NEWS
Tom Holland
Epic ‘Odyssey,’ coffee talk, weight loss wars: Week in review
Robert AbitbolUSA TODAY
July 25, 2026, 5:03 a.m. ET
Pour it on, coffee lovers say
Coffee drinkers, relax: Those multiple jolts of java in the morning are OK for your heart health, a new study shows. There’s a caveat, though: That’s based on black coffee, unadorned with sugars, syrups and creamers. Adults can drink up to five cups of coffee a day, or about 400 mg of caffeine, without raising their risk of cardiovascular disease, the study by the American Heart Association says; in fact, plain black coffee can have some benefits, such as a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes and stroke. But be wary, the association says, of higher doses of caffeine, like those in energy shots.
Could this distant world harbor life?
Humanity has made a giant leap in the search for extraterrestrial life: For the first time, astronomers have detected an atmosphere surrounding an Earth-like planet orbiting within the habitable zone of another star − known as the “Goldilocks zone.” It’s the strongest evidence yet that these distant worlds, known as exoplanets, could sustain life. The planet, known as LhS 1140 b, is about 49 light-years from Earth, or 300 trillion miles, said Collin Cherubim of Harvard University, lead author of the study reporting the discovery. That’s actually pretty close on a cosmic scale, he told USA TODAY − “our galactic backyard.”
GLP-1 drugmakers Novo, Lilly battle it out
The weight loss wars are on. Novo Nordisk, maker of the anti-obesity medication Wegovy, is suing Eli Lilly, maker of the rival drug Zepbound, accusing it of false and misleading advertising. Novo says Lilly’s ads comparing the effectiveness of the two injectable GLP-1 medicines are “deliberately” confusing consumers by stacking the highest doses of Lilly’s drugs against lower doses of Novo’s meds, and it wants Lilly to not only pull the ads but also correct them. Lilly said it will “vigorously” fight the lawsuit. The stakes are high: The weight loss sector is expected pull in an estimated $100 billion a year in sales for the next decade.
‘The Odyssey’ is a box office colossus
Epic story, epic movie, epic box office. Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” opened to an estimated $124.5 million in North America, plus $264.1 million globally, the biggest worldwide opening weekend ever for the “Dark Knight” and “Oppenheimer” director. Those numbers make the nearly three-hour film and its A-list cast of Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson and Anne Hathaway the summer’s biggest movie debut after the franchise giant “Toy Story 5.” Especially hot were tickets for IMAX 70mm showings: “The Odyssey” is the first major studio release filmed entirely using IMAX cameras.
World Cup crown belongs to Spain
“Gentlemen, we have a date with history,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente had told his players − and they delivered. Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 to capture its second World Cup championship, capping off a stellar tournament run that saw the team give up only one goal in eight games. For Argentina’s Lionel Messi, 39, who saw his dream of a second World Cup crown slip away, the tournament could be his last. He posted on social media after the game: “The best part of all these years was never just the titles, but the journey itself.” − Compiled by Robert Abitbol
