The Supreme Court stopped new mail-in ballot rules backed by President Trump from starting in the 2026 elections, so states will keep using their current mail ballot deadlines. Most states require ballots to arrive by Election Day, but some accept ballots arriving days later if properly postmarked.
Key Facts
President Trump signed an executive order in March 2024 to add rules for mail ballots, including voter-specific bar codes and official envelopes.
The Supreme Court said the Postal Service did not have enough time to apply these new rules by 2026.
35 states require mail-in ballots to arrive by Election Day.
15 states accept ballots received after Election Day if they have a valid postmark.
Louisiana requires ballots to arrive by 4:30 p.m. the day before Election Day.
Illinois accepts ballots up to 14 days after Election Day.
Kansas currently allows ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive within three days due to a court order.
No state allows hand-delivered ballots after Election Day.
Military and overseas voters may have different rules for mail ballots.
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A whistleblower reported that employees of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were instructed to pretend to be voters to check for noncitizens on state voter lists. The report says this approach may break state laws and wrongly target U.S. citizens.
Key Facts
DHS workers were told to act like voters to find noncitizens on voter registration lists.
They received sensitive information about people flagged as possible illegal voters.
The whistleblower claims these actions may violate laws in some states.
The investigation focused on checking voter rolls at the state level.
It is unclear how many states or voters were affected by the probe.
The report warns that some U.S. citizens could be wrongly searched or accused.
This method raises concerns about privacy and legal limits in voter investigations.
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A small Texas police department was ordered to close after state officials found it failed to provide any benefit to its community. The closure followed controversy over the department arresting a local resident who raised concerns about the town’s contaminated water.
Key Facts
The Trinidad Police Department arrested Jennifer Combs in May after she posted about bacteria in the town’s water supply.
State investigators found the police department failed to meet minimum standards and could not prove it served the public well.
Issues included lack of resources like bulletproof vests and an evidence room, and problems with officer conduct and policies.
The department had five full-time and several part-time officers before being ordered to close.
Police duties will now be handled by the Henderson County sheriff’s office until a new solution is found.
The police chief resigned after a grand jury declined to indict Combs, who sued for wrongful arrest claiming retaliation.
An environmental commission confirmed problems with Trinidad’s water, which city officials said they will fix.
Local officials acknowledged past neglect and said they are working to improve the situation.
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Senator Mitch McConnell, 84 years old and a Republican from Kentucky, returned to the U.S. Capitol after being away for months due to health reasons. He participated in a Senate vote, marking his first appearance there in a long time.
Key Facts
Mitch McConnell is a Republican senator representing Kentucky.
He is 84 years old.
McConnell had been absent from the Senate for several months.
His absence was due to health issues.
He has now returned to the Capitol.
He took part in a Senate vote upon his return.
This was his first time back at the Capitol in many months.
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AccuWeather announced it will use the new name "Lake America" instead of "Lake Ontario" in its forecasts. This change follows the U.S. government's decision, led by President Donald Trump, to rename the lake amid trade tensions with Canada.
Key Facts
The National Weather Service (NWS) has started using the name "Lake America" in its forecasts and services.
AccuWeather will follow the same naming standard set by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in late August to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names updated its standards to reflect the new name.
The name change is part of a political action during a trade dispute with Canada.
The NWS is actively updating online maps, weather products, and websites to show the new lake name.
The change was ordered to be completed within 30 days after the executive order.
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FBI Director Kash Patel is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee in an oversight hearing. Before the hearing, Patel sent a letter explaining how certain funds were spent, addressing questions from the committee chair, Senator Chuck Grassley. Attorney General Todd Blanche will also hold a news briefing in the White House Rose Garden.
Key Facts
FBI Director Kash Patel will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning.
The hearing is part of oversight, which means reviewing government work.
Patel sent a letter to Senator Chuck Grassley explaining questioned spending.
Senator Grassley is the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Attorney General Todd Blanche will give a press briefing on Tuesday in the Rose Garden.
The news briefing is expected to cover current legal and law enforcement matters.
The Senate Judiciary Committee oversees matters related to justice and law enforcement.
This event involves top U.S. law enforcement leaders sharing information with lawmakers.
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The Supreme Court decided that the Trump administration cannot change the rules for mail-in voting before the November midterm elections. This means the voting rules will stay the same for this election.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court made its ruling late Monday.
The ruling stops the Trump administration from changing mail-in voting rules.
The decision applies to the upcoming midterm elections in November.
Mail-in voting rules will remain as they currently are.
This ruling is described as a setback for the Trump administration.
The issue centers on how voting can be done by mail before the election.
The news was reported by CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang.
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FBI Director Kash Patel defended his personal travel and the FBI’s purchase of luxury armored BMW cars during his leadership. He will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee for questioning about these matters.
Key Facts
Kash Patel is the FBI Director.
He has faced questions about his personal travel expenses.
The FBI bought several luxury armored BMW vehicles while Patel was in charge.
Patel defended both his travel and the vehicle purchases publicly.
He is scheduled to be questioned by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning.
Democrats on the committee plan to ask him about these issues.
Patel serves under President Donald Trump’s administration.
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Students at the University of Texas at Austin responded strongly to a racially charged post by Bo French, the Republican nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner. French shared a photo of mostly South Asian graduates with a caption that many found offensive.
Key Facts
Bo French is running for the position of Texas Railroad Commissioner.
He posted a picture of mostly South Asian students at UT Austin's graduation.
The caption he wrote was seen by many as racist.
UT students publicly disagreed with and criticized the post.
The incident happened during the recent graduation period.
The controversy involves race and political campaigning on social media.
The post sparked discussions about diversity and respect at UT.
This event is part of a wider conversation on race and politics in Texas.
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David Sacks, a top White House adviser on science and technology, disagreed with some AI leaders who want strict safety rules for artificial intelligence. He also spoke about President Donald Trump's rejection of the idea that AI could threaten humanity.
Key Facts
David Sacks is co-chair of President Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
He gave an exclusive interview to CBS News.
Some AI leaders are calling for safeguards to control artificial intelligence.
David Sacks said these calls for safeguards are "not acceptable."
President Donald Trump dismissed the concern that AI could destroy humanity.
The discussion centers around how the government should handle AI development and risks.
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Returning to work in an office can lead to more chances for people to face unfair treatment based on their gender. This means that office rules to come back in person may increase situations where some workers are treated differently because they are a man or woman.
Key Facts
Returning to the office means employees spend more time in person at work.
More time in the office can increase chances for gender bias, which is unfair treatment based on being male or female.
Bias can affect decisions about promotions, tasks, and interactions.
Some workers may feel less safe or comfortable due to this bias.
Remote work may have helped reduce some of this unfair treatment.
Companies’ return-to-office rules impact how often employees face possible bias.
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Democrats are asking Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to cancel a planned major change to the Head Start program. They warn that the changes would reduce the quality of services provided to many families across the country.
Key Facts
Democrats want Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to stop plans to change the Head Start program.
The planned rule is called “Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs.”
This rule would remove and replace the current Head Start Program Performance Standards.
Head Start is a program that provides early childhood education and support to low-income families.
Opponents say the changes would weaken services for thousands of families.
The change is proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Secretary Kennedy.
Democrats are concerned that the overhaul will reduce protections and quality in the program.
The debate focuses on balancing regulatory burdens with maintaining effective service standards.
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The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is planning to close temporarily due to serious structural problems. The center’s board will focus on the closure and not on new ways to honor President Donald Trump, following a court order to remove his name from the building.
Key Facts
The Kennedy Center board’s meeting will focus only on closing the center for safety reasons.
A partial ceiling collapse happened recently, shown in a security video posted by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
The center’s board voted last month to close the building for two years for a $285 million renovation.
The board had voted to add President Trump’s name to the building, but a federal judge ordered its removal in May.
The board members were mostly appointed by President Trump.
Congress has already given $257 million for the renovation, and the board hopes Trump will raise another $100 million.
The board also voted to recognize Trump as someone who “renovated and restored” the center if fundraising goals are met.
A judge is deciding whether adding more honors for Trump would break a law protecting the Kennedy Center as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy.
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The Supreme Court stopped new U.S. Postal Service rules about mail-in voting from taking effect. This means the rules that President Trump wanted to enforce will not be used, following a lower court's decision.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court agreed with a lower court's order.
The decision blocks the U.S. Postal Service from putting new mail-in voting rules in place.
The blocked rules were related to mail voting procedures.
The move is considered a setback for President Donald Trump's efforts.
The ruling helps preserve the existing mail-in voting process.
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The number of people claiming Personal Independence Payments (PIP), a benefit for disabled people in England and Wales, has reached over four million, a record high. The government is reviewing the PIP system because it is seen as not working well, with plans to improve assessments and support.
Key Facts
Over 4 million people claimed PIP as of July, up 7% from the previous year.
PIP helps with extra costs for people with disabilities or long-term health issues.
More than half of claimants are aged 50 and older.
The cost of PIP benefits rose from £16.3 billion in 2019-20 to £27.3 billion in 2024-25.
Spending on PIP is expected to reach £41.5 billion by 2030-31.
A government review led by Sir Stephen Timms found the current PIP system "not fit for purpose."
The review suggests more face-to-face assessments and adding non-cash support alongside payments.
The full review report is expected later this year.
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will testify before the House Financial Services Committee about the U.S. economy. This comes as President Trump’s economic plans are being examined due to ongoing issues like the Iran conflict, trade disputes with Canada, and concerns about government debt and prices.
Key Facts
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is speaking before the House Financial Services Committee.
The topic is the current state of the U.S. financial system.
President Trump’s economic policies are under review.
There are tensions from a trade war between the U.S. and Canada.
The Iran war is affecting economic discussions.
The 10-year Treasury bond yield is a key financial indicator being discussed.
There are worries about the federal budget deficit.
Rising costs are a concern as the midterm elections approach.
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President Donald Trump has dismissed warnings from tech leaders about the risks of developing artificial intelligence (AI). At the same time, gas prices have increased again.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump disagreed with concerns from technology experts about AI.
These experts have warned about possible problems from advanced AI technology.
President Trump has spoken publicly to downplay these warnings.
Gas prices in the United States have gone up again recently.
The news was covered in the CBS News Eye Opener segment.
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The article discusses the Education Department's role in managing federal funding for charter schools. It suggests that the department should revisit the original question set by Congress in 1997 before distributing federal money for charter schools.
Key Facts
The Education Department is responsible for allocating federal funds to charter schools.
Congress set guidelines related to charter schools in 1997.
The department is encouraged to review the original congressional intent before spending federal money.
Charter schools are publicly funded but operate independently from traditional public schools.
Ensuring the department follows congressional guidelines affects how federal money supports these schools.
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The former acting FEMA administrator, David Richardson, said Texas received the help it needed during deadly flooding last July despite criticism of the response. He described how a new rule requiring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to personally approve large contracts slowed aid, contributing to her loss of support and his own sudden resignation in late 2025.
Key Facts
David Richardson was acting FEMA administrator during the Texas floods over the July Fourth weekend in 2025.
He said FEMA had prepared for worst-case scenarios and provided needed help to Texas victims.
Kristi Noem, then Secretary of Homeland Security, issued a memo requiring contracts over $100,000 to be approved by her personally.
This requirement caused delays and more bureaucracy during emergency aid efforts.
Richardson overrode Noem’s rule to send support to Texas faster.
He believes this contract approval memo led to Noem’s political downfall.
Richardson resigned from FEMA abruptly in December 2025.
He stayed in Washington initially because he wanted to ensure funds were available before visiting Texas.
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Lady Justice Thirlwall published a report on the Lucy Letby case, investigating failures at the Countess of Chester hospital where Letby, a nurse, was convicted of killing and harming newborn babies. The report found major problems in hospital management and safety, and it made recommendations to prevent future harm such as installing baby monitors and better controls on medicine storage.
Key Facts
Lucy Letby, a former neonatal nurse, is serving life sentences for the murder of seven babies and attempted murder of seven others between 2015 and 2016.
The Thirlwall inquiry examined hospital events before and during Letby’s crimes and how the NHS responded.
The inquiry found a "complete failure" to protect babies due to poor hospital leadership and weak safety measures.
Three babies might have survived, and seven others could have been protected if hospital bosses acted on concerns earlier.
Senior doctors raised worries about Letby, but senior nurses dismissed these concerns, causing delayed police involvement.
Families were not fully informed about what was happening to their babies, which the report called "reprehensible."
The inquiry recommended installing baby monitors on cots, CCTV on insulin fridges, and improving safeguarding to stop future incidents.
The inquiry aimed to learn lessons and improve safety for newborns in hospitals.
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