#8 Trump Rescinds $4BN in US Funding for California High-Speed Rail Project - The Guardian, christian, fuchsp9000, Eagle has landed/kokomored, Tom/EuroGuardian, BREAKING NEWZ Alert, and Momo on X

Donald Trump said on Wednesday the transportation department is rescinding $4bn in US government funding for California’s high-speed rail project. The department said there was no viable path forward for California’s high-speed rail project, and it was considering potentially clawing back additional funding related to the project. The Federal Railroad Administration issued a 315-page report last month citing missed deadlines, budget shortfalls, and questionable ridership projections. One key issue cited is that California had not identified $7bn in additional funding needed to build an initial 171-mile segment between Merced and Bakersfield, California...

#7 Donald Trump Boasts He Is Bringing ‘Real Cane Sugar’ Back to Coke, and Coca-Cola Responds - Ingrid Vasquez for People, Reuters Business, StopWorldControl.com/il Donaldo Trumpo/Nate Jayjay, Steve Bennett, fox8news, and Kashish Parpiani on X

President Donald Trump claimed to be working with Coca-Cola to bring back "real cane sugar" to the beverage in the U.S., prompting an immediate response from the company. The president, 79, made the claim on Wednesday, July 16, in a post on his Truth Social platform. "I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so. I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them — You’ll see. It’s just better!" the post read...

#6 Now, at U.S. Airport Security, More Liquid in Carry-Ons May Be at Hand - Rebecca Santana for AP, KVUE News, TheWreckingBall50101, Franky Tts, and KMOT on X

Travelers giddy about being able to keep their shoes on while walking through TSA checkpoints at the airport again may have something else to look forward to: changes to how much liquid they can carry. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Wednesday during a conference hosted by “The Hill” that she is questioning “everything TSA does” and spoke of possible changes to the amount of liquids travelers can tote in their carry-on baggage. “The liquids, I’m questioning. So that may be the next big announcement, which is what size your liquids need to be,” Noem said. “We have put in place in TSA a multilayered screening process that allows us to change some of how we do security and screening so it’s still as safe.”

#5 Advocacy Group CEO Claims He Was Offered $20 Million to Recruit Protesters for Anti-Trump Demonstrations - Rachel del Guidice for Fox News, RT, James Woods/Gunther Eagleman/Ray Lecuyer, Jeremiah Underhill, Graci Rose, and Ronald K. Hanzel on X

The CEO of an advocacy group said his organization turned down an offer that he said would have been worth around $20 million to help recruit for a national rally against President Donald Trump.  "Interests aligned with the organizers of the July 17th movement have approached us and, in fact, we rejected an offer that probably is worth around $20 million dollars," Adam Swart, the CEO and founder of Crowds on Demand, told NewsNation’s Brian Entin in an interview that aired on Tuesday. On Thursday, protests around the country are being planned against Trump, spearheaded by Good Trouble Lives On, a group that calls itself a peaceful and nonviolent protest and social change organization. They are planning to oppose Trump and what they call on their website "the most brazen rollback of civil rights in generations."

#4 Democrat Congressman Dragged for ‘Weird’ TikTok ‘Aura Farming’ Trend Video - Jasmine Baehr for Fox News, pehewtz, Virendra Mishra, Ethan Ray, nnebx, and The Blaze on X

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., got in on TikTok’s "aura farming" trend, posting a clip of himself dancing solo in the congressional subway, captioned "omw to hold this administration accountable." In the short clip, Subramanyam appears on the House subway wearing sunglasses, striking poses, and waving his arms before locking in on the camera. Subramanyam's "aura farming" appears to have backfired, with some commenters calling it out as tone-deaf, hypocritical and "cringe."

#3 Adam Schiff Silent After Trump Accused Him of Mortgage Fraud - Peter Pinedo and Michael Dorgan for Fox News, Elizabeth McDonald, Frozen, kingsjester, William Lee/Grok, and Lipstick Bail on X 

Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California refused to answer repeated questions from Fox News Digital about his alleged mortgage fraud, which President Donald Trump has accused him of committing over 10 years. The long-time Trump critic, who as a congressman was instrumental in the House of Representatives’ first and second impeachments during Trump’s first term, was accused by the president of committing fraud to obtain lower rates on a second home in Maryland. Trump alleged that Schiff listed a Maryland property as his primary residence in 2009 to obtain a lower mortgage rate, despite being a congressman and then a senator representing California.

#2 Zuckerberg Is Pouring Billions Into Plans for ‘Personal Superintelligence' - Daniel Howley for Yahoo Finance, TrendMint, Jonathan/vitrupo, Tech Republic, Sachi, and AI Tech Suite on X

Meta (META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg is plowing billions into his company’s AI expansion efforts with the goal of developing so-called superintelligence, or AI that can surpass human capabilities. In a Threads post on Monday, Zuckerberg revealed plans to spend hundreds of billions of dollars building several massive AI data centers across the US, including one that will come online as soon as next year. Another data center, called Hyperion, will eventually scale up to support up to 5 gigawatts, or 5 billion watts, of capacity. A gigawatt of electricity can power roughly 800,000 homes...

#1 Trump Asked GOP Lawmakers if He Should Fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell - CBS News, W Smith, Karen Piper/A Regular Guy, Afelio Padilla, Isabella, Datini, and Ash Crypto/satirical bits/Grok on X

 President Trump on Tuesday asked a group of House Republicans if he should fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, and people in the room voiced approval. Several sources said Mr. Trump indicated he will do it.  Mr. Trump on Wednesday confirmed to reporters in the Oval Office that he spoke to lawmakers about ousting Powell. "I talked to them about the concept of firing him. I said, 'What do you think?' Almost all of them said I should. But I'm more conservative than they are," he said.  Sources told CBS News that Mr. Trump made the comments to the Republican House members in the Oval Office on Tuesday night, after they blocked a procedural vote that would have advanced cryptocurrency legislation in the House favored by Mr. Trump...

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