CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Russia's spy chief hold phone call, first such contact in more than 2 years
CBSN
The heads of U.S. and Russian spy agencies have have spoken by phone and agreed to keep up regular contacts to lower the temperature in U.S.-Russia relations, news reports said Wednesday.
In the first such contact in more than two years, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and the head of SVR, Russia's foreign intelligence agency, spoke by phone Tuesday, Russian state news agency TASS said.
Ratcliffe and Sergei Naryshkin "agreed on regular contact" between their agencies "in order to contribute to the international stability and security, as well as a decrease in confrontation in relations between Moscow and Washington," TASS reported.
Washington — A pair of federal judges warned Tuesday of continued threats against members of the judiciary amid criticism leveled by Elon Musk and threats of impeachment by Republicans in Congress. They warned such attacks strike at judicial independence.
Police in Louisiana have arrested two more people who were allegedly involved in the off-campus, fraternity hazing death of 20-year-old Southern University student Caleb Wilson last month, bringing the total arrests to three.
Andy Hazelton learned he'd been fired the same way everyone else did. Like hundreds of his colleagues at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, he received a mass email from the head of the agency at around 3:45 p.m. on Feb. 27 confirming his termination, effective immediately.
Washington — Staff at the Department of Education received a notice Tuesday instructing them to leave the building by 6 p.m. local time and informing them that all department offices in Washington, D.C., as well as regional offices, will be closed Wednesday, according to an email obtained by CBS News.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is cutting two federal programs that provided about $1 billion in funding to schools and food banks to buy food directly from local farms, ranchers and producers, part of what the agency said was a decision to "return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives."
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia — Ukraine said it would accept a 30-day ceasefire with Russia after talks with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the fighting on Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the U.S. and Ukraine.
The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to give an update on the midair collision over Washington, D.C. that killed dozens of people in January.
Airbus is investigating corrosion issues on some of its A220 passenger jets. The issue has been found on what the manufacturer calls a "limited population" of A220s, including some operated by U.S. airlines. The manufacturer and two airlines said the issue does not constitute an immediate safety issue.
Washington — President Trump said that he will impose even higher tariffs on Canada beginning on Wednesday, doubling the levy on all steel and aluminum imports to 50%.
U.S. stocks caved again on Tuesday as President Trump escalated his trade war with Canada, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 600 points and the S&P 500 approached correction territory.
Los Angeles had the lowest air quality in the United States in 2024, according to the annual World Air Quality Report from IQAir.
A medical helicopter crashed in Mississippi on Monday, killing a pilot and two hospital workers on board, officials said.
Washington — The House is expected to vote Tuesday on a stopgap measure to keep the government funded through September, as Speaker Mike Johnson works to muster GOP support for the measure days ahead of a possible government shutdown.