These are the top stories for today.
Headlines
Wildfires Rage Across France
Fire crews in southwest France battled a mega-fire covering an area four times the size of Paris on Wednesday, with a heat wave forecast to push temperatures above 104°F and threatening to reignite the blaze that has already forced 220,000 people from their homes. See Details
The U.S. military intercepted ballistic missiles in an attempted " surprise attack" by Iran on American forces in the Middle East on Tuesday, hours after President Trump said the U.S. had paused strikes; separately, U.S. and Saudi forces conducted joint strikes on Iran-aligned militants in Iraq. Source
President Trump paid tribute to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., at a Tuesday funeral service at Washington National Cathedral, praising his " towering impact" on American politics while recalling humorous stories about the South Carolina Republican. Find out More
Politics
The Senate confirmed Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence in a 51-47 party-line vote Tuesday, installing the former federal prosecutor to oversee the nation’s spy agencies as he inherits a smaller workforce after recent staff cuts. Source
Dr. Anthony Fauci is bracing for a contentious Senate hearing Wednesday, days after Sen. Rand Paul released more than 1,000 pages of the former COVID adviser’s diaries. Find out More
Sen. John Cornyn said Tuesday there’s still no deal with the Trump administration that would secure his vote for Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination, warning it could stall in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Find out More
U.S. News
A serious flash flood threat is shifting into New England on Wednesday as more than 28 million people remain under flood watches following a powerful summer storm that has already triggered water rescues across the Northeast. See Details
The federal wildfire preparedness level has been raised to its highest rating of 5 out of 5 heading into peak fire season, meaning agencies may lack the resources to respond to every new blaze. Read More
Florida carried out a rare double execution Tuesday, putting James Duckett and Dominick Occhicone to death — the first time the state has executed two people in a single day in more than six decades. See Details
Business
U.S. stock futures were mixed ahead of Wednesday’s Federal Reserve rate decision, with oil prices jumping more than 3% after Iran launched a fresh attack on U.S. forces overnight. Read More
Mining giant Rio Tinto reported a 28% jump in underlying earnings and a 75% rise in free cash flow for the first half of 2026, boosting its interim dividend by 43%. Source
Media mogul Barry Diller’s People Incorporated is again exploring a sale of The Daily Beast after turning the once-money-losing outlet profitable. See Details
Market Report
| Symbol | Last Close | % Change | |
| Dow Jones | DJIA | $44,296.51 | 0.97% |
| S&P 500 | SPX | $5,969.34 | 0.35% |
| Nasdaq | IXIC | $19,003.65 | 0.16% |
| Alphabet Inc. | GOOG | $332.60 | 1.85% |
| Tesla, Inc. | TSLA | $307.44 | -0.58% |
| Apple Inc. | AAPL | $340.08 | 0.94% |
| Microsoft Corporation | MSFT | $393.35 | 1.09% |
World News
A magnitude-7.1 earthquake and subsequent mall explosion in Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture has killed at least 13 people, with rescuers racing against time to reach those still trapped in the rubble. See Details
Russia’s security service charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism and placed him on an international wanted list, part of a long-running Kremlin effort to bring the messaging app under state control. Find out More
President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz diplomacy at the White House Tuesday as U.S. officials pursue renewed talks with Oman. Source
Entertainment
" Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is drawing rave early reactions from critics, who call Tom Holland’s fourth solo outing a "grounded" and emotionally mature entry that ditches multiverse tedium ahead of its release. Source
Harlan Coben’s " I Will Find You" has become Netflix’s 10th most-popular English-language series ever, reaching 101.9 million cumulative views in six weeks. See Details
Apple TV’s " Ted Lasso" is returning for a fourth season, with a new trailer teasing AFC Richmond’s return and multiple transatlantic flights for the title character. Read More
Sports
NFL coach Kyle Shanahan took the blame for a recent car accident, telling reporters he was searching for his phone at the time, with Palo Alto police confirming his account was accurate. See Details
The Los Angeles Rams have opened as the betting favorite to win the NFC and reach Super Bowl LXI at their home stadium after adding Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie this offseason. Read More
Atlanta ace Chris Sale led the Braves past the New York Mets, with Francisco Lindor’s two home runs and six RBIs highlighting an otherwise rare offensive outburst for New York. Find out More
Off the Wall
President Trump has been posting AI-generated images threatening Iran’s ships and infrastructure, with Tehran firing back with its own AI-made mockery videos. See Details
