President Trump is threatening to drop Todd Blanche as his pick for Attorney General until he can lock down Senate approval. The warning comes after Republican Senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn signaled they'd vote no — both objecting to a deal Blanche struck settling Trump's IRS lawsuit, including a controversial "anti-weaponization fund" Cornyn says protects Trump and his family from tax audits.

Plus, the Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, even as inflation sits above the central bank’s target, with the war in Iran disrupting trade routes and pushing energy prices higher.

Meanwhile, The financial empire of Dodgers and Lakers owner Mark Walter is reportedly under investigation by federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission over $16 billion in loans tied to companies he controls. Authorities are examining whether the transactions were properly disclosed, while Walter's representatives say he acted in good faith and is cooperating with investigators.

And, Major record labels — including Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group — are proposing new standards for how AI-generated music should be treated on official music charts. The guidelines say the songs can chart, but must meet strict requirements around copyright and human involvement. Songs that rely on fake streams or chart manipulation would also be disqualified. This comes as streaming platforms see a boom in AI-assisted songs, raising concerns about the future of the music industry.

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Truth Social's new Truth API is set to launch August 1, offering paying clients real-time access to posts from President Trump and other top administration officials. The service reportedly costs $100,000 per month and is designed to help institutional investors react to breaking news in milliseconds.

L.A. Times Studios' Faith Pinnow speaks with former White House chief ethics lawyer Richard Painter, who argues the service raises significant ethics and legal questions. He explains why he believes giving paying firms faster access to market-moving information could create an unfair advantage, benefit the president financially, and potentially draw scrutiny from federal regulators.

And, Los Angeles is in the midst of an unusually humid weather pattern, making this summer feel much hotter than normal and contributing to more heat-related emergency room visits across LA County. Meteorologists say monsoon moisture, tropical storm remnants and warm ocean waters are to blame.

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Trump Media & Technology Group is launching a new service that gives paying customers real time access to President Donald Trump's Truth Social posts, potentially milliseconds before others see them. The new "Truth API" could benefit institutional investors and high frequency trading firms, where even fractions of a second can be worth millions of dollars.

In this episode, we speak with L.A. Times business columnist Michael Hiltzik about the legal and ethical questions surrounding the service, why Wall Street reacts so quickly to the president's posts, and whether the $100,000 per month product could become a major new source of revenue for Trump Media as the company looks to offset steep financial losses.

Netflix has acquired Ben Affleck's AI film-tech startup, InterPositive, for $587 million. The company says the technology will help speed up filmmaking while keeping creators in control, as Hollywood continues to debate the future of AI in entertainment.

A Los Angeles Times investigation found that homeless nonprofit A Step to Freedom paid more than $1.7 million to companies owned by its CEO over three years. County officials later determined the food service contract created a conflict of interest, though no criminal allegations have been made against the organization.

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President Trump is threatening to bomb Iranian bridges and power plants for every attack Iran carries out against ships in the Strait of Hormuz, marking a dramatic escalation in the nearly five month conflict. Iran is warning of an "eye for an eye" response, while attacks in the Red Sea and rising oil prices are fueling concerns the war could spiral into a wider regional conflict.

Meanwhile, lawmakers have introduced the bipartisan "AI Kill Switch Act," which would require the nation's largest AI companies to build emergency shutdown capabilities into their most advanced systems. The proposal comes just days after OpenAI disclosed an unprecedented cyber incident in which one of its AI models hacked another company's servers, reigniting debate over how to regulate rapidly advancing artificial intelligence.

And, Dodgers rookie catcher Dalton Rushing snapped out of a slump during Dodgers’ win over Phillies before the team is set to visit the White House, Thursday.

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The Trump administration is withholding an additional $1 billion in Medicaid funding from California and Minnesota, marking the second time this year the federal government has targeted the states' public health insurance programs over suspected fraud. While the withheld funds make up a relatively small share of each state's Medicaid budget, the loss could still impact programs providing behavioral therapy for children with autism and in-home care services helping people with daily tasks like bathing, eating, and taking medications. 

Meanwhile, the average cost of living in Miami is now more expensive than in the New York City metropolitan area, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, with housing in Miami about 5% higher than in the New York area. Once seen as the cheaper alternative to New York with the added attraction of no state income tax, Miami has gotten pricier as the ultra-wealthy are buying properties there. In Palm Beach, firms like BlackRock and Redbird Capital Partners are opening up new offices, earning the area a new nickname: "Wall Street South."

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The Paramount-Warner Brothers saga continues as a federal judge in California hit pause on one of Hollywood's biggest mergers. The ruling temporarily blocks the $111 billion merger of Paramount-Skydance and Warner Brothers Discovery after a coalition of 12 state attorneys general, led by California AG Rob Bonta, filed a restraining order to stop the deal.

Meanwhile, the United States' trade war is escalating with Canada as the Trump administration is slapping a new set of 50% tariffs on goods ranging from wine to hockey sticks to cement. The administration says the broad tariffs are in response to what they view as Canada's “discriminatory treatment” of U.S. auto, alcohol, and dairy industries.

Marvel Studios has released the first full trailer for "Avengers: Doomsday," featuring Doctor Doom, the return of Steve Rogers & a massive team-up of the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts & X-Men ahead of the film's December release.

And, a new UC San Diego study found e-bike injuries are rising rapidly across California, with the highest number of injured riders being 14 years old or younger. Researchers say e-bike crashes are also more likely to result in serious injuries than traditional bicycle accidents.

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Christopher Nolan's nearly three-hour epic "The Odyssey" grossed over $124 million domestically this weekend, proving it was worth the risk for Universal despite being one of the priciest R-rated movies ever made. Shot entirely on IMAX 70-millimeter cameras, the film set a new IMAX record for the largest opening weekend in international markets, excluding China, Japan, and South Korea. Universal Pictures' president of domestic distribution says "it's something that truly has to be experienced on the big screen," and audiences are running to theaters to be part of this cultural moment.

Meanwhile, FIFA celebrated its own victory, as Spain lifted the 2026 World Cup trophy, with the organization estimating nearly $9 billion in revenue for the tournament. The expanded format went from 32 to 48 teams with 104 matches instead of 64. This meant increased ticket sales, sponsorships, and broadcast rights – though fans complained the tournament was wildly unaffordable.

A major water main break continues to shut down part of Sunset Boulevard after a 110-year-old pipe spilled nearly 17 million gallons of water across West Hollywood. As crews work to repair the damage, additional water pipe breaks were reported in Venice & Hollywood, raising new concerns about Los Angeles' aging water infrastructure.

Spain defeated defending champion Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win the 2026 FIFA world cup. Ferran Torres scored the match-winning goal, Rodri was named the tournament's best player & Lionel Messi closed out what is expected to be his final world cup appearance.

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The AI boom is fueling a race to build data centers across the United States. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul is hitting pause, becoming the first state to temporarily ban approvals for the largest of those projects. The executive order halts new permits for "hyper-scale" data centers that use over 50 megawatts of power for one year. And, AI-generated character Tilly Norwood is set to star in the feature film "Misaligned," reigniting debate across Hollywood over whether artificial intelligence can truly be considered an actor. Meanwhile, a man was arrested in East Hollywood after police say he climbed on top of a Waymo & vandalized it.

Lindsey Graham, the Republican senator from South Carolina, died on Saturday at 71 years old. According to the medical examiner, Graham died from an aortic dissection, a tear in the main artery. Graham served as a close advisor to President Trump. A fierce supporter of Ukraine and Israel, he pushed for more aggressive foreign policy measures.

And for months, lawmakers called it a ‘once in a lifetime’ housing bill. Over the weekend, it quietly went into effect. The measure won't bring a single sweeping change; instead, it's a collection of 56 regulatory tweaks aimed at boosting the housing supply by lowering costs and encouraging more construction. It passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.

Meanwhile, the LAPD has suspended its use of Flock Safety's license plate reader cameras while officials work to address concerns over data privacy, security & information sharing.

Finally, Conor McGregor's return to the Octagon ended just 69 seconds into UFC 329 after suffering a right knee injury against Max Holloway. UFC President Dana White says doctors believe McGregor may have torn his ACL.

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In Maine, Graham Platner is officially suspending his campaign for U.S. Senate after sexual assault allegations against him came to light this week. In an eleven-minute video posted to social media, Platner said his movement will continue, but that he can't carry the torch forward. Under Maine law, a political party can choose a new nominee when one steps aside, meaning Democrats have until July 27th to pick a replacement candidate for the general election in November.

Also, a federal judge ordered President Trump to pay writer E. Jean Carroll the more than $5 million that he owes her. A Manhattan jury awarded Carroll the settlement over three years ago, after Trump was found liable of sexually assaulting and defaming her.

And Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh singer behind one of the biggest power ballads of all time, has died at 75. Tyler's family said she died unexpectedly at a hospital in Portugal, where she was being treated for an illness. Best known for her 1983 hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart," Tyler's distinct, raspy voice made the song a global phenomenon.

Meanwhile, former Chargers star Marcellus Wiley is denying allegations made by his wife after she filed for divorce & obtained a temporary restraining order. Wiley says the claims are false & plans to fight them through the legal process.

Finally,  a new California bill would allow abused & neglected animals seized in cruelty cases to be placed in foster homes or with rescue groups while criminal cases move through the courts, helping reduce long shelter stays.

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President Trump says the U.S. will let Ukraine manufacture Patriot air defense systems to help counter Russian missile attacks, which killed at least 21 people in Kyiv just days ago. Trump also shifted his tone while meeting with Zelensky, praising the Ukrainian leader as "very effective" in the war.

Meanwhile, the market is down and oil prices are surging after Trump announced the ceasefire deal between the U.S. and Iran is over, following Iran's retaliatory attacks on three ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump says Iran's civilian infrastructure could be next, after Iran targeted U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait.

Also, Netflix is expanding beyond movies and TV shows by adding short-form videos from major digital publishers. The new feature launches August 3 and will include celebrity interviews, travel, gardening and more.

Meanwhile, after more than five decades of family fun, Fiesta Village Family Fun Park in Colton is closing for good. Park owners cite rising operating costs & declining attendance as the main reasons behind the closure.

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