A “CBS Evening News” producer abruptly resigned on Wednesday, accusing the network of a “shifting set of ideological expectations” in a message that went viral on social media.

Alicia Hastey, who worked at CBS News since 2021, according to her LinkedIn profile, reportedly told colleagues that she took a buyout offer and would exit the network. In her farewell note, Hastey insisted she is proud of the work she did over the past four years before taking aim at the direction of CBS News under polarizing editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. 

“[T]here has been a sweeping new vision prioritizing a break from traditional broadcast norms to embrace what has been described as ‘heterodox’ journalism,” Hastey wrote in a memo posted on X by New York Times reporter Ben Mullin. 

“The truth is that commitment to those people and the stories they have to sell is increasingly becoming impossible,” Hastey continued. “Stories may instead be evaluated not just on their journalistic merit but on whether they conform to a shifting set of ideological expectations — a dynamic that pressures producers and reporters to self-censor or avoid challenging narratives that might trigger backlash or unfavorable headlines.” 

BARI WEISS TELLS CBS NEWS STAFF THEY’RE ‘NOT PRODUCING A PRODUCT THAT ENOUGH PEOPLE WANT’

CBS News has undergone a variety of changes in recent months.  (Getty Images)

Hastey said that none of her comments detract from the “talent of all the journalists who remain at CBS News,” but added, “that is precisely what makes this moment so heartbreaking.” 

“The very excellence we seek to sustain is hindered by fear and uncertainty,” she wrote.  

Hastey then quoted CBS News legend Walter Cronkite, appearing to respond to accusations of liberal bias at the network.

“Walter Cronkite once said in a response to critics: ‘If that is what makes us liberals, so be it, just as long as in reporting the news we adhere to the first ideals of good journalism — that news reports must be fair, accurate and unbiased,’” Hastey wrote. 

“Cronkite’s idea is one of the best I’ve encountered. He understood that labels are inevitable, but standards are what matter,” she continued. “What defines journalism is not what critics call it, but whether it remains faithful to those principles.” 

’60 MINUTES’ REPORTER LASHES OUT AT BARI WEISS AFTER SEGMENT ON EL SALVADOR PRISON YANKED AT LAST MINUTE

CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss detailed her plans for the organization last month during an all-hands town hall event. (Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Uber, X and The Free Press)

The farewell note was roasted on social media by both members of the media industry and conservative critics of the mainstream press. Many took issue with Mullin calling the memo a “bombshell” when he posted it on X. 

“NYT reporter uncovers ‘bombshell’: disgruntled mid-level employee quits job after new boss demands changes,” Wall Street Journal columnist Gerard Baker snarked. 

Political strategist Tim Cameron added, “If you want to understand how ‘CBS Evening News’ fell to last place in its category after years of declin[ing] ratings, please read this unhinged farewell note from its producer.”

NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck wrote that it’s “insane these people are painting the CBS Evening News as though it’s MAGA Media,” a narrative that has set in with many left-wing media reporters.

’60 MINUTES’ HOST SCOTT PELLEY REPORTEDLY SAID CBS CHIEF BARI WEISS NEEDED TO TAKE JOB MORE ‘SERIOUSLY’

Alicia Hastey reportedly quoted CBS News legend Walter Cronkite in her farewell memo.  (Photo by Ben Martin/Getty Images)

CBS News did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Hastey did not respond to a direct message seeking additional comment.

Many others took to social media with thoughts on the memo: 

Mullin declined comment when asked about the framing of his post receiving criticism. 

Weiss, who was handpicked by CEO David Ellison, was formally named editor-in-chief of CBS News in October after her outlet, The Free Press, was acquired by Paramount. The move drew both internal and external criticism, with some citing her opinion background and lack of television experience. 

Weiss quickly put her stamp on the network, naming Tony Dokoupil as the new anchor of “CBS Evening News,” the show that Hastey is reportedly exiting. Weiss recently told staffers they are “not producing a product that enough people want” by focusing on linear television during an all-hands town hall event in which she laid out her vision for the network. 

She has frustrated “60 Minutes” staffers by delaying a report on the notorious El Salvador prison CECOT and has been accused by liberals of carrying water for President Donald Trump‘s administration. However, others have embraced her attempt to rid CBS News of its liberal slant.

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CBS has faced criticism from the Trump administration over some of its reporting, including a recent report about the number of illegal immigrants with violent criminal records.

The U.S. military has completed its withdrawal of American forces from al-Tanf Garrison in Syria, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Thursday.

The departure, finalized Feb. 11, was carried out as part of a broader shift in U.S. posture in the region under Operation Inherent Resolve, the coalition mission launched in 2014 to combat ISIS.

American troops have maintained a limited presence in the country to support partner forces and prevent the terrorist group from resurging after it was territorially defeated in 2019.

Syria’s Defense Ministry said government forces took control of the al-Tanf base following the U.S. withdrawal and have begun deploying along the country’s borders with Iraq and Jordan, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency, the country’s state-run news outlet.

US MILITARY LAUNCHES AIRSTRIKES AGAINST ISIS TARGETS IN SYRIA, OFFICIALS SAY

U.S. military vehicles escort passenger buses transporting Islamic State detainees from northeastern Syria into Iraq, Feb. 8, 2026. (Str/Xinhua via Getty Images)

The ministry said the handover was coordinated with U.S. officials and that Syrian Arab Army units moved in to secure the base and surrounding areas in the tri-border desert region.

The development follows a Pentagon decision in April 2025 to scale back and consolidate U.S. forces in Syria. 

Caroline Rose, director of the Crime-Conflict Nexus and Military Withdrawals portfolios at the New Lines Institute, told Fox News Digital that al-Tanf was one of the most strategically important U.S. garrisons in Syria, if not the broader Middle East, as it offered access, insight, and intelligence collection along Syria’s borders with Jordan and Iraq.

AFTER TRUMP DECLARED ISIS DEFEATED, US FACES NEW TEST AS DETAINEES MOVE AMID SYRIA POWER SHIFT

A satellite image shows the al-Tanf Base in Syria, July 20, 2025. (Planet Labs PBC/Reuters)

“This was not only pivotal during the U.S.-led Coalition to defeat the Islamic State, where there was a threat of cross-border offensives and violence, but also proved key to U.S. deterrence efforts against Iran-backed militia networks that operated in Iraq and Syria,” she said. “The U.S. pullout from Al-Tanf is a signal that Washington is now comfortable with where the counter-ISIS fight is and the defeat of Iran-aligned proxy networks in the region, along with Syrian security integration efforts with the [Syrian Democratic Forces].”

Rose added that the departure could be viewed as a setback for Jordan, which has long depended on the U.S. position at al-Tanf to deter adversarial actors in the region.

Despite the withdrawal, U.S. forces remain prepared to counter ISIS threats, CENTCOM said, noting that in the past two months, American forces have struck more than 100 targets in the region and captured or killed more than four dozen ISIS fighters.

Soldiers from the US-led coalition walk with members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during a joint patrol in the countryside of Qamishli, northeastern Syria, Feb. 8, 2024. (Orhan Qereman/Reuters)

The change in posture comes just weeks after U.S. forces transferred 150 ISIS fighters from a detention facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq. 

FROM SYRIA TO SOMALIA, US TROOPS REMAIN DEPLOYED THIS HOLIDAY SEASON UNDER MISSIONS THAT NEVER FORMALLY ENDED

Officials indicated in late January that thousands more detainees could also be moved as part of the broader effort to maintain long-term security in the region.

A view of al-Hol camp, where families linked to the Islamic State group are being held, in Hasakah province, Syria, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Izz Aldien Alqasem/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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Syria became the 90th member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, a U.S.-led alliance formed to coordinate international efforts against the extremist group, in November.

Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, said Damascus — under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa — is prepared to assume security responsibilities, including control of ISIS detention facilities and camps, following the 2024 ouster of Bashar al-Assad.

During the engagement ceremony in Etah, Uttar Pradesh, a fierce fight broke out between two parties over dancing on the DJ by the wedding processions that had come to the village. The video of the fight and uproar is becoming increasingly viral on social media.

The marriage procession of Manju’s daughter Tejpal had come from Aligarh to Uraina town of Sakit. The engagement program was going on at Vishal Shakya’s place in Uraina itself. It is alleged that the Dalit marriage procession, climbing the route, started dancing to the DJ playing at the ongoing engagement ceremony of Shakya Samaj. Due to this, fighting started between the two parties.

The video of the fight went viral

The video of this incident is now going viral. Two people from Shakya Paksha have been injured in the incident. The names of Pulkit and Sanjay are included in the injured. As soon as the police reached the spot after getting information about the matter, both the parties accused each other of assault.

The police controlled the situation and admitted the injured to the hospital for immediate treatment. According to the police, the allegations of stopping the marriage procession and using caste related words are false. In this matter, a complaint has been given by the Shakya side. The matter is being investigated by the police. Till now no FIR has been registered in this matter.

Police is interrogating two youths

Police have taken two youths into custody on the complaint of the injured party. Both the injured are being interrogated. Medical examination of the injured is being conducted. Based on the complaint received, action is being taken in the matter.

In this matter, Additional Superintendent of Police of Etah, Swetabh Pandey says that the allegation of stopping the Dalit’s wedding procession and using caste related words is wrong. When the incident of fighting took place, the marriage procession had gone safely.

Jasmine Jones became an overnight hero to Americans craving patriotism as they watch the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 

In an interview with Fox News Digital this week, the first-time Olympic bobsledder and Air Force service member expressed how proud she is to represent her country, military branch and family in Italy. 

The show of patriotism garnered viral praise on social media by Americans starved for an Olympian to publicly take pride in the country this winter. 

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Jones said her journey to reach this point has been defined by overcoming adversity and a devotion to family.

Olympian Jasmine Jones of Team United States poses for a photo on February 03, 2026, ahead of the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics.  (IOC via Getty Images)

Jones is a young mother who wants to set an honorable example for her daughter

Jones had her daughter, Jade, in 2021. They will celebrate her fifth birthday at the end of the month. 

Today, as she prepares to compete in her first Olympics, she takes pride in “being able to be a mom and show my daughter exactly how to go through different obstacles and what it means to overcome them.” 

Jones hopes her daughter will learn from the mom’s example of joining the Air Force to advance her athletic career. 

“Being able to show her different ways of, you know, you can join the Air Force, you can have these different things as well as being an athlete, continuing, and it’s just more meaningful to say the least,” Jones said.

The daughter is currently being looked after by Jones’ mother back home in the U.S. while Jones competes in Italy. 

“I’m glad to have my mom. She takes her in the winter time,” Jones said. “I’m thankful for my mom for taking her in and allowing her to be there in Pennsylvania.”

Jones wants to challenge the Germans

In Milan Cortina, Jones is extra motivated to take on the elite German team. 

“The Germans are always definitely a competitor in our team sport. They’re definitely great athletes, they have the speed and everything, and I’m definitely excited to go toe-to-toe with them,” Jones said. 

Team Germany is considered the most dominant force in international bobsledding. In 2024, they won 11 of 12 medals at the World Championships and secured 28 World Cup medals in early 2026, while the rest of the world combined only won two. 

“I’m definitely here to go against the best athletes in the world and I consider myeslf one of the best athletes in the world, and I’m just really excited to go out there and do that comparison with them,” Jones added.

“It gives more of that fire within us.” 

Jones had to overcome eight crashes in a single year, but it helped her define her role

In the 2024-25 season, Jones said she suffered eight crashes while competing and training for bobsled. 

“At a specific track it was about five times,” Jones said. 

Kaysha Love and Jasmine Jones of the United States compete during the two-woman Bobsleigh heat 2 on day five of the 2025 IBSF World Championships at Mt Van Hoevenberg on March 14, 2025, in Lake Placid, New York.  (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

“Whenever you do crash it takes a toll physically, it takes a toll mentally, and going through those crashes, I just really felt down on myself, because I knew I really wanted to do so much more, and trying to give my all, right from the start. So going through that I definetly wanted to re-think how I go about everything with my training.” 

For Jones, the experience helped her define her goal of becoming a standout brakeman in the sport. 

A bobsled brakeman is the rear athlete responsible for providing maximum acceleration during the initial push, riding in the back to maintain aerodynamics, and pulling the brake lever to stop the sled only after crossing the finish line. They are crucial for both the explosive start and safe deceleration. 

“If I can make myself a standout brakeman, then I can get put into different positions of making sure that I’m not being brought down again, as well as being able to push my best,” she said.

ISRAELI BOBSLED CAPTAIN OPENS UP ON TEAM OVERCOMING BURGLARY AND VANDALISM TO MAKE HISTORY IN WINTER OLYMPICS

Jones credits her Air Force training for helping her reach her first Olympics

Jones barely missed out on qualifying for the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. So, she joined the Air Force in April 2023, which allowed her to undergo a much more rigorous training routine, which she credits for her ability to qualify for this year’s games. 

“I’m just thankful to be an airman,” she said. “Going into the WCAP program, that allowed me to truly have my offseason training, allowed me to get to this point. … Having that offseason training to be able to focus truly and put in the work. That transpired with this moment.” 

Team USA fans can send Jones and fellow airman Kelly Curtis, who is also competing in Italy, a personalized letter through a program involving a partnership between Team USA and Sandboxx. 

After giving birth to her daughter in 2021, she was looking for stability as a means to achieve her goal of reaching the Olympics. The Air Force gave her that path.

“I wanted to do something that gives me more stability. There was a time when I was working my civilian job and trying to train at the same time, and it just wasn’t enough. I know I wanted to dedicate my time towards bobsled,” Jones said. 

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is being resilient, and I feel like that plays a part, where, going into basic, and you’re waking up early. You’re following orders. You’re getting that discipline needed, and that goes into bobsled. … So, I feel like transitioning from basic training and having that discipline as well translates into just knowing exactly what I’m supposed to do.” 

Jones follows a rigorous heavyweight training routine

U.S. Olympian Jasmine Jones competes in bobsled (Getty Images)

Jones’ Air Force training includes ample power lifting. 

“I’m very power-based, where I do a lot of squats, cleans and everything,” Jones said. 

But the hardest workout she deals with, and still struggles with, is snatches. 

A snatch workout consists of an advanced Olympic lifting movement where a barbel is lifted from the ground to overhead in one, fluid, continuous motion. It is a full-body, high-intensity exercise requiring explosive power, strength, speed, and coordination. 

“Snatches are something I battle with, personally,” Jones said. “Sometimes I struggle with that.” 

In a sport like bobsled, maintaining a certain weight is essential. So it also manifests in her diet, but not to Tom Brady-esque degree.

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“In our sport, we’re pretty strict on rules when it comes to weight guidelines,” Jones said. “In a two women sled, both the pilot and the brakeman have to be a max 80 kilo[grams]. And throughout the season I make sure that I stay under 80 kilos.

“I still eat pretty clean, but I also don’t shy away from the sweet stuff. So having that balance defietly works out. I feel like when I focus too much on trying to eat clean is when I gain the most weight.” 

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