5 things to know for July 29: Presidential race, Wildfires, Middle East, Abortion laws, Venezuela election

By CNN Newsource

Published July 29, 2024 4:05 AM

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

(CNN) — Several athletes have delivered standout performances at the 2024 Olympics, but the US in particular brought the star power to the Paris Games on Sunday. LeBron James led Team USA to an emphatic win over Serbia and Simone Biles fought through a calf injury in a triumphant return to Olympic gymnastics. Check out CNN’s medal tracker for the latest standings.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Presidential race

The 2024 presidential election is now 99 days away following a historic month of political shake-ups that upended the race. Vice President Kamala Harris is seeing a rise in favorability ratings with polls showing multiple paths to victory. Trump responded to Harris’ momentum with a series of personal attacks over the weekend: he referred to her as “evil,” mocked her laugh and the pronunciation of her name, and said that “the American dream is dead” if Harris wins in November. The vice president pushed back on her opponent’s “wild lies” and goaded him about debating her. Trump’s selection of Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate has also shaped the race and Democrats are now closely watching Harris’ vetting process for her own vice presidential nominee in the coming days or weeks.

2. Wildfires

The Park Fire, the seventh-largest wildfire in California history, has scorched more than 360,000 acres — an area larger than the city of Phoenix. It has destroyed over 100 structures and threatens thousands more, according to CalFire. The blaze was 12% contained as of early today but evacuation warnings or orders remained in Butte, Tehama, Plumas and Shasta counties. The weather forecast for the Northwest calls for lighter winds than the area has seen in recent days, giving firefighters some optimism about slowing the progress of the blaze. In Oregon, the Durkee Fire is the largest wildfire burning in the state, at more than 288,000 acres. It has injured three people and destroyed four residences. Local authorities say the fire is 49% contained.

3. Middle East

Israel has vowed retaliation against Hezbollah after blaming the Lebanese militant group for a rocket attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The strike killed 12 children who had been playing on a soccer field, further escalating tensions in the region. Hezbollah says it “firmly denies” it was behind the strike, the deadliest to hit Israel or Israeli-controlled territory since the October 7 attacks. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes rocked Gaza during another weekend of heavy bombardment. A group of US doctors who volunteered in hospitals across Gaza also sent an open letter to the White House sharing their experiences and demanding an immediate ceasefire.

4. Abortion laws

A strict abortion law is set to take effect in Iowa today, preventing most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy. That’s roughly when a fetal heartbeat can be detected, or possibly before many women know they are pregnant. The law passed last year, but a judge had blocked it from being enforced. Iowa is among nearly two dozen states that have banned or limited access to abortion procedures since the Supreme Court’s June 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which eliminated a constitutional right to the procedure nationwide.

5. Venezuela election

Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and his political opponents both claimed to have won the presidential election on Monday as the US and multiple regional nations voiced skepticism about official results. With 80% of votes counted, Maduro won more than 51% of the vote, besting the Democratic Unitary Platform candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who gained more than 44%, according to a statement by the National Electoral Council. Opposition leader María Corina Machado said their candidate, González, had received 70% of the vote against Maduro’s 30%. If Maduro takes office, it will be for a third consecutive six-year term.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Marvel film shatters box office record
“Deadpool & Wolverine” surpassed $200 million in US ticket sales, cementing it as the biggest opening weekend for an R-rated movie.

Like ‘little bombs,’ soda cans are exploding on Southwest flights
There were more than 100 reports of soda cans exploding on Southwest flights in June. I bet some fizz-icians have been called for these odd injuries …

How sober bars are redefining nightlife
Zero-proof bars that serve non-alcoholic drinks are opening across the country. Their owners want to redefine the idea of a bar.

Europe has become an epicenter for anti-tourism protests this summer
Locals are frustrated by the number of visitors crowding into Europe’s travel hot spots. These countries have seen the largest anti-tourism protests.

Sharks are congregating at a California beach
Here’s how researchers are using artificial intelligence to keep swimmers safe.

TODAY’S NUMBER

90%
That’s the percentage of early dementia cases that can be detected with an Alzheimer’s blood test, a new study found.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“The problem was identified as a human error.”

— Olympics organizers, saying they “deeply apologized” to South Korea over a “human error” that saw its 143 athletes being wrongly introduced as North Korean at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The error is politically sensitive for the two Koreas, which are still technically at war.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Can money buy happiness?
Studies show it can — up to a certain point. Social psychologist Elizabeth Dunn shared these five tips to maximize your enjoyment from money. Listen to the latest podcast episode of “Chasing Life” with CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta for more advice on turning bucks into bliss.

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