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In December, Donald Trump signed the coronavirus relief and government funding bill into law. This meantthat US intelligence services, from the FBI to the CIA, would later be forced to tell Congress everything they know aboutUnidentified Flying Objects (UFOs).

Ok, those two sentences don't necessarily follow on from each other if you're unfamiliar with US politics, but stay with us. Within the spending bill wastheIntelligence Authorization Act for 2021, and hidden in the depths of that was a clause that calls for intelligence chiefs to submit a report "to the congressional intelligence and armed services committees on unidentified aerial phenomena(also known as "anomalous aerial vehicles''), includingobserved airborne objects that have not been identified", within 180 days.

They will also be required to identify "potential aerospace or otherthreats posed by the unidentified aerial phenomena tonational security, and an assessment of whether thisunidentified aerial phenomena activity may be attributed to one or more foreign adversaries," which all sounds quite spicy.

In the run up to the release, expected in just a few short weeks, the US has been going through UFO fever. As well as new leaked footage from the US Navy showing a strange blob moving in an unusual pattern, several high-ranking US officials have been a lot more chatty than usual about objects going whoosh in the sky, including President Obama.

In an interview with theLate Late Show,the former president was asked by band leaderReggie Watts if he had any theories about UFOs or unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAPs).

When it comes to aliens, there are some things I just cant tell you on air, he replied. The truth is that when I came into office, I asked. I was like, Is there a lab somewhere where were keeping the alien specimens and space ships?'

They did a little bit of research and the answer was no."

But what is true, and Im actually being serious here... there's footage and records of objects in the skies that we dont know exactly what they are,we cant explain how they moved, their trajectory. They did not have an easily explainable pattern.

I think people still take seriouslytrying to investigate and figure out what [UFOs are], but I have nothing to report to you today.

Elsewhere, military intelligence officerLuis Elizondo, who spent time working at the Pentagon'sAdvanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, teased what they had found which will soon be released to congress.

"Imagine a technology that can do 6-to-700 g-forces, that can fly at 13,000 miles an hour, that can evade radar and that can fly through air and water and possibly space," he told CBS, in an interview where he said, for most cases, there are simple explanations.

"And oh, by the way, has no obvious signs of propulsion, no wings, no control surfaces and yet still can defy the natural effects of Earth's gravity. That's precisely what we're seeing."

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Obama: 'There's Footage And Records Of Objects In The Skies That We Don't Know Exactly What They Are' - IFLScience

Former First Lady Michelle Obama opened up about the strategies that help her cope with depression, during an interview with CBS' "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" Tuesday.

"Over the course of your adulthood, you develop your own tools," Obama, 57, said. "And for me, it's turning off the noise that is upsetting." She said she takes breaks from "reading all the feeds that are fueling my anxiety."

"I surround myself with things that make me feel good: family, friends, walks [and] exercise," she told Colbert.

In August, Obama shared that she was experiencing "low-grade depression" on an episode of her podcast, "The Michelle Obama Podcast."

Particularly during the pandemic when everyone's lives are disrupted, keeping a consistent schedule is also helpful, Obama said. "I woke up, I took a shower, I worked out, I got dressed every day," she said. "There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't do that, because it's just the doing that gets you out of the funk."

Obama said it's important that young people understand that it's very common to experience highs and lows in life, but they are temporary. This is something she teaches her own adult children, Malia, 22, and Sasha, 19.

"They have to be prepared to handle the highs and the lows," she said. "I'm trying to get them and other young people to start thinking about what are your tools, the things that bring you joy, the things that bring you calm and peace."

Patience and self-care is also key in tumultuous times: "There are moments in all of our lives, particularly in the middle of a pandemic and racial unrest, you're going to feel kind of way about it so give yourself a break," she said.

On her podcast, Obama said her depression was due to just the pandemic, "but because of the racial strife, and just seeing [the Trump] administration, watching the hypocrisy of it, day in and day out, is dispiriting."

Low-grade depression, also called "dysthymia," is characterized by loss of interest in normal daily activities, feeling hopeless, lacking productivity and sleep problems, according to the Mayo Clinic.

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, anxiety and depression rates among Black Americans spiked in the weeks following the circulation of the video of George Floyd's death at the hands of police. Hearing news about Black people "being dehumanized or hurt or killed or falsely accused of something" contributed to the weight of her feelings, Obama said.

In the interview Tuesday, Obama reiterated that depression and mental health "is a part of life," she said. "Nobody rides, life on a high."

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Michelle Obama's advice for coping with depression: 'Develop your own tools' and give yourself a break - CNBC

Former President Barack Obama's family dog, Bo, who spent two terms in the Obama White House, has died of cancer, Barack and Michelle Obama announced on Saturday.

The Obamas posted a series of photos of Bo on social media on Saturday, paying tribute to the role the dog had in their family. On Instagram, former first lady Michelle Obama said they had to say goodbye to their "best friend" after his battle with cancer.

She said that Bo, who was gifted to the Obama's in 2009 from the late senator Ted Kennedy, was originally adopted as a companion for their daughters. The Obama's other Portuguese water dog, Sunny, moved into the White House in 2013.

"On the campaign trail in 2008, we promised our daughters that we would get a puppy after the election," the former first lady wrote. "At the time, Bo was supposed to be a companion for the girls. We had no idea how much he would mean to all of us."

She described Bo's presence in their lives, noting that he greeted their daughters with a wag when they came home from school.

"He was there when Barack and I needed a break, sauntering into one of our offices like he owned the place, a ball clamped firmly in his teeth," she wrote. "He was there when we flew on Air Force One, when tens of thousands flocked to the South Lawn for the Easter Egg Roll, and when the Pope came to visit. And when our lives slowed down, he was there, too helping us see the girls off to college and adjust to life as empty nesters."

And when the pandemic hit, forcing everyone back home, Mrs. Obama said, "no one was happier than Bo."

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"All his people were under one roof again just like the day we got him. I will always be grateful that Bo and the girls got to spend so much time together at the end."

Mr. Obama posted a similar tribute on his social media accounts, saying that, for more than a decade, Bo "was a constant, gentle presence in our lives happy to see us on our good days, our bad days, and everyday in between."

"He tolerated all the fuss that came with being in the White House, had a big bark but no bite, loved to jump in the pool in the summer, was unflappable with children, lived for scraps around the dinner table, and had great hair," Mr. Obama wrote. "He was exactly what we needed and more than we ever expected. We will miss him dearly."

The day Bo made his press debut on the South Lawn of the White House, Mr. Obama said Bo had "star quality."

"You know what they say about if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog?" Mr. Obama joked. "Well, I'm finally going to have a friend."

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Obama family announces death of family dog Bo, the "loyal companion" who spent two terms in the White House - CBS News

After former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd, former first lady Michelle Obama and former President Barack Obama issued a rare statement on the verdict. Mrs. Obama told "CBS This Morning" that she and her husband felt compelled to speak out.

"The goal is to let leaders lead. But in certain times, people, you know, look to us often. 'Well, what do you think? How do you feel?'" Mrs. Obama told "CBS This Morning" anchor Gayle King when asked about the verdict.

The Obamas released a statement after the verdict saying the Minnesota jury "did the right thing" in convicting Chauvin, but noting that "true justice is about much more than a single verdict in a single trial."

"We know that while we're all breathing a sigh of relief over the verdict, there's still work to be done. And so we, we can't sort of say, 'Great. That happened. Let's move on,'" Mrs. Obama told King. "I know that people in the Black community don't feel that way because many of us still live in fear."

Mrs. Obama said many Black Americans experience fear as they grocery shop, walk their dogs and drive. She expressed worry about her own daughters, Sasha and Malia.

"Every time they get in a car by themselves, I worry about what assumption is being made by somebody who doesn't know everything about them. The fact that they are good students and polite girls. But maybe they're playin' their music a little loud. Maybe somebody sees the back of their head and makes an assumption," she said. "The innocent act of getting a license puts fear in our hearts."

"I think we have to talk about it more. And we have to ask our fellow citizens to listen a bit more, and to believe us, and to know we don't wanna be out there marchin'. I mean, all those Black Lives Matters kids, they'd rather not have to worry about this. They're takin' to the streets because they have to. They're tryin' to have people understand that that we're real folks, and the fear that many have of so many of us is irrational. And it's based on a history that is just, it's sad and it's dark. And it's time for us to move beyond that."

Mrs. Obama also discussed her continuing advocacy for the issues she championed while in the White House.

She is now the executive producer of the Netflix show "Waffles and Mochi," a children's program that focuses on teaching kids the value of healthy eating by sharing stories and traditions from around the world.

On "CBS This Morning" on Monday, Mrs. Obama will reveal Waffles and Mochi's next adventure. King sat down with her in Washington, where she explained why she is so excited about her upcoming initiative with the Partnership for a Healthier America and her ongoing mission to ensure all families have access to healthy foods.

Caitlin Yilek contributed to this report.

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Former first lady Michelle Obama reacts to Chauvin verdict: "There's still work to be done" - CBS News

The Biden administration has completed its review of North Korea policy, the White House announced Friday, and going forward they don't seem too keen on taking their cues from previous administrations, including former President Barack Obama's.

"Our policy will not focus on achieving a grand bargain, nor will it rely on strategic patience," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Friday, referring to the nuclear negotiation strategies espoused by the Trump and Obama administration, respectively. The "goal remains the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, with the clear understanding that the efforts of the past four administrations have not achieved this objective," Psaki added.

Psaki said the U.S. will instead deploy a "calibrated, practical approach that is open to and will explore diplomacy," hinting Biden could wind up meeting face-to-face with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at some point, though not until after negotiators iron out some form of a deal. The details might sound vague, but a senior administration official broke it down for The Washington Post, saying that "if the Trump administration was everything for everything, Obama was nothing for nothing." Biden's plan, the official said, is "somewhere in the middle." Read more at ABC News and Reuters.

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