A federal judge temporarily blocked new U.S. Postal Service rules about mail voting ahead of the November midterm elections. The judge said the Postal Service likely does not have the authority to set these rules and that states would be harmed by having to comply so close to the election.
Key Facts
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani stopped the Postal Service from enforcing new mail voting rules.
The rules were created after President Donald Trump issued an executive order aimed at tightening mail voting controls.
About two dozen states and Washington D.C., along with voting rights groups, sued to block the new Postal Service rules.
The lawsuit argues that only states, not the Postal Service, have the power to manage elections.
The judge said complying with the new rules now would cause big problems for states, including redesigning ballots and updating systems right before the election.
The judge found the Postal Service rule likely violates the Constitution because the agency lacks authority to regulate election mail.
The Justice Department may appeal the ruling, which could lead to a Supreme Court decision.
The Postal Service rule requires special envelopes and voter data submission but says it will not determine voter eligibility or count ballots.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A Florida grand jury found that Governor Ron DeSantis’s administration wrongly used $10 million from a Medicaid settlement by sending it to the Hope Florida Foundation. This foundation is supported by First Lady Casey DeSantis, and the jury said the money was used to support political activities.
Key Facts
A Florida grand jury investigated the DeSantis administration.
The investigation centered on $10 million from a Medicaid settlement.
The money was sent to the Hope Florida Foundation.
The Hope Florida Foundation is linked to First Lady Casey DeSantis.
The grand jury said the money was misused or "misappropriated."
The jury described the money transfer as part of a plan to fund political work.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A federal judge in Florida, Roy Altman, is facing a formal complaint accusing him of showing bias in favor of Israel and making anti-Palestinian statements. The complaint also alleges he used his judicial office to promote political views during work hours.
Key Facts
Florida lawyer Katherine Giannamore filed a complaint against District Judge Roy Altman to the Eleventh Circuit Court.
The complaint accuses Altman of damaging public trust in the fairness and independence of the federal judiciary.
Altman reportedly made media appearances from his court chambers during business hours and used court staff for his public talks.
He called the keffiyeh, a Palestinian symbol, a "terrorism scarf" during a podcast with a right-wing group called the Middle East Forum.
Altman was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2019 and is a strong supporter of Israel, promoting a book defending the country.
Federal judges in the U.S. serve for life, and complaints like this are usually reviewed by a chief judge or a special committee.
While sanctions against judges are rare, such complaints aim to raise awareness about judges' public behavior and impartiality.
Altman has toured campuses and churches to reject accusations of human rights abuses by Israel in Gaza.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump signed a temporary order to lift tariffs on some imported beef starting September 1, aiming to lower beef prices in the U.S. This move has caused strong opposition from farmers and Republican lawmakers who believe it will hurt American beef producers.
Key Facts
The tariff pause applies only to lean beef trimmings used to blend with U.S. beef for ground beef.
The allowed import amount is increased to 300,000 metric tons at low tariff rates.
The proclamation excludes countries with existing beef quotas and those with free trade agreements with the U.S.
The goal is to lower beef prices by encouraging imports to be sold at a 25% discount.
President Trump said he might end the tariff pause if prices do not drop as expected.
Farmers, ranchers, and GOP lawmakers criticized the decision, saying it harms the U.S. beef industry.
Republican Senators Tim Sheehy and John Barrasso publicly opposed the move.
The administration is considering additional policy changes to address some concerns from the beef industry.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A federal judge has paused the implementation of President Donald Trump’s executive order that limits mail voting, just before the midterm elections begin. The judge delayed the order for 14 days, saying states don’t have enough time or money to adjust their election systems before voting starts.
Key Facts
A federal judge named Indira Talwani stopped President Trump’s mail voting order for 14 days.
The pause happened about a week before mail ballots are sent out for the midterms.
The judge said states cannot quickly redesign ballots or train workers to meet the new Postal Service rules.
The Supreme Court previously overturned an earlier block on Trump’s order but did not decide if the order was legal.
The new rule requires states to send voter lists and use specific envelope formats for mail ballots.
Democrats and voting rights groups argue that the president and Postal Service cannot change election rules.
About one-third of Americans vote by mail, and many election officials say they need more time to comply.
President Trump has focused on mail voting after falsely accusing it of causing his 2020 election loss.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Andrew and Tristan Tate appeared in a Florida court asking to be released from jail while fighting extradition to the UK, where they face charges of rape and sex trafficking. The brothers said they did not commit the crimes and complained about jail conditions, while US lawyers argued they might try to escape and have multiple passports.
Key Facts
The Tate brothers were arrested in Miami on July 19.
They face 59 criminal charges in the UK, including rape, sex trafficking, and indecent images of a child.
The UK must submit a full extradition request by September 16.
The brothers also have unresolved sex trafficking charges in Romania.
US prosecutors say the Tates are flight risks because of their resources and multiple passports.
Defence lawyers say their fame makes it hard for them to flee.
Andrew Tate said he had to return to professional boxing to support himself.
The British Embassy asked the US court to keep the brothers in custody during extradition proceedings.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Justice Department is in court to support the Kennedy Center Board's effort to put President Donald Trump's name on the front of the building. The board includes President Trump and his supporters and wants to add his name to the Kennedy Center.
Key Facts
The Kennedy Center Board is trying to add President Trump's name to the building’s facade.
President Trump and his allies are members of the Kennedy Center Board.
The Justice Department is defending this effort in court.
The court hearing took place on a Thursday.
CBS News reporter Jake Rosen covered the event.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Jury members in the trial of Lindsay Clancy began discussing the case after closing statements from both sides. Some jurors have decided not to take part in the decision-making process during these discussions.
Key Facts
The trial is for Lindsay Clancy, who faces a murder charge.
Jury deliberations started on a Thursday.
Both the prosecution and defense completed their final arguments before deliberations.
Some jurors chose not to participate in the discussions about the verdict.
A criminal defense attorney and legal expert, Elyse Hershon, provided analysis on the case during a CBS News segment.
The news report was available on the CBS News app and website.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Florida governor’s race has become more competitive, with the Cook Political Report changing its rating from “Solid Republican” to “Likely Republican.” Democrat David Jolly, a former Republican, is challenging Republican Byron Donalds, who is supported by President Trump and has a large fundraising lead.
Key Facts
Cook Political Report now rates the Florida governor race as “Likely Republican” instead of “Solid Republican.”
Democrat David Jolly was previously a Republican and is running with former Democratic Representative Gwen Graham.
Republican Byron Donalds won the primary and has President Trump’s backing.
Donalds has raised more than ten times the money that Jolly has for the campaign.
Florida has become more Republican in recent years, with President Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis winning by large margins.
Republicans hold a voter registration advantage in Florida and have a favorable congressional map.
No Democrat has won the Florida governor’s office in over 25 years.
Experts say the race may get closer, but Donalds is still the favorite to win in November.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
NHS leaders warn that care for autism and ADHD is becoming disorganized as costs rise sharply and many new private providers enter the market. They say the system is expensive, inconsistent, and hard to regulate, which could harm patients and waste taxpayer money.
Key Facts
The NHS Alliance represents health managers and says the current autism and ADHD care system is a "bad deal" for patients and taxpayers.
Costs for assessments and care vary widely, with one health board paying between £300 and £3,000 for similar services.
There has been a big increase in private and charity providers offering services, sometimes causing difficulty in checking care quality and safety.
An independent government review on autism, ADHD, and mental health services is expected soon, promising a new national plan.
The NHS has a "right to choose" policy allowing patients to get care from both NHS and non-NHS providers to reduce long waiting lists.
Spending has increased sharply; one board’s costs rose 10 times in one year to £1.5 million a month.
Another board’s annual spending jumped from £4 million to £30 million in two years.
Providers doing only assessments do not have to be registered with the Care Quality Commission, making regulation harder.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved updated Covid-19 vaccines targeting the dominant XFG variant. These vaccines from Moderna, Novavax-Sanofi, and Pfizer-BioNTech can now be distributed to people at higher risk, mainly those 65 and older or younger individuals with certain health conditions.
Key Facts
The FDA approved updated Covid vaccines to target the XFG variant.
Moderna, Novavax-Sanofi, and Pfizer-BioNTech are the manufacturers of the updated vaccines.
Vaccines are for people 65 and older, and younger people with health conditions that increase Covid risk.
Age approvals vary: Moderna for children 6 months and older, Pfizer-BioNTech for age 5 and older, Novavax-Sanofi for age 12 and older.
The Trump administration changed vaccine recommendations last fall, advising vaccinations based on personal choice.
The CDC’s vaccine advisory panel is currently inactive, causing uncertainty about future vaccine recommendations.
It is unclear if health insurers will cover the updated vaccines without CDC panel recommendations.
Covid-19 activity in the US is currently low but has been increasing slightly in recent weeks.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Wisconsin politicians joked about President Donald Trump’s executive order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America." They made light of the idea by talking about renaming Lake Michigan, another large lake near Wisconsin. The order came during ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America."
This change relates to trade tensions between the United States and Canada.
Wisconsin politicians made jokes about also changing the name of Lake Michigan.
Lake Michigan is one of the Great Lakes and is located near Wisconsin.
The renaming order was announced on a Thursday.
The order is part of President Trump’s efforts connected to U.S. trade policies.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan, said Democrats should unite before the 2026 midterm elections. He responded to controversial comments made by supporter Hasan Piker and confirmed he has talked with state Sen. Jeremy Moss, who has not endorsed him.
Key Facts
Abdul El-Sayed is the Democratic nominee for Michigan's U.S. Senate race.
He is competing against Republican Mike Rogers.
El-Sayed challenged Rogers to another debate scheduled for October.
Supporter Hasan Piker made critical remarks about Israel, Jewish Americans, and Democratic state Sen. Jeremy Moss.
Jeremy Moss disagreed with Piker and has not endorsed El-Sayed.
El-Sayed stated only he and his campaign speak for his campaign and will not hold more events with Piker.
El-Sayed confirmed he has spoken with Moss following the controversy.
Democratic Rep. Hilary Scholten has not endorsed El-Sayed and expressed concerns about Piker but stopped short of opposing El-Sayed.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A recent court ruling ended discounted political ad rates for party groups and super PACs, affecting how Democrats and Republicans spend on local TV ads. Democrats warn stations about legal risks if they offer discounts to outside groups, while Republicans say such warnings are wrong and plan to challenge the court decision.
Key Facts
The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down an FCC rule that let political parties and super PACs get cheaper local TV ad rates.
The ruling means outside groups pay much more than individual candidates for political ads.
Democrats mostly raise money directly at the candidate level, so this ruling helps them.
Republicans rely more on national party and super PAC spending, so they see the ruling as a setback.
Democratic media firms sent letters warning TV stations they could face legal trouble for giving discounts to party-related groups.
Republican lawyers told stations to ignore the Democratic warnings and said offering discounts is still allowed.
Republicans plan to appeal the court ruling to the Supreme Court and may file complaints against stations following the Democrats' advice.
This issue is part of a bigger battle over campaign spending rules before the 2026 midterm elections.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. Department of Justice charged 81 people linked to a Puerto Rican gang called Los Baja Deo (LBD) with drug and weapons crimes. These actions are part of President Donald Trump’s effort to fight drug trafficking and violent gangs in the U.S. and its territories.
Key Facts
The Justice Department indicted 81 people accused of drug and weapons violations linked to the LBD gang.
The FBI and Puerto Rico Police arrested 70 defendants before the charges were announced.
LBD allegedly distributed heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana, mainly around Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, since 2021.
The gang is accused of trafficking at least 340 kg of fentanyl and 2,200 kg of cocaine over five years, making over $49 million.
Members of LBD are charged with violence including murders and kidnappings to protect their drug operations.
Drug charges carry a minimum of 10 years in prison; combined drug and firearms charges carry at least 15 years, with possible life sentences.
The Justice Department seeks to seize nearly $50 million in assets related to the case.
The arrests are part of President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Force, created to fight cartels and criminal groups with more than 9,000 members nationwide.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The judge in Lindsay Clancy's trial told the jury to think about lesser criminal charges, not just first-degree murder, as they begin their decision process. The jury will decide what charges fit the case based on the evidence.
Key Facts
Lindsay Clancy is on trial.
The main charge is first-degree murder.
The judge asked jurors to also consider lesser charges.
Jury deliberations, or decision-making, started on Thursday.
The trial involves criminal law and the court system.
Legal experts are following the case closely.
The outcome depends on the jury's assessment of the evidence.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
One Nation has appointed Mike Newman, an investment banker and former trade official, as its New South Wales leader and candidate for the Hunter seat in the 2027 state election. Newman shared some of the party’s policies, including reducing payroll tax and introducing performance goals for public service workers, and said the party wants to remove what it calls “wokery.”
Key Facts
Mike Newman is the new One Nation leader in New South Wales and a candidate for the Hunter seat of Cessnock.
Pauline Hanson, the federal leader of One Nation, announced Newman’s candidacy.
Newman previously worked in Japan for 25 years and as a senior trade official for Investment NSW in Tokyo.
One Nation’s NSW policies include cutting payroll tax by half, removing it in regional areas, freezing the number of public servants, and using business-style performance measures in government jobs.
Newman said the party does not see itself as racist and pointed to his diverse business connections and Japanese wife as examples.
Newman said One Nation plans to promote social unity by ending “wokery,” a term used by the party to criticize certain social and cultural ideas.
The Labor party has held the Cessnock seat for 38 years, with the current member Clayton Barr winning 23.4% more votes than One Nation in 2023.
Recent polls show One Nation at 25% in NSW, just ahead of the Coalition on 23%, while Labor leads with 29%.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Three staff members from the military news outlet Stars and Stripes are suing the Pentagon after being fired. They claim the Trump administration violated their free speech rights by firing them for speaking out against military censorship and interference.
Key Facts
Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, and reporter Lara Korte filed a federal lawsuit in Washington, D.C.
They say the Pentagon fired them last week as retaliation for their journalism and comments about military censorship.
Slavin and Korte had given an interview criticizing potential censorship and reported on poor conditions aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln.
Lederer was fired shortly after announcing he would retire later this year.
The lawsuit states maintaining editorial independence is key to Stars and Stripes' role serving military members and their families.
The Pentagon, which partly funds Stars and Stripes, has not commented on the lawsuit.
The Defense Department and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are named in the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs are represented by several legal advocacy groups including the Democracy Defenders Fund and Yale Law School clinic.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Duane “Keffe D” Davis is on trial for the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas. After nine days of testimony and evidence presentation, the trial is moving to closing arguments before the jury decides on a verdict.
Key Facts
Tupac Shakur was shot on September 7, 1996, near the Las Vegas Strip while riding in a BMW.
A white Cadillac pulled up next to the BMW at a red light before the shooting.
Tupac was hit multiple times and died six days later; his friend and driver, Marion “Suge” Knight, survived.
Duane Davis says he got the gun used and that his late nephew fired the shots.
Prosecutors accuse Davis of planning the killing to support a criminal gang and seek life in prison if convicted.
Davis denies the charges and did not testify in court.
Defense claims Davis’s stories were exaggerated or false and that investigators could not confirm his accounts.
Former detective Dan Long testified he failed to find hospital or car rental records supporting Davis’s story.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
