A U.S. congressman, Eric Burlison, suggested that a series of missing or dead American scientists may be linked to actions by foreign countries like China, Russia, or Iran. The FBI is being urged to investigate these cases, though no official proof connects them, and some experts say the cases have simpler explanations.
Key Facts
Representative Eric Burlison said missing or dead scientists might be targeted by foreign governments.
These scientists worked in areas like nuclear technology, advanced weapons, and space research.
The list includes people missing or dead between 2022 and 2026.
Retired Air Force Major General William McCasland, missing since February 2026, is noted for his knowledge about unidentified flying objects (UFOs).
The White House asked agencies for more information about the cases.
President Donald Trump called the situation “pretty serious” but hoped it was just a coincidence.
A former FBI agent disagrees that these cases are part of a big conspiracy, citing normal personal reasons for each case.
Families and close contacts of those missing or deceased have also denied conspiracy theories.
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A recent poll shows that more Republicans than Democrats believe the American Dream is real and achievable for everyone. The survey highlights differences in how people view success and opportunity in the U.S. as President Donald Trump’s term continues and the 2026 midterm elections approach.
Key Facts
57% of Republicans believe the American Dream exists for everyone, while only 28% of Democrats agree.
59% of all respondents say the American Dream is harder to achieve today than when they were young.
61% of people still believe in the idea of the American Dream, and 45% think they can reach it by working hard.
The poll surveyed 1,821 adults between January 23-26, 2026, with a margin of error of ±2.7%.
42% of men versus 33% of women said the American Dream is for everyone.
A UCLA study found 60% of Gen Z believes the American Dream is unreachable, but 86% say it is desirable.
New NBC polling shows 80% of Gen Z voters think the country is going in the wrong direction.
Republicans hold slim majorities in Congress, and the midterm elections in November 2026 could change control.
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Vice President JD Vance responded to recent tensions between Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump by saying disagreements will happen but the situation is more complex than the media shows. Vance thanked the pope for his focus on peace and said the administration tries to apply moral principles in real-world politics.
Key Facts
Pope Leo XIV spoke against a media-driven narrative of conflict with President Trump.
The pope said he prefers preaching peace rather than debating with President Trump.
JD Vance at first criticized the pope’s comments on the Iran war but later softened his tone.
Vance blamed the media for exaggerating conflicts between the pope and the Trump administration.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops supports Pope Leo’s comments as consistent with Catholic teaching.
Vance said the pope preaches moral issues while the administration applies those morals in politics.
Social media users reacted to Vance’s change of tone with mixed opinions.
Newsweek contacted the White House for comment, but no response was noted in the article.
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Sgt. First Class Jose Serrano, a U.S. Army sergeant with 27 years of service, said his wife was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during an appointment at an immigration office in El Paso. He does not understand the reason for her arrest.
Key Facts
Jose Serrano is an active-duty U.S. Army sergeant.
He has served in the military for 27 years.
His wife was taken into custody by ICE.
The arrest happened during a scheduled appointment at an immigration office.
The location of the arrest was El Paso, Texas.
Sgt. Serrano is confused about why his wife was arrested.
CBS News reported this event through journalist Camilo Montoya-Galvez.
The story was covered on CBS News and its app.
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President Donald Trump said Israel did not push him into the war with Iran. He blamed the events of October 7 and his belief that Iran should never have nuclear weapons for the conflict between the U.S. and Iran.
Key Facts
President Trump denied that Israel influenced his decision to go to war with Iran.
Trump cited the October 7 attacks and his opposition to Iranian nuclear weapons as reasons for the conflict.
There is no public proof linking Iran directly to the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
Trump’s intelligence chief testified that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon.
U.S.-Israeli air strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader and other officials, leading to retaliatory actions by Iran.
Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz after the strikes, causing oil prices and U.S. gas prices to rise.
Two-thirds of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the war according to a recent poll.
A ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is in place but is set to expire soon, with talks planned to continue in Pakistan.
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President Donald Trump will participate in a public Bible reading from the Oval Office as part of the America Reads the Bible initiative. His participation has raised questions about the separation of church and state, but experts say this event likely does not violate that principle since individuals can express their faith.
Key Facts
President Trump will read a passage from the Bible on a livestream at 6 p.m. ET as part of a seven-day event hosted by the Museum of the Bible.
The passage he will read is from 2 Chronicles 7:14, which talks about prayer and forgiveness.
Other participants include public figures like Pete Hegseth and Senator Marco Rubio.
The separation of church and state means the government and religious institutions operate separately and protects religious freedom.
Some people on social media questioned if Trump’s Bible reading breaks the separation of church and state.
The White House stated President Trump supports religious freedom and respects the Constitution’s protections.
Many past U.S. presidents have publicly expressed their faith without violating church-state separation.
The Bible reading is part of a broader national commemoration of 250 years of the Bible in America.
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Republican lawmakers are discussing how to fund parts of the Department of Homeland Security while a partial government shutdown continues. They are considering different options to keep these agencies running.
Key Facts
The government is currently experiencing a partial shutdown.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) includes several agencies critical to national security.
Republican lawmakers have different ideas about how to provide money for these DHS agencies.
Funding decisions are happening during ongoing political disagreement.
CBS News is reporting on these developments and the possible solutions being discussed.
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The Supreme Court decided not to hear a case from parents in Massachusetts who said schools must get their permission before supporting their child’s change of name or pronouns. The parents claimed this is part of their right to guide how their child is raised, which they say is protected by the Constitution.
Key Facts
The case involves parents from Massachusetts challenging school policies about pronoun and name changes.
Parents want schools to get their consent before supporting their child’s pronoun or name change.
They argue this is part of their fundamental right to raise their child as they see fit.
This right is based on the 14th Amendment’s due process clause in the Constitution.
The Supreme Court refused to hear the case on Monday.
The court had also refused a similar case in December.
The issue relates to parental rights and school policies.
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Maryland will be the first state to stop grocery stores from using "dynamic pricing." This means stores cannot change prices based on factors like demand or time of day. Governor Wes Moore supports this new law.
Key Facts
Maryland passed a law banning dynamic pricing in grocery stores.
Dynamic pricing lets stores change prices depending on demand or other conditions.
Maryland is the first state to make this kind of pricing illegal in grocery stores.
Governor Wes Moore says he is happy to sign the bill.
The law aims to keep grocery prices consistent and fair for shoppers.
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Rep. Daniel Goldman, a Democrat from New York, said that President Trump is “not well” after a report claimed that Trump’s advisers limited the information he received about a rescue mission for two pilots captured in Iran. The report said his impatience led to his exclusion from directing the military operation.
Key Facts
Rep. Daniel Goldman made the statement on a Sunday.
The Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump’s advisers restricted his access to information about the rescue operation.
The rescue operation involved two pilots who were downed in Iran.
The advisers took this step because of concerns about President Trump’s impatience during the crisis.
The report suggested Trump was excluded from leading the military mission.
Goldman described the president’s actions during this time as “acting so crazy.”
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The Trump administration has started taking refund claims from businesses for over $166 billion in tariffs after the Supreme Court ruled the tariffs were illegal. A new online system called Cape will handle most claims, but some companies involved in legal disputes must wait.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court ruled that President Trump did not have legal authority to impose these tariffs.
The tariff refunds total more than $166 billion.
Over 3,000 companies, including Skechers, Toyota, and Costco, have sued for refunds.
Only companies that directly paid the tariffs, such as importers and large firms, can claim refunds.
The online system, Cape, can process about 63% of affected tariff claims now.
Some claims involving legal or customs issues cannot be processed yet.
Businesses may wait 60 to 90 days from submitting forms to receive refunds.
Some companies, like FedEx, plan to pass refunds back to customers through lower prices.
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Organised crime gangs are using the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to commit fraud, including paying kickbacks and threatening vulnerable participants. Law enforcement warns this activity risks poor care and financial losses in the $50 billion program, prompting government plans to strengthen oversight and reduce scheme growth.
Key Facts
Criminal gangs are laundering money and hiding assets through the NDIS by paying cash kickbacks to participants and families.
Intimidation and threats of violence are used against vulnerable NDIS participants.
Allied health professionals and other intermediaries have helped gangs by preparing false or exaggerated documents for higher payments.
Fraud includes false claims, requests made during hospital stays or imprisonment, and claims on expired plans.
Large cash withdrawals and asset purchases from NDIS funds aim to hide criminal activity.
People from non-English backgrounds and those with disabilities are most at risk.
The government plans to introduce stronger provider registration rules and improve data use to combat fraud.
The NDIS spending is growing rapidly, with projections to reach $63 billion by 2028-29, leading to planned budget cuts to slow growth.
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President Donald Trump's administration is working to end the LIHEAP program, which helps people pay for energy costs. If this happens during a time of rising oil prices, many families may struggle to pay their utility bills and could face having their service cut off.
Key Facts
LIHEAP stands for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
LIHEAP provides financial help to low-income households for energy bills.
The administration plans to stop funding LIHEAP.
Oil prices are currently rising, increasing energy costs for consumers.
Without LIHEAP, more people might fall behind on energy payments.
This could lead to more utility shut-offs.
Ending aid may increase hardship for vulnerable families during the energy price rise.
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Kash Patel, the FBI Director, has filed a $250 million lawsuit against The Atlantic. He says the magazine published false claims that he was often drunk at work, which he denies and says harmed his reputation.
Key Facts
Kash Patel is the FBI Director under President Donald Trump.
He sued The Atlantic for $250 million over an article published on Friday.
The article accused Patel of erratic behavior and drinking while working.
Patel claims the allegations are false and made to damage his reputation.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court of Columbia and is 19 pages long.
Patel states he has had successes leading the FBI under President Trump.
He says The Atlantic crossed a legal line by publishing fabricated claims.
This is an ongoing story, with updates expected.
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A man in Shreveport, Louisiana, shot and killed eight children early Sunday, seven of whom were his own. The shooting happened at three locations and left two women seriously injured, including the mother of some of the children.
Key Facts
The shooting occurred in Shreveport, Louisiana, in the southern United States.
Eight children were killed, seven of them related to the shooter.
The incident involved domestic violence.
The shooting took place at three different locations.
Two women were shot and seriously wounded, one of whom was the mother of some victims.
This is the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. in over two years.
The information comes from police and Gun Violence Archive data.
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FBI Director Kash Patel filed a lawsuit against The Atlantic after it published a report about his job performance and alcohol use. The article reported that Patel was worried about losing his job and was difficult to contact following nights of heavy drinking.
Key Facts
FBI Director Kash Patel sued The Atlantic magazine.
The lawsuit follows a story titled “The FBI Director Is MIA.”
The article claimed Patel feared losing his position.
It said Patel was hard to reach after nights of excessive drinking.
The story was based on interviews with more than two dozen people.
The article was published on a Friday.
The lawsuit was filed on the following Monday.
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Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson disagreed with a recent Supreme Court decision that overturned a lower court ruling about police stops and searches. The case involved a police officer stopping a driver without clear reason, and the Supreme Court changed the lower court's decision.
Key Facts
The case centers on a police stop in Washington, D.C., where two people quickly ran from a car.
A police officer ordered the driver, called R. W., to raise his hands and drew his weapon.
The D.C. Court of Appeals said the stop violated the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches.
The Supreme Court reversed the lower court’s decision.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson disagreed with the Supreme Court’s decision and wrote a dissent.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor said she would not have agreed to hear the case.
The main issue is whether police had a reasonable reason to stop the driver.
The dissent focused on whether the Supreme Court should have reviewed facts weighed by the lower court.
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A female Uber driver in South Carolina shared a story about refusing to take male passengers late at night using Uber’s women-only filter, citing safety concerns. When she told the men "62 million," she was referencing a CNN report about a large audience for harmful online videos, prompting discussion about women’s safety during rides.
Key Facts
The female Uber driver uses Uber’s "women riders only" filter and can cancel male passengers after dark without penalty.
She refused two men who booked a ride through a woman’s account late at night, saying she does not take men after dark.
The men’s three-word reply was "Honestly, that’s valid."
"62 million" referred to the number of monthly visits to a pornography site featuring harmful content involving unconscious women, as reported by CNN.
Uber introduced the women-only preference nationwide in the U.S. earlier in 2024.
The driver highlighted that the feature is for safety, not discrimination, and encouraged women to use it, especially when vulnerable.
She explained that her nervous system becomes highly alert when men enter her car due to past experiences and widespread safety concerns for women.
The driver provided safety tips like checking license plates and confirming driver identity before rides.
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FBI Director Kash Patel has filed a defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic magazine. He claims the magazine published a story accusing him of drinking and missing work, and he is asking for $250 million in damages.
Key Facts
Kash Patel is the FBI Director.
Patel sued The Atlantic on Monday.
The lawsuit is for defamation, which means damaging someone's reputation with false claims.
The published story accused Patel of drinking and being absent from work.
Patel is seeking $250 million in damages.
The news was reported by CBS News.
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A mother and her six children died after an explosion and fire destroyed their home in Lamar Township, Pennsylvania. Officials say a propane leak might have caused the explosion, and the fire spread so quickly that firefighters could not rescue the family.
Key Facts
The explosion happened at 8:30 a.m. local time on Sunday in Clinton County, Pennsylvania.
The mother, Sarah B Stolzfus, was 34 years old.
The six children included four boys and two girls, aged 3 to 11.
Firefighters found the house fully on fire and could not enter to save the family.
A propane leak inside the home is believed to have triggered the explosion.
The house was almost completely destroyed and partly collapsed due to the fire.
Neighbors heard a loud boom and saw flames quickly engulf the house.
Police and fire officials are still investigating the exact cause of the explosion.
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