Daily Briefing: Heat, rain and fire

The end of July means the hottest month in 120,000 years is coming to a close. Also in the news: The Pakistani government has vowed to hunt down those behind a bombing that killed at least 45 people and injured hundreds more. People with antibiotic resistance are demanding Congress take action to prevent widespread illness.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. What's the most popular city to move to in the U.S.? It might be in Florida...

Now, here we go with Monday's news.

Excessive heat, some cooling and two major California blazes

As we move into the first week of August, Americans can expect extreme heat to continue, specifically in the Southeast. By contrast, according to the National Weather Service, the Northeast will see a break from the heat with a cooler week. Much of the Midwest and the West will see heavy rains this week, with some areas expecting thunderstorms. Meanwhile, a massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve has charred more than 110 square miles of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland. A separate blaze to the southwest prompted hundreds of evacuations over the weekend. Read more

• Dehydration can be exacerbated by heat waves — here's how to stay hydrated.

• Death Valley can feel hotter than hell, but it can be heavenly if you know when to visit.

Bomb tears through political rally in Pakistan

Pakistan is holding funerals for victims of a massive suicide bombing that targeted a rally of a pro-Taliban cleric over the weekend. Sunday's attack killed at least 45 people and wounded nearly 200. No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing, though police said their initial investigation suggests the Islamic State group’s regional affiliate could be behind the attack. The victims were all from the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, which is headed by hard-line cleric and politician Fazlur Rehman. Read more

• More world news: There were 13 military coups in Africa in recent years. Why?

• The U.S. Embassy in Dublin issued a security alert for American travelers.

More news to know now

• An American nurse and her daughter were kidnapped in Haiti.

• Trump demands halt in Ukraine aid pending Biden probe.

• Three people are dead after a plane crashed into an airport hangar in Upland, California.

• A flashing "X" sign on top of the Twitter building in San Francisco sparked a city investigation.

• On today's 5 Things podcast, empty cockpits, canceled flights and crowded airports as Congress tackles the pilot shortage. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

DeSantis is rebooting his presidential campaign in New Hampshire

As with a recent trip to Iowa, Ron DeSantis used a New Hampshire trip to display an altered campaign style that includes a little more personality, a little less wonkery, more back-slapping and more running as a determined underdog to the front-running Donald Trump.

Beset by falling polls and defecting donors, DeSantis' campaign reset also includes a smaller staff. He is also taking more questions from reporters and granting more television interviews.

• DeSantis is returning to the trail after his campaign dismissed more than a third of its staff and forged new strategies in response to increased anxiety about him falling so far behind Trump.

• In Iowa, New Hampshire, and other early primary states, DeSantis is trying to personally interact with more voters and draw more policy distinctions with Trump.

• Trump appears to be growing his lead, despite two indictments and counting, and a federal judge on Friday dismissing his defamation case against CNN.

Keep reading: Why Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy matter to Indian American voters in 2024.

Antibiotic resistance poses existential threat

Antibiotics, either found in nature or developed intentionally, are designed to kill bacteria. But bacteria have been evolving for more than 3 billion years and have learned to change themselves to survive. The more we use antibiotics, the more the bacteria adapt. People who are resistant to antibiotics and other advocates want Congress to pass a bill called the Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions To End Up surging Resistance (or PASTEUR) Act, named for Louis Pasteur, the 19th-century Frenchman often considered the "father" of germ theory and modern microbiology. The bill was first introduced in 2020 and would create new incentives for drug companies to discover and develop antibiotics. Read more

Just for subscribers:

• Clarence Thomas joked about his friend Harlan Crow a year ago. Now, no one is laughing.

• Would she ride Amtrak again? Reporter recounts cross-country ''once-in-a-lifetime trek.''

• From trash-strewn beach to artwork: How artists are raising awareness of plastic waste.

• Weeks after a dam was blown up in Ukraine, the collapse continues to cause strife.

• Is your teenager narcissistic? Probably, but that’s OK.

These articles are for USA TODAY subscribers. You can sign up here. 

Could this be the most expensive school year ever?

Higher prices, due in part to inflation, and longer shopping lists have many parents choosier about what they buy, how much they spend and where they shop, experts say. The National Retail Federation predicts 2023 will be the most expensive back-to-school shopping season ever, with overall spending expected to surpass $135 billion, an increase of more than $24 billion from the previous year. For retailers, the good news is that consumers are shopping. But customers say they were more likely to comparative shop online, shop more sales and buy more store brand and generic items than in the past, experts found. Read more

• Where to find back-to-school deals: Discounted shopping at Target, Walmart, Staples and more.

• What happens when state laws don’t recognize LGBTQ+ parents.

• Back-to-school 2023 sales tax holidays: See which 17 states offer them.

Quick hits

• 10 people died at the Astroworld music festival two years ago. What happens now?

• Tyler Childers' new video ''In Your Love'' has been hailed for showing queer love in rural America.

• This man owns 300 perfect, vintage, in-box Barbies. This is the story of how it happened.

• The USWNT must not lose to Portugal in their last World Cup group stage game Tuesday, or they face going home.

• Cardi B threw her microphone at a fan who doused her with a drink onstage in Vegas.

Photo of the day: Katie Ledecky passes Michael Phelps for most individual golds at world championships

Katie Ledecky won the 800-freestyle on Saturday at the World Aquatics Championships to become the first swimmer to win six golds in the same event at the worlds. It was also the 26-year-old American's 16th individual world title, breaking a tie with legendary Michael Phelps for the most golds at the worlds. Read more

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Heat, weather, wildfire, Pakistan bombing, DeSantis campaign, antibiotic resistance, back to school, USWNT: Daily Briefing