These are the top stories for this week.
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. Find out More
Men Detained in Nancy Guthrie Disappearance File Wrongful Arrest Suit
Lawyers for two Arizona men briefly detained during the search for “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mother have filed a notice of claim against the Pima County sheriff alleging wrongful arrest. Find out More
New York’s attorney general sued prediction-market operator Kalshi on Friday, alleging its platform constitutes illegal gambling under state law. Source
A Wisconsin judge ruled Wednesday that voters who have already returned their absentee ballots for the state’s primary cannot void them and request new ones, a decision that resolves a dispute that arose after Tuesday’s election. Read More
The Senate killed a Democrat-backed Iran War Powers resolution on a 49-50 procedural vote Thursday, even as Saudi Arabia announced 14 nations have joined a new maritime defense coalition. Find out More
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
Former state Senate President Troy Jackson clinched the Democratic Senate nomination in Maine on Saturday, setting up a race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins after Graham Platner’s withdrawal. Read More
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. Source
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. Source
Trump Condemns Violence, Slams Press at White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Trump used his speech at the rescheduled WHCA dinner to condemn political violence tied to the April shooting that postponed the original event, before pivoting into criticism of reporters and Democrats. See Details
The battle between the Democratic Party’s establishment and progressive wings spilled into a fiery Michigan Senate debate, with Rep. Hillary Scholten accusing candidate Abdul El-Sayed of sexist remarks about female colleagues a week ahead of the state’s primary. Source
Sen. Rand Paul said Wednesday that a Senate panel will consider holding Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt after Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right more than 100 times during testimony on the origins of COVID-19. Source
A political action committee has poured roughly $2 million into an effort to unseat Rep. Andy Ogles in his Tennessee Republican primary over his opposition to renewable-energy tax credits. Read More
U.S. News
Trump administration tested a secretive, decades-dormant deportation court for the first time Thursday, targeting a Texas woman accused of harboring ISIS sympathies whose son was convicted in a foiled Election Day plot. See Details
Dr. Anthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination throughout a contentious Senate hearing Wednesday on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing sharp questioning from Republican senators. Read More
Florida was set to carry out a rare double execution Tuesday, with James Aren Duckett, 68, and Dominick Anthony Occhicone, 80, both scheduled to die by lethal injection hours apart — the state’s first same-day double execution in more than 60 years. Read More
With Plans to Renovate a DC Golf Course, Trump Tees Off Another Fight With Residents. The administration plans to break ground Sept. 1 on a new golf course a mile from the White House unless a federal judge intervenes, reigniting a dispute with nearby residents. See Details
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. Find out More
Business
President Trump’s economic message is running into resistance from voters worried about high prices, with a CBS News/YouGov poll finding roughly 65% of Americans disapprove of his handling of the economy even as he used a speech in Michigan to tout his policies, Axios reported, noting the numbers give Democrats an opening ahead of the midterms. Source
The five biggest AI spenders — Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta and Tesla — fell an average of 9% this week, while their suppliers (memory makers, server builders, data-center landlords) rose an average of 11%, including a $100 billion gain for Nvidia. Source
The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 6.69% Wednesday, up seven basis points from the day before, as rates climbed across the board ahead of the Federal Reserve’s decision. Read More
Apple is launching a new leasing program allowing customers to lease iPhones, Macs, iPads and other products rather than buying them outright, partnering with payment platform Klarna as electronics prices climb. 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. Source
Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh faces renewed pressure to show he is serious about curbing inflation, with some investors expecting the central bank to raise rates as soon as Wednesday even though its tools are limited against the supply-driven price pressures tied to the Iran war. Source
A technique that lets developers shrink powerful AI models into cheaper systems has become the newest flashpoint in the U.S.-China race for AI dominance. Find out More
The U.S. economy expanded at just a 1.5% annualized rate last quarter, well below expectations, as a widening trade deficit tied to AI infrastructure spending weighed on growth. See Details
World News
Spain’s government denied a request from Ceuta’s president to declare a national emergency even as thousands of migrants from Morocco poured into the North African enclave. Source
Wildfires that have forced roughly 300,000 people to flee their homes in southwestern France and northern Spain showed little sign of easing Monday, with residents evacuating by boat and sleeping in cars as flames approached the Atlantic coast near Bordeaux, in blazes NBC News reported are among the worst Europe has seen in decades. Find out More
A magnitude-7.1 earthquake and subsequent mall explosion in Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture have killed at least 13 people, with rescuers racing against time to reach those still trapped in the rubble. Source
Yemen’s Houthis Fire Missiles, Drones at Saudi Arabia in Response to Strikes on Hodeida. Houthi rebels said they targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu and Jizan with missiles and drones Saturday, another escalation over shipping routes as the U.S. and Iran continue vying for control of the Strait of Hormuz. Source
Typhoon Noul battered southern China and Hong Kong with heavy winds and rain, prompting more than 700,000 evacuations and over 350 flight cancellations at Hong Kong’s airport. See Details
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. Find out More
The death toll from this week’s earthquake in southwestern Japan climbed to 30 as rescue teams continued searching a damaged shopping mall and a paper factory for people still missing. See Details
Entertainment
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which opens in theaters today, is tracking for one of the biggest domestic debuts in history, with its Thursday preview ticket sales setting a franchise record. Read More
Early reactions to “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” from its Los Angeles premiere praised Tom Holland’s performance as his best turn yet as Peter Parker, with critics calling the film a more grounded, mature entry that moves away from the franchise’s multiverse storylines, The Hollywood Reporter reported ahead of the film’s July 31 release. Read More
“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
Marvel’s Hall H panel featured the cast of “Avengers: Doomsday,” including Robert Downey Jr., confirming the film has wrapped production, plus a Ryan Reynolds cameo and a Black Panther 3 casting reveal. Source
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is tracking for one of the biggest box office openings in Marvel history, with early estimates ranging from $260 million to $280 million globally for Tom Holland’s fourth outing as the web-slinger. See Details
Rick Moranis made a surprise appearance in his Dark Helmet costume at a Comic-Con panel for the upcoming “Spaceballs” sequel, drawing a standing ovation after nearly three decades away from film roles. Source
Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” has climbed to $652 million at the global box office after two weekends in theaters, including $140 million from IMAX screens, Variety reported, with the film’s $90 million second-weekend haul marking the biggest sophomore outing of the year. Read More
Sports
Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has stepped away from the team after his wife was shot at their home Sunday night, with their son arrested on three felony charges in connection with the shooting, Yahoo Sports reported, noting Bieniemy’s wife remains hospitalized as the incident overshadowed the opening of NFL training camps around the league. Source
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. Source
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal recorded his 1,000th career strikeout Wednesday as Detroit’s home series against Baltimore continued, with manager A.J. Hinch saying the team has no plans to hold him out ahead of Monday’s trade deadline. Read More
European soccer’s governing body UEFA threatened to boycott future World Cups over FIFA’s plan to sell private stakes in the tournament, though FIFA is pressing ahead with the consultation process regardless. Source
Fox Sports breaks down each contender’s biggest need heading into the deadline, including the Red Sox’s search for a right-handed-hitting shortstop after a rash of infield injuries. See Details
NFL training camps are heating up with rumors swirling, including Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield saying he feels “disrespected” by stalled contract talks and the Saints signing receiver Chris Olave to a four-year, $132 million extension. Read More
The 2026 MLB trade deadline is approaching Aug. 3, with the Detroit Tigers reportedly weighing offers for ace Tarik Skubal that would net a mix of MLB-ready pitching and prospects, according to ESPN’s trade deadline tracker, as contenders finalize their deadline plans. Source
Off the Wall
A single ticket sold in Florida matched all six numbers to win the $800 million Mega Millions jackpot from Tuesday’s drawing, one of the largest prizes in the game’s history. See Details
A book on Greek antiquities was returned to an Australian public library roughly 150 years overdue after being found bricked into a fireplace during a home renovation. Find out More
