Jim O'Neill, the current deputy secretary of Health and Human Services and top aide to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been appointed as the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a source tells CBS News.

Washington

Jim O'Neill, a former deputy under Susan Menorrez and a biotech investor, has been appointed as the temporary director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after Menorrez was dismissed by the White House. O'Neill's appointment has drawn scrutiny due to his lack of a traditional public health or medical background, which is typical for CDC directors.

The leadership change has led to significant unrest within the CDC, with several top officials resigning and hundreds of employees rallying in support of Menorrez. The agency is also dealing with low morale, compounded by a recent shooting incident at its headquarters. Political leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have publicly criticized the handling of the situation and called for further accountability.

Jim O'Neill appointed as temporary CDC director replacement

A top advisor to Health Secretary R.F.K. Jr. is being tapped to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention despite questions over the legality of the previous director's ousting. Jim O'Neill was named one day after the CDC Senate confirmed leader, Susan Menorrez, was fired by the White House. CBS News producer Jared Eggleston is following the latest. Jared, now who is Jim O'Neill and why are some questioning his credentials? Good morning, Michael. Good to be with you. Many people have been questioning the appointment of Jim O'Neill for a variety of reasons. Now, he was the deputy under Susan Menorrez earlier, but now he will be acting as that director. Now, many people are questioning his background, as you mentioned, because typically a CDC director has extensive backgrounds, both in public health or as some sort of physician. This is not something that Jim O'Neill has. He was a biotech investor, but he also was a speechwriter for HHS back during the Bush administration. So definitely not a stranger to the health industry, but definitely a pull away from the normal here of a typical CDC director that would have that significant background. Now, many people are questioning this and looking at just what is going on inside the CDC this week as it's been a crazy week. And just within the last hour, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has now called. He is for RFK's firing. This is now the highest ranking Democrat to call for his firing. He issued a statement. In part, he said that conspiracy based attacks on proven science are going to make more people sick and cause even more deaths. So it will certainly continue to play out as more people are keeping an eye now on the CDC, Michael. And Jared, I want to ask about the several other top CDC officials resigned after news of Menares firing. And there was a major rally at the headquarters yesterday with CDC employees showing their support for Menares. Now, with all this shakeup, what is the morale inside the CDC like right now? The morale is pretty bad inside the CDC. I've been talking to several workers. I was out there at the protest yesterday and there were hundreds and hundreds of employees. They just kept pouring out of the headquarters here in Atlanta to show their support for those who resigned following what happened to Susan Moran's earlier this week. Now, many of them that I've talked to are saying that it's just creating more chaos, more questions about the future of the department. And I was talking to them because a lot of this also comes on the heels of a shooting outside of their headquarters, which was targeted at their headquarters earlier this month. I was speaking with one employee whose floor was hit during that attack. The windows on their floor was hit during that attack. And they told me that they haven't even returned to the office. They don't even know how they're going to return to the office, how they're going to continue to do their work because they don't have a place to work right now. They're still figuring out where exactly they can go on that campus. And now they're adding this on top of many top officials in the CDC resigning. And of course, as you said, Susan Moran's also being ousted. All right. Jared Eggleston, thanks for joining us.

The Trump administration is planning expanded immigration operations in Chicago next week, two Department of Homeland Security sources tell CBS News. Camilo Montoya-Galvez reports.

Chicago

Trump planning immigration crackdown in Chicago next week: sources

Iran-backed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi was killed in Israeli airstrikes on Sanaa, according to Yemeni and Israeli reports. The strikes also targeted top military officials, including the group's defence minister.

Sana'a

Iran-backed Houthi PM killed in Israeli airstrikes on Yemen's capital

Chinese President Xi Jinping will be flanked by leaders of some of the world's most heavily sanctioned nations at a World War Two military parade in Beijing next week, in a show of solidarity against the West.

Beijing

China to stage massive military parade as Xi hosts sanctioned leaders

The multinational peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL has played a significant role in monitoring the security situation in southern Lebanon for decades, including during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict last year.

Beirut

UN votes to end peacekeeping force in Lebanon after five decades

Russia, set to assume the UN Security Council presidency in October, has proposed extending the resolution that governs the snapback mechanism, potentially intensifying a diplomatic standoff with European powers.

Moscow

Russia slams European push to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran

It's been 13 days since President Trump said he could strike a peace deal in Ukraine, following his meeting with Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin. But Russia shows no signs of backing down, launching an aerial assault on Kyiv.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Russian attack on Kyiv kills more than a dozen people

The shooter in Minneapolis fired more than 100 rounds from a rifle at the church where students at Annunciation Catholic School attended Mass. City and state officials highlighted this fact as they called for stricter gun control.

Minneapolis

Minneapolis officials call for stronger gun laws after school shooting

The shooter who killed 2 kids and injured 17 at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis had ties to the church where he targeted children celebrating a new school year during mass.

Annunciation school shooter had knowledge of church he targeted

The White House is responding to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Susan Monarez's refusal to step down from her role. CBS News' Olivia Rinaldi reports.

White House reacts to CDC director refusing to step down from role

In Tehran on Thursday, Iran’s currency traded at over 1 million to $1. At the time of the 2015 accord, it traded at 32,000 to $1, showing the currency’s precipitous collapse in the time since.

Tehran

Europe prepares sanctions as Iran's currency falls

Two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed in a school shooting at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis. The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics. Warning, this video is difficult to watch.

FBI investigating Minneapolis Catholic school shooting as hate crime

UN officials and aid agencies have warned that famine in Gaza is no longer a looming threat but a present reality, with children increasingly dying of hunger. In a blunt address to the UN Security Council, officials described the famine and widespread hunger in the enclave as “engineered” and “man-made” disasters.

New York

Middle East Conflict

UN Security Council affirms Gaza famine is manmade

Denmark summoned the top U.S. diplomat in the country to protest what Danish officials say is an unprecedented effort by people close to U.S. President Donald Trump to conduct secret influence operations in Greenland.

Copenhagen

Denmark accuses U.S. of covert operations in Greenland

Two young children were killed, and 17 others were injured in a shooting during a Catholic Mass packed with young students in Minneapolis. The gunman is also dead.

Minneapolis Catholic school shooting leaves two children dead

The group is accused of attempting to infiltrate Greenlandic society, including allegedly recruiting locals for a new independence movement from Denmark, according to the Danish public broadcaster, DR, who was first to break the story.

Nuuk

Denmark summons U.S envoy over claimed interference in Greenland

SpaceX on Tuesday launched its Super Heavy-Starship, the most powerful rocket in the world, for a test flight after three other flights failed earlier this year. NASA hired SpaceX to build a lunar lander version of Starship to carry astronauts to the moon.

Starbase

SpaceX launches Super Heavy-Starship in test flight

The United States has doubled tariffs on many imports from India to 50 percent, as U.S. President Donald Trump followed through on his threat to punish New Delhi for buying discounted Russian oil.

New Delhi

Global Tariffs

U.S. raises India tariffs to 50 percent over Russian oil purchases

President Donald Trump said he would seek the death penalty for murders in Washington, as part of a crackdown on what he calls out-of-control crime in the US capital.

Trump endorses death penalty return in Washington D.C.

As the Israeli military gives an initial assessment of deadly strikes on a Gaza hospital, hundreds of thousands of protesters urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire with Hamas in exchange for a hostage deal.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Protesters urge Netanyahu to reach hostage deal

Cracker Barrel says it will go back to its old logo after facing intense backlash and seeing its company value to sink by nearly $100 million after switching to a new design last week. In a statement, Cracker Barrel thanked their guests for sharing their voices.

Cracker Barrel scrapping new logo, returning to old one after backlash

The small West Tennessee town of Mason, just 2 square miles in size, is home to about 1,000 people. But its residents are now divided by what a new immigration detention facility will mean for the area.

Mason

Small Tennessee town divided over new ICE detention facility

A standoff is brewing between President Trump and economist Lisa Cook. Mr. Trump tried to fire her, claiming "there is sufficient cause" to believe that Cook made false statements on one or more mortgage agreements.

Trump clashes with Fed board member Lisa Cook, pushing to oust her

Protesters demanding an end to the Gaza war and the return of hostages to their homes took to the streets in Israel on Tuesday ahead of a security cabinet meeting scheduled for the evening.

Israeli protesters demand hostage deal as cabinet set to meet

Australia accused Iran on Tuesday (August 26) of executing two antisemitic arson attacks in the cities of Sydney and Melbourne and gave Tehran's ambassador seven days to leave the country, its first such expulsion since World War Two.

Council of the City of Sydney

Australia expels Iranian envoy over antisemitic attacks

President Donald Trump announced the removal of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, the only Black woman to serve on the board. Critics call it an attack on the Fed's independence, while Cook says no legal cause exists for her firing.

Trump says he fired Lisa Cook from Federal Reserve board

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order creating new National Guard units, including a rapid-response force to handle what the administration calls civil disturbances.

White House authorizes creation of rapid-response National Guard units

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI sued Apple and ChatGPT maker OpenAI in U.S. federal court in Texas, accusing them of illegally conspiring to thwart competition for artificial intelligence.

Texas

Rise of AI

Elon Musk's xAI sues Apple, OpenAI over competition claims

Strikes on the Nasser hospital in Gaza that left at least 20 people dead, including rescuers, journalists and health-care workers are being met with global outrage. The Israeli military is investigating what Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netnayahu called a ‘tragic mishap.’

Breakdown