Senate Majority Leader John Thune said that the war involving Iran is now the most important issue for voters as the November midterm elections approach. While other topics like the cost of living and diesel prices matter, concerns about the Iran conflict have become the top focus for many voters.
Key Facts
John Thune is the Senate Majority Leader and a Republican from South Dakota.
Thune stated the war involving Iran has become the main issue for voters ahead of the midterms.
The midterm elections are scheduled for November, only weeks away.
Other important topics for voters include affordability and fuel prices.
The Iran war issue is taking priority over other political concerns in voter decisions.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump is thinking about banning U.S. diesel fuel exports because diesel prices in the U.S. have reached a record high of $6.529 per gallon. This idea has support from some Republican lawmakers, who want to limit exports to keep more fuel in the country and control prices.
Key Facts
Diesel fuel prices in the U.S. recently hit a record high of $6.529 per gallon.
President Trump is "very seriously" considering a ban on U.S. diesel exports.
Senator Chuck Grassley and Representative Tim Burchett support export restrictions to ease high prices.
Russia has had diesel export bans since 2025 to keep fuel inside the country amid shortages caused by Ukraine’s attacks.
U.S. diesel exports to Europe have increased sharply after Europe reduced imports of Russian fuel.
America’s diesel exports helped Europe replace Russian supplies, pushing exports to places like the Netherlands and the UK to much higher levels.
Russia’s share of Turkey’s diesel market fell dramatically due to export bans and Ukraine attacks, while American diesel exports to Turkey increased.
Both Russia and the U.S. are facing fuel supply challenges linked to conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, which have affected global energy markets.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Caleb Flynn, a former "American Idol" contestant, is on trial for the murder of his wife. During the trial, prosecutors showed videos of Flynn's police interviews from shortly after his wife's death.
Key Facts
Caleb Flynn is accused of killing his wife.
Flynn participated in "American Idol" before the trial.
The trial is in its eighth day.
Prosecutors presented police interview videos of Flynn.
These videos were recorded soon after his wife's death.
The videos were shown in a courtroom setting.
The news report was covered by CBS News and journalist Lana Zak.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Nigel Farage claimed that men arrested near RAF Fairford were linked to Iran and entered the UK in small boats, but police said the suspects are all British nationals. The culture secretary Lisa Nandy called Farage a “master of conspiracy theory” for using the situation to spread unproven claims and warned against fueling speculation while the investigation continues.
Key Facts
Nigel Farage said the arrested men were Iranian agents entering the UK by small boats.
Police clarified that all five suspects are British nationals from London.
The men have been released on bail while police continue their investigation.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy criticized Farage for spreading conspiracy theories.
Nandy emphasized the government needs to withhold some information to protect public safety.
Counter Terrorism Policing asked for patience and space to conduct the investigation.
Other Reform UK MPs also tried to link the incident to small boat crossings and border security.
Reform deputy leader Richard Tice questioned the suspects' backgrounds and nationality types.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Some Republican and Democratic lawmakers are opposing President Donald Trump’s new TV ad campaign because it was paid for using taxpayer money. They are concerned about government funds being used for this purpose.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump launched a new television ad campaign.
The ads were paid for with taxpayer money.
Lawmakers from both parties, Republicans and Democrats, are unhappy about this.
They are pushing back against the use of public funds for the ads.
The ads include a commercial titled "Love Me."
The news was reported by CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang.
The issue involves government spending and political advertising.
The ad campaign is linked to President Trump’s current activities.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Andrew Bailey, deputy director of the FBI, is leaving his job about a year after starting. He helped lead investigations related to President Trump’s 2020 election and works under FBI Director Kash Patel during a time of major changes at the agency.
Key Facts
Andrew Bailey was a co-deputy director of the FBI, appointed in September 2025.
He oversaw some investigations involving President Trump’s 2020 election ballots, including searches in Georgia.
Bailey is stepping down to spend more time with his family in Missouri.
FBI Director Kash Patel praised Bailey’s work and leadership in reforms.
Bailey served alongside Christopher Raia after former deputy Dan Bongino left in January.
There have been many departures of FBI agents under Patel’s leadership, some due to political disagreements.
Reports say Bailey, Raia, and Patel had a difficult relationship, including periods without communication.
The FBI referred questions to Bailey’s own social media post about his resignation.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump announced plans to build a $15 billion steel mill in Iowa. The project aims to create thousands of jobs and support American manufacturing, which could help Republican Representative Ashley Hinson in her upcoming Senate race against Democrat Josh Turek.
Key Facts
The steel mill will be the largest built in the U.S. since the 1960s and will be built by Minnesota company Mesabi Metallics.
The project is expected to create 5,000 to 6,000 temporary construction jobs and about 1,750 permanent jobs in Iowa.
The steel plant’s supply chain will use only U.S.-made materials to strengthen national security and local economies.
Iowa, a state with a history of switching between Republican and Democrat votes, has recently leaned more Republican in federal elections.
Ashley Hinson, a Republican, was endorsed by President Trump and supports ending the war in Iran to reduce inflation and fuel prices.
Democrat Josh Turek has gained support in recent polls, showing a more competitive race for the Iowa Senate seat.
Iowa voters care most about everyday issues like the economy, inflation, and fuel costs, which could influence the election outcome.
Political experts say independent voters in Iowa will be important to decide who wins the races this year.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Andrew Bailey, the FBI co-deputy director, announced he will resign on October 2, citing family reasons. Bailey had a difficult working relationship with FBI Director Kash Patel and recently left after internal conflicts and a demotion of two counterterrorism agents linked to complaints from White House officials.
Key Facts
Andrew Bailey is resigning as FBI co-deputy director effective October 2.
Bailey wrote about his resignation citing family reasons.
FBI Director Kash Patel and Bailey had a strained working relationship.
Patel called Bailey "co-deputy director," while Patel used the title "director."
Two counterterrorism agents were demoted after complaints by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and his wife.
Bailey was previously Missouri attorney general before joining the FBI leadership.
Dan Bongino, the other FBI co-deputy director, left the bureau in January.
Chris Raia remains as the other FBI co-deputy director.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Trump administration is thinking about a new rule that would let more married couples get help from a Child Care and Development Fund. This fund helps families pay for childcare, and the change would include families where only one parent works.
Key Facts
The Trump administration is reviewing a rule change related to childcare funding.
The change would expand who can get help from the Child Care and Development Fund.
It would include some married couples with only one parent working.
The fund is designed to help families pay for childcare costs.
This change aims to support more families that may need financial help with childcare.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump announced plans for a new $15 billion steel plant in eastern Iowa. The project, led by Mesabi Metallics, aims to boost American steel production and support local jobs.
Key Facts
The steel plant will cost $15 billion to build.
It will be one of the largest steel plants in the United States.
Mesabi Metallics, a company from Minnesota, is building the plant.
Mesabi Metallics is owned by Essar Group, a company based in India.
President Trump will meet steel executives at the White House for this announcement.
The project is part of efforts to strengthen American steel production.
The announcement comes ahead of competitive political races in Iowa.
The news was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. midterm elections are five weeks away, and President Donald Trump's low approval ratings are worrying Republicans. The party is spending more money on campaigns in areas that usually vote Republican, and some candidates have changed their stance on the U.S. war in Iran.
Key Facts
The midterm elections in the U.S. will happen in about five weeks.
President Donald Trump is not running in these elections.
Trump’s approval ratings have recently dropped to very low levels.
Republicans are worried about losing seats, even in areas they usually win easily.
The party is giving more campaign money to many candidates to try to keep control.
Some Republican candidates have shifted their positions on the war in Iran.
President Trump is campaigning in traditionally strong Republican states like Alabama and Oklahoma.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A 20-year-old LSU soccer player who beat cancer received a surprise night out to see Bruno Mars in New Orleans. The tickets were given by a woman who could not use them due to her own cancer treatment and wanted to give someone else a special night.
Key Facts
A woman bought five tickets to a Bruno Mars concert but became unable to use them because she and a friend were diagnosed with breast cancer.
She wanted to give away the tickets to someone who had just beaten cancer.
CBS News connected with the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System to find a suitable person.
Rylie Kuyper, a 20-year-old LSU goalkeeper, was chosen; she had stage 2 Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Rylie shared her cancer journey on TikTok, gaining 33 million views and support.
After finishing chemotherapy, Rylie was surprised with a VIP trip to the concert with her friends.
The evening was a special celebration of her recovery, arranged by anonymous donors.
Rylie expressed gratitude for the kindness of strangers during her cancer fight.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. Department of Education is offering a temporary 1% interest rate reduction on federal student loans for borrowers who sign up for automatic payments by September 30. This reduction will last until June 30, 2028, helping borrowers save money and encouraging timely payments.
Key Facts
Borrowers must enroll in automatic payments by September 30 to qualify for the interest rate reduction.
The 1% lower interest rate applies to federal student loans made after July 1, 2012.
The reduction lasts until June 30, 2028.
This program aims to help borrowers save money and reduce missed payments.
A borrower with $50,000 debt and an interest rate of 7.94% could save about $23 per month.
The program may benefit those with large loan balances, such as graduate students or Parent PLUS loan borrowers.
Sign-up requires authorizing automatic payments from a checking or savings account.
Automatic payments help avoid missed payments, but do not solve difficulties if borrowers cannot afford payments.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Senate is expected to vote on a bipartisan bill called the Protect College Sports Act that would set national rules for how college athletes can be paid and transfer between schools. The bill aims to give the NCAA more control and protect colleges from legal challenges while managing payment and transfer issues in college sports.
Key Facts
The Senate will consider the Protect College Sports Act, a bipartisan bill.
The bill would regulate payments to college athletes for their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
It would also limit how often college athletes can transfer between schools.
The NCAA would gain new authority to enforce these rules.
The bill offers limited antitrust protection to help enforce regulations.
This legislation follows a 2025 lawsuit settlement that changed rules on paying college athletes.
The bill must still be approved by the House of Representatives before becoming law.
The goal is to reduce confusion and costs caused by recent changes in college sports.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The White House has aired taxpayer-funded ads featuring President Donald Trump promoting his administration’s achievements before the midterm elections. Some Republican lawmakers have criticized the use of public money for these ads, calling it inappropriate and raising concerns about legality.
Key Facts
The White House aired three ads highlighting President Trump’s policies ahead of the midterm elections.
One ad includes Trump criticizing communism and includes praise from UFC CEO Dana White.
Another ad focuses on Trump’s campaign promises to dismantle entrenched government forces.
Spending on the first ad reached at least $443,000.
Several Republicans, including Senator John Kennedy and Representative Thomas Massie, objected to using taxpayer money for these ads.
Critics compared the ads to propaganda used in less democratic countries.
The White House calls the ads patriotic public service announcements meant to educate Americans.
Prominent conservatives labeled the ads unethical, illegal, and a misuse of taxpayer funds.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A criminal investigation into an alleged gang rape at Cornell University’s Chi Phi fraternity has been reopened after a civil lawsuit was filed by the alleged victim. The Tompkins County District Attorney will review new evidence and may present charges to a grand jury, while Cornell University supports this decision.
Key Facts
The investigation involves claims of a gang rape at Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity house.
The alleged victim filed a civil lawsuit on September 16, 2024, accusing seven fraternity members.
The alleged incident occurred in October 2024 and involved drug use and sexual assault claims.
Initially, no criminal charges were filed because the victim’s first statement described consensual drug use and sex.
The District Attorney is now reopening the criminal probe following the new civil complaint and community concern.
A senior prosecutor will prepare the case for a grand jury to decide on possible indictments.
Cornell University closed the Chi Phi fraternity chapter in 2024 and supports the DA’s review.
Lawyers for the accused dispute the allegations, calling them false and dishonest.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
FBI Deputy Director Andrew Bailey announced he is leaving his job about a year after starting under President Donald Trump’s administration. He thanked President Trump, the Attorney General, and the FBI Director for the chance to work in this role.
Key Facts
Andrew Bailey served as FBI Deputy Director for around one year.
He joined the role during President Donald Trump’s current administration.
Bailey announced his departure publicly on the social platform X (formerly Twitter).
He expressed gratitude to President Trump, Attorney General Todd Blanche, and FBI Director Kash Patel.
Bailey said he was proud of the work he did while in the job.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will speak about the Trump administration’s plan to update the United States air traffic control system. He recently asked Congress to provide $30 billion to fund new technology, control towers, and airport upgrades.
Key Facts
Sean Duffy is the U.S. Transportation Secretary.
He will give a public speech about modernizing air traffic control.
The system being updated is old and needs improvement.
The Trump administration is leading this effort.
Duffy asked Congress to allocate $30 billion for the project.
The requested money would fund new technology and better control towers.
Funds would also support improvements at airports across the country.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A large number of immigrants came to the U.S. from 2021 to 2024, adding workers and helping the economy grow without hurting jobs or wages for native-born Americans. However, this immigration also caused rent prices to go up a little because there were more people needing housing than homes available.
Key Facts
About 6.5 million migrants entered the U.S. outside normal legal ways between 2021 and 2024.
These migrants added about 1.6 million jobs in major city areas, making up around 18% of new jobs during that time.
The immigration surge increased economic output (GDP) in average metro areas by about 1.5%.
Native-born workers kept their jobs and saw their wages rise by nearly 1% during the immigration surge.
Rent prices went up by about 1.4% to 1.6% because housing did not grow fast enough to meet demand.
Many new migrants initially stayed in shelters, emergency housing, or with family and friends.
The surge happened during a time when the economy needed many workers, especially in industries like hospitality and construction.
Researchers suggest immigrants and native workers often do different jobs that help businesses work better.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Jonathan Robles, 36, was arrested and charged with murder after a 63-year-old woman was found dead in New York City's Central Park. The woman suffered head injuries and was found near the park's East Drive, close to the Loeb Boathouse area.
Key Facts
A 63-year-old woman was found unconscious with head trauma near East Drive and East 74th Street in Central Park.
Police initially said she was stabbed, but later stated she was hit in the head with a stick.
Jonathan Robles was arrested and charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
Robles lives at the Barbour Hotel, which provides supportive housing for vulnerable people in Manhattan.
The Barbour Hotel is run by Praxis Housing Initiatives, a nonprofit helping people with housing instability and health challenges.
It is unclear if Robles received services or how long he lived at that address.
Police have not released the victim’s name or the motive for the crime.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not confirmed any relationship between Robles and the victim.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
