Mark Sanford, a former Republican representative from South Carolina, announced he will run for the U.S. Senate seat left open by the death of Senator Lindsey Graham. Sanford said he wants to address the national debt, which he described as growing quickly.
Key Facts
Mark Sanford is a former Republican congressman from South Carolina.
He announced his candidacy for Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat.
Senator Lindsey Graham recently passed away, leaving the seat vacant.
Sanford expressed concern about the increasing U.S. national debt.
He criticized Washington for adding about one trillion dollars to the debt every 100 days.
Sanford’s announcement was made on a Thursday morning.
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized President Donald Trump's behavior at the World Cup final trophy ceremony, saying the president embarrassed himself by lingering on stage during the celebration. Jeffries made these remarks during a press conference where House Democrats also discussed a resolution to limit Trump's military action against Iran.
Key Facts
Hakeem Jeffries is the House Minority Leader and a Democrat from New York.
Jeffries said President Trump "disgraced himself" at the World Cup final trophy ceremony.
Trump was booed when he walked onto the field after Spain won 2-0 over Argentina.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino tried to get Trump to leave the stage during the trophy celebration.
Trump stayed at the edge of the celebration and briefly performed his signature dance.
Jeffries made these comments during a press conference with House Democratic leaders.
On the same day, the House passed a Democratic resolution to limit Trump’s military actions against Iran.
The event took place at MetLife Stadium during the World Cup final.
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Texas Attorney General and Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton held a press conference to talk about law enforcement. However, during the event, reporters asked him difficult questions that he avoided by leaving early.
Key Facts
Ken Paxton is the Texas Attorney General.
He is running for the U.S. Senate as a Republican candidate.
Paxton held a press conference focused on law enforcement.
Reporters asked him challenging questions during the event.
Paxton left the press conference before answering those questions.
Avoiding tough questions is seen as unusual for someone running for the Senate.
The press conference became more about what Paxton did not answer than his original topic.
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A proposed law called the Coast Guard Leadership Modernization Act aims to create a new government position, the secretary of the U.S. Coast Guard. Several Republican senators support this change to give the Coast Guard leadership similar to other military branches.
Key Facts
The bill is named the Coast Guard Leadership Modernization Act.
It would create the role of secretary of the U.S. Coast Guard.
This role would be similar to leaders in other military branches.
Several Republican senators back the proposal.
The change is meant to modernize Coast Guard leadership.
The Coast Guard is currently led differently compared to other military branches.
This new position would be part of the U.S. government’s leadership structure.
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The White House will announce new steps on tariffs as current US import duties, introduced by President Donald Trump, are set to expire. Officials said trade representative Jamieson Greer will share details soon, and there are mixed views on the tariffs’ impact on prices and the economy.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump's administration plans to reveal new actions on tariffs on Thursday.
Many previous tariffs were ruled illegal by the US Supreme Court in February.
A 10% tariff on many goods replaced the struck-down tariffs, but these expire on Friday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said trade representative Jamieson Greer will announce next steps.
Trump’s team says tariffs help revive US manufacturing and create jobs.
Critics warn tariffs could raise prices across the country.
Inflation reached a three-year high earlier this year.
Trade representative Greer told senators tariffs did not cause price increases, pointing to falling core inflation (which excludes food and energy).
Overall inflation is still higher compared to when President Biden left office.
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A Miami tugboat captain pleaded guilty to causing a boat crash that killed three girls from a sailing camp last summer. The captain admitted to breaking safety rules that led to the collision, and prosecutors have suggested a sentence of one year in prison plus six months at home.
Key Facts
Yusiel Lopez Insua, 47, pleaded guilty to seaman’s manslaughter for a 2025 boat crash in Miami.
The crash involved a tugboat pushing a heavy barge and a small sailboat with a counselor and five girls from a sailing camp.
The barge was about 108 feet long and weighed around 149 gross tons, with limited forward visibility.
No crew member served as a lookout on the tugboat during the incident.
The barge hit the sailboat, which had stalled in the tugboat’s path, causing three girls to drown.
Lopez Insua’s phone records showed internet use while the tugboat was moving, near the time of the crash.
Prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of one year and six months of home detention as part of a plea deal.
Recreational boating deaths in the U.S. in 2024 exceeded 550, with 43 deaths caused by collisions between vessels.
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U.S. health officials are investigating a new outbreak caused by the parasite cyclospora, which leads to diarrhea. So far, 72 people have been affected, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet identified the food source or locations of the cases.
Key Facts
Cyclospora is a tiny parasite that causes intestinal illness with frequent diarrhea.
The parasite spreads when food is contaminated by human feces, often through water used to wash or irrigate produce.
The current outbreak affects 72 people as of Wednesday.
The FDA has not yet found which food products are causing this outbreak.
Earlier, a separate outbreak was linked to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms grown in Mexico, resulting in a recall.
Washing hands with soap and water helps prevent cyclospora infection; alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not kill the parasite.
Federal and state officials are investigating multiple clusters of cyclospora illnesses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information about the parasite and recommended safety measures.
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Prime Minister Andy Burnham has paused a new early prisoner release plan in England and Wales after concerns were raised about public safety. The plan, part of a law coming in September, would have allowed around 6,000 prisoners to be freed earlier to ease overcrowded jails, but the government will now review the policy first.
Key Facts
The early release plan would let prisoners leave jail after serving one-third of their sentence instead of half.
This change is meant to reduce overcrowding in prisons in England and Wales.
About 6,000 prisoners could benefit from being released earlier starting September 2.
Prisoners released early will be monitored in the community and must show they are improving (rehabilitating).
The prime minister paused the plan following public concerns, including objections from the widow of PC Andrew Harper.
PC Andrew Harper was killed in 2019 during a police chase involving teenage suspects.
The killers were sentenced to prison but could have been released earlier under the new early release rules.
A full review will be conducted before any prisoners are released under the new scheme to ensure public safety.
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A columnist for Kentucky’s largest newspaper wrote a critical "pre-obituary" about Senator Mitch McConnell, reviewing his long career and recent health issues while McConnell remains alive. The columnist criticized McConnell for actions like blocking a Supreme Court nomination in 2016 and supporting another in 2020, which affected public trust in the court.
Key Facts
Mitch McConnell is an 84-year-old senator from Kentucky and the longest-serving senator from the state.
A columnist named Joseph Gerth wrote a "pre-obituary" critiquing McConnell’s career while he is still alive.
The column accused McConnell of harming civil rights and enabling President Trump despite privately criticizing him.
Gerth compared McConnell to former President Richard Nixon, saying McConnell never faced consequences for his actions.
McConnell blocked President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland in 2016 but helped confirm Amy Coney Barrett just before the 2020 election.
Public trust in the Supreme Court dropped significantly after Barrett’s confirmation, according to polls.
McConnell has been absent from the Senate since June due to health issues including falls and pneumonia.
His office released a hospital photo and health update in July, but concerns about his condition continue.
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Rep. Jim Jordan has asked the Justice Department to consider prosecuting special counsel Jack Smith for possibly giving false information during his testimony about the investigation of President Donald Trump. Jack Smith’s lawyers say he spoke truthfully.
Key Facts
Rep. Jim Jordan is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
Jordan referred Jack Smith to the Justice Department for possible prosecution.
The referral relates to Smith’s testimony about subpoenas for phone records of some Republican lawmakers.
The investigation involves President Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
Toll records include call times, dates, lengths, and phone numbers but not what was said in the calls.
Jack Smith is the special counsel leading the investigation into President Trump.
This referral happened after a closed-door hearing in December 2025.
Jack Smith’s lawyers deny any false statements and say he testified honestly.
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President Donald Trump said he is thinking about launching a large military attack on Iran. This comes after the U.S. military has carried out 12 days in a row of strikes against the country.
Key Facts
President Trump spoke about the possibility of a much bigger attack on Iran.
The U.S. military has conducted 12 consecutive days of strikes on Iran.
Trump said the planned attack would be larger than any before.
He told the news outlet Axios he is near a final decision.
The situation reflects rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
No official order for the attack had been given at the time of the statement.
The article focuses on U.S. military and political actions.
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not provide new details about the civilian nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia. This comes after President Trump said the deal depends on Saudi Arabia establishing normal relations with Israel.
Key Facts
President Trump made the civilian nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia conditional on Saudi Arabia normalizing ties with Israel.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, declined to add new information about the deal.
President Trump has mentioned this condition several times before.
The deal involves civilian nuclear cooperation, meaning it relates to peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Normalizing relations means Saudi Arabia would officially recognize and cooperate with Israel.
The White House emphasized that President Trump is the final decision maker on the deal.
Questions about details or next steps regarding the deal were not answered during the press briefing.
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Senate Republicans stopped a plan that would require President Trump to pull U.S. troops out of the conflict with Iran. Although some Republican lawmakers are worried about more casualties and the long duration of the conflict, the motion did not get enough support to move forward.
Key Facts
The Senate vote was 47 in favor and 49 against advancing the war powers resolution.
The resolution aimed to direct President Trump to end U.S. military involvement against Iran.
Some Republican senators expressed concerns about ongoing casualties and the length of the conflict.
The motion needed a majority to proceed but fell short by two votes.
This vote reflects ongoing debate within the Republican Party about U.S. military actions in Iran.
The Senate continues to have divided opinions on how and when to end U.S. involvement in conflicts abroad.
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Senator Jon Ossoff is ahead of Representative Mike Collins by 9 points in a recent poll for the Georgia Senate race. The poll was done by bipartisan groups and was completed in mid-July, a few months before the election.
Key Facts
Jon Ossoff is the Democratic senator running for a second term in Georgia.
Mike Collins is the Republican challenger from Georgia.
A new poll gives Ossoff a 9-point lead over Collins.
The poll was conducted between July 13 and July 16.
The pollsters, Fabrizio Ward and Impact Research, are considered bipartisan (they work for both political parties).
The election will take place in less than four months.
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The Senate voted 49 to 47 against a measure that would have limited President Trump's authority to conduct military actions against Iran without Congress’s approval. Earlier the same day, the House passed a related resolution criticizing the president’s actions amid rising conflict with Iran. The debate involved disagreement between parties and highlighted ongoing tensions over how the United States should handle the situation.
Key Facts
The Senate rejected a resolution aimed at restricting President Trump’s war powers in Iran by a 49-47 vote.
Senator Susan Collins was the only Republican to support the measure; Senator John Fetterman was the only Democrat to oppose it.
The House passed a separate war powers resolution 214 to 208, with support from four Republicans alongside mostly Democrats.
The Senate vote followed several previous efforts by Democrats to limit the president’s authority on military actions against Iran.
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying forces and limits unauthorized military actions to 60 days.
The Trump administration argued the 60-day limit did not apply after a ceasefire declared on April 7 but later notified Congress about renewed military actions in July.
Recent violence includes U.S. military strikes on Iranian sites and the deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iran-related incidents.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged Republicans to support ending the conflict and withdrawing troops.
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Rick Jackson, a Republican candidate for Georgia governor, has promised to add $1,000 from the state to "Trump Accounts," a new federal savings program for children, if he wins the election. He also said he would pay this amount himself if the state legislature does not approve the funding. President Donald Trump visited Georgia to promote these accounts and support Republican candidates ahead of the November elections.
Key Facts
Rick Jackson pledged to add $1,000 from Georgia to each child's Trump Account.
Trump Accounts are federally supported savings accounts for children born between 2025 and 2028, with a $1,000 initial government contribution.
Parents and others can add up to $5,000 per year to these accounts.
The accounts are managed by parents or guardians until the child turns 18, then the child controls the funds.
Jackson made his pledge during a rally with President Trump in Marietta, Georgia.
Jackson is a wealthy healthcare businessman with a net worth of about $1 billion.
Democratic candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms criticized Jackson’s close ties to Trump and wants the election to focus on state issues.
Protests against Trump’s visit highlighted the political divide in Georgia before the elections.
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President Donald Trump said Saudi Arabia must agree to join the Abraham Accords as a condition for a nuclear deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. He also warned Iran and its Houthi allies of severe military consequences.
Key Facts
President Trump made the statement on social media.
Saudi Arabia must join the Abraham Accords to move forward with a nuclear agreement with the U.S.
The Abraham Accords are peace agreements between Israel and some Arab countries.
Trump issued a warning to Iran and the Houthi group about possible strong military action.
The announcement reflects ongoing tensions in the Middle East involving nuclear issues and regional security.
CBS News correspondent Kathryn Watson reported on this development.
The news was featured on CBS News and their mobile app.
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The Secret Service has reported an increase in threats before the White House Correspondents' Dinner, which has been rescheduled for Friday. Security officials are paying close attention to ensure safety during the event.
Key Facts
The Secret Service is responsible for protecting key government officials and events.
There has been a rise in threats linked to the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
The dinner has been rescheduled and will take place on Friday.
The event is an annual gathering of journalists, politicians, and White House staff.
Security measures are being heightened due to the threat increase.
The Secret Service is actively monitoring and responding to these threats.
No specific details about the nature of the threats have been shared publicly.
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President Donald Trump is upset with Senate Republicans and Majority Leader John Thune because they have not passed the SAVE America Act. The bill did not move forward before the Senate's August break.
Key Facts
President Trump is losing patience with Senate Republicans and John Thune.
The frustration is about the delay in passing the SAVE America Act.
The bill aims to address voter eligibility issues.
The Senate took a recess in August before passing the bill.
The SAVE America Act has not yet become law.
Majority Leader John Thune is a key figure in managing Senate bills.
President Trump wants the bill passed quickly.
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Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico proposed new rules to regulate data centers in Texas. He wants to protect communities by stopping special tax breaks for data centers and requiring these companies to pay for their own electricity and water infrastructure.
Key Facts
Talarico suggests ending special tax exemptions for data centers in Texas.
He wants local communities to have the power to approve or reject new data center projects.
The plan includes rules to limit water pollution and require closed-loop water systems for data centers.
Large energy users like data centers should pay for their own electric and water infrastructure.
Talarico aims to set minimum federal standards to stop communities from competing by weakening rules.
Texas has over 480 large data centers seeking power connections, stressing the state's electric grid.
Republican Governor Greg Abbott has also called for limits on data center expansion in rural Texas.
Polls show Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton in a close race for the U.S. Senate seat.
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