A study on the effectiveness of the 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccine was published after being blocked from a CDC weekly report. The study found the vaccine reduced hospitalizations and emergency visits related to COVID-19 by about half among adults without weakened immune systems.
Key Facts
The study was done by CDC researchers and researchers from 10 U.S. states.
It focused on adults aged 18 and older during fall and winter of 2025.
The vaccine lowered the risk of hospitalization by 55% and emergency or urgent care visits by 50%.
The study did not consider if people had previous COVID-19 infections or vaccines.
The study was originally blocked from the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report in March.
CDC acting Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya raised concerns about the study’s test-negative design method.
The CDC said they review studies carefully to ensure scientific accuracy before publishing.
Experts said blocking the study was surprising because it showed vaccines work to prevent serious illness.
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The White House has asked Congress for $87.6 billion in emergency funding to support U.S. military operations related to the war with Iran. The plan mainly funds defense needs but also includes money for farmers, public health, and local projects to gain wider political support.
Key Facts
The White House request totals $87.6 billion in emergency funding.
$67 billion of this is for the Department of Defense to support troops, buy weapons, and cover military operations linked to the Iran conflict.
The request also includes funds for American farmers, public health efforts like Ebola response in Africa, and local projects in Washington, D.C.
The funding aims to refill accounts that have been depleted by ongoing U.S. military actions.
Lawmakers from both parties have expressed concern or resistance to more military spending.
The administration hopes the inclusion of farm aid and domestic programs will help gain support for the package.
Rising fuel costs and supply problems have affected farmers, making the requested aid relevant to their needs.
The Office of Management and Budget filed the request shortly after President Donald Trump challenged Republican senators over war powers legislation.
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President Donald Trump and Senator Bill Cassidy had a heated argument during a meeting with Republican senators about a war powers resolution. The resolution, which passed in the Senate, aims to limit the president's authority to engage in war with Iran without congressional approval.
Key Facts
The war powers resolution passed in the Senate by a 50-48 vote.
Four Republican senators, including Cassidy, voted with Democrats to support the resolution.
The resolution seeks to restrict President Trump's ability to conduct military actions in Iran without approval from Congress.
President Trump and Senator Cassidy shouted at each other during the meeting.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other senators tried to calm the situation.
Cassidy told Trump he wants more information and a briefing about the situation in Iran.
Trump called Cassidy a "lunatic" during the argument.
Cassidy said he lost his temper but did not apologize for standing up to the president.
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The U.S. government ended its response to a hantavirus outbreak that affected passengers on the cruise ship MV Hondius with no cases reported among Americans. The response included strict quarantine orders that were more severe than those used in countries where the virus is common, which raised questions about the decision-making process by Trump administration officials.
Key Facts
The hantavirus outbreak occurred on the cruise ship MV Hondius.
No American passengers contracted hantavirus during the outbreak.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officially ended the outbreak response on June 24, 2024.
Trump administration officials imposed strict quarantine orders on possibly exposed passengers returning to the U.S.
Quarantine measures in the U.S. were stricter than those in Chile and Argentina, where the virus is common and better understood.
Experts say hantavirus only spreads when symptoms appear, so daily symptom monitoring, not strict isolation, is usually enough.
Some passengers were allowed to quarantine at home under close supervision, but others were forced to stay in federal quarantine facilities.
One passenger, Angela Perryman, wanted to leave federal quarantine in Nebraska but was denied despite state officials recommending less strict monitoring.
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Bill Gates told a US congressional committee that Jeffrey Epstein tried to use knowledge of Gates’s extramarital affairs to pressure him. Gates said Epstein never directly blackmailed him, but emails showed Epstein considered it.
Key Facts
Bill Gates testified before the House oversight committee in June about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex crimes.
Gates described "veiled" threats and emails where Epstein thought about blackmailing him over affairs outside marriage.
Gates said Epstein never sent him any direct blackmail messages.
Gates started knowing Epstein in 2011, years after Epstein’s conviction for prostitution involving minors.
Gates admitted to having affairs with two Russian women but denied involvement in Epstein’s criminal actions.
Gates said he did not fully investigate Epstein’s past despite knowing about his sexual offense conviction.
Having a connection to Epstein does not prove wrongdoing, but the documents reveal some public figures had ties to him or his circle.
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Congress has asked President Trump to stop military actions related to a war with Iran. This request is a non-binding vote, meaning it does not force the President to act, and it comes while a ceasefire is in place between the involved parties.
Key Facts
Congress passed a non-binding resolution telling President Trump to end the war with Iran.
The vote does not legally require the President to stop military actions.
The timing is during a ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
President Trump has reacted strongly to the resolution.
The issue involves the use of war powers, which are the President’s and Congress’s rights to start or stop military actions.
The BBC reported this news with analysis from correspondent Gary O'Donoghue.
The resolution and the ceasefire raise questions about the future of US-Iran relations.
This is happening under the current US government led by President Donald Trump.
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Jack Schlossberg, a member of the Kennedy family, lost the Democratic primary for a New York City congressional seat to Assembly Member Micah Lasher. Lasher, who has political experience and support from New York politicians, is likely to win the general election in November.
Key Facts
Jack Schlossberg is part of the Kennedy family and new to politics.
Micah Lasher is a New York state Assembly Member with years of political experience.
Lasher worked for Rep. Jerry Nadler, whose congressional seat is open.
Governor Kathy Hochul and other local leaders supported Lasher.
The district leans heavily Democratic, with two-thirds of voters registered as Democrats.
Lasher plans to renew Democratic Party ideas and help struggling Americans.
Schlossberg called for more honest and inspiring Democratic candidates during his campaign.
Schlossberg’s supporters included many young people who were disappointed by the primary result.
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Tucker Carlson said he does not plan to run for president in 2028. This statement came shortly after he said he no longer supports the Republican Party.
Key Facts
Tucker Carlson is a political commentator.
He said he will not run for president in 2028.
Carlson made this statement during an interview with Alex Jones.
The interview was streamed on the social media platform X.
Recently, Carlson said he does not support the Republican Party anymore.
The timing of his statement was just days after declaring his lack of support for the GOP.
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President Donald Trump has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate gas price gouging, which means charging unfairly high prices for gasoline. An expert from GasBuddy, a company that tracks fuel prices, discussed this issue on CBS News.
Key Facts
President Trump wants the Department of Justice to look into high gas prices.
"Gas price gouging" means charging too much money for fuel, especially during shortages.
Patrick De Haan, an expert on fuel prices at GasBuddy, spoke about this on CBS News.
GasBuddy is a company that analyzes and tracks gas prices across the country.
The investigation would focus on whether companies are unfairly raising gas prices at the pump.
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Billionaire Bill Gates told a U.S. House committee that Jeffrey Epstein may have tried to use secret information about his private life to pressure him. Gates said Epstein knew about his affairs outside marriage and might have planned to use this information for blackmail.
Key Facts
Bill Gates testified behind closed doors to the House Oversight Committee.
Gates said Jeffrey Epstein learned about his extramarital affairs.
Epstein possibly wanted to use this personal information to blackmail Gates.
The transcript of Gates’s testimony was made public on a Tuesday.
The House Oversight Committee is a U.S. government group that investigates important issues.
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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office to discuss the U.S. role in the NATO military alliance. President Trump has criticized NATO for the U.S. spending more on defense than other countries and has threatened to leave the alliance ahead of a NATO summit.
Key Facts
Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General, met President Donald Trump in Washington.
President Trump has criticized NATO, saying the U.S. pays more than other member countries for defense.
The U.S. military is reviewing its presence in Europe.
President Trump was unhappy about some NATO countries not supporting restarting oil trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
President Trump has threatened to leave NATO, which is 77 years old.
A NATO leaders’ summit is planned in Turkey next month.
Mark Rutte aims to ease tensions with President Trump during their meeting.
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The United States is concerned that Gulf countries might create their own security plans without Washington, which could weaken current agreements like the Abraham Accords. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has assured Gulf allies that the U.S. will protect their interests while negotiating peace talks with Iran.
Key Facts
Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised the U.S. will protect Gulf countries' interests.
The U.S. is negotiating a settlement to the Middle East conflict with Iran.
An analyst said the White House is in "panic" over Gulf states possibly forming an independent security alliance.
This independent alliance could weaken the Abraham Accords, which are peace agreements involving Israel and some Arab countries.
The discussion took place during an interview on FRANCE 24.
Gulf countries’ move might change the current balance of power in the Middle East.
The analyst who commented is Borzou Daraghai, an independent journalist.
Iran-U.S. technical talks are planned in Switzerland by the end of June 2026.
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Syria is in a difficult position between the interests of President Donald Trump and two important U.S. allies in the Middle East, Israel and Turkey. President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who came to power after ousting Bashar al-Assad, aims to stabilize Syria and avoid military conflicts, despite Trump suggesting Syria could take a stronger role against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Key Facts
Syria’s President Ahmad al-Sharaa took power in December 2024 after removing Bashar al-Assad.
Syria is working to rebuild and stabilize after years of civil war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes Sharaa’s leadership.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan supports Sharaa and helped him gain power.
President Trump has suggested Syria could be involved in fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Syrian officials say they do not want to engage in conflicts involving Hezbollah and Israel.
Syria wants peace or disengagement with Israel, despite Israeli occupation of some Syrian areas.
The U.S. and Israel recently made a ceasefire deal with Iran to stop fighting on all fronts for 60 days.
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A 22-year-old man named Josue Baires Alfaro died after being swept over a 594-foot waterfall in Yosemite National Park. A witness tried to rescue him but was unable to save him due to strong underwater currents. The National Park Service is investigating the incident.
Key Facts
The incident happened at Yosemite National Park in California on a Saturday.
Josue Baires Alfaro was seen in the Merced River before being swept over the waterfall.
A bystander who was a former lifeguard attempted a rescue but was unable to reach him.
Strong undercurrents in the river made swimming difficult and dangerous.
The National Park Service is currently investigating the death.
Yosemite is a very popular park with about 4 million visitors each year.
There have been other fatal accidents in the park, including one in 2013 and another in 2018 involving falls near waterfalls.
Park officials advise visitors to be very careful around flowing water and wet rocks.
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A new poll shows that 48% of American voters believe the United States supports Israel too much. Only 7% think the U.S. support is not enough, and 38% feel it is about right.
Key Facts
The poll was conducted by Quinnipiac University.
48% of Americans say the U.S. is too supportive of Israel.
7% say U.S. support for Israel is not enough.
38% believe U.S. support for Israel is about right.
This is the highest percentage recorded of Americans feeling the U.S. supports Israel too much.
The poll reflects opinions of American voters.
It shows a shift in public opinion about U.S. foreign policy towards Israel.
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International law enforcement and technology companies have disrupted two major cybercrime tools that helped criminals steal login information and over $47 million. By targeting the shared infrastructure of these tools, called Amadey and StealC, authorities disabled thousands of infected computers and servers used to spread malware and steal data.
Key Facts
Amadey is a malware platform used to infect devices and deliver ransomware or other harmful software.
StealC is a tool that steals passwords, browser data, cryptocurrency wallets, and files specified by criminals.
Many cybercriminals use both Amadey and StealC together, as they complement each other’s functions.
Microsoft used artificial intelligence to find that both tools operated on some of the same servers and networks.
Legal action was taken under laws against organized crime to treat both tools as a single criminal operation.
Over 200 command servers were shut down and control was lost over more than 18,000 infected devices.
Europol recovered up to 27 million stolen login credentials and found $47 million in crypto linked to these crimes.
Other malware loaders like SocGholish related to the Russian group Evil Corp were also disrupted in this operation.
The enforcement involved multiple countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands.
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The US government has started a second federal investigation into a Tesla crash that killed a woman in a Texas home while the car’s driver-assistance system was reportedly active. The victim’s family has also filed a lawsuit claiming Tesla was negligent and failed to warn about problems with its autopilot and full self-driving features.
Key Facts
The crash happened on June 19 in Katy, Texas, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila.
The Tesla Model 3 reportedly had autopilot engaged when it hit the home.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are both investigating.
Avila’s family sued Tesla for wrongful death, claiming autopilot and full self-driving systems were defective.
The lawsuit seeks more than $1 million in damages and accuses Tesla of reckless disregard for safety.
Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk defended the company on social media, saying the crash involved high speed and that the driver pressed the accelerator fully.
Tesla has faced many government probes into its driver-assistance systems since 2016, including a large recall in 2023 to ensure drivers pay attention.
The case also involves the Tesla driver, Michael Butler, who is named in the lawsuit but has not been reached for comment.
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Reginald Reed Sr. was convicted of murdering his wife, Selonia Reed, who was found dead in 1987 in Hammond, Louisiana. Their son, Reggie, was 6 years old at the time and unknowingly provided an alibi for his father during police questioning. The case was reopened decades later, leading to Reginald’s conviction and life sentence in 2022.
Key Facts
Selonia Reed, aged 26, was found dead in her car in August 1987.
She had been beaten, stabbed multiple times, sexually assaulted, and stripped naked.
Selonia’s husband, Reginald Reed Sr., reported her missing shortly before the body was found.
Reginald told police Selonia went out with a friend, but the friend denied this.
Police learned Selonia had accused Reginald of abuse and discussed divorce, making him a suspect.
Their 6-year-old son, Reggie, was interviewed by police with his father present and supported his father’s alibi.
In 2012, new investigation efforts revealed Reginald was the prime suspect.
In November 2022, Reginald was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
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A new non-profit group called Crypto Watchdog started to help people understand the risks of cryptocurrencies. The group wants to make the crypto industry clearer and safer for consumers.
Key Facts
Crypto Watchdog is a consumer advocacy group focused on cryptocurrency.
The group launched on Tuesday.
Its goal is to highlight risks in the crypto industry.
The group aims to educate Americans about crypto risks.
Crypto Watchdog wants to improve transparency in the crypto sector.
Chapin Fay is the executive director of Crypto Watchdog.
The group is a non-profit organization.
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