Pentagon Relabels Casualties, Fauci Diaries & YouTube-Peacock Bundle - Tuesday, July 28, 2026

**Erica Mandy** (0:00)
Today is Tuesday, July 28th. We'll tell you why the Pentagon is changing, how it classifies some American troops killed or wounded in the Iran War, and what a new report found about the impact of those deadly US strikes on suspected drug boats. Also, how intense heat is pushing parts of the US power grid to the brink, and what's being done about it. Plus, the extreme wildfires now creating their own dangerous weather in Europe, what Dr. Anthony Fauci apparently wrote privately during the COVID-19 pandemic, and why some of the world's biggest tech companies are teaming up to protect AI from AI.
Those stories and even more news coming up.
Welcome to The NewsWorthy, all the day's news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica Mandy. Thanks so much for being here. Let's do this.
Today, American and international leaders are planning to honor the late Senator Lindsey Graham. Remember, the longtime Republican senator from South Carolina died suddenly earlier this month at 71 years old. Today, there will be a special ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, followed by a funeral at Washington National Cathedral. President Trump is expected to speak. Cabinet officials, as well as congressional and military leaders are expected to attend. So are global leaders who worked closely with Graham on defense and foreign policy issues. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Tomorrow, there will be another funeral service for Graham in South Carolina.
Prominent US. Senator Mitch McConnell has once again extended his medical leave. The former GOP Senate leader has now been hospitalized for six weeks ever since a fall at his home. And a statement from his office says he won't be returning to the Senate this week as lawmakers work toward their August recess. McConnell also won't be at this weekend's Fancy Farm, that's a yearly state political picnic in his home state of Kentucky, that he's attended for more than four decades. But doctors say he has not yet been medically cleared to leave the facility where he's being treated. And the 84-year-old says he's focused on his intense physical therapy. The statement from McConnell's office also included another photo of him smiling next to his wife, former Labor and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. The senator's extended absence has spurred a social media storm of theories and conspiracies since he hasn't actually spoken publicly, just released statements and photos that some believe are doctored. But many lawmakers say they have had conversations with him mostly about work. McConnell's current term ends in January of 2027
The Pentagon is now changing how it reports American military casualties from the Iran War, and it's sparking a pretty big debate over transparency and support. Basically, the US military has reclassified service members who were recently killed or wounded in a way that separates them from other troops who died or were hurt before the latest ceasefire deal unraveled. So instead of being put in the hostile casualties category, it's a new classification called overseas operations casualties. The change has drawn criticism from some veterans advocates and lawmakers who argue that splitting the numbers makes the true cost of the war less visible to the public. Some also worry it could create confusion for veterans seeking health care or benefits in the future, since those systems have historically relied on established categories. The Pentagon insists the change is not about hiding the numbers since they're all being counted one way or another.
It turns out the deadly strikes the US ordered on alleged drug trafficking boats haven't actually slowed the flow of drugs into the US. That's according to both the Pentagon and the DEA. The Washington Post reports it got a hold of a DEA assessment, as well as a closed door congressional briefing with the Pentagon and interviews with officials. And the report says the amount of cocaine entering the US has not changed. Neither has the purity, the cost or the availability. That's because criminal organizations have apparently just developed new strategies and tactics to traffic. Like many have shifted to larger boats, changed routes or moved closer to coastlines where US forces are less likely to strike. Though publicly, the Trump administration still defends its tactics, saying they've worked to disrupt and dismantle terror organizations. President Trump himself has said the strikes lowered seaborne drug trafficking by more than 98 percent. Over the last year, US forces have attacked at least 67 boats, killing at least 221 people. It's also worth noting, the leading cause of illegal drug deaths in the US is fentanyl, not cocaine. But most fentanyl is produced in Mexico and the US, and what's produced in Mexico typically enters the US by land.
Thousands of firefighters in Western Europe are battling what are now being called the most severe fires since World War II. We told you about these yesterday. They're burning near the cities of Bordeaux, France and Madrid, Spain. Hundreds of thousands of people have had to evacuate, and hundreds of homes have burned. Many more are still threatened. Unfortunately, extreme heat, along with strong winds, could make the fires even worse. And there are no signs of rainfall coming anytime soon. Already, the heat generated by the wildfires has become so intense that officials say it created its own dangerous weather system. We're talking about fire clouds that produce lightning and burning embers that can spark more fires. They also generate high and unpredictable winds that often fan the flames. Authorities say they've never been seen before in this part of the world. Meanwhile, here in the US., dozens of wildfires are burning across Oregon. One of them forced a small town to evacuate, and part of a major interstate highway shut down yesterday. 70 miles of Interstate 84 was closed between Baker City and Ontario. It has now been reopened, but the wildfire is still burning.