Two drivers of Mercedes AMG cars have sued Mercedes-Benz, saying the raised AMG logo on their car seats got so hot it burned their skin. They want the company to pay for medical costs and remove the logo from other cars to prevent more injuries.
Key Facts
The lawsuit was filed in a U.S. District Court in California.
Drivers Gabriel Lahijani and Karendeep Bath claim the AMG logo on their car seats caused second-degree burns.
The logo is metallic and raised, positioned where it touches occupants’ upper back, neck, or shoulder.
Lahijani was burned after sitting in his car wearing a tank top in Los Angeles.
Bath experienced a burning sensation and a visible mark shaped like the AMG logo after sitting in her car.
The drivers seek compensation for medical bills, pain, and emotional distress.
They also want Mercedes to pay to remove the logo from other cars with the same issue.
Mercedes-Benz did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
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Subsidized imports from China are making it harder for African factories to grow. People are asking the United States to help by supporting the African Continental Free Trade Area and increasing private investment through the International Development Finance Corporation.
Key Facts
Chinese imports to Africa are subsidized, meaning China helps pay to keep prices low.
These cheaper goods are hurting the growth of African manufacturing businesses.
African Continental Free Trade Area aims to boost trade within Africa.
The United States is encouraged to support this trade agreement.
The International Development Finance Corporation can help by investing private money in Africa.
More U.S. investment could help African industries compete better.
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An economic expert named Bessent says that the "K-shaped" economy, which describes how rich and poor groups in the U.S. have very different financial experiences, is no longer happening. This means the gap between the economic success of high-income and low-income Americans may be changing.
Key Facts
The term "K-shaped economy" refers to how some people do well financially while others struggle.
Bessent states that this pattern is ending.
The "K" describes two diverging economic paths for different income groups.
This concept has been used to explain economic inequality.
The article does not provide specific data or reasons for this change.
The discussion focuses on the U.S. economy and people's income levels.
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Phillip Jeffries is a family-owned wallpaper company that specializes in luxury wall designs. The business has grown by creating artistic and high-quality wallpaper products.
Key Facts
Phillip Jeffries is owned and operated by a family.
The company focuses on luxury wallpaper design.
Their wallpaper products are considered works of art.
The business has experienced growth in demand.
Their products are used to decorate walls in stylish ways.
Meg Oliver reported on the company for CBS News.
The story was featured on the CBS News App and website.
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CBS Mornings Deals offers special discounts on various products to help improve daily life. Shoppers can visit cbsdeals.com to access these deals, and CBS earns money from purchases made through the site.
Key Facts
CBS Mornings Deals features items that aim to improve everyday life.
These deals are available exclusively through the website cbsdeals.com.
Customers can find different discounted products on the site.
CBS earns commissions on sales made through cbsdeals.com.
The deals are promoted as part of the CBS News program.
The website is accessible via common browsers like Chrome and Safari.
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SERRE is a new restaurant inside The Maker Hotel in New York's Hudson Valley. The dining room is set in a glass conservatory, and Chef Jonas Offenbach creates dishes using modern versions of French cooking styles.
Key Facts
SERRE is located in The Maker Hotel in Hudson Valley, New York.
The dining area is a glass conservatory that has been converted for meals.
Chef Jonas Offenbach leads the kitchen.
The food features modern twists on classic French cooking techniques.
The restaurant combines high-quality dining with a boutique hotel atmosphere.
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A weaker-than-expected jobs report showed that U.S. employers cut 23,000 jobs in July, signaling a softer labor market. This may lead the Federal Reserve to pause or slow down interest rate increases, which could help keep mortgage rates from rising further and provide some relief to homebuyers.
Key Facts
U.S. employers reduced 23,000 jobs in July, and previous months’ hiring numbers were lowered.
Job losses were mostly in local government, education, and retail trade.
The labor market appears weaker than many experts expected.
The Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady in late July at 3.5% to 3.75%.
The Fed may avoid raising rates soon due to the weaker job report and focus on its goal to reduce inflation to 2%.
Mortgage rates usually rise when the Fed raises its key interest rate, but a pause could stop mortgage rates from going higher.
Lower or unchanged mortgage rates are generally better news for people buying homes.
The Federal Reserve’s next interest rate decision is scheduled for September.
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The Powerball lottery jackpot has reached $856 million, the largest prize of the year and the eighth-largest ever for Powerball. This edition of the game now includes players from the United Kingdom for the first time, alongside 45 U.S. states and territories.
Key Facts
The current jackpot is $856 million, or $370.7 million as a lump sum before taxes.
This jackpot ranks eighth in Powerball history and 16th among all U.S. lottery jackpots.
The record Powerball jackpot was $2.04 billion in 2022, with a lump sum of about $997.6 million.
Powerball tickets started being sold in the U.K. on July 21, making this the first jackpot with U.K. participation.
Players from 45 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands also take part in Powerball.
The jackpot has not been won since May 2; there have been 41 drawings without a top prize winner.
A $1 million prize was won recently in Ohio by matching five white balls.
The Saturday drawing occurs at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time, with odds of 1 in 292.2 million to win the jackpot.
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Berkshire Hathaway’s new CEO, Greg Abel, spent a large part of the company’s cash by investing $10 billion in Alphabet (Google’s parent company) and buying back $4.5 billion of its own shares. The company’s cash reserve decreased to $365.5 billion after these major moves and other stock purchases.
Key Facts
Greg Abel became CEO of Berkshire Hathaway in January 2026, with Warren Buffett staying as chairman.
Berkshire invested $10 billion in Alphabet during the second quarter of 2026.
The company repurchased about $4.5 billion of its own shares in the same period.
Cash reserves dropped from nearly $400 billion at the end of March to $365.5 billion by the end of June.
Berkshire added over $24 billion worth of other commercial and industrial stocks but did not disclose the specific stocks yet.
In July, Berkshire completed a $6.8 billion purchase of homebuilder Taylor Morrison, not included in the second-quarter figures.
Berkshire’s profit more than doubled to $25.7 billion for the quarter, helped by gains in investment values.
Operating profit, which excludes investment gains and losses, also increased to nearly $13 billion.
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The article introduces a new book called "Simplify: Do 50% More with 50% Less" which explains a method to reduce unnecessary tasks and focus on what brings joy and success. The authors, including Axios co-founders, share steps to cut down complexity in work and life, especially in the fast-changing world influenced by AI.
Key Facts
The book "Simplify" was co-written by Axios co-founders Jim VandeHei, Roy Schwartz, and another author.
The method includes three steps: confront what you do, delete what you shouldn’t do, and amplify what brings joy and achievement.
Simplify aims to reduce complexity in leadership, management, work, and personal life.
AI creates extra work by producing too many drafts, dashboards, and tasks, leading to two hours wasted per cleanup.
The book follows a previous one called Smart Brevity, which focused on simplifying communication.
Executives from major companies like AT&T and Meta shared their experiences with reducing complexity.
The goal of Simplify is to help people focus on what truly matters by doing less but more effectively.
The book is available for preorder.
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Fifa planned to sell a minority stake in the World Cup through a new group called Forward Enterprise, led by tech investors from Thrive Eternal, a branch of Thrive Capital. After strong opposition and calls for Fifa’s president Gianni Infantino to resign, Fifa reversed this plan. Thrive Eternal believes that sports like football will keep their value despite advances in artificial intelligence (AI).
Key Facts
Thrive Eternal is an investment group linked to Thrive Capital, which mainly invests in AI technology companies.
The group wanted to buy a minority share of the World Cup through Fifa’s Forward Enterprise proposal.
Fifa canceled the plan after widespread resistance from fans and football organizations.
Thrive Eternal thinks sports have qualities like tradition and identity that AI cannot replicate.
Thrive Eternal also invests in other sports teams, like the San Francisco Giants baseball team.
The initial investment offer for the World Cup stake was about $4.2 billion.
The investment was planned as a long-term hold, with returns expected only after many years.
The plan raised governance and commercial concerns about the influence of private investors in football decisions.
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About 30 passengers were trapped for over 45 minutes on a locked platform at Newry Train Station after a late-night train arrived during a music festival. Translink apologized for the incident, saying the train crew stayed with the passengers and they are investigating what happened.
Key Facts
A late-night train arrived at Newry Station around 1:20 a.m., but the station was already closed and locked.
About 30 passengers could not leave the platform and waited for more than 45 minutes.
The train crew stayed with the passengers to keep them safe until staff arrived to open the station.
Passengers tried calling Translink but could only reach closed call centers.
Translink apologized and said they are looking into the incident.
The incident happened during Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, a large Irish music and culture festival in Belfast.
Translink reported over 1 million passenger journeys in five days of the festival, with extra buses and late-night trains provided.
The festival has brought more visitors and economic benefits than expected to Belfast.
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Mark and Ashley, a couple from Pennsylvania, bought a 150-year-old farm house. When their kitchen microwave broke, they discovered a hidden staircase inside the home, revealing a secret part of the old property.
Key Facts
The couple bought the house in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, which was built in 1868.
They found the house online after watching it for months until the price became reasonable.
The house was almost torn down for a development project, but environmental reasons stopped that.
The couple learned the property was once a working farm with animals like chickens, goats, and cattle.
They have been doing renovations, including fixing siding, chimneys, and insulation.
While repairing the microwave, they found a secret staircase behind it.
The purpose of the staircase is still unknown; it leads behind the kitchen counter and up to a locked bedroom door.
The couple is balancing home repairs with raising their family and figuring out the house’s history.
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The US Department of Defense announced a $400 million loan to an Australian company to build the world’s first main mine for scandium, a rare earth metal mostly supplied by China. This project aims to create a secure supply chain for scandium, used in defense, aerospace, and tech industries, reducing reliance on China.
Key Facts
The US Department of Defense will give a $400 million conditional loan to Sunrise Energy Metals, an Australian mining company.
The loan supports building the first primary scandium mine in Fifield, New South Wales, Australia.
Scandium is a rare earth metal used to strengthen aluminum, making it important for defense, planes, and data technology.
China currently controls most of the scandium market and restricted exports for defense products last year.
US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a minerals agreement to invest $1 billion each to counter China’s influence.
Sunrise Energy Metals has a deal to sell 25% of scandium output to Lockheed Martin for defense and aerospace use.
President Trump announced a $3 billion US government investment in various critical minerals and battery projects to boost domestic production and national security.
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This week, Wall Street is focused on reports about inflation and retail sales. These reports will show how prices are changing and how people are spending money, which helps investors and economists understand the economy better.
Key Facts
The U.S. will release the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for July on Wednesday, showing how prices for many goods and services have changed.
Economists expect the July inflation rate to stay above 3%.
The Producer Price Index (PPI), which shows costs businesses face before selling to customers, will be released on Thursday.
On Friday, the U.S. will release the retail sales report for July, showing how much and where people are spending money.
Inflation is an important concern for Wall Street and the Federal Reserve.
High inflation can reduce consumer spending and slow down the economy.
The Federal Reserve is likely to raise interest rates later this year to help reduce inflation.
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Several of Africa’s biggest economies, including Ethiopia, South Africa, Morocco, and Nigeria, are working to build more local factories to make solar power equipment. This effort aims to reduce reliance on imports from China, which currently dominates the global solar market. Despite this, China is expected to stay a major supplier due to excess solar manufacturing capacity at home.
Key Facts
African countries are increasing their own solar panel and equipment manufacturing to become more self-reliant.
Ethiopia, South Africa, Morocco, and Nigeria are leading this push for local solar production.
China currently exports most of the solar equipment used in Africa and has a large oversupply of solar products.
Chinese investment in renewable energy projects in Africa totaled $66 billion between 2010 and 2024.
South Africa plans a large 1-gigawatt solar manufacturing plant to meet growing solar power demand.
Nigeria’s solar assembly capacity has grown from 120 megawatts to about 300 megawatts in two years.
Growing rooftop and off-grid solar systems in Africa are changing electricity use and market needs.
South Africa is the largest importer of solar equipment in Africa, bringing in over 3 gigawatts a year, mostly from China.
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The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is asking Chancellor John Healey to fully review the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), arguing that its current approach limits public investment and economic growth. The TUC also wants the government to increase funding through bodies like the National Wealth Fund to support long-term projects and stimulate growth.
Key Facts
The TUC wants a complete review of the OBR’s methods, saying it underestimates the benefits of public investment.
The OBR assumes public investment reduces private investment, a view some economists disagree with.
The TUC criticizes the OBR for keeping outdated economic models linked to austerity policies.
Jonathan Haskel, the new OBR chair, expects higher interest rates and slower economic growth in the medium term.
The TUC calls for the National Wealth Fund’s rules to be changed to allow longer-term investments (up to 15 years).
These investment changes aim to boost infrastructure and British businesses, encouraging private investors to join.
The government’s fiscal rules now allow borrowing for investment without counting against budget targets.
Some experts worry about the effects of more government borrowing on bond markets.
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A woman named Hannah Stephenson stayed one night at a Travelodge hotel in Cambridge and woke up with itchy red bites caused by bed bugs. Travelodge apologized and compensated her £2,000, assuring that they take pest control seriously.
Key Facts
Hannah Stephenson stayed at a Travelodge hotel on Newmarket Road, Cambridge, on July 26.
She woke up with red, itchy lumps and blood spots on the bedding, signs of bed bugs.
The bites spread to her face and arms, causing swelling and discomfort.
She took antihistamines to ease symptoms but felt self-conscious and missed social events.
After her initial complaint was ignored, she posted pictures on TikTok, which led to Travelodge contacting her.
Travelodge says it uses expert pest control to prevent such problems and inspects rooms immediately if an issue is found.
The British Pest Control Association says bed bugs are more active in warmer months and gives advice on dealing with infestations.
Stephenson accepted £2,000 compensation and hopes Travelodge becomes more vigilant in the future.
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The community of Buxton in North Carolina's Outer Banks is spending $50 million to restore its eroded beaches by pumping sand from offshore onto a 3-mile stretch of shoreline. This project aims to protect homes, roads, and the local economy from storm damage and rising tides worsened by climate change.
Key Facts
Buxton is a village on a barrier island in North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
The Dare County Manager and his team are restoring 3 miles of eroded beach using 2 million cubic yards of sand from the ocean floor.
The beach restoration is important to protect the local economy, which depends on fishing, boating, and tourism.
Several homes were lost to the ocean in 2025 due to hurricanes and flooding.
Since 2020, 32 homes in the nearby Cape Hatteras National Seashore have collapsed into the ocean.
The project will widen the shoreline by up to 75 feet to protect roads and houses.
This is the third time the county has done such a beach restoration project and the most expensive at $50 million.
The beach nourishment will need to be repeated every five years as a temporary solution.
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