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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is meeting with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. This meeting comes after senators urged action and is happening while Blanche’s confirmation is still pending.
Key Facts
Todd Blanche is currently the Acting Attorney General.
He is meeting with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein.
Jeffrey Epstein was convicted of sex offenses.
Senators have pushed for this meeting to happen.
Blanche’s official confirmation as Attorney General has not yet been completed.
The meeting is taking place on a Thursday.
CBS News reported the meeting with information from sources.
Nicole Killion is the reporter covering the story.
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Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has been named a life peer in the House of Lords by outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Along with 25 others from different backgrounds and parties, Khan will now be able to review and vote on UK laws.
Key Facts
Sadiq Khan is appointed to the House of Lords as a life peer.
Keir Starmer named 26 new peers, including Khan, in one of his final acts as prime minister.
The new peers come from politics, philanthropy, social action, the military, and business.
Of the 26, 16 were nominated by Labour, 5 by Liberal Democrats, 3 by Conservatives, and 2 are non-party affiliated (crossbench).
Notable nominees include human rights campaigners, a former army chief, and a senior judge from the 2011 press inquiry.
Reform UK, a right-wing party with 7 MPs, did not receive any nominations.
Before these appointments, Conservatives held 246 seats in the House of Lords and Labour held 216.
The House of Lords is the upper chamber of the UK Parliament where laws are reviewed and amended.
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Many top U.S. universities have received millions of dollars from foreign groups on U.S. government watch lists, according to recent funding records. Officials are now warning universities that accepting money from these sources could risk losing federal funds due to national security concerns.
Key Facts
U.S. universities received about $27.6 million last year from foreign entities on government watch lists.
These watch lists are managed by agencies like Treasury, Defense, and State to monitor groups with ties to foreign governments.
A Chinese company connected to the military gave over $7 million to three U.S. research universities.
Bryant University signed a 50-year contract worth $22.6 million with Beijing Institute of Technology, a Chinese institution.
The State Department sent a letter to 187 top research universities to increase caution in accepting foreign funding.
Total foreign funding to American universities reached $1.5 billion in 2022, less than 2% of all university research funding.
Universities must report foreign gifts over $250,000, but checks against watch lists were not always done before.
The new focus aims to prevent universities from receiving money connected to foreign military interests to protect national security.
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Texas Senator John Cornyn supports keeping the state's open primary system, which allows independent voters to participate in Republican primaries. Some Texas Republicans want to change this and restrict voting in primaries to party members only.
Key Facts
Texas currently has an open primary system for elections.
Open primaries allow voters who are not registered with a political party (independents) to vote in that party's primary.
Some Republicans in Texas want to close the primaries, meaning only registered party members can vote.
Senator John Cornyn opposes closing the primaries and supports keeping them open.
John Opdycke, who leads an organization called Open Primaries, supports inclusive voting rules.
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Smoke from wildfires in Canada and northern Minnesota caused poor air quality that affected millions of people in the United States. Over 180 wildfires were burning in Ontario as of Thursday, contributing to unhealthy air conditions in parts of the U.S.
Key Facts
Wildfires in Ontario, Canada, numbered more than 180 on Thursday.
Additional wildfires were burning in northern Minnesota, U.S.
Smoke from these fires spread into the United States.
Millions of Americans experienced poor air quality because of the smoke.
The unhealthy air conditions raised health concerns among the affected population.
The report was covered by CBS News and included field reporting.
The air quality issue affected multiple states due to cross-border wildfire smoke.
Wildfire smoke can contain harmful particles that impact breathing and overall health.
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Ben Shapiro, a conservative commentator, said that Vice President JD Vance spoke like a Democrat during a recent interview on Joe Rogan's podcast. Shapiro compared Vance’s views to those of well-known Democratic figures.
Key Facts
Ben Shapiro made his comments on a Thursday.
Shapiro listened to Joe Rogan’s podcast episode featuring JD Vance.
Shapiro said Vance’s economics sounded like Bernie Sanders’.
He said Vance’s foreign policy resembled Barack Obama’s.
Shapiro also mentioned that Vance’s ideas on conspiracy theories were like Ro Khanna’s.
JD Vance is the Vice President.
The discussion happened during a popular podcast hosted by Joe Rogan.
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President Donald Trump plans to make new statements about foreign interference in the 2020 presidential election. This speech continues his ongoing effort to question the results of the election he lost, despite courts and officials finding no evidence of widespread fraud.
Key Facts
President Trump will speak about alleged foreign interference in the 2020 election.
This is part of his ongoing efforts to challenge the 2020 election results.
Courts have rejected his claims about the election being stolen.
Election officials have found no proof of widespread fraud in 2020.
Independent investigations have also confirmed the election was fair.
The speech is seen as an escalation in his campaign to relitigate the election loss.
Liz Landers reported on the expected content of President Trump's address.
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Election officials in Maricopa County, Arizona, agreed on how to share responsibility for overseeing elections, ending a legal dispute. The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed by the county recorder against the county board of supervisors.
Key Facts
Maricopa County is the most populous county in Arizona.
The county recorder, Justin Heap, who is a Republican, sued the mostly Republican county board of supervisors in June 2025.
Heap claimed the board took control of some election duties illegally.
The county board called the lawsuit unnecessary and a waste of taxpayer money.
The two sides negotiated with help from a mediator and reached an agreement this week.
The county board approved the settlement to end the legal fight.
Board Chair Kate Brophy McGee said they want to avoid more public disputes and negative attention.
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President Donald Trump is planning to declare a national emergency around the time of the midterm elections. Ty Cobb, a former White House lawyer who worked during Trump’s first term, discussed the legal limits of such a move and how it might affect future elections.
Key Facts
President Trump intends to announce a national emergency near the midterm elections.
Ty Cobb served as a White House attorney in President Trump’s first administration.
Cobb helped manage the response to the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller.
Mueller’s probe focused on claims of Russian interference in U.S. elections.
Declaring a national emergency has legal limits set by Congress and the courts.
This action by President Trump could set a precedent for how presidents influence elections.
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Heavy rains caused flash floods in Central Texas, affecting areas that had severe flooding during the 2025 4th of July. The floods led to at least one death and forced local officials to tell thousands of people to move to safer, higher places.
Key Facts
Flash floods struck Central Texas due to very heavy rain.
The affected areas were previously hit by severe flooding in July 2025.
At least one person has died because of the floods.
Rescue teams saved at least 70 people from flood dangers.
Local leaders warned residents to quickly seek higher ground to stay safe.
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Wildfire smoke is affecting air quality in at least 17 states across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Over 115 million people may face unhealthy air, causing health warnings and disruptions to daily activities.
Key Facts
Wildfire smoke is spreading through 17 states from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic.
More than 115 million people may breathe unhealthy air due to the smoke.
Health advisories have been issued because of poor air quality.
Some flights have been delayed due to the smoke.
Pools and beaches have been closed in affected areas.
Many outdoor events and activities have been canceled.
The smoke comes from wildfires, which produce tiny particles that can harm breathing and health.
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President Donald Trump has not scheduled a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite reports from Israeli media that one would happen. Netanyahu has tried for weeks to arrange a meeting, but the White House has not confirmed it, reflecting growing distance between the two leaders.
Key Facts
Netanyahu has met President Trump six times since Trump returned to office 18 months ago.
Netanyahu has been trying for over two weeks to set up another meeting, but none is confirmed.
Reports that Netanyahu planned to visit the U.S. and meet Trump after Senator Lindsey Graham’s death were canceled when the funeral was postponed.
White House officials say Netanyahu wanted a meeting but did not get a positive response.
Trump was upset by Netanyahu’s public criticism of U.S. plans to sell jets to Turkey.
Israel gave the U.S. intelligence suggesting Iran planned to target Trump in Turkey, but U.S. and Turkish officials found no real threat.
Netanyahu has lost support within parts of Washington, including among Democrats and some of Trump’s backers.
A large group of House Democrats recently voted to reduce U.S. aid to Israel by $3 billion, showing political tension.
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A man named William Upham, a former marine and Republican write-in candidate in Florida, was arrested for threatening to kill President Donald Trump. He faces federal charges and could go to prison for up to five years.
Key Facts
William Upham, 35, is a former marine and a Republican write-in candidate in Florida's fifth congressional district.
He was arrested and charged in federal court for threatening to kill President Trump.
The Secret Service investigated after reports of Upham’s threats, including videos he posted online.
In the videos, Upham, wearing his military uniform, called for overthrowing President Trump and suggested killing him using specific military tactics.
Upham linked his threats to his religious beliefs, calling President Trump the antichrist.
He told a third party he made the videos to "declare war" on Trump and said he would kill the president when "God chooses."
Upham had access to firearms and had made troubling statements to law enforcement recently.
The acting US Secretary of the Navy said Upham is no longer a marine and does not represent the military’s values.
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he survived an assassination attempt shortly after taking office in January 2025. The man involved pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in August. Bessent also announced that the Treasury Department will work to find charities and nonprofits that may be funding political violence.
Key Facts
Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary, faced an assassination attempt two hours after his confirmation in January 2025.
Ryan Michael English carried weapons to the U.S. Capitol intending to kill Bessent or attack another federal target.
English pleaded guilty in March 2026 to federal charges related to the assassination plot.
English is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14, 2026.
Bessent said the Treasury will try to identify charities and nonprofits used to finance political terrorism.
The Treasury will also check if tax-exempt groups are used for foreign influence.
Political violence targeting U.S. officials, judges, and election workers has been rising since around 2020.
Nearly 90% of surveyed state legislators reported threats or attacks related to their political roles.
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Thousands of people in Ukraine protested after President Zelenskyy fired the country's defense minister. Meanwhile, health officials in Gaza reported that recent Israeli attacks have killed at least 12 people. Flooding in central and southern Texas has caused one death, and a White House teleprompter operator faces insider trading accusations.
Key Facts
Thousands protested in Ukraine against President Zelenskyy's firing of the defense minister.
At least 12 people have died due to recent Israeli attacks in Gaza.
Flooding in central and southern Texas has caused at least one death.
A White House teleprompter operator is accused of insider trading in prediction markets.
The events described reflect ongoing tensions and challenges in different regions.
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Chinese AI company Moonshot AI released a large new AI model called Kimi K3, which may match top American AI systems but costs less. Early tests show Kimi K3 performing better than some leading U.S. AI models in coding and text tasks, raising concerns about U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence.
Key Facts
Kimi K3 contains 2.8 trillion parameters, making it one of the largest open-weight AI models.
It can handle very large amounts of text at once (1 million-token context window) and works with both text and images.
In blind tests, Kimi K3 outperformed leading U.S. models like Anthropic’s Fable 5 and OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 Sol in coding tasks.
Kimi K3 also ranked higher than Anthropic’s Opus 4.8, a recent top AI model, in broader text tests.
Moonshot AI is offering Kimi K3 at prices significantly lower than top U.S. AI models.
The model’s "weights" (details allowing others to run or adjust it) will be released on July 27, after which outside developers can inspect it.
Chinese AI progress is seen as a growing challenge to U.S. dominance in advanced AI technology.
The launch happens ahead of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, where China will discuss AI plans.
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U.S. and Iranian negotiators are still talking despite public tensions. The U.S. military has increased strikes on Iran, and President Trump has indicated possible further military action. Iran says controlling the Strait of Hormuz is a critical issue for them.
Key Facts
American and Iranian negotiators continue discussions behind the scenes.
Both countries have taken tough public stances on the conflict.
The U.S. military has resumed strikes against Iran.
President Donald Trump suggested he may escalate military actions soon.
Iran considers control over the Strait of Hormuz a "red line," meaning a point they will strongly defend.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic waterway important for global shipping.
Tensions are affecting shipping costs and the safety of seafarers, according to a UN maritime official.
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Vice President JD Vance said on a podcast that the Trump administration did not handle the release of documents about Jeffrey Epstein well. He admitted this was a mistake. Political experts also discussed the situation on the podcast.
Key Facts
Vice President JD Vance spoke on Joe Rogan’s podcast.
Vance said the Trump administration mishandled how they shared files about Jeffrey Epstein.
Jeffrey Epstein was a convicted sex offender.
It is uncommon for the Trump administration to admit errors.
Political analysts Joe Borelli and Cameron French talked about this topic on the same podcast.
The discussion was reported by CBS News.
The Epstein files relate to sensitive legal and criminal information.
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Congress is divided over U.S. aid to Israel amid the conflict in Gaza and concerns about Iran. On Wednesday, more than half of House Democrats voted to stop U.S. military funding for Israel, while another proposal to boost U.S.-Israel cooperation revealed further disagreements.
Key Facts
Israel is engaged in a war in Gaza.
The U.S. is working with Israel on a military operation against Iran.
These events have caused strong disagreements among U.S. lawmakers.
Over half of House Democrats voted to end U.S. military aid to Israel.
A separate plan to strengthen U.S.-Israel cooperation is also controversial.
The division is especially noticeable within the Democratic Party.
The debate highlights differing views on U.S. policy toward Israel and the Middle East.
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Two nominees for important health positions under President Trump faced difficult questioning during a Senate hearing. Erica Schwartz, nominated for CDC director, and Sean Kaufman, nominated for assistant secretary for preparedness, both struggled to satisfy senators with their answers and views on vaccines.
Key Facts
Erica Schwartz is nominated to be director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Sean Kaufman is nominated for Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
Schwartz has strong medical and public health credentials and military experience.
Schwartz supports vaccines and evidence-based medicine, unlike Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who opposes vaccines.
Kaufman has experience in outbreak response but has expressed anti-vaccine views, including false claims about vaccines causing autism.
Kaufman opposed vaccine mandates and criticized advocates of the hepatitis B vaccine birth dose.
Senators questioned Schwartz’s knowledge of CDC operations and her willingness to stand up to political interference.
Senators challenged Kaufman to clarify his controversial vaccine views during the hearing.
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