Daily Updates for July 29: Incidents of Mass Shootings, Severe Weather Conditions, Legal Dispute over SNAP, Planned Parenthood Matter, and the Court Hearing of Ghislaine Maxwell
In the world of news, events unfolded rapidly this week, touching on a variety of topics that span from politics to entertainment.
Meta took a firm stance against online predators by removing 635,000 accounts from Instagram. These accounts were found to be leaving sexualized comments, requesting sexual images from adult-run accounts of children under 13, or linking to such accounts.
In a different corner of the news, Ghislaine Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for her role in a years-long scheme to groom and sexually abuse underage girls, is urging the Supreme Court to take up her pending appeal and overturn her sex-trafficking conviction.
The political landscape was shaken by the appointment of Darren Beattie as the acting president of the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) in July. Beattie, a senior State Department official, was previously fired as a White House speechwriter during President Trump's first term due to his association with events linked to white nationalism and his history of incendiary statements. Critics argue that his leadership contradicts the core values of USIP, an independent, Congress-funded organization dedicated to promoting peace and resolving conflicts globally.
The appointment of Beattie occurred during Trump administration efforts to drastically reshape the institute, including an executive order that cut most of its staff. This move, described as a political purge aimed at dismantling the organization, has led to legal challenges. A May 2025 court ruling temporarily reinstated USIP's prior leadership, but subsequent appeals have left its future uncertain.
Twenty states have sued the Trump administration, alleging that the Department of Agriculture is improperly attempting to gather sensitive personal information about the low-income families who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to buy groceries.
The weather also brought its share of chaos, as a dangerous line of storms roared across the northern Plains and upper Midwest overnight. The storms caused large hail, wind gusts over 90 mph, several tornadoes, damage to homes and businesses, hundreds of trees down, and more than 250,000 customers without power.
Tragedy struck in the form of multiple mass shootings. A gunman opened fire in the valet area of a resort and casino in Reno, Nevada, leaving three people dead and several others wounded. Another mass shooting occurred in midtown Manhattan, where a gunman shot five people, killing four of them, inside a Park Avenue skyscraper.
A glimmer of hope was found in the cosmos, as astronomers observed a "Betelbuddy" using an instrument on the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii, potentially indicating the presence of a hidden companion for a luminous star.
The shock rock band GWAR celebrated its 40th anniversary with new music, a comic book, a tour, and an art gallery exhibition.
In a positive turn of events, a federal judge has blocked the nationwide enforcement of a provision in President Trump's sweeping domestic policy law that would defund Planned Parenthood's healthcare services.
A 55-year-old man pleaded guilty to stalking WNBA star Caitlin Clark, claiming he was in an imaginary relationship with her.
Sadness was felt in the sports world as Hall of Fame baseball player Ryne Sandberg, a longtime Chicago Cubs second baseman, passed away at the age of 65.
This week's edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN's Andrew Torgan. In the world of entertainment, Jean Smart, known for her role in "Hacks", had an interesting fan encounter outside a theater where her Broadway show "Call Me Izzy" is playing.
A 109-year-old woman shared her secrets to longevity, and Supreme Court Associate Justice Elena Kagan identified one of the major challenges facing the federal judiciary today as the idea that government officials do not need to obey court orders.
As we move forward, we continue to monitor these and other developing stories, bringing you the news that matters to you.
- In the realm of science, astronomers at the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii made an exciting discovery by observing a potential hidden companion for a luminous star, which they have nicknamed a "Betelbuddy."
- The health-and-wellness sector was impacted as a 55-year-old man pleaded guilty to stalking WNBA star Caitlin Clark, claiming an imaginary relationship with her.
- In the field of general news, a federal judge blocked the nationwide enforcement of a provision in President Trump's domestic policy law that threatened to defund Planned Parenthood's healthcare services.
