Good morning, and a warm welcome to all our new subscribers. In today’s edition:

• 🧑‍⚖️ Record-low SCOTUS approval rating
• 🦠 Novel viruses made with AI
• 🍪 Flamin’ Hot Cheetos cookie

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~4.19-minute read (1,114 words).

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"The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook."

–William James (1842-1910)

A Senate committee voted yesterday to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress, after the former top US infectious disease official repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right during testimony last week.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, led by chairman Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), approved the contempt resolution in an 8-5 party-line vote following the hearing, which came after the Department of Health and Human Services transferred Fauci's Covid-era journals to Congress.

Lawmakers have since incorporated those records into their investigation of Covid's origins, government-funded research in China, and the federal government’s response to the pandemic.

Key takeaways from Fauci’s journal

Republican lawmakers say some entries conflict with Fauci's later statements that he didn't recommend mass lockdowns or school closures across America.

Fauci wrote that he convinced NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio to close local schools and recommended additional restrictions, while a California official told him Gov. Gavin Newsom decided to close schools, bars, and restaurants based on Fauci's public comments.

• The journals also shed some light on Fauci's views related to the origins of Covid.
• This includes early discussions with scientists who suggested a laboratory accident was possible, and later writings where Fauci said he believed the virus most likely originated naturally.

Additionally, Fauci’s journal detailed behind-the-scenes conversations with President Trump and other administration officials about travel restrictions, masking, the use of hydroxychloroquine, and other pandemic response decisions.

Is Fauci being fairly targeted?

Many Republican lawmakers in Congress say Fauci had no reason to invoke the Fifth Amendment because former President Biden had already pardoned him for actions taken while leading the nation's infectious disease efforts.

• They argue that Biden-issued pardon means Fauci still owes Congress answers about government-funded studies in China and COVID's origins, including the possibility of a lab leak.
• They also cite entries in his newly released journals that they say conflict with his past public statements about not recommending lockdowns or school closures during the pandemic.

On the flip side: Democrats counter that Republicans were attempting to compel testimony that could expose Fauci to additional legal scrutiny despite the federal pardon. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) also warned the contempt vote could discourage future witnesses from cooperating with congressional oversight by giving them a reason to refuse to appear.

Looking ahead...Fauci’s contempt resolution will now be referred to the Department of Justice, which will soon decide whether to pursue the case. At the same time, Republicans say they're continuing to review Fauci's government-issued phone and millions of additional pandemic records amid a broader investigation into his conduct.

📊 Flash poll: In general, do you support or oppose the recent increased congressional scrutiny of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s actions during the Covid pandemic?

• Support
• Oppose
• Unsure/other

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Here are five stats from this past week that made our team go “whoa.” Hopefully you will, too.

✈️ Qantas is planning to launch the world's longest commercial flight in October 2027. The 22-hour flight, dubbed Project Sunrise, will fly between Sydney, Australia, and London, England, on specially built Airbus jets.

🚀 SpaceX lost $773 billion in market capitalization from June to July, representing the largest month-to-month drop for any company dating back to 1970.

🧑‍⚖️ The Supreme Court's approval rating, which has long been the highest among the US government’s three branches, has now sunk to a record low of 33% in new Gallup polling.

🌐 Google Search traffic to web publishers fell 34% over the past year, with the losses concentrated in small (-60%) and medium (-47%) publishers compared to large ones (-22%), new Chartbeat data shows.

🧍 The number of solo business operators who earn $1+ million in annual revenue on Stripe has doubled between 2023 and 2025, while the number crossing the $10+ million/year threshold nearly tripled.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 📈 US copper futures climb to ~$6.90/pound, a record high, amid supply disruptions and rising demand.
• 🌬️ RWE U.S. Offshore reaches $1.2 billion settlement with Trump admin to walk away from offshore wind energy projects under development off the coasts of NY, CA, and LA; it brings the total amount spent by the Trump admin on such settlements to $3.9 billion.
• 💼 US jobless claims ticked up slightly last week to 199,000, but remained in a range suggestive of a healthy labor market; data comes ahead of the July jobs report out this morning.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🏈 NFL preseason officially kicks off with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, OH, between the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals.
• 📺 UK clears Paramount Skydance’s $111 ⁠billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery on both competition and ⁠public interest grounds.
• 💸 Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos pledge $200 million to the Phoenix Species Project, an initiative dedicated to recovering endangered species.

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SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🦠 Scientists create new viruses using AI for the first time in history, per study published yesterday in Science; discovery raises hopes for new medical advances, and also raises concerns that AI could someday invent dangerous pathogens.
• 🐶 Allergen-free beagles created for the first time by startup using CRISPR gene-editing technology, per new study; advance could open the door for people with pet allergies to own dogs.
• 🦖 New dinosaur species, called Dinevenator robustus, discovered in the Western US; bird-like omnivore was an estimated 8-10 feet long and weighed 150-300 lbs.

US, WORLD & POLITICS

• 🇺🇸 President Trump signs pair of executive orders he says are aimed at cracking down on birthright citizenship, after a June SCOTUS ruling struck down Trump’s earlier, broader attempt; the orders seek to expand the categories of people who are ineligible for birthright citizenship, and ban tourists from coming to the US solely to give birth.
• 🏛️ Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said he’s been discharged from a rehabilitation center where he was recovering from a fall suffered in mid-June; he didn’t provide a timeline for his return to the Senate, but said he plans to keep working remotely.
• 🚢 Iran’s latest draft plan for reopening the Strait of Hormuz would block US and Israeli ships from passage, terms which the US appeared to quickly reject, CNBC reports.

☝️A 1-in-2-million blue lobster caught near New Bedford, MA, has found a temporary home at New Hampshire’s Explore the Ocean World museum. The lobster will remain at the museum until Labor Day, when it’ll be tagged by wildlife officials and released back into the ocean.

🤔 Did you know? Cotton candy was originally invented by a dentist: Dr. William Morrison, who created the spun-sugar treat in 1897 alongside candy maker John C. Wharton. They named the treat "fairy floss" and sold 68,000+ boxes at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.

📰 Worth a read: Stressed? Overwhelmed? Have you tried being Jack Johnson instead?

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• Marmots facing money troubles turn to OnlyFans
• Meet the advocates for NYC’s beloved feline shopkeepers
• Would you try a Flamin' Hot Cheetos cookie?

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On Wednesday, we covered how California’s Democratic party recently endorsed the state’s proposed one-time 5% wealth tax on all billionaires in the state, despite opposition from Gov. Gavin Newsom and other prominent Democrats.

❓ Our question to you: Do you support or oppose California’s new proposal to impose a one-time 5% wealth tax on billionaires?

• Support: 39%
• Oppose: 43%
• Unsure/other: 18%

Read some of the most thoughtful longform responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 615 votes and 54 longform responses.

How well did you pay attention this week? Find out here.

1. What is the inverse function of f(x)= x + 4?
2. A casserole bakes for 45 minutes and then rests for 20 minutes before serving. If it goes into the oven at 5:35 PM, what time is it ready to eat?
3. Which is greater: 7² − 5², or 8² − 6²?

(keep scrolling for the answers)

🎅 Dave Bell, a Virginia man known for dressing up as Santa Claus each year in his town, recently gave someone the ultimate Christmas present: donating one of his kidneys. Dave, who lost 40 pounds to qualify for the procedure, said the chance to help save another person's life was the greatest gift he could give.

1. x - 4
2. 6:40 PM
3. 8² − 6² is greater (28 vs. 24)

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