Author: Alex Smith

Two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, 64 and their dog were found dead Wednesday afternoon in their home outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said.In an email to CBS News early Thursday, the office said, “Foul play is not suspected as a factor in those deaths at this time. However, (the) exact cause of death has not been determined.” Actor Gene Hackman on the set of the movie “Mississippi Burning” in 1988.  Robert R. McElroy / Getty Images “This is an active and ongoing investigation by the Santa…

Washington — Chief Justice John Roberts late Wednesday granted the Trump administration’s request to put on hold a lower court order that required it to pay an estimated $2 billion in foreign assistance funds for State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development projects by midnight Wednesday.Roberts, who oversees requests for emergency relief arising from cases in the District of Columbia, acted alone in halting the decision from a federal district judge issued Tuesday. The judge, U.S. District Judge Amir Ali, gave the State Department and USAID until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday to pay its bills to contractors for work that…

U.S. Department of Agriculture officials said Wednesday that there are “no anticipated changes” to the current federal policy requiring poultry to be culled in response to bird flu outbreaks, which have driven up egg prices to record highs in recent months.The decision marks a rebuke of an idea floated by Trump administration officials in recent weeks to change the policy. More than 35 million birds have been killed in response to bird flu outbreaks in commercial flocks so far this year, according to the USDA’s figures.”The Biden plan was to just kill chickens, and they spent billions of dollars just…

Why McConnell is against some Trump nominees Why McConnell is voting against some Trump nominees 06:27 Washington — President Trump is holding his first Cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday, with his Cabinet nominees largely confirmed.Billionaire and senior Trump adviser Elon Musk, who is not a Cabinet member, will also be present, the White House confirmed Monday. Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social Wednesday that “ALL CABINET MEMBERS ARE EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH ELON. The Media will see that at the Cabinet Meeting this morning!!!”That declaration comes as Musk is looking to slash federal departments and agencies. He has…

What to know about Pope’s condition What to know about Pope Francis’ condition as he fights pneumonia 04:38 Rome — Pope Francis remained in critical condition and was resting Wednesday, as Argentines and Romans alike gathered in the Eternal City to pray for his recovery from double pneumonia.The Vatican’s short morning update said: “The pope had a peaceful night and is resting.” On Tuesday night, the faithful from Francis’ homeland gathered in the Argentine church of Rome for a special Mass presided over by Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, the pope’s vicar for Rome. The rector of the church, the Rev. Fernando…

For the second time in two weeks, DOGE’s “receipts” don’t match its claims. On Monday, the Department of Government Efficiency released another round of so-called “receipts” — or canceled contracts to show its cost cutting — and posted them on its “wall of receipts.” As was the case with the first round, this set, too, contained inaccuracies.                          Despite doubling the number of listed contracts, the updated itemized savings now total $9.6 billion, a sharp drop from the original $16.6 billion in savings DOGE itemized last week. At the same…

Washington — A federal judge on Tuesday continued to block the Office of Management and Budget from freezing federal assistance, delivering another blow to the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to shrink federal spending.Judge Loren AliKhan from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in favor of a group of nonprofit organizations in finding that they are likely to succeed in their challenge to the pause on all federal grants, loans and other federal assistance programs. The judge found that the nonprofits proved that the “funding freeze would be economically catastrophic — and in some circumstances, fatal — to…

Will Americans get $5,000 checks from DOGE savings like Trump, Musk claim? – CBS News/ Watch CBS News It’s not clear if the Trump administration could share savings produced by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with Americans. Jay Zagorsky, a professor at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, joins CBS News with more. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Vatican City — Pope Francis continued his recovery from pneumonia Tuesday as the Vatican set in motion a nightly marathon of prayers from “his house” and allies cheered him on in hopes that he might recover and get back to leading the Catholic Church.The Vatican’s typically brief morning update said: “The pope slept well, all night.” On Monday evening, doctors said he remained in critical condition with double pneumonia but reported a “slight improvement” in some laboratory results. In the most upbeat bulletin in days, they said he had resumed work from his hospital room, calling a parish in Gaza…

What to know about Dan Bongino, the FBI’s new deputy director – CBS News/ Watch CBS News President Trump has named a former Secret Service agent and conservative podcaster as the new deputy director of the FBI. Dan Bongino will serve second in command to director Kash Patel. CBS News Department of Justice correspondent Scott MacFarlane has the details. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On