U.S.
Kenmore Air Floatplane Crashes and Burns Near Sucia Island; All 11 Aboard Survive, Four Hospitalized
A DHC-3 Otter seaplane carrying 10 passengers and a pilot went down in Shallow Bay in Washington's San Juan Islands on July 23; federal investigators are examining the cause.
U.S. Raises National Wildfire Response to Its Top Level as Dozens of Large Fires Burn
Federal fire managers moved the nation to Preparedness Level 5 in mid-July as more than 70 large wildfires burned across several states and strained shared firefighting resources.
Federal Panel Won't Block Tennessee's New Congressional Map Before August Primary
A three-judge panel denied a request to pause a Tennessee map that splits the majority-Black Memphis district, ruling the challengers had not shown race drove the plan.
White House Expands Voluntary 'Ratepayer Protection Pledge' on AI Data Center Power Costs to 23 States
The Trump administration says technology companies and utilities covering about 80% of U.S. power have now signed a nonbinding pledge to pay for data-center energy build-out rather than pass costs to households; critics say it has no legal force.
West Virginia Flash Flooding Kills at Least Two; Governor Declares Statewide Emergency
Record flooding near Buckhannon washed out homes and roads in north-central West Virginia, prompting a 55-county emergency and a National Guard deployment.
Blanche Attorney General Nomination Stalls in Committee as GOP Senators Withhold Votes
Two Republican senators are holding back their Judiciary Committee votes on Todd Blanche after Epstein survivors said their meeting with him was unproductive, and after questions about a canceled DOJ fund.
Bipartisan Bill Would Let Epstein Survivors and State Officials Sue DOJ Over Files Release
Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna introduced legislation that would give victims, state attorneys general and members of Congress the power to sue the Justice Department over how it has handled the original Epstein Files Transparency Act.
FBI Reportedly Told to Hand Off ICE Confrontation Probes to DHS; Justice Department and DHS Deny Any Change
The New York Times reported that FBI agents were told to stop investigating clashes with immigration officers, shifting cases to an ICE arm; the Justice Department and DHS say nothing has changed.
House Adopts $95 Billion Budget Blueprint to Start Reconciliation on Iran War Funding and Voter-ID Grants
The 216-214 vote instructs House committees to draft a bill of up to $95 billion, most of it for the Iran war and defense, plus money to push states toward voter-ID and proof-of-citizenship rules.
ICE Reports Record June Detention Bookings; July Arrest Pace Disputed
Federal data shows more than 43,000 people booked into ICE detention in June, the most of Trump's second term; sides disagree over who is being arrested and at what cost.
House Passes $1.15 Trillion Defense Bill That Would Rename the Pentagon 'Department of War'; Senate Stalled Over Iran War
The FY2027 National Defense Authorization Act cleared the House 216-212 with a troop pay raise and a U.S.-Israel defense provision, while Senate Democrats have blocked their own version over President Trump's military action against Iran.