Prosecutors released new evidence and 911 recordings connected to the arrest of Luigi Mangione, charged in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson; a frigid Arctic blast brought record lows and concerns about heating costs; crowdsourced generosity eased a retired autoworker’s financial burden; and law enforcement announced an arrest in the pipe‑bombs case tied to the Jan. 6 period.
In Manhattan federal court, prosecutors disclosed photos, body‑cam video and 911 calls tied to Mangione’s arrest in a Pennsylvania McDonald’s last December. The materials include cash found on Mangione and bus tickets, and video shows him telling officers he was using the restaurant’s Wi‑Fi. The defense argues some statements should be excluded because officers did not read Miranda warnings before questioning; pretrial hearings are continuing. Mangione faces federal charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York City sidewalk one year earlier; if convicted in the federal case, he could face the death penalty.
A dangerous early‑season Arctic blast pushed temperatures well below normal across the Midwest and Northeast, producing fog over Lake Superior and single‑digit readings in many cities. Plummeting mercury set record lows in some Plains locations and left vulnerable populations at risk. Reporters documented the struggles of people sheltering in cars and community centers, while local agencies scrambled to help families already behind on utility bills as heating costs rise. Forecasters warned of dangerously cold wind chills and advised preparations for another round of frigid weather.
The FBI announced an arrest in the case of pipe bombs placed outside the Democratic and Republican national party headquarters the night before the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack. Authorities arrested 30‑year‑old Brian Cole in Woodbridge, Virginia, and said forensic and purchase records tied him to bomb components. A Department of Justice affidavit cites cell‑phone location data placing him in the Capitol Hill area at the time the devices were placed. Prosecutors charged Cole with unlawful explosives offenses; they declined to discuss a possible motive or any link to the Jan. 6 riot.
On Capitol Hill, lawmakers viewed classified military video of a second strike on a suspected drug‑smuggling boat near Venezuela that killed two shipwreck survivors. Admiral Mitch Bradley, who authorized multiple strikes on the boat, briefed lawmakers behind closed doors. Some members raised concerns that the strikes violated rules of engagement; others said the admiral made the correct call to eliminate the threat. Separately, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth drew scrutiny after an inspector general’s report found he shared sensitive operational information on an unsecure personal device during airstrike preparations against Houthi militants — a potential risk to service members.
From the front lines of the war in Ukraine, CBS reporters described how drones have reshaped modern combat. Ukrainian units showed a training facility for drone operators where low‑cost, locally produced drones can destroy multi‑million‑dollar equipment. Both sides have deployed airborne, sea and ground drones for reconnaissance, strikes and mine‑laying; analysts say drones account for a large share of battlefield damage and have become a strategic equalizer for Ukraine.
In a human‑interest segment, retired Army Captain Ken Schubring — 103 and one of the last surviving American veterans of the Pearl Harbor attack — reflected on memories of Dec. 7, 1941, and the importance of preserving that history. Families and veterans’ organizations continue efforts to keep the story and sacrifices of Pearl Harbor participants alive as their numbers dwindle.
A crowd‑funding campaign changed the life of Ed Bambas, an 88‑year‑old former autoworker who returned to work at a grocery store after his pension was wiped out. An influencer’s fundraiser raised more than a million dollars to restore his retirement. Bambas, who had kept working after personal losses, received a check that will allow him to stop working and retire again; the story highlighted the impact of small acts of kindness and viral generosity.
Other items: the American Cancer Society updated cervical cancer screening guidance to allow at‑home FDA‑approved HPV self‑swab tests for average‑risk women; the Supreme Court cleared Texas to use a newly drawn congressional map for upcoming elections; and lighter fare included a New Zealand bar owner’s clip of a baby seal finding refuge in a restroom before being returned to the wild.