A family from Ohio spoke out against a Republican Senate campaign ad that used their story about a highway accident. The ad tried to connect Democratic candidate Sherrod Brown to the accident. Brown is running against current Senator Jon Husted in a close election.
Key Facts
The ad was made by Republicans for a Senate race in Ohio.
It mentioned a highway accident involving a family from Ohio.
The family did not approve of their story being used in the ad.
The ad linked the accident to Sherrod Brown, the Democratic candidate and former senator.
Sherrod Brown is competing against the current senator, Jon Husted, a Republican.
Their Senate race is considered one of the most competitive in Ohio.
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British political commentator Milo Yiannopoulos was taken into custody by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Department of Homeland Security has not explained why he was detained, and details about his detention location are not available.
Key Facts
Milo Yiannopoulos is a British political commentator known for far-right views.
He was detained by ICE on Friday, according to an ICE database.
The database confirms he is a UK citizen and currently in ICE custody.
The exact location of his detention is not disclosed.
The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to requests for information.
No public information is available about his legal representation.
The news report is ongoing, and more updates may come later.
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A woman from Kentucky, Melissa Farris, has been charged by a federal grand jury for damaging the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. She is accused of spray painting the memorial and adding bubbles to a fountain on August 13, 2026, and will face arraignment on two felony counts.
Key Facts
Melissa Farris is from Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
She was indicted on charges of destroying the World War II Memorial and government property.
The damage involved spray painting the words “Clean hands dirty $” on the memorial and filling a fountain with bubbles.
The incident happened on August 13, 2026.
Farris was released after her first court appearance on August 17, 2026.
President Donald Trump posted about the vandalism on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Trump referred to previous claims about vandalism at the nearby Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
A former Olympian was charged last month for damaging the Reflecting Pool, but the charges were later dropped when evidence did not support vandalism.
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A woman from Kentucky, Melissa Farris, was officially charged by a federal grand jury for damaging the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. She is accused of spray painting on the memorial and causing damage to a fountain, with a court date set for her arraignment soon.
Key Facts
Melissa Farris, from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, was indicted on two felony charges.
The charges are for destroying a veterans' memorial and government property.
She allegedly spray painted "Clean hands dirty $" on the World War II Memorial on August 13.
Farris is also accused of filling a fountain at the memorial with bubbles.
She was released after her first court appearance on August 17.
President Donald Trump mentioned the damage on his social media, linking it to other vandalism incidents.
Another case involving damage to the nearby Reflecting Pool was dropped due to lack of evidence.
The federal government is handling the case through the Justice Department.
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The Trump administration is reportedly considering giving a small piece of land inside Yosemite National Park to a private company that owns nearby land. The proposed land trade aims to help build a short road to connect the company’s property to the park, but it has sparked opposition from park supporters and lawmakers.
Key Facts
The Trump administration wants to transfer a quarter-mile parcel inside Yosemite to Kingsbarn Realty Capital, a private developer.
Kingsbarn already owns 83 acres of undeveloped land next to the park.
The developer wants to build a short road to link its land to a main park route.
Yosemite’s existing access road to Kingsbarn’s land is over 10 miles from the park entrance and indirect.
Officials propose exchanging the park land for other land elsewhere in California.
Interior Department leaders support the plan, but some park service staff oppose it.
The Interior Department denies political pressure and says no final decisions are made yet.
California’s senators and a congressman oppose the development plans.
Environmental groups warn the move could lead to selling public lands and privatizing national parks.
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A Pentagon employee known as "DataRepublican" launched a website called DSA Explorer that maps connections between left-wing groups, including the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). The site uses publicly available information but has raised concerns about political targeting and ethics, while the Pentagon confirmed the employee’s role but gave no further comment.
Key Facts
The website DSA Explorer shows a network of left-wing groups and individuals connected to the DSA.
It uses public information and analytical guesses to show relationships but warns users to verify independently.
The site connects over 1,000 relationships among hundreds of organizations and people.
One individual linked is Eugene Puryear, described as a former VP candidate and potentially linked to a foreign country.
The website’s creator is Jennica Pounds, a Pentagon special government employee and known conservative influencer online as DataRepublican.
Pounds revealed her identity publicly in February 2025 and has previously investigated government and nonprofit groups online.
The Pentagon confirmed Pounds works there but declined to give more details.
The site has drawn criticism for possibly enabling harassment of political activists, though supporters call it a transparency project.
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A federal judge rejected President Donald Trump’s second attempt to move his criminal case about hush money payments to a federal court. Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels. He is appealing his conviction but the judge said there was no good legal reason to change the court.
Key Facts
President Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
The case involves a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Trump tried twice to move the case from state court in New York to federal court and was denied both times.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein denied the motion, saying the reasons given were not new or legally strong.
A federal appeals court ordered the judge to reconsider after the Supreme Court’s 2024 presidential immunity ruling.
The Supreme Court ruling gave broad protection for official acts by a president.
Trump’s lawyers argue that the immunity ruling should limit what evidence can be used against him.
Judge Hellerstein upheld his original decision denying the move to federal court.
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Some Democratic candidates running in conservative states are avoiding endorsements and campaigning help from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. They believe distancing themselves from the current national Democratic leaders will help them win votes in areas that voted strongly for President Donald Trump.
Key Facts
With less than 70 days before the midterm elections, some Democrats in red states reject Biden and Harris’s support.
Iowa Senate candidate Josh Turek and gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand declined Harris and Biden's help.
Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola is focusing on local support and not seeking endorsements from mainland politicians.
These candidates aim to attract independent and moderate Republican voters by distancing themselves from the national Democratic brand.
Retaining the Senate is vital for Democrats as Republicans currently hold a slim majority.
Democratic strategist James Carville noted that Democrats are trying to move past the 2024 election and that Biden’s health issues may limit his campaign appearances.
There is a general sense among some voters of disillusionment with established Democratic leaders and the party brand.
Historically, parties sometimes avoid high-profile endorsements in tough areas to distance candidates from unpopular national figures.
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The Trump administration proposed a new rule to cut off the UAE branches of Banque Misr, a large Egyptian bank, from using the U.S. financial system. This action aims to reduce economic support to Iran’s leadership amid ongoing U.S. efforts against Iran.
Key Facts
The U.S. Treasury Department announced the new rule on a Friday.
The rule targets the UAE branches of Banque Misr, Egypt’s second-largest bank.
The bank is accused of providing financial support to Iran’s leadership.
The measure would block these branches from accessing the U.S. financial system.
This action is part of President Trump’s broader campaign against Iran’s economy.
The U.S. action comes as its campaign against Iran reaches six months.
The UAE branches operate outside of Egypt but are connected to the Egyptian bank.
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Milo Yiannopoulos, a British political commentator, is currently held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He was reported to be in New Orleans before a scheduled Kanye West concert, and details about his detention are still unclear.
Key Facts
Milo Yiannopoulos is in ICE custody, according to ICE’s online database.
He holds British citizenship.
Yiannopoulos was in New Orleans before a Kanye West concert set for Friday night.
TMZ was the first to report his detention.
He has worked with Kanye West on political and business projects.
CBS News has contacted the Department of Homeland Security and ICE for more information.
The situation is still evolving with more updates expected.
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President Donald Trump signed an order to create the U.S. Space Academy. This new school will train engineers, operators, and military members to work in space-related fields.
Key Facts
President Trump signed an executive order on Friday.
The order creates the U.S. Space Academy.
The academy’s purpose is to educate and train people for space jobs.
It will focus on engineers, operators, and service members.
The academy is compared to military schools like West Point and the Air Force Academy.
It aims to prepare the next generation for work in space.
The announcement highlights the importance of space in national defense.
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A federal judge has again refused President Donald Trump’s request to move his hush money conviction case from state court to federal court and dismiss it based on presidential immunity. This is the third time the judge has blocked Trump’s attempt, and Trump plans to appeal the decision.
Key Facts
President Trump was convicted in May 2024 of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels.
The payment was meant to keep Daniels from revealing a claim of a past sexual encounter with Trump.
The judge, Alvin K. Hellerstein, ruled that Trump’s reasons for moving the case to federal court were not legally sufficient.
Trump’s legal team argues that presidential immunity should protect him and wants the case dismissed.
This is the third time Judge Hellerstein denied Trump’s request to transfer the case from New York state court to federal court.
The Supreme Court ruled in July 2024 that presidents and former presidents cannot be prosecuted for official acts while in office.
Trump received an unconditional discharge, meaning he was convicted but not punished.
Trump is also appealing the conviction through the New York state court system, and that process is still ongoing.
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President Donald Trump awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the four Artemis II astronauts who flew around the moon in April 2026. At the ceremony, he also announced the creation of a U.S. Space Academy to support NASA, the Space Force, and commercial space efforts.
Key Facts
The Artemis II crew included three Americans (Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch) and one Canadian (Jeremy Hansen).
They flew around the moon, coming within 4,067 miles of its surface, setting a new distance record for humans.
This mission tested NASA’s new Orion spacecraft and launched on NASA’s new moon rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Artemis II was the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years.
President Trump said the U.S. will land astronauts back on the moon before his term ends and plans to send humans to Mars soon after.
The U.S. Space Academy announced will support the Space Force, NASA, and commercial space operations, though its location is still undecided.
Prior to this event, only 30 astronauts had ever received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and other officials attended the ceremony at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
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Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton introduced New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the March on Washington. He compared her to Shirley Chisholm, a late congresswoman and presidential candidate, highlighting their shared connection and dedication to voting rights.
Key Facts
Rev. Al Sharpton helped organize the 2024 March on Washington.
Sharpton introduced Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the event.
He compared Ocasio-Cortez to Shirley Chisholm, a former congresswoman from New York.
Shirley Chisholm was also a presidential candidate in the past.
Sharpton said he served as Shirley Chisholm’s youth director.
The event focused on voting rights.
Ocasio-Cortez is a Democrat representing New York.
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President Donald Trump gave the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the Artemis II crew. The ceremony happened at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, four months after their mission that flew by the moon.
Key Facts
President Trump presented the award on Friday.
The ceremony took place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The Artemis II crew includes astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
The crew received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
Their historic Artemis II mission flew by the moon four months earlier.
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A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration's blacklisting of the AI company Anthropic was illegal. The government had banned the use of Anthropic's technology because the company refused to allow its AI to be used for autonomous weapons and mass surveillance.
Key Facts
The Trump administration labeled Anthropic a national security risk and blocked federal use of its AI products.
Anthropic refused to allow its AI to be used for lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance of Americans.
Judge Rita Lin ruled this blacklisting violated Anthropic’s First Amendment rights and was unlawful retaliation.
The judge ordered the government to cancel the directives that banned Anthropic’s products.
The Trump administration argued national security concerns but gave weak evidence for the ban.
Anthropic sued in March, claiming the government did not follow proper procedures in labeling it a security risk.
Two courts are involved: a DC appeals court and the Northern District of California, with ongoing reviews.
The White House stated President Trump would not allow what it called a "radical left, woke company" to dictate military operations.
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A federal judge has rejected President Donald Trump's attempt to erase a conviction related to hush money payments. The judge also denied Trump's request to move the case from state court to federal court based on presidential immunity.
Key Facts
The case involves a conviction tied to hush money payments.
President Trump wanted to move the case to federal court.
He argued that as president, he should have immunity from this case.
Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein denied this request on Friday.
The judge said Trump's reasons were not new or legally strong.
The judge also said Trump did not show good cause or diligence for the request.
This is a repeated effort by President Trump to erase the conviction.
The judge reaffirmed his earlier decision against President Trump’s motion.
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A teenager in North Carolina is critically ill from a rare brain infection caused by the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri. This infection, while very uncommon, has appeared in multiple U.S. states over many years, mainly in the southern states, and is almost always fatal.
Key Facts
The brain infection is caused by Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic organism found in warm freshwater like lakes and ponds.
Infection happens when contaminated water enters the nose, often during swimming or diving.
The infection, called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), destroys brain tissue and causes severe inflammation.
Since 1937, 173 cases in the U.S. have been linked to Naegleria fowleri exposure; most cases are in southern states like Texas and Florida.
Texas has had 40 cases, Florida 37, and Virginia 18; infections have also been reported in northern states.
The CDC reports fewer than 10 cases yearly in the U.S., with only four known survivors since 1962.
Most infections happen in males aged 10 to 14, especially in July and August when water is warmest.
The North Carolina case follows a recent death of an 8-year-old girl in Louisiana from the same infection.
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President Donald Trump announced the creation of a new U.S. Space Academy to train astronauts, engineers, and military personnel for future space missions. The academy will be a federal institution with standards similar to West Point and the Air Force Academy, preparing students for careers in space exploration and national space defense.
Key Facts
President Trump announced the U.S. Space Academy at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The academy will train space service members, engineers, and civil operators for long missions, including to Mars.
The academy will have standards equal to top military schools like West Point and the U.S. Air Force Academy.
An executive order officially created the new institution.
The academy will offer formal education and professional training for careers in the space sector.
It will be federally chartered and led by a presidential commission with NASA involvement.
The academy is different from NASA Space Camp, which is an educational program without degrees or military training.
The goal is to prepare a skilled workforce for American space exploration, security, and development efforts.
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A federal judge denied President Donald Trump’s request to erase his New York felony conviction related to hush-money payments and refused to move the case to federal court. The judge ruled that the conviction stands and that Trump’s arguments for dismissal or federal immunity are legally insufficient.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump was convicted in New York in 2024 on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records.
The charges relate to reimbursements made to his former lawyer for a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign.
U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein rejected Trump’s request to dismiss the case or move it to federal court.
The judge said Trump’s arguments were not new or legally strong enough to change previous rulings.
The ruling confirms that the acts were personal, not presidential, so federal immunity does not apply.
Trump’s sentence remains an unconditional discharge given earlier in 2024, but the conviction stands.
Trump’s legal team plans to continue appealing through state courts.
This is the first time a U.S. president has been convicted of a felony while serving as president.
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