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Appeals court says Trump is unlawfully constructing White House ballroom

2026-08-07 3:34 PM EDT / CNN

By Blake McGill, CNN

A divided federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump is unlawfully constructing a massive new ballroom at the White House, teeing up a high-stakes showdown over the issue before the Supreme Court. Senior White House Correspondent Kristen Holmes joins CNN News Central.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/07/politics/video/cncpm-appeals-court-says-trump-unlawfully-constructing-white-house-ballroom

Lindsey Graham’s final mission to punish Putin clears Senate after yearlong fight

August 7, 2026 1:25pm EDT / Fox News

The bipartisan package targets Putin’s oil and gas revenue and includes up to 500% tariffs on Russian imports

By Alex Miller Fox News

Senate advances bipartisan Russia sanctions bill named for late Sen Lindsey Graham

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Katie Britt, R-Ala., discuss the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. They say the bill aims to cut off funding for Russia’s war in Ukraine by targeting top oil and gas purchasers and authorizing tariffs.

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It’s taken well over a year of stops, starts, promises and derailments, but the Senate has at last advanced a bone-crushing package of sanctions against Russia, capping off one of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s biggest fights.

The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act sailed through the Senate on another colossal bipartisan vote and is now headed to the House. It has the backing of President Donald Trump, too.

It comes after personal lobbying from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, who, hours after Graham’s memorial service in Washington, D.C., pleaded with lawmakers to put a check on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

GRAHAM’S FINAL MISSION ADVANCES AS SENATE MOVES TO CRUSH PUTIN’S WAR MACHINE WITH RUSSIA, IRAN SANCTIONS

Sen. Lindsey Graham is pictured before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address during a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 24, 2026.(Kenny Holston/Pool/Getty Images)

“Today, President Zelenskyy is watching from Ukraine, and Putin is watching from Moscow,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said on the Senate floor. “I would like to think that Lindsey Graham is watching, too.”

The bill focuses on kneecapping Putin’s war machine by targeting Moscow’s top financial driver: oil and gas sales.

It also extends sanction authority against Iran that hampers funding to the country’s weapons and energy sectors as the administration and negotiators abroad seek to find a long-lasting peace agreement for the war in the Middle East.

There are also targeted sanctions against Putin, Russian officials and Russian military leaders, up to 500% tariffs on Russian imports and tariffs of up to 100% on the top five countries buying Russian energy, like China and India. And it gives Trump flexibility for when to turn off some aspects of the sanctions.

‘A BIG EFFING DEAL’: GRAHAM’S FINAL MISSION MOVES FORWARD AFTER HIS DEATH

Video

The tariff authority, however, threatened one last derailment of the package.

Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., initially held up the package over the issue and offered an amendment to solve the problem.

Paul, who has staunchly opposed Trump’s tariff strategy since he retook office, argued that slapping tariffs on superpowers working with Russia, like China, would only cause them to cozy up.

“These tariffs threaten to undermine America’s strategic position in the world,” Paul said. “Some naively think that the tariffs will get China to distance themselves from Russia, but it might be the opposite.

TRUMP ALLIES PUSH TO ARM PRESIDENT WITH NEW TARIFF WEAPON TO PUNISH COUNTRIES ‘RIPPING OFF’ AMERICA

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his annual end-of-year news conference in Moscow Dec. 19, 2024.(Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images)

“Recent history suggests that they will instead push Russia and China together,” he continued. “China is not going to get this 100% tariff and say, ‘Oh, we’re sorry, we’re no longer going to cooperate with Russia.’”

Then came Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who proved to be the last hurdle.

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But after meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer Thursday, Warnock backed down after receiving a commitment that Trump’s tariff authority was indeed limited to just the top five countries purchasing oil and gas exports from Russia.

“We should not have to choose between putting a check on Putin’s aggression and putting a check on this president’s tariff regime,” Warnock said. “That is a false choice, and it is one that I am not willing to accept.”

Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6402334396112

Trump nominates agency lawyer to serve on Federal Communications Commission

2026-08-07 16:01:57 / Reuters

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seal decorates a wall inside their headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 22, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

• Summary
• Companies

• Trump-picked lawyer would fill one of two open seats on five-member commission
• FCC now has two Republicans and one Democrat
• If confirmed, nomination ​could let Trump fire Democratic commissioner because FCC needs three members for quorum

WASHINGTON, Aug 7 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday nominated a senior lawyer at the Federal Communications Commission to serve on the five-member agency as he presses it to revoke the licenses of broadcasters.

The White House said Trump is tapping Danielle Thumann Severs, who is a senior ​counsel to FCC Chair Brendan Carr and goes by Thumann professionally, to serve on one of the ​two open seats on the commission.

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“Danielle is a total pro. She’s been running one of ⁠the most important portions of the FCC’s economic agenda — everything from cracking down on robocalls and combatting fraud — to ​a lot of work on bridging the digital divide and public safety,” Carr said in an interview on Friday.

Trump ​has repeatedly urged broadcasters to drop comedy or news programs he dislikes or which have been critical, and pressed the FCC to revoke licenses of broadcasters he says are unfair. Last month, Trump called on the FCC to revoke licenses of Comcast

CMCSA.O, opens new tab
-owned NBC and Walt ​Disney

DIS.N, opens new tab
-owned ABC for not airing his remarks on election security on their broadcast channels.

Broadcasters have broad First Amendment rights ​to make content decisions.

The FCC currently has two Republicans and one Democrat, Commissioner Anna Gomez. Trump fired two Democrats on the Federal ‌Trade ⁠Commission and
dismissed numerous other Democrats, opens new tab
.

The FCC historically is divided 3-2 with the party in control of the White House holding a majority. The law requires three members for a quorum, so if Thumann is confirmed it could allow Trump to fire Gomez.

EARLY REVIEW OF ABC STATIONS

Carr in April ordered an unusual, early review of broadcast licenses held by Disney’s ​eight company-owned ABC television stations, ​even though the stations’ ⁠license renewals were not scheduled to be considered until October 2028. The day before Carr ordered the early review, Trump urged ABC to fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

Broadcast stations ​need FCC licenses to use public airwaves. While license revocations are exceptionally rare, critics ​say the prospect ⁠of losing a license can pressure broadcasters and raise concerns about government interference in editorial and programming decisions.

Trump demanded in November that the FCC revoke ABC licenses after he criticized an ABC News correspondent for asking Saudi Arabia’s crown prince ⁠about the ​2018 killing of a Washington Post columnist, in a question he ​dubbed “insubordinate.”

The FCC is also investigating ABC daytime talk show “The View,” which discusses U.S. politics, after the agency said it may be subject to federal ​rules requiring broadcasters to provide equal opportunities to political candidates.

Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Nia Williams and Matthew Lewis

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Idaho shooting video shows gunman start deadly rampage in In-N-Out drive-thru

2026-08-07T14:54:00-0400 / CBS News

By Alex Sundby Senior Editor
Alex Sundby is a senior editor at CBSNews.com. In addition to editing content, Alex also covers breaking news, writing about crime and severe weather as well as everything from multistate lottery jackpots to the July Fourth hot dog eating contest.

Read Full Bio

Updated on: August 7, 2026 / 3:22 PM EDT / CBS News

Police released surveillance video footage Friday showing chilling moments from last weekend’s deadly shooting that started at an Idaho In-N-Out restaurant.

Three people were killed in last Saturday’s rampage in Twin Falls, Idaho. The gunman, 24-year-old Chad Williams, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said during a news conference Friday that investigators still don’t know the motive for the shooting.

Security camera footage released Friday shows the shooting started in the In-N-Out’s drive-thru. The gunman shot from his car through the payment window, hitting 23-year-old Ashley Garibay, of Stockton, California, who died later at a hospital, police said.

The gunman pulled up in the drive-thru lane and parked. He got out of his car and shot 59-year-old Christopher Claunch of Hagerman, Idaho, in his vehicle, who died at the scene, police said.

Austin James, a former Idaho State Police trooper and former Twin Falls police officer, ran toward the gunman and was shot, police said. He retreated to his car, drew his own weapon but pulled back because of his wounds, police said.

The gunman in a deadly mass shooting in Twin Falls, Idaho, looks into an In-N-Out restaurant during the rampage, Aug. 1, 2026. Twin Falls Police Department

The gunman went back to the payment window and fired into the In-N-Out again as employees tried to help Garibay, police said. His handgun jammed and he went back to his car to get a rifle.

An unidentified off-duty state police trooper in the restaurant moved past workers toward the payment window and exchanged fire with the gunman.

The gunman then left the restaurant and walked toward a street, firing at vehicles stopped at a red light, wounding three people, police said.

At a nearby parking lot, the gunman went to a Tesla charging station and fired at three people in two Teslas, including the third person who died, 66-year-old Dale Schultz, of Salt Lake City, police said.

Outside the Twin Falls Visitor Center, the gunman came across workers who evacuated from nearby stores. One of them started talking with the gunman, which let others get away from him, police said.

“To that young man, you are a hero,” Hicks said Friday. “Your courage, your composure, your selflessness in that moment likely gave others the time they needed to escape harm. In the middle of fear and chaos, you thought of others, and that kind of bravery deserves to be acknowledged.”

The gunman encounters a worker outside the Twin Falls Visitor Center in Idaho, Aug. 1, 2026. Twin Falls Police Department

Police didn’t identify the worker.

Braxton Stuebe, who was working at a Dick’s Sporting Goods store near the scene, told CBS affiliate KMVT-TV he came face-to-face with the gunman after running out of the store.

“I saw the gun and I kind of just froze. I put my hands up and that’s when he pointed the gun directly at me,” he said. “The only thing I was really thinking was, don’t try and make any sudden movements, don’t try and run. Just hopefully talk to him and hopefully he can change his mind.”

“I said, I have a family. I said, you don’t have to do this. I’ll tell you whatever you want. I’ll do anything,” Stuebe said. Then, the gunman “just got like emotional, it seemed like. And he said to me, just get away from me, man.” But a moment later, “He turns back around and kind of has a firearm on his hip. As he’s walking backwards, he fires a shot towards me. Thankfully, he had missed me.”

Faris Tanyos contributed to this report.

https://youtu.be/bej58mQ3smY?si=aAiTk-RoqTBdL8ar

US intel assesses Putin could launch attack aimed at testing NATO unity

2026-08-07T17:47:40.159Z / https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/07/politics/us-intelligence-russia-putin-nato-attack

Recent US intelligence assessments indicate Russian President Vladimir Putin could try to test NATO’s resolve by launching a limited attack on an allied country within the next few years, according to three sources familiar with those reports.

The intelligence assessments outline several possible scenarios for Russian escalation, ranging from a cyberattack to a small-scale incursion intended to challenge NATO’s unity and commitment to Article 5, which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all, without necessarily crossing the threshold for an allied response, the sources said.

While how and when Putin might do so remains an open question, one of the sources said he is most likely to escalate in some way by targeting the Baltics or Poland. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the recent assessments.

US and NATO officials believe Putin may choose to escalate against NATO if he is unable to secure a face-saving off-ramp to the war with Ukraine, the sources added, noting the Russian president’s window for choosing his next course of action spans between now and the next few years.

Martin O’Donnell, a senior NATO military spokesperson, declined to comment on classified intelligence assessments but said NATO is “always thinking through and preparing for any number of scenarios.”

“NATO is watching and we are ready to deter and defend as necessary, which we continue to demonstrate,” he added.

There have been numerous instances over the last few years of Russia encroaching on NATO territory. In May, a drone carrying explosives hit an apartment building in Romania as Russian forces attacked a nearby Ukrainian port, injuring two people. And last September, NATO fighter jets shot down multiple Russian drones that had violated Polish airspace during an attack on Ukraine.

And just this week, the US assessed that an explosive-laden drone discovered at an airport in Germany overnight on Wednesday belonged to a Russian intelligence service, a US defense official in Europe told CNN. The official said the drone was carrying military-grade explosives; CNN previously reported it was discovered by an airport staff member in a secure area of cargo flight operations.

CNN asked the Kremlin for comment on the US intel assessment on Putin as well as the assessment on the drone.

“Drone sightings, drone threats including in a hybrid context, are something we know from the past,” German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told reporters on Wednesday. “That a drone armed with explosives is at an airport is a new threat scenario.”

Dobrindt indicated Thursday that the drone could be tied to “foreign powers” though he stopped short of providing specifics.

The German National Security Council, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, met on Friday to discuss the airport incident.

The intelligence assessments on Russia’s plans also come amid heightened concerns over the US’ munitions stockpile which has been significantly depleted in the war against Iran, and an increase in civilian casualties from Russian long-range weapons.

CNN previously reported that nearly 80% of its THAAD missile interceptors — a key missile defense system — have been exhausted in the war compared to pre-war levels, as well as roughly half of its Patriot interceptors. Meanwhile, the UN has said that civilian casualties from Russian long-range weapons increased 60% between January to June, compared to the same period last year.

In one night of attacks this week, Russian ballistic and anti-ship missiles killed at least 17 people and wounded dozens more. None of the missiles were intercepted by Ukrainian defenses, CNN reported.

Concerns over key munitions and interceptors are impacting the way senior military commanders are planning for potential future conflict, including escalation against NATO by Putin or war with China in the Pacific.

President Donald Trump has privately complained in recent days about reports of the US’ dwindling stockpiles due to the war with Iran, including last week at a Cabinet meeting at Camp David, six sources familiar with the meeting previously told CNN.

“The U.S. has massive amounts of ‘munitions,’ especially of certain types,” Trump said on Truth Social late Thursday night. “Additionally, large amounts are being manufactured and shipped to the U.S. as needed. Defense companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country’s history.”

The recent intelligence assessments also come as US-led diplomatic efforts to bring the war between Russia and Ukraine to an end have stalled. Ongoing US and European sanctions against Moscow have had an impact on Russia’s economy but have not stopped Putin’s continued assault on Ukraine.

Duke Law’s alleged race-based admissions accused of defying Supreme Court ruling: DOJ

August 7, 2026 3:00pm EDT / Fox News

Harmeet Dhillon says Black applicants had 3.5 times higher admission chances than Asian applicants with same credentials

By Elaine Mallon, Fox News

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The Justice Department is accusing Duke University School of Law of favoring Black and Hispanic applicants over White and Asian applicants with the same academic records in its admissions process, which the Trump administration argues the law school used to meet its “diversity goals.”

“Duke Law School doesn’t get a free pass to discriminate against white and Asian students simply because it thinks it has good intentions,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said.

In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (SFFA) that it was unconstitutional for colleges and higher education institutions to consider a student’s race in their admissions processes. The decision prompted the Trump administration to open investigations into alleged race-based discrimination at dozens of colleges and universities.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ZEROES IN ON UCLA FOR ALLEGED ILLEGAL DEI ADMISSIONS AS ELITE SCHOOL CRACKDOWN EXPANDS

A photo of Duke University’s west campus in Fall 202(Duke University – Jared Lazarus)

The Civil Rights Division, which began investigating Duke Law in April 2025, found that Black applicants who applied in 2025 had roughly 3.5 times the chance of admission as Asian applicants with the same academic credentials, according to a Justice Department letter sent to Duke Law. Investigators found that the median LSAT score for accepted Black applicants was lower than the median score for rejected Asian and White applicants.

“This consistent difference in the test scores between students of different racial groups is substantial and cannot be explained by a coincidence,” the letter stated. “The magnitude and durability of these preferences across multiple cycles (including post-SFFA) confirm intentional discrimination.”

The Trump administration’s review of internal communications found that the law school began preparing for the Supreme Court’s SFFA ruling so its admissions process could continue “to meet the Law School’s goals for a broadly diverse student body.”

For instance, Duke Law’s post-SFFA guidance for admissions allowed officials to “consider applicants’ discussion of how race affected their life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.” Applicants provided these discussions in short-answer essays, where admissions officials could then “tag” the responses to provide context for weaker academic records when evaluating applicants.

COAST GUARD ENDING RACE-BASED ADMISSIONS FOR OFFICER COMMISSIONING PROGRAM UNDER TRUMP DEI CRACKDOWN

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon arrives for a news conference at the Justice Department on September 29, 2025, in Washington, DC.(Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Duke Law states that it values “students with a wide range of experiences, backgrounds, and interests that may not be directly related to their legal ambitions,” encouraging applicants to “highlight different elements” of who they are.

“Using ‘diversity’ essay questions to identify preferred races for admission is still illegal discrimination based on race, and this Department is committed to eliminating it everywhere we find it, including in our nation’s law schools,” Dhillon said in a statement.

After SFFA, Duke Law admissions continued to release reports highlighting the school’s diversity and its efforts to achieve “race-neutral” admissions standards. In a May 2024 annual review, the associate dean of admissions highlighted the diversity of the incoming fall 2023 class, including the number of Latino, Black and Asian or Asian American students.

In the school’s 2025 Annual Review Memorandum, the admissions dean suggested that the law school can gauge the diversity of its student body by observing students on campus rather than compiling formal statistics.

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FILE – This Jan. 28, 2019 file photo shows the entrance to the main Duke University campus in Durham, N.C.(AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)

A Duke University spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the university is aware of the Justice Department’s allegations.

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“The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division issued a letter of findings related to Duke Law’s admissions practices. We are reviewing the letter and its conclusions carefully. Duke is committed to complying with the law and will continue to do so in a manner that is consistent with our academic mission,” a Duke University spokesperson said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department for additional comment.

Elaine Mallon is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business covering national politics.

Nevada energy company sues data center in first-of-its-kind fight over who should pay for AI buildout

August 7, 2026 2:31 PM EDT / CBS News

By Riley Callanan

The largest energy provider in Nevada, NV Energy, is suing data center developer Tract Capital Management, accusing the company of trying to pass costs onto consumers.

At issue is who pays to expand energy infrastructure when a data center needs as much electricity as a midsize city.

Tract’s two planned campuses near Reno would together draw more than 2 gigawatts of power, nearly a third of NV Energy’s generating capacity. NV Energy, which powers 90% of the state, warns it may have to raise rates if Tract does not shoulder more of the infrastructure costs.

The case marks the first time that a major utility company has sued a data center developer, and could influence who is responsible for the costs of building infrastructure needed to power the AI boom.

“Projects that create new infrastructure or energy costs must pay those costs and cannot shift them onto Nevada families, small businesses, or existing customers,” NV Energy spokesperson Katie Jo Collier told CBS News. “Residential and small business customers cannot be left on the hook for these investments now or in the future.”

The dispute traces back to agreements signed by NV Energy and Tract’s local contracting entity, Reno Power, which established terms for delivering electricity to data centers. According to a statement from Tract, NV Energy is refusing to deliver power it had promised to provide, while still demanding that the Denver-based data center developer begin $1 billion in grid upgrades.

In June, Tract called for private arbitration to settle the matter. Weeks later, NV Energy sued to stop it.

In its lawsuit, NV Energy argues that Tract is calling for private arbitration to circumvent public scrutiny. It alleges that this is no longer a contract dispute, but one over how much power Tract will be able to draw and who will pay for the massive infrastructure investments needed to deliver it.

These questions, NV Energy argues, can only be legally decided by the state regulator, the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, because the answers will affect every ratepayer in the state, not just the two companies at the table.

Nevada’s rules require large power users to go through the commission, which determines their energy and infrastructure needs on the principle that big customers will fund their own expansion rather than shifting the burden onto average ratepayers already on the grid. Opening it up to a public forum would also allow consumer advocates, community members and other stakeholders to participate.

NV Energy says it had no choice but to sue to stop the arbitration. Utility companies are legally obligated to provide power to anyone in their territory that requests it. NV Energy cannot turn Tract away, and says it would have to raise rates if the infrastructure isn’t increased to meet the added demand.

Tract says that NV Energy is launching a “public relations blitz stoking anti-data center sentiment.” It points out that it has already invested more than $127 million in infrastructure projects in Nevada and committed to nearly $1 billion in network infrastructure upgrades that it says will benefit all of NV Energy’s customers. The real problem, Tract told CBS News, is that NV Energy failed to adequately plan for the power it promised to provide, and is now invoking “the commission’s jurisdiction as a shield.”

Until now, the AI boom has made fast friends of data centers and energy companies eager to reap the profits of their vast energy demands. Nevada, in particular, has touted its relatively low energy rates, which are cheap compared to neighboring California, to court data centers: the state has 22 operating data centers and 20 more in the works.

But this case is an early fissure in that alliance, a sign that utility companies fear being blamed for rising rates and in this case are pressuring data centers, and the tech companies behind them, to shell out to subsidize their strain on the grid.

Lawsuit from ex-federal prosecutor details how a MAGA influencer’s social media post led to his Rosh Hashanah firing

2026-08-07 14:41 PM ET / CNN

By Kara Scannell

A former federal prosecutor sued the Justice Department alleging he was unlawfully fired hours after an online commentator surfaced a nearly decade-old blog post he authored that was critical of President Donald Trump.

Will Rosenzweig, who worked as an assistant US attorney in the Southern District of Florida for five years, filed the lawsuit Friday as Todd Blanche, who is a named defendant in the lawsuit, appeared to overcome hurdles in the way of his confirmation as Trump’s next Attorney General.

Rosenzweig was fired in September during Rosh Hashanah, two weeks before jury selection was scheduled to begin in a complex Medicare fraud case he was heavily involved in.

“DOJ’s removal of Mr. Rosenzweig as a perceived political enemy of the incumbent political party was neither isolated nor inadvertent, but rather part of a wider campaign to conduct political firings,” the lawsuit alleges. Rosenzweig is asking for his job back in addition to backpay and damages.

CNN has reached out to the Justice Department for comment.

The lawsuit is one of several that have been brought by prosecutors and former FBI agents who allege they were fired for political reasons. Former prosecutor Maurene Comey is suing DOJ alleging she was fired because her father is former FBI Director James Comey, who Trump has sparred with. That case is ongoing. Rosenzweig is represented by one of Comey’s attorneys.

In September 2025, right-wing commentator Natalie Winters posted on social media a photo of Rosenzweig’s LinkedIn account and wrote he “secretly ran anti-Trump blog for YEARS attacking Trump.” The post went on to say, “Now he’s using government power to wage LAWFARE against MAGA patriots.” She tagged then-Attorney General Pam Bondi and wrote, “Fire him,” according to the lawsuit. The post has since been deleted.

Rosenzweig says less than three hours later, he was fired by email. The memorandum informing him of his termination was signed by Bondi, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges the Medicare case against three defendants Marcelo Kochen, Michael Kochen and Sandro Herek, was under the radar and questions how Winters would have become aware of it.

CNN has attempted to reach Winters for comment.

“His sudden firing benefited the Kochen defendants because it disrupted the government’s case against them, “ the lawsuit alleges. Michael Kochen and Herek were later convicted and sentenced. Marcelo Kochen’s case is pending.

Signage at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, ahead of a news conference on July 1.

Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg/Getty Images

A supervisor informed Rosenzweig that Blanche and the US attorney for the Southern District of Florida discussed his past blog posts, the lawsuit alleges. The US attorney never asked Rosenzweig about the posts, according to the lawsuit.

Rosenzweig started the blog in January 2016 before Trump was the Republican Party nominee to comment on a range of topics from politics to college basketball to travel, according to the lawsuit. By January 2019, it was “effectively defunct.”

His lawyers argued his past statements before he worked for DOJ are protected by the First Amendment and fall within DOJ policies.

“In retaliating against him, DOJ has violated its own stated policies on political speech by targeting speech it does not agree with made by a citizen years before federal employment,” his lawyers wrote in the lawsuit.

Rosenzweig’s dismissal was made public by Trump supporter Laura Loomer on X several hours after he found out he was fired, according to a post cited in the lawsuit.

An hour later, Winters allegedly took credit for the firing, writing on X, “Got this guy fired” with a sunglass wearing smiling emoji, according to the lawsuit.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan sign key defense agreement, officials say

August 7, 2026 / 9:35 AM EDT / CBS/AP

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a defense agreement on Friday, solidifying cooperation between the three regional powers at a time of growing security concerns and amid threats from the Iran war.

“The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all,” the Pakistani Foreign Ministry and Turkey’s presidential communications directorate said in identical statements.

“It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defense cooperation among the three States,” the statements said, adding the agreement was called the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement.”

The agreement was signed in the Saudi holy city of Mecca during a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Shari. It brings together three Sunni Muslim-majority states: oil-rich Saudi Arabia, nuclear power Pakistan and Turkey — a country that has NATO’s second-largest army and a rapidly growing defense industry.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sign a trilateral joint defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Aug. 7, 2026. TUR Presidency /Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Anadolu via Getty Images

Turkish media reports had said it is likely to allow joint military exercises and training, technology transfers and the sharing of intelligence. A Turkish government official described the agreement as “purely defensive in nature,” saying the sides have pledged mutual support only for defense.

The official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly, insisted the deal is “not against any specific actor,” and was open for other regional countries to join.

A Saudi official said it “does not represent an effort to establish a military axis or a sectarian bloc,” and it is not linked to any nuclear ambitions or arms race. Instead, “it is focused on building sustainable capabilities,” Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly said Friday in a post on X.

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The agreement does not abrogate or replace any bilateral or multilateral agreements between these states or with other states and organizations, according to the Turkish government official.

In September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense pact that also defines any attack on either nation as an attack on both.

In Islamabad, defense analyst Abdullah Khan described the new agreement as a natural evolution and formalization of decades of strategic ties among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, saying a changing regional security environment and the evolving nature of warfare had increased the need for closer cooperation.

Amanda Knox’s comedy show in U.K. faces criticism from murdered British roommate’s family

August 7, 2026 11:02 AM EDT / CBS News

London — Amanda Knox, who made headlines almost two decades ago when she was convicted, but later acquitted, of the murder of her British roommate in Italy, is at the center of a new controversy.

Knox is now a stand-up comedian, and not everyone is happy about it. The family of her murdered former housemate, Meredith Kercher, calls her show insensitive and exploitative.

“My friends and family are actually really nervous for me despite my spotless record in the court of public opinion,” Knox says in her act.

Her comedy routine, “Cartwheel,” is now playing at Scotland’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Nearly two decades ago, a court in Italy convicted her and her now-former boyfriend of killing her roommate, 21-year-old Kercher.

Knox served four years in an Italian prison but was later acquitted on flawed DNA forensics.

Since then, she’s written two books about her imprisonment and served as an executive producer on a Hulu biography, “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox.”

“To this day, some people say, ‘She’s innocent, but she sure acted guilty,’” Knox says in her act.

Comedian Amanda Knox performs at The Ice House Comedy Club on March 25, 2026, in Pasadena, California. Michael S. Schwartz/Getty Images for ABA

Kercher’s sister, Stephanie, has backed a signature-collection campaign to shut down Knox’s comedy show.

“What I would say (to Knox) is to think about the family here, think about her friends and, to turn the tables, if it was your sister that this had happened to, because I know you have a sister as well, how would you feel?” Stephanie Kercher told CBS News’ partner network, BBC News.

Knox said in a statement posted to social media that the campaign has “many false assumptions and completely mischaracterizes the show.”

“I’m not the first person to invent using comedy to talk about traumatic and difficult material,” Knox told BBC News. “I think that, again, I would hope that people will honestly engage with my work and recognize, like, the deep heart and sensitivity that I bring to it as I tell a very personal story through a comedic lens.”

Knox even said she thinks Meredith Kercher would find her act funny.

“Meredith absolutely wouldn’t find these topics of, you know, any comedy value,” Stephanie Kercher told BBC News.

Kercher’s family is now urging British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to intervene, saying Knox’s comedy show sets a precedent for anyone else to use their past as an opportunity that could cause more pain.

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/amanda-knox-defends-comedy-show-amid-sensitivity-criticisms/