Source: The Hill
“The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence (DNI) in a 51-47 party-line vote, potentially reviving a stalled battle over renewing the nation’s warrantless spy powers.” (07/28/26)
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5995382-senate-confirms-jay-clayton-as-intel-chief
Source: ABC News
“South Korean authorities on Tuesday briefly ordered civilians to evacuate after what they described as a white phosphorus leak at a U.S. military base near the capital, Seoul. Officials in the city of Pyeongtaek urged nearby residents to move to a safe location and avoid skin exposure after the leak at the Osan Air Base was detected at around 5 p.m. They lifted the evacuation order several hours later, saying decontamination work had been completed, according to text messages sent out by the city. … In a statement, the U.S. 51st Fighter Wing did not mention a leakage of white phosphorus but said it established a 1,000-foot (300-meter) safety cordon around the base ‘due to a ground mishap and out of an abundance of caution’ to protect the base and the local populace. It said reports of a general evacuation of the air base were false.” (07/28/26)
Source: Engadget
“As it promised last year, Baidu has started testing its robotaxis in London along with partners Lyft and Freenow, the companies said in a press release. Baidu’s Apollo Go RT6 will start appearing in the UK capital (with test drivers aboard to start with), while Lyft and and Freenow, the German taxi company Lyft now owns, will take care of booking passengers starting next year. The trials are part of the partnership between Lyft and Baidu, with the aim of eventually deploying thousands of autonomous vehicles across Europe. To expedite that plan, Lyft acquired Freenow last year to take advantage of its large taxi network operating in the UK and Germany.” (07/28/26)
https://www.engadget.com/2224882/lyft-and-baidu-start-testing-robotaxis-in-london/
Source: CNBC
“The Supreme Court’s job approval rating among all Americans has hit a record low, as support for the high court by Republicans sharply dropped in 2026, a new Gallup poll has found. Just 33% of Americans approve of the job the Supreme Court is doing, Gallup found. That is a 6-percentage-point drop from the 39% who approved of its work in July 2025, which was the prior low-water mark for approval of the court. A record high of 61% of Americans disapprove of the court, according to Gallup, which has been polling the public’s approval of the Supreme Court for 26 years. That is up from a disapproval rate of 52% last September.” (07/28/26)
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/28/supreme-court-approval-poll-gallup-republicans-trump.html
Source: Seattle Times
“Ugandan authorities said on Tuesday the East African country is ‘free’ of Ebola after the last patient was discharged in mid-June, a delicate milestone as the virus continues to plague a remote part of neighboring Congo. Uganda always insisted its outbreak was linked to the larger one that started in eastern Congo’s province of Ituri, which shares a land border with Uganda. … Confirmed cases in Congo have reached 3,262, its Ministry of Health said in an overnight update. Data by Congolese health authorities showed that 1,437 patients have died, in what officials have said is the fastest Ebola outbreak on record.” (07/28/26)
Source: CNBC
“Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) demanded that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) verbally address constituents and demonstrate his ability to serve or resign his seat in a blunt letter sent to the senator and his staff. It’s been more than 40 days since 84-year-old conservative stalwart McConnell has appeared outside of pictures released by his office after being hospitalized. His lengthy absence and past health scares are fueling speculation about his capacity to serve. … Under Kentucky law, Senate vacancies — which can occur due to resignation, expulsion or death — are filled by a special election.” [editor’s note: Beshear should schedule the special election on grounds that, if McConnell is even alive, he has constructively resigned – TLK] (07/28/26)
https://www.axios.com/2026/07/28/mcconnell-health-update-beshear-demand-letter
Source: Reuters
“A 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Japan’s southern Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, knocking out power to thousands of homes, rupturing roads and leaving some trapped and others presumed dead inside a partially collapsed shopping mall. Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said authorities were still assessing the full extent of the damage in the area, which was devastated by a deadly quake a decade ago. … Around 300,000 people have been instructed to go to evacuation centres, and hundreds of soldiers have been deployed to help with rescue operations as aftershocks continued to rumble in the area, on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu. Multiple people were unaccounted for after a chimney collapsed at a Nippon Paper Industries factory, broadcaster NHK reported.” (07/28/26)
Source: US News & World Report
“Protesters demonstrating against ongoing power outages in Libya stormed a key energy complex overnight and closed gas lines that fuel power plants, which officials warned could trigger a nationwide power blackout. Demonstrators in the capital Tripoli, Zawiya, Misrata and other locations across western Libya have protested for several days over hourslong power outages. They demand better electrical services and have called for the resignation of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. As part of the ongoing protests, a group stormed the General Electricity Company’s Mellitah Oil & Gas complex about 90 kilometers (55 miles) west of Tripoli. The disruption could cause a complete blackout in multiple areas and ultimately collapse the electricity network, the company warned in a statement Tuesday.” (07/28/26)
Source: Fox News
“A Christian father of 11 has reached a settlement with the Department of Justice after facing up to 10 years in prison for protesting at a Tennessee abortion clinic in March 2021. Paul Vaughn was convicted of violating the FACE Act, a federal law that prohibits ‘threats of force, obstruction or inflict property damage intended to interfere with reproductive health care services.’ … The Biden DOJ also added a felony conspiracy charge carrying up to 10.5 years in prison. Vaughn pursued legal action against the Justice Department over his prosecution. He shared first with Fox News Digital that he recently reached a seven-figure settlement with the government agency. … Trump pardoned Vaughn and 23 other pro-life protesters convicted under the FACE Act by the Biden administration Department of Justice.” (07/28/26)
Source: United Press International
“U.S. healtcare giant Johnson & Johnson said it has reached a proposed $5.5 billion settlement to resolve most remaining lawsuits alleging its talc-based baby powder and other products caused ovarian cancer. The agreement, announced Monday, follows more than a decade of litigation, including nearly a decade of consolidated federal litigation in New Jersey, along with related cases throughout the country. Tens of thousands of claimants accused Johnson & Johnson of marketing its talc products for feminine hygiene and failing to adequately warn consumers about an alleged cancer risk, despite studies dating back to the 1980s reporting an association between genital talc use and ovarian cancer.” (07/28/26)
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/07/28/JohnsonJohnson-talcum-lawsuit-agreement/3971785216235/