was revoked, with Brent Crude hitting $75 a barrel.
China and India were major buyers of Iranian oil under the original waiver.
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An ICE agent shot and killed a man named Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston during an attempt to stop his vehicle. ICE said the man hit an officer’s car and tried to run over an officer, which led to the agent shooting in self-defense.
Key Facts
The incident happened in Houston on a Tuesday during a federal immigration enforcement operation.
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was identified by ICE as a Mexican national without legal immigration status.
ICE said Salgado hit an ICE vehicle, ignored orders, and tried to run over an officer.
The ICE agent fired his weapon, injuring Salgado, who later died in a hospital.
Salgado’s son said his father was looking for workers to hire when the shooting occurred.
Reuters could not independently confirm the man’s immigration status or the full details.
Similar cases in the past have had conflicting accounts or video evidence challenging initial agency statements.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security did not comment on this case immediately.
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A federal judge ruled that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) cannot get the names and contact details of every person who worked in Fulton County, Georgia, during the 2020 election. The judge said the DOJ’s request was too broad and not clearly linked to a real law enforcement need.
Key Facts
The DOJ served a grand jury subpoena in April seeking personal information of election workers and volunteers in Fulton County.
Fulton County asked the court to cancel the subpoena, saying it was aimed at targeting political opponents and was too broad.
U.S. District Judge William Ray ruled that the subpoena was unreasonable and should be canceled.
Judge Ray said the scope of the request for information was “staggering” and burdensome.
The judge noted that even if the information found wrongdoing, the law’s time limit for charges had passed.
The subpoena came after the FBI seized ballots and documents from the 2020 election hub in Fulton County.
The DOJ called the subpoena a normal step in an investigation, while Fulton County argued it would discourage people from working at elections.
Judge Ray said the grand jury cannot be used to get personal information without a legitimate law purpose.
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