This Soviet cosmonaut was the first human in orbit — fueling the space race
CNN
On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin circled the Earth aboard the spacecraft Vostok 1. After parachuting from the craft near the Russian village of Smelovka, Gagarin landed a hero — and a major embarrassment for the US, already stung by the Soviet launch of the Sputnik satellite in 1957.
In office for less than three months, Kennedy was facing down what he and his advisers suspected to be an untrustworthy Central Intelligence Agency. He would confirm his suspicion toward the end of the month, when Cuban rebels bankrolled by the agency invaded their Communist-held homeland. At a meeting with Secretary of State Dean Rusk and others on April 12, Kennedy had stressed he wanted the invasion to be a Cuban operation as much as possible, and the CIA assured him that the rebels were up to the job.
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5 things to know for July 16: Epstein files, DOGE cuts, National Guard, DoD contracts, All-Star Game
CNN’s 5 Things AM brings you the news you need to know every morning.
Some popular comedians and podcasters who helped fuel Donald Trump’s victory — and the young men who listen to them — have been criticizing the president on multiple fronts.
The Senate cleared two procedural hurdles Tuesday/TK day to move closer to a final vote on the GOP effort to codify Department of Government Efficiency spending cuts as a deadline to act on the White House priority looms.
Adelita Grijalva will win the special Democratic primary in Arizona’s 7th congressional district, CNN projects.
The Trump administration is cutting the number of National Guard members in the Los Angeles area by 2,000 after their deployment last month in response to immigration protests, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.
The Russia hawks’ initial reaction to President Donald Trump’s tougher stance on Vladimir Putin was positive.
CNN’s 5 Things PM brings you the stories you might have missed during your busy day.
Federal investigators normally tasked with uncovering narcotic and financial crimes were told to prioritize the arrest of a university student with no criminal record, and not tell her that her visa was revoked, a Homeland Security Investigation agent testified Tuesday, a marked shift for the agency under President Donald Trump.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said Tuesday that last week’s memo declining to release files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein “speaks for itself,” rejecting questions about making new documents public.
The Department of Education began sending notices to employees that it plans to resume shrinking the department after the Supreme Court said on Monday that President Donald Trump could carry out mass layoffs.
The next test of who Democratic voters want to see leading the party will take place Tuesday in southwest Arizona, where three leading candidates are offering competing visions in the primary to fill the late Rep. Raul Grijalva’s seat.
President Donald Trump told Texas Republicans Tuesday the White House believes the GOP can flip as many as five US House seats as part of a Republican redistricting effort in the state, according to a source familiar with the call.
It remains to be seen just how lasting and severe President Donald Trump’s turn against Vladimir Putin will be. Trump has criticized the Russian president in unprecedented terms in recent days and signaled he’ll send vital weapons to Ukraine. But he’s also given Putin plenty more time – 50 days – before really dropping the hammer with economic punishment.