President Donald Trump withdrew the nomination of Casey Means for surgeon general after Senate doubts about her qualifications and vaccine views. He then nominated Nicole B. Saphier, a breast radiologist and Fox News contributor, who has also expressed some skepticism about vaccines.
Key Facts
President Trump withdrew Casey Means’ nomination due to Senate opposition, especially from Senator Bill Cassidy.
Means holds a medical degree but does not have an active medical license and dropped out of her residency.
Means is linked to the Make America Health Again (MAHA) movement, promoting wellness products and alternative health advice.
Trump criticized Cassidy on social media for blocking Means’ nomination.
Trump nominated Nicole B. Saphier as the new candidate for surgeon general.
Saphier is a breast radiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a Fox News medical contributor.
Saphier runs a herbal supplement company called Drop Rx.
Saphier has expressed vaccine skepticism but does not openly oppose vaccines.
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Democrats in Maine are uniting behind Graham Platner, a progressive political newcomer, to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins. Janet Mills, the current governor of Maine who was running against Platner, withdrew from the race.
Key Facts
Graham Platner is a progressive outsider running for the U.S. Senate in Maine.
Platner aims to defeat incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins.
Janet Mills, the governor of Maine, initially ran in the Democratic primary.
Mills ended her Senate campaign recently.
Mills is term-limited as governor, meaning she cannot run for governor again.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer helped recruit Mills for the Senate race.
With Mills out, Democrats are rallying around Platner for the November election.
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Officials from President Trump's administration flew on the first nonstop commercial flight from the U.S. to Venezuela in seven years. The trip aims to encourage U.S. business deals with Venezuela’s oil and mining companies and improve economic relations after the recent removal of Nicolás Maduro.
Key Facts
The flight left Miami and arrived in Caracas on April 30, 2026, marking the first nonstop commercial flight between the two countries in seven years.
Jarrod Agen, from the National Energy Dominance Council, led the U.S. delegation.
Félix Plasencia, Venezuela’s new ambassador to the U.S., was also on the flight.
The team plans to boost deals between U.S. companies and Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA and mining firms.
Recent changes include the removal of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces; Maduro was extradited to the U.S. on drug charges.
President Trump’s administration is easing sanctions to encourage American investment in Venezuela’s oil industry.
Chevron, a major U.S. energy company, continues to operate in Venezuela and sees some progress with new government reforms.
The U.S. has reopened diplomatic ties in Caracas, though the embassy is not yet open.
PDVSA is Venezuela’s state-owned oil company.
Sanctions are restrictions that countries place to limit trade or economic activity.
Heavy crude is a thick type of oil that certain refineries are designed to process.
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Cole Allen, charged with trying to assassinate President Trump and firearm offenses related to a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, is being held in a secure area of the D.C. jail. He is under strict observation and will remain detained until his preliminary hearing on May 11.
Key Facts
Cole Allen is 31 years old and charged with attempting to assassinate President Trump and two gun-related crimes.
He is held at the Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF) in the D.C. jail complex, a facility that houses various detainees, including those from the January 6 cases.
Allen is kept in a restrictive cell and under medical isolation with suicide watch for the first 72 hours, wearing a special suicide smock.
A correctional officer monitors Allen 24/7 outside his cell, and he is on lockdown with limited privileges like receiving finger foods without utensils.
He is allowed religious materials but has not requested any.
Allen’s lawyers said he has no criminal record, works as a tutor, and is active in his church community, but he agreed to remain detained.
His preliminary court hearing is scheduled for May 11, and efforts to ease his lockdown restrictions are being considered by the judge.
The U.S. Marshals Service manages the detention contract with the D.C. Department of Corrections but does not release locations for high-profile inmates for security reasons.
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Senator Gary Peters told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that the U.S. should reopen the Strait of Hormuz to help end the conflict. Hegseth mentioned the U.S. is blocking Iranian ports as part of its strategy.
Key Facts
Senator Gary Peters wants the U.S. to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic waterway important for international shipping.
Peters believes controlling the Strait is necessary to end the current conflict.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded by discussing a U.S. blockade on Iranian ports.
The current blockade restricts Iran's ability to use its ports.
The discussion took place during a congressional hearing or meeting.
The issue relates to U.S. defense and foreign policy in the Middle East.
The article was reported by CBS News.
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A blast occurred early Thursday morning in Queens, New York, causing a fire and thick smoke. One person died, and several police officers were taken to the hospital after the incident.
Key Facts
The explosion happened in Queens, New York.
The blast caused a fire and a large amount of smoke.
One person died due to the explosion.
Multiple New York Police Department (NYPD) officers were injured and sent to the hospital.
Police body camera footage captured the moment of the explosion.
The incident took place early on a Thursday morning.
Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene.
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A Texas mother of four was held in an immigration detention center run by ICE for more than a month. Her lawyer says the experience has deeply affected her, and she is now free from detention.
Key Facts
The woman is a single mother with four children.
She was held in an ICE detention center in Texas for over a month.
ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a U.S. agency that handles immigration enforcement.
Her lawyer described the detention as emotionally and mentally harmful to her.
After more than a month, she was released from ICE custody.
The case was reported by CBS News with updates from reporter Shanelle Kaul.
The story highlights the challenges faced by immigrants in detention.
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Conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly said he made a mistake by defending late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after Kimmel made comments about MAGA before the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting. O’Reilly admitted this during an interview on NewsNation with Chris Cuomo.
Key Facts
Bill O’Reilly is a conservative commentator.
O’Reilly had previously defended Jimmy Kimmel.
Jimmy Kimmel made remarks about MAGA (a political movement supporting President Donald Trump).
These remarks were made before the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting.
O’Reilly said he was "absolutely wrong" to give Kimmel a pass on his comments.
O’Reilly shared this opinion on the NewsNation network.
The interview was with Chris Cuomo, a host on the same network.
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The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits dropped to 189,000 last week, the lowest level in over 50 years. This decline shows fewer layoffs despite challenges like the war in Iran.
Key Facts
Jobless claims fell by 26,000 to 189,000 for the week ending April 25.
This is the lowest weekly number of claims in more than fifty years.
The previous week's claims were 215,000.
Analysts had expected about 214,000 new claims.
Unemployment benefit applications are a way to measure job layoffs.
The drop suggests the U.S. job market remains strong.
Economic concerns include the ongoing war in Iran.
The U.S. economy grew 2% from January to March this year.
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Rep. James Walkinshaw said Pam Bondi will testify in late May about how the Justice Department handled files related to Jeffrey Epstein. The testimony will happen in a private setting before the House Oversight Committee.
Key Facts
Pam Bondi is the former attorney general.
She will give a deposition about the Jeffrey Epstein case.
The deposition is scheduled for late May.
It will be a closed-door session, meaning it is not open to the public.
The House Oversight Committee is leading the questioning.
Rep. James Walkinshaw from Virginia will ask questions during the deposition.
The focus is on the Justice Department’s handling of Epstein files.
The news was discussed on CBS News’ show "The Takeout."
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Gasoline prices in the United States have reached an average of $4.30 per gallon, rising sharply since late February amid the US-Iran conflict. President Donald Trump said gas prices will fall after the conflict ends but has rejected Iran’s offers for a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Key Facts
The average US gas price is $4.30 per gallon, up from under $3 before the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28.
Gas prices rose 27 cents in the past week amid the ongoing conflict and naval blockade of Iran.
Oil prices are above $100 per barrel due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route.
California’s average gas price is over $6 per gallon, the highest among US states.
The conflict and higher gas prices are contributing to inflation and economic worries in the US.
President Trump rejects preliminary deals from Iran and insists the military campaign will prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
Iran denies pursuing nuclear weapons and demands the US lift its naval blockade before talks.
Despite a ceasefire on April 8, US gas prices have continued to rise.
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Five people were stabbed at Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington, and were taken to the hospital. Police arrested one suspect in connection with the stabbing.
Key Facts
The incident happened at Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington.
Five people were injured and sent to the hospital.
Four of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.
The stabbing occurred around 1:40 p.m. local time on Thursday.
Tacoma Police have one suspect in custody.
The police and fire department responded quickly to the scene.
Further details and updates are still being collected.
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New rules in England start on Friday that ban no-fault evictions, limit rent increases, and change rental agreements. Before the ban begins, many landlords are rushing to use eviction notices, creating a busy time for lawyers and worries for tenants.
Key Facts
England’s Renters’ Rights Act bans no-fault evictions starting Friday.
The law limits rent increases to once a year and caps upfront rent demands to one month.
Fixed-term rental agreements are abolished, and bidding wars for rentals are banned.
Councils gain new powers to investigate and act against bad landlords.
The law stops discrimination against tenants who receive benefits or have children and allows tenants to request pets.
Solicitors have seen a big increase in last-minute eviction notices called section 21 notices.
Tenants often cannot find new housing and choose to stay until formally evicted.
The law aims to make renting fairer and more secure for renters in England.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded strongly to Senator Elissa Slotkin during a discussion about the 2026 midterm elections. Slotkin asked if Hegseth would follow President Trump’s order to seize ballots and voting machines, and Hegseth called the question a "gotcha hypothetical."
Key Facts
Senator Elissa Slotkin asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about following a possible order from President Trump.
The question involved seizing ballots and voting machines during the 2026 midterm elections.
Pete Hegseth rejected the question, calling it a "gotcha hypothetical," meaning it was designed to trap or embarrass him.
The exchange took place during a tense conversation covered by CBS News.
The discussion relates to potential actions in upcoming U.S. elections and the defense secretary’s role.
President Donald Trump is the sitting president at the time of the discussion.
The topic centers on U.S. domestic politics and election security.
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New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez criticized Meta after the company threatened to stop offering its social media platforms in the state. This reaction followed a jury verdict against Meta related to the state's demands.
Key Facts
Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, threatened to shut down its platforms in New Mexico.
The threat came after a jury made a verdict against Meta.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez called Meta’s threat a “PR stunt.”
The dispute involves demands made by the state of New Mexico toward Meta.
The situation was highlighted in court documents shared with a news outlet.
Attorney General Torrez represents the state government in legal matters against companies.
Meta’s reaction reflects ongoing tensions between the company and state regulations.
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Senator Bill Cassidy criticized Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry for continuing with the state’s Senate primary election despite a recent Supreme Court decision. The Court ruled Louisiana’s congressional map unconstitutional, leading Landry to suspend the House primary elections but not the Senate primary.
Key Facts
Senator Bill Cassidy is from Louisiana and a member of the Republican Party.
Governor Jeff Landry, also a Republican, decided to keep the Senate primary election as planned.
Landry signed an order to suspend the House primary elections in Louisiana.
The suspension followed a Supreme Court ruling that the state’s congressional map is unconstitutional.
The Senate primary election is scheduled to happen next month despite the ruling.
Cassidy publicly expressed disappointment with Landry’s choice to move forward with the Senate primary.
The Supreme Court’s decision affects how the state’s voting districts are drawn.
The article focuses on state-level election decisions influenced by a federal court ruling.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding shutdown lasted for 76 days and ended on Thursday. CBS News reported the details surrounding the start and conclusion of this shutdown.
Key Facts
The DHS funding shutdown lasted 76 days.
The shutdown ended on a Thursday.
CBS News correspondent Nikole Killion provided information on the shutdown.
The shutdown affected the Department of Homeland Security.
The article focused on how the shutdown started and how it was resolved.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced tough questions from Senate Democrats during a hearing about President Trump’s approach to Iran, the proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget, and the idea of sending troops to polling stations. The hearing lasted nearly three hours and showed disagreements between the Pentagon and lawmakers.
Key Facts
Pete Hegseth is the U.S. Secretary of Defense.
The hearing took place before the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC).
Senate Democrats questioned Hegseth about President Trump’s handling of tensions with Iran.
The Pentagon has requested a $1.5 trillion budget for defense spending.
There was debate about the possibility of deploying troops to polling places during elections.
The hearing lasted just under three hours.
There were clear disagreements between the Defense Department and some Senate members.
This was Hegseth’s second day of hearings on Capitol Hill.
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President Donald Trump announced he will remove certain tariffs on Scotch whisky following a visit to the White House by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The tariffs relate to the materials used in making whisky, particularly the wooden barrels used for aging Scotch and bourbon.
Key Facts
President Trump said he is lifting some tariffs on Scotch whisky.
The announcement came after King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited the White House.
Trump posted about the change on social media.
The tariffs involve wooden barrels used to age Scotch whisky and bourbon.
It is unclear if the removal affects finished bottles of Scotch or just the materials to produce it.
The change aims to help Scotland and Kentucky cooperate on whisky and bourbon production.
President Trump said no one else had managed to get this change done before.
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A former Department of Justice official criticized the recent indictment of former FBI Director James Comey. The official said the case is without merit and harms the reputation of the Justice Department and those involved.
Key Facts
James Comey, former FBI Director, has been indicted.
A former DOJ official called the indictment "makes no sense."
The official said the case has no valid basis.
The indictment is seen by the official as bringing dishonor to the DOJ.
The criticism includes the department’s leadership and prosecutors connected to the case.
The official was previously a federal prosecutor.
The article does not provide details about the charges against Comey.
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