President Donald Trump said that Michael Cohen, his former personal lawyer, was pressured to testify against him in a 2024 New York trial about hush money payments. Trump said the government was used unfairly against Cohen and others.
Key Facts
President Trump spoke in a recorded interview with Michael Cohen.
Cohen is involved in a 2024 New York trial about hush money payments.
Trump claimed Cohen was “forced” to testify against him.
Trump said the government was “weaponized” against Cohen and others.
The situation involves legal and political tensions related to the trial.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and critic, gave a rare radio interview with Trump after eight years without public contact. Cohen once fiercely supported Trump but later testified against him and called him a conman during criminal trials over hush-money payments.
Key Facts
Michael Cohen was President Trump’s personal lawyer and called himself Trump’s “attack dog with a law license.”
Cohen later criticized Trump and was a key witness in Trump’s 2024 criminal trial over hush-money payments.
Trump was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to the 2016 election interference.
Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for crimes connected to hiding payments to Stormy Daniels, including campaign finance violations.
Cohen spent over a year in prison and was disbarred in New York before becoming a vocal Trump critic.
In the recent interview, Cohen referred to Trump as “boss,” and Trump praised Cohen for recanting his previous statements.
Cohen previously called Trump a racist, conman, and cheat during testimony to a congressional committee.
Cohen expressed fears about the peaceful transition of power if Trump lost the 2020 election.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Disney and ABC have sued the U.S. government, saying their First Amendment rights were limited. They argue that the government asked for their broadcast licenses to be renewed early because of criticism about President Trump.
Key Facts
Disney and ABC filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government.
The lawsuit claims their free speech rights under the First Amendment were restricted.
The issue involves the government requesting early renewal of their broadcast licenses.
Disney and ABC say this early renewal demand was a response to their content critical of President Trump.
The First Amendment protects freedom of speech and the press.
The case involves how the government handles broadcast licenses.
CBS News legal expert Jessica Levinson discussed the case on CBS News.
The lawsuit challenges government actions related to media regulation and free speech.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The FBI arrested a 35-year-old woman who had converted to Islam and supported terrorism online. She reportedly planned to bomb the New York State Capitol.
Key Facts
A 35-year-old woman was arrested by the FBI.
She converted to Islam before the arrest.
She expressed support for terrorism on the internet.
She allegedly created a plan to attack the New York State Capitol building.
The arrest was announced by the FBI.
The incident took place in New York State.
Authorities acted to stop a possible act of violence.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump will hold a rally with South Carolina Senator Darline Graham before the special Senate runoff election. The runoff is between Senator Graham and Representative Ralph Norman and will take place on Tuesday.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump is supporting Senator Darline Graham.
The event is a rally planned before a Senate runoff election.
The runoff election is special, meaning it is held to fill a vacant seat.
The election is in South Carolina.
The two candidates are Senator Darline Graham and Representative Ralph Norman.
The runoff election is scheduled for Tuesday.
CBS News reported this information.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Aisha Wahab won a special election to finish the rest of Eric Swalwell’s term representing California’s 14th Congressional District. She will serve until January 2027 and will face the same opponent again in the November general election for the next full term.
Key Facts
Aisha Wahab was elected in a special election to fill Eric Swalwell's vacant seat.
The 14th Congressional District covers parts of the Bay Area.
Swalwell resigned in April amid sexual misconduct allegations, which he denies.
Wahab’s lead over Melissa Hernandez is large enough that remaining votes won’t change the outcome.
Wahab was elected to the California state Senate in 2022, representing parts of the East Bay and Silicon Valley.
Voters will vote again for the same seat and candidates in the November 3 general election.
Early voting and mail-in ballots start on October 5.
The Alameda County Registrar of Voters reported updated vote totals confirming Wahab’s win.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Two Senate races in Iowa and Texas, states won by President Donald Trump in 2024, are now considered very close by political experts. This change boosts Democrats’ chances of gaining control of the Senate in the upcoming midterm elections.
Key Facts
Iowa and Texas were won by President Trump by about 13 and 14 points, respectively, in 2024.
The Cook Political Report changed the Senate races in these states from “Lean Republican” to “Toss-up,” meaning either party could win.
Democrats need to flip four Senate seats to gain majority control; Republicans currently hold 53 seats.
The political environment in Iowa is described as “uniquely challenging” for Republicans.
In Texas, the defeat of Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary added uncertainty to the race.
The gubernatorial races in both states also show growing competitiveness favoring Democrats.
Other close Senate races include Alaska, Maine, Ohio, and Michigan.
Candidates are expected to spend millions of dollars in these competitive races ahead of the midterms.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. Army will gradually end a drone unit called the Unmanned Assault Battalion. This unit studied drone use in wars like the Russia-Ukraine conflict and took part in training exercises at a multinational center.
Key Facts
The unit is called the Unmanned Assault Battalion.
It focused on learning from drone use in foreign conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war.
The Army plans to phase out this battalion over time.
The unit took part in exercises at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center.
Some leaders who supported this drone unit have been removed from their positions.
The decision marks a change in the Army’s approach to using drones in combat.
The Army confirmed these plans to The Hill on a Thursday.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The FBI arrested Jessica Bowie for allegedly planning an attack on the New York State Capitol after pledging loyalty to ISIL. She was accused of trying to build a bomb and buy weapons, with help from undercover informants.
Key Facts
Jessica Bowie, 35, was arrested for plotting an attack on the New York State Capitol.
She allegedly pledged loyalty to ISIL, a group labeled as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. since 2004.
Bowie communicated with FBI informants over encrypted apps and expressed her intent to kill lawmakers.
The informants gave her $200 to buy bomb-making materials and later helped her buy a firearm and ammo.
Police arrested Bowie before she could carry out the attack.
Bowie admitted she knew supporting terrorism could mean up to 20 years in prison.
The case involved controversial FBI tactics using confidential informants, which critics say can pressure suspects into plots.
A past case, the “Newburgh Four,” highlighted concerns about these methods, as the main informant played a major role in encouraging the plot.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Aisha Wahab won a special election to fill the remainder of Eric Swalwell’s term in the U.S. House of Representatives for California’s 14th District. Wahab will be the first Afghan American to serve in Congress, succeeding Swalwell who resigned amid sexual assault allegations.
Key Facts
Aisha Wahab won the special election to finish Eric Swalwell’s House term ending in January.
Swalwell resigned from Congress in April and denied sexual assault and harassment allegations against him.
Wahab defeated Melissa Hernandez, a Bay Area Rapid Transit Director, in the special election for California’s 14th District.
The district includes parts of Alameda County, on the east side of San Francisco Bay.
Wahab has focused on housing affordability and wrote a 2023 bill to ban caste-based discrimination.
Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Wahab’s caste discrimination bill, citing existing civil rights laws.
Wahab was the first Afghan American elected to public office in the U.S. and now will be the first to serve in Congress.
Federal agents recently searched Swalwell’s electronic devices and home as part of ongoing investigations related to the allegations.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Over 70,000 people in northwestern Indiana have been without electricity for more than 10 days due to severe storms that caused damage. Local leaders are working to fix the power problems while residents express frustration about the slow recovery.
Key Facts
Storms hit northwestern Indiana, causing trees to fall and power lines to go down.
Flooding affected neighborhoods in the area.
More than 70,000 residents have been without power for over 10 days.
Local officials are trying to restore electricity.
Some residents say recovery efforts are too slow.
The outage has disrupted daily life for many people.
The storms caused widespread damage beyond just power outages.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Aisha Wahab won a special election to fill the California U.S. House seat left by Eric Swalwell, who resigned after sexual misconduct allegations. Wahab, a state senator and progressive candidate, received support from the state Democratic party and labor unions, overcoming a closely contested race boosted by large outside spending.
Key Facts
Aisha Wahab won the special election to replace Eric Swalwell in Congress.
Swalwell resigned after facing sexual misconduct allegations, which he denies.
Wahab is a state senator and was the favored candidate in the East Bay district of California.
She had support from the state Democratic party, labor unions, and the state attorney general.
Opponent Tim Hernandez received significant outside funding from Super PACs linked to AIPAC.
These Super PACs spent over $5 million on ads supporting Hernandez and attacking Wahab.
Wahab is the first Muslim woman and Afghan American elected to the California legislature.
The race became more heated after Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren endorsed Hernandez, creating divisions within the local Democratic party.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is suing to stop a new law that gives teaching aides a one-time $10,000 bonus. The law became official when the City Council passed it and Mamdani chose not to veto it, but he claims it breaks state labor rules.
Key Facts
The $10,000 bonus is for teaching aides in New York City schools.
The law, called the Respect Check Act, was passed by the City Council and became law without the mayor’s veto.
Mayor Mamdani filed a lawsuit to block the bonus, citing the state Taylor Law about public worker rights.
The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) supports the bonus and says the City Council did not break labor rules.
Teaching aides in NYC earn as low as $32,000 per year.
The Taylor Law protects public employees’ rights to organize and negotiate wages.
A 2023 court decision allows certain payments to public employees without collective bargaining approval.
City Hall argues the bonuses are actually extra pay and must be negotiated with unions.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
"The Takeout," a CBS News show, is retiring its original red chairs that were part of the set. Major Garrett, CBS News chief Washington correspondent, said goodbye to the chairs as part of the show's changes.
Key Facts
"The Takeout" is a show on CBS News.
The show had distinctive red chairs on its set.
CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett spoke about the chairs.
The red chairs are being removed or replaced.
The change reflects a new phase or season for the show.
CBS News shared this update through a video segment.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Reggie Love worked closely with President Barack Obama from 2007 to 2011 as his "body man," a role that combines assistant, scheduler, and companion. He shared his experience on a CBS News program called "The Takeout."
Key Facts
Reggie Love served President Barack Obama in a role called "body man."
A "body man" helps with many tasks, including managing schedules and personal needs.
Love worked for Obama from 2007 until 2011.
Lawmakers often have "body people" to assist them in various ways.
Reggie Love discussed his job and experiences on the CBS News show "The Takeout."
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Julia Curlee served nearly 20 years in U.S. intelligence and was the first CIA officer to openly transition while still working there. She was fired early in President Trump’s second term and says politics in the White House hurt U.S. intelligence.
Key Facts
Julia Curlee worked for almost 20 years in the U.S. intelligence community.
She was the first CIA officer to openly transition as a transgender woman while still employed.
Curlee was dismissed early in President Trump’s second term.
She wrote an essay called “The wrong kind of American” about her experience.
Curlee says that political issues in the White House have weakened U.S. intelligence work.
She discussed her story further with journalist Amna Nawaz.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Erica Schwartz has become the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In her first talks with CDC staff, she recognized that the agency is facing significant challenges.
Key Facts
Erica Schwartz is the newly confirmed director of the CDC.
She recently spoke with CDC employees for the first time since her confirmation.
During these talks, she acknowledged that the CDC is dealing with difficult issues.
The CDC is a major U.S. public health agency responsible for disease control and prevention.
Schwartz’s leadership comes at a time when the CDC needs to overcome these challenges to fulfill its mission.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Senator Darline Graham said during a debate that she is "not that informed on national security." This statement surprised people watching the debate for the South Carolina GOP Senate primary runoff.
Key Facts
The event was a debate before the South Carolina Republican Senate primary runoff.
Senator Darline Graham admitted she is not well informed about national security.
Her comment caused gasps from the audience.
The debate and statement were discussed by reporters from Bloomberg and the Associated Press.
The news was covered by CBS News and available on their app.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Poll results in some Democratic primary elections this year have been very different from the actual vote outcomes. For example, Abdul El-Sayed led by a large margin in polls but only narrowly lost to Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Senate race.
Key Facts
Some primary election results have not matched what public opinion polls predicted.
In Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, Abdul El-Sayed was ahead by many points in polls but lost by one point.
Pollsters Lisa Desjardins and Courtney Kennedy from Ipsos talked about these unexpected results.
The differences may indicate that polls are less accurate in some races this year.
Polling errors can happen when certain groups of voters are not fully represented or when opinions change quickly.
Understanding why polls miss the mark can help improve future election predictions.
This phenomenon affects public trust in how well polls reflect actual voter choices.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
First Lady Melania Trump announced a $2 million donation from IndyCar and Fox Corp. to provide scholarships for children in foster care at Indiana University and Purdue University. This gift supports her Fostering the Future program, which helps foster youth attend college and build their careers.
Key Facts
First Lady Melania Trump accepted a $2 million gift from IndyCar and Fox Corp.
The money will fund scholarships at Indiana University and Purdue University.
These schools recently joined a network of over two dozen colleges in the Fostering the Future program.
The program helps children in foster care get a college education and career opportunities.
The announcement was made in the White House Rose Garden.
IndyCar is sponsoring the Freedom 250 Grand Prix event in Washington to celebrate America's 250th anniversary.
The Fostering the Future program aims to help foster youth achieve financial independence.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
