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Latest developments and key stories from across the United States
President Donald Trump's appointees moved forward with plans to add permanent fences and gates around Lafayette Square near the White House. The plan aims to increase security but faces criticism because the park is a historic public space used for protests and gatherings.
Key Facts
Officials working for President Trump advanced proposals for new fences and gates at Lafayette Square.
Lafayette Square is located directly in front of the White House and is often used by people for protests and celebrations.
The plan aims to balance security concerns with preserving the park’s role as a public gathering spot.
Some critics argue that permanent fencing could limit public access and change the park’s historic nature.
The National Capital Planning Commission reviewed and accepted several versions of the fencing plan.
The commission is expected to hold a final vote on the fencing proposals in the coming months.
The commission also approved a new security screening center for White House visitors near the Treasury Department.
Earlier, the same commission had approved President Trump’s plan to add a ballroom at the White House after he removed the East Wing without official permission.
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Mark Sanchez, a former NFL player and Fox Sports analyst, plans to plead guilty to charges related to a fight outside an Indianapolis hotel in October 2025. The case involves a felony battery charge and three misdemeanors, with a civil lawsuit also ongoing from the truck driver involved in the incident.
Key Facts
Mark Sanchez faced charges from a fight with a truck driver outside an Indianapolis hotel in October 2025.
He plans to plead guilty and requests a hearing to be sentenced.
The charges include one felony battery and three misdemeanors.
Sanchez’s trial was delayed five times and was scheduled to start in early June 2026.
The truck driver, Perry Tole, filed a civil lawsuit against Sanchez and Fox Sports.
Sanchez was released by Fox Sports in November 2025 and replaced by Drew Brees.
During the fight, Sanchez was hospitalized after being stabbed in the torso, and the truck driver suffered a face cut.
Sanchez had a 10-year NFL career and began work as a sports analyst in 2021 after retiring in 2019.
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The White House website introduced five simple video games designed to highlight parts of President Donald Trump’s policies. These games include themes about border security, health standards, and a savings program for children born during Trump’s term.
Key Facts
The new collection is called Arcade and features five low-resolution games.
“Build the Wall” is a game similar to Tetris focused on protecting the border.
“Rio Run” resembles the game Snake and involves gathering potential border crossers.
“Supply Line” is inspired by the arcade game Tapper and involves sorting food to meet health standards.
Two games, “Flappy Bill” and “Trump Savings Tycoon,” are set over Washington, D.C.
“Trump Savings Tycoon” promotes a savings plan giving $1,000 to each child born during Trump’s presidency.
The games are meant to promote parts of President Trump’s agenda in a fun, interactive way.
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Lawyers for Jerry Sandusky, a former Penn State football coach convicted of sexual abuse, asked to delay a court hearing about an accuser who wants to take back his abuse claims. Sandusky’s team wants to appeal a judge’s decision and try to get a new trial, but prosecutors say the accuser’s change of story is doubtful.
Key Facts
Jerry Sandusky was convicted in 2012 of 45 counts of sexually abusing boys.
Sandusky is serving a long prison sentence for these crimes.
An accuser, called R.R., says he was coached by authorities to change his story.
Sandusky’s lawyers argue R.R.’s original statements were influenced by pressure and leading questions.
The accuser said Sandusky abused him when he was 11 years old.
Sandusky founded a charity called The Second Mile that he used to find and groom victims.
The accuser testified that Sandusky threatened him not to tell anyone.
The university paid more than $100 million to abuse victims connected to Sandusky.
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The Missouri Supreme Court blocked the use of new congressional districts supported by President Donald Trump in the upcoming November election. The court ordered a statewide vote to decide whether to keep or reject the new map, meaning the old map from the 2020 census will be used for now.
Key Facts
The Missouri Supreme Court made a unanimous decision to stop the new Trump-backed districts from being used in the November 2026 election.
The court said the new districts must be approved by voters first through a statewide referendum.
Opponents submitted over 300,000 petition signatures to put the new map to a public vote.
The new districts were used during the August primaries but will not be used for the general election.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway plans to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins initially rejected the petition for a referendum, but the state Supreme Court overruled him.
The court stated the referendum petition was legal, and the old districts from the 2020 census will remain in effect for November.
The ruling is seen as a rare legal setback for Republicans during redistricting efforts.
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A whistleblower from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported that, during a fast hiring period, many new officers were hired without completing basic background checks. This raised concerns about the risk of misconduct and security problems at ICE as it expanded its workforce to support President Donald Trump’s deportation goals.
Key Facts
A supervisor in ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility warned about hiring officers before necessary background checks were finished.
Basic vetting steps left undone included fingerprints, identity checks, and credit checks.
The whistleblower said these hiring practices broke federal rules and increased risks of insider threats.
ICE hired 12,000 new officers in less than a year, funded by a $75 billion budget increase approved by Congress.
New hires received $50,000 signing bonuses, which contributed to the rapid hiring spree.
Investigations found some new hires had serious financial problems, past misconduct accusations, and unstable job histories.
The whistleblower, a 17-year ICE employee who supported President Trump, called for an inspector general investigation.
Officials linked vetting failures to concerns about an ICE officer involved in a fatal shooting in Maine.
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President Trump’s administration asked the Supreme Court to remove a block on a rule that would limit mail-in voting. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors charged an immigration officer with lying about a shooting incident. Billionaire Leon Black is refusing to answer a Congressional subpoena about his links to Jeffrey Epstein and is suing the House committee instead.
Key Facts
The Trump administration wants the Supreme Court to unblock a plan that restricts mail-in voting.
Mail-in voting allows people to vote by mail instead of going to voting places.
Federal prosecutors charged an immigration officer with lying about shooting a Venezuelan man.
Billionaire Leon Black is involved in a legal battle over his connection to Jeffrey Epstein.
Leon Black is not cooperating with a Congressional subpoena and has sued the House committee.
Jeffrey Epstein was a convicted sex offender.
The events are part of ongoing legal and political conflicts in the U.S.
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The Pentagon tried to redirect billions of dollars from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget to increase its own funding. Representative Rosa DeLauro, a leading Democrat, said officials from President Trump’s administration only recently told Congress about an agreement between the Defense Department and NIH.
Key Facts
The Pentagon sought to move funds away from the NIH to boost its defense budget.
The move involved billions of dollars.
Representative Rosa DeLauro is the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.
The funding change was part of an interagency agreement between the Defense Department and NIH.
Officials under President Trump’s administration informed Congress only recently about this agreement.
The NIH is a government agency that supports medical research.
There are concerns about shifting money from health research to defense needs.
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President Donald Trump said the U.S. has large supplies of ammunition and is producing even more, despite costly wars in Iran and Ukraine. He said the Biden administration gave more weapons to Ukraine than have been used in the Iran war, but experts say the U.S. military is strained by supporting both conflicts.
Key Facts
President Trump claims the U.S. has almost unlimited ammunition and is producing more than ever.
He said more weapons were sent for free to Ukraine under the Biden administration than have been used in the Iran conflict.
Analysts warn the U.S. military is stretched thin by supporting both the Iran war and Ukraine conflict.
The Iran war began under President Trump, while the Ukraine conflict escalated during President Biden's term.
The U.S. has sent about $66 billion in security aid to Ukraine, plus about $130 billion in other assistance.
Weapons sent to Ukraine include millions of artillery shells, rockets, missiles, and advanced missile systems.
Experts say the U.S. military must balance current conflicts while being ready to respond to other threats like China.
The U.S. Department of War (formerly Defense) states the military remains strong and capable of handling operations.
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A federal judge temporarily stopped the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from trying to undo California's rules that set stricter pollution limits for cars. The judge’s decision puts on hold the Trump administration’s effort to use Congress to overturn these state rules.
Key Facts
A federal judge issued a temporary block on the EPA’s attempt to overturn California’s car pollution rules.
The rules require cars to meet cleaner air standards set by California, which are stricter than federal standards.
The Trump administration wanted Congress to change these rules to make car pollution standards uniform nationwide.
Judge Beryl Howell, appointed by President Obama, made the ruling.
The case involves the balance between federal authority and state rights on environmental policy.
The EPA’s effort was part of a wider effort to loosen regulations on vehicle emissions.
The block is temporary, so the final outcome depends on further court decisions.
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The Missouri Supreme Court stopped the state from using a new congressional map that favored Republicans in the upcoming November election. The court ruled that voters must first decide in a statewide vote whether to approve or reject the new map, so the old map will stay in effect for now.
Key Facts
The Missouri Supreme Court blocked the new Republican-favored House map from being used in the November election.
Voters will have a chance to approve or reject the new map through a statewide referendum.
The new districts were used in the August primary but cannot be used in the November general election yet.
The old congressional map, with six GOP-leaning and two Democratic-leaning districts, remains in effect for 2026.
The referendum petition was submitted by citizens and was ruled legal and timely by the court.
The Missouri Constitution allows a referendum on any legislative act, including congressional redistricting.
The new map was created after a special session called by Missouri’s Republican governor following encouragement from President Donald Trump.
Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's district was affected by redrawing, but he remains committed to running for reelection.
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The Missouri Supreme Court stopped the use of new congressional districts backed by President Donald Trump in the November election. The court ordered a statewide vote to decide if the new map should be approved by voters before it can be used again.
Key Facts
The Missouri Supreme Court ruled unanimously against using the new districts for the November general election.
The new districts had been used in the August primary but cannot be used again unless approved by voters in a referendum.
Citizens submitted enough petition signatures to force a statewide vote on the new congressional map.
The court said the referendum petition was legal and the Secretary of State wrongly rejected it.
Missouri will use the congressional districts from the 2020 census for the next general election unless voters approve the new map.
The new districts were part of a mid-decade redistricting effort pushed by Republicans to gain seats in Congress.
The Republican Secretary of State argued that a referendum should not apply to congressional district maps, but the court disagreed.
Missouri has six Republican and two Democratic representatives, and the redistricting aimed to help Republicans win more seats.
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Zach Lahn, the Republican candidate for governor in Iowa, says his success over a supporter of President Donald Trump comes from his strong local presence in the campaign. Although Democrats have not held the governor’s office in Iowa since 2011, a recent poll shows this governor’s race is very close.
Key Facts
Zach Lahn is the Republican nominee for Iowa governor.
Lahn defeated a candidate who was an ally of President Donald Trump.
Lahn credits his victory to being actively present and campaigning locally.
Democrats have not controlled the Iowa governor’s office since 2011.
A recent Emerson poll shows the governor’s race in Iowa is tied or very close.
Zach Lahn spoke about his campaign on CBS News’s show "The Takeout."
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The jury in the Lindsay Clancy case could not reach a decision after six days of deliberation. The case involves a woman who shot a man in June during a dispute over a parking spot.
Key Facts
The trial is about Lindsay Clancy.
The jury was deadlocked, meaning they could not decide on a verdict.
Jury deliberation lasted six days.
The incident involved a shooting over a parking spot.
The shooting happened in June.
The case is being covered by CBS Evening News.
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Rozina Ali talks about the history of Islamophobia in the United States on the PBS podcast "Settle In." She explains how Muslim and Arab communities faced FBI surveillance starting in the 1960s, which increased after the 9/11 attacks.
Key Facts
Islamophobia means fear or hatred of Islam and Muslims.
FBI began watching Muslim and Arab communities in the 1960s.
After 9/11, surveillance programs on these groups became much larger.
Rozina Ali wrote a book called "Seasons of Fury" about four families and Islamophobia in America.
Ali appeared on the PBS podcast "Settle In" to discuss her book and Islamophobia.
The article focuses on the long history of suspicion and monitoring of Muslim Americans.
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The U.S. Forest Service is closing 23 research sites due to having very few or no staff. This is part of a larger plan to reorganize after reviewing 64 sites in total.
Key Facts
The Forest Service announced the closures on Thursday.
23 research sites will be shut down.
These sites have few or no employees working at them.
The decision is part of a bigger reorganization effort.
Earlier this year, the Forest Service reviewed 64 research sites.
The agency manages the nation’s national forests.
Closing these sites is meant to improve how the agency operates.
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The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that Republicans cannot use a new voting map that would give their party an extra seat in the U.S. House of Representatives until voters approve it in November. This decision blocks the GOP's plan to redraw congressional district boundaries without public approval.
Key Facts
The court blocked a new House district map created by Missouri Republicans.
The new map was designed to give the GOP one more seat in the U.S. House.
The court said the map must be approved by voters before it can be used.
This decision delays changes to Missouri's congressional districts.
The ruling limits the Republican party's ability to unilaterally redraw voting boundaries.
Voters will decide on this map in the upcoming November election.
President Trump and the GOP supported the new map effort.
The case highlights ongoing disputes over political map drawing, known as redistricting.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) removed two reported measles deaths from its public records after an order from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is known for opposing vaccines. Despite this, the CDC continues to track these deaths in an internal database, creating confusion over whether the deaths were caused by measles.
Key Facts
Two measles deaths involving a newborn and a child were initially reported in Pennsylvania during a measles outbreak.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. requested the CDC to delete these two deaths from public measles data.
CDC staff had accepted that these deaths were measles-related before the deletion occurred.
The deaths were removed from the CDC public website on August 30, but remain listed in an internal CDC database called “One CDC Data Platform.”
Pennsylvania has experienced a measles outbreak with 540 cases reported so far.
The CDC now states it cannot confirm if the deaths were caused or contributed to by measles.
Pennsylvania health officials say they have provided all necessary information to the CDC.
Health Secretary Kennedy has publicly disputed the reported measles deaths and criticized the state’s handling of the outbreak.
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Firefighters in San Francisco rescued a man trapped inside a garbage truck by digging out the trash manually. The man was taken to a hospital with possible injuries, and a firefighter was also hurt during the rescue.
Key Facts
The rescue happened early Wednesday morning after reports of a person stuck inside a Recology garbage truck.
Bystanders heard screams and alerted the truck driver, who stopped the truck to prevent further harm.
Firefighters removed the trash by hand instead of dumping it out to find and free the man.
The man was lifted out on a stretcher and taken to a trauma center for possible crush injuries.
One firefighter was cut and taken to the hospital after working inside the trash.
Officials warned that garbage trucks are very dangerous and can continue to compress trash.
People sometimes get trapped while searching through garbage for items, but this case was unusual and more difficult to rescue.
Firefighters wore protective gear due to hazards in trash containers such as sharp objects and harmful substances.
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A whistleblower at the U.S. Postal Service has raised concerns about a new mail-in voting system that might cause serious issues and stop millions of Americans from getting their ballots. Representative James Walkinshaw of Virginia spoke about these concerns during a House committee discussion.
Key Facts
A USPS whistleblower warned about problems with a new mail-in voting system.
The whistleblower believes this system could stop millions of people from getting ballots.
Representative James Walkinshaw, a Democrat from Virginia, is involved in the House committee handling this issue.
Walkinshaw discussed the whistleblower’s concerns publicly in an interview.
The problem relates to mail-in voting, which many Americans use to vote by mail.
The House committee is investigating the USPS mail voting system changes.
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