Dozens of wildfires are burning across the West, including in California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. In California, there are 14 active fires, with seven of those starting just over the weekend. The Gifford Fire north of Santa Barbara doubled in size in 24 hours.

Santa Barbara

Dozens of wildfires are currently active across the western United States, with California experiencing 14 active fires, including the rapidly expanding Gifford fire north of Santa Barbara. At least three people have been injured, and nearly 50,000 acres have been scorched in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Other states are also impacted: Nevada saw evacuation warnings due to the Lake fire, Arizona's Dragon Bravo fire has burned over 116,000 acres, and Utah has declared a state of emergency after nearly 700 wildfires this year. Firefighters are facing challenging conditions, with containment efforts ongoing and some fires, like the Gifford fire, seeing reduced containment levels. Officials hope that recent burn scars may help limit the spread of new fires in some areas.

Dozens of wildfires burn across western U.S.

Let's go to the West, where dozens of wildfires are burning this morning in California. The Gifford fire north of Santa Barbara doubled in size in just 24 hours. At least three people have been hurt, and it's one of 14 active fires in California, seven of them that started this past weekend. Jason Allen is there. Firefighters faced ferocious dark orange flames that raced up this steep hillside. Acres of dry brush, some up to six ft, fueled the walls of fire. This is a very rapidly, fast moving fire. It takes a lot of personnel to take to take on something of this size. Air tankers dropping fire retardant dealt with winds fanning the erratic flames. Nearly 50,000 acres are scorched across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, about 100 miles north of San Francisco. The lake fire spread to more than 300 acres, prompting evacuation warnings in Reno, Nevada. The fast moving 75 acre Peavine fire forced residents to evacuate. Those orders are now lifted after crews were able to contain the fire. And in Arizona, the Dragon Bravo fire near the Grand Canyons North Rim has now burned more than 116,000 acres, making it a megafire. Further north in Utah, the Monroe Canyon fire is now more than 58,000 acres. The governor declared a state of emergency after nearly 700 wildfires have ripped through the state this year. The current fire season has crews all across the west, enduring brutal conditions with little rest. The type of fire that is burning right now and what is projected, they probably will be down there for the full 14 days back here at the Gifford fire this morning, the containment has actually dropped from 5% down to 3%. Now it's burning just to the west of the Madre fire that was just contained last month. So officials here are hoping that burn scar is going to help this fire from spreading in at least one direction. Nate. All right, Jason, thank you.

A shipwreck off Yemen has killed at least 68 people, the UN's migration agency said, with dozens still missing after the boat carrying mostly Ethiopians sank.

Sana'a

Migrant boat sinks off Yemen, killing at least 68

After two unverified videos of Israeli hostages were released, Hamas said the hunger crisis in the region puts them at risk. The militant group said it would deliver food from the Red Cross to the hostages under a couple of conditions, including permanent humanitarian corridors.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Hamas says hunger crisis putting hostages at risk

U.S. President Donald Trump fired the U.S. commissioner of labour statistics after weak jobs numbers signaled tariffs weren’t yet leading to his promised economic boom.

Washington

Trump dismisses weak jobs numbers, fires labour statistics chief

Government scientists warn that the 2025 wildfire season in North America is projected to be the longest ever, with fires already causing significant damage across the western United States and Canada. Major blazes have led to evacuations, destruction of historic sites, and widespread air quality alerts.

Wildfire season in North America shaping as worst on record

A volcano in Russia's Far East has erupted after sitting dormant for 600 years. Scientists believe the eruption was triggered by the massive earthquake that struck the region last week.

Kamchatka Peninsula

Russian volcano erupts for first time in 600 years

An independent watchdog agency responsible for enforcing a law against partisan political activity by federal employees has opened an investigation into Jack Smith, the special counsel who brought two criminal cases against Donald Trump before his election to the White House last year.

Former Trump prosecutor Jack Smith faces probe by U.S. watchdog

New outbreaks of violence overnight into Sunday (August 3) rocked Syria straining a fragile ceasefire. Meanwhile residents in Sweida are calling access to more humanitarian aid.

As Suwayda

Humanitarian needs escalate in Sweida as truce frays

Parts of the European Commission's much-anticipated AI Act come into force this weekend. It's been hailed as the first piece of comprehensive legislation aimed at regulating AI globally, though critics say it doesn't go far enough.

Brussels

Rise of AI

EU's landmark AI act enters new phase

A Ukrainian lawmaker and a pair of local officials, as well as an unspecified number of National Guard personnel, have been caught in a major graft scheme that involved using state funds to buy drones and other military hardware at deliberately inflated prices in return for bribes.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine uncovers major drone procurement graft scheme

Over the past few days, Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad have released three videos showing two hostages seized during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. The videos sparked reactions from Israelis who are stepping up calls for a truce.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Israeli hostage families protest in Tel Aviv

Pope Leo XIV celebrated the concluding mass of one of the most important events of the Holy Year. A million faithful filled the Tor Vergata esplanade in Rome. Pope Leo sent a message of hope for the young people afflicted by wars and recalled the words of his predecessor.

Rome

Pope Leo urges Catholic youth to spread faith and enthusiasm

President Trump explained why he fired Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer on Friday. Government data showed fewer jobs were added to the U.S. economy last month than expected.

Global Tariffs

Trump announces new tariff rates, fires employment commissioner

Former Special Counsel Jack Smith, who ran two federal prosecutions of President Trump, is under investigation for allegedly violating a law barring federal employees from using their position to influence elections.

Jack Smith investigated for using position to influence elections

Montana authorities released a new surveillance image showing who they have identified as the suspect in a bar shooting in Anaconda. Meanwhile, nearly 2,000 miles away, police in Tennessee are searching for a quadruple homicide suspect.

Anaconda

Suspect on the run after Montana bar shooting

Los Angeles officials are praising an appeals court ruling limiting immigration stops, but the decision may only escalate a battle over transparency and control. Elise Preston has the latest information.

Los Angeles

Appeals court keeps restrictions on California ICE raids

Disturbing new video shows a severely malnourished Israeli hostage being held in what appears to be an underground tunnel. This comes as witnesses and aid workers say Israeli troops opened fire on hungry civilians at two Gaza food distribution sites.

Sderot

Hamas propaganda shows malnourished Israeli hostage

Donald Trump has ordered the repositioning of two United States nuclear submarines to “appropriate regions” relative to Russia, blaming a heated exchange with Dmitry Medvedev, Moscow’s military leader and former president.

Moscow

Trump sends nuclear submarines towards Russia

A mass shooting in Anaconda triggers community shock and concern, as witnesses share their experiences and the investigation unfolds amid rising tensions.

Community in shock following deadly shooting in Anaconda

U.S. President Donald Trump said he's ordered his administration to fire the commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, on the same day new data was released showing weak job growth in July. The Labor Department also sharply revised job growth for May and June down.

Trump orders firing of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner

U.S. President Donald Trump says he ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the "appropriate regions" as a response to comments made by Russia's former president. CBS News' Charlie D'Agata reports.

Trump says nuclear submarines moved in response to Russia

Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell has been transferred to a Bryan, Texas, prison, CBS News confirms. Maxwell was previously held in Tallahassee, Florida.

Bryan

Ghislaine Maxwell transferred to Texas prison

The announcement comes as international pressure mounts on Israel over the war in Gaza and the deepening humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave.

Ljubljana

Slovenia becomes first EU country to ban arms trade with Israel

The United States imposed sanctions on Palestinian Authority officials just as other nations are stressing the importance of the PA in governing Gaza in the event of an end to the devastating war in the enclave.

New York

U.S. sanctions Palestinian Authority in growing diplomatic rift

Ukraine’s Parliament has reversed a controversial law signed last week by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which would have allowed the government greater control over anti-corruption agencies. The decision comes as the country faces one of its most significant political crises since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Ukraine parliament reverses bill on anti-corruption agencies amid crisis

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order increasing tariffs on Canadian goods that don't meet the terms of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement to 35 per cent.

Ottawa

Trump raises Canada tariff to 35%, grants extension to Mexico

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 31 in a bid to salvage Gaza truce talks and tackle a humanitarian crisis in the enclave, where a global hunger monitor has warned that famine is unfolding.

Breakdown