Trump Leads Press Corps on Bizarre 40-Minute Tour of the White House, Touting Plans for New Helipad

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/20/headlines/trump_leads_press_corps_on_bizarre_40_minute_tour_of_the_white_house_touting_plans_for_new_helipad

Minnesota Sues Texas Gov. Abbott to Force Extradition of ICE Agent on Felony Assault Charges

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/20/headlines/minnesota_sues_texas_gov_abbott_to_force_extradition_of_ice_agent_on_felony_assault_charges

Trump Nominates Anti-Abortion Activist to Lead FDA

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/20/headlines/trump_nominates_anti_abortion_activist_to_lead_fda

Former DOJ Attorney Files Complaint Against Antisemitism Task Force

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/20/headlines/former_doj_attorney_files_complaint_against_antisemitism_task_force

Israel Advances Construction of New Homes in Massive Illegal Settlement

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/20/headlines/israel_advances_construction_of_new_homes_in_massive_illegal_settlement

Israel’s Military Admits to Attacks That Killed 5-Year-Old Hind Rajab, Her Family and Paramedics

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/20/headlines/israels_military_admits_to_attacks_that_killed_5_year_old_hind_rajab_her_family_and_paramedics

Israeli Strikes Kill 10 More Palestinians in Gaza

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/20/headlines/israeli_strikes_kill_10_more_palestinians_in_gaza

Trump Announces “Most Crushing Economic Operation Ever” Against Iran and Its Partners

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/20/headlines/trump_announces_most_crushing_economic_operation_ever_against_iran_and_its_partners

U.S. National Debt Tops $40 Trillion as Trump’s Tariffs and Wars Drive Deficit Spending

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/20/headlines/us_national_debt_tops_40_trillion_as_trumps_tariffs_and_wars_drive_deficit_spending

“Love Machines”: James Muldoon on How AI Is Changing Relationships & the Global Workers Fueling AI

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/20/james_muldoon_ai_love_machines

AI Superintelligence Is Not a Tool, It’s an Adversary Threatening Humanity: ControlAI’s Connor Leahy

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/20/ai_superintelligence_connor_leahy_controlai

5 Years After Taliban Takeover, Women & Girls in Afghanistan Have Disappeared from Public Life

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/20/afghanistan_taliban_5_years_us_sanctions

Democratic Socialist Pulls Off Stunning Victory in Florida’s Democratic Senate Primary

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/headlines/democratic_socialist_pulls_off_stunning_victory_in_floridas_democratic_senate_primary

Trump Admin Plans to Open Nearly 45 Million Acres of Forest to Road Construction and Logging

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/headlines/trump_admin_plans_to_open_nearly_45_million_acres_of_forest_to_road_construction_and_logging

ABC Files First Amendment Lawsuit Against FCC

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/headlines/abc_files_first_amendment_lawsuit_against_fcc

Immigrant Hospitalized After He Was Brutally Beaten and Arrested by ICE

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/headlines/immigrant_hospitalized_after_he_was_brutally_beaten_and_arrested_by_ice

DOJ Pushes Federal Appeals Court to Reinstate Criminal Charges Against Kilmar Ábrego García

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/headlines/doj_pushes_federal_appeals_court_to_reinstate_criminal_charges_against_kilmar_abrego_garcia

CBS News: Trump Deporting Mexican Immigrants to Other Central American Countries

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/headlines/cbs_news_trump_deporting_mexican_immigrants_to_other_central_american_countries

Federal Judge Revokes TPS for 5,000 Ethiopian Immigrants

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/headlines/federal_judge_revokes_tps_for_5_000_ethiopian_immigrants

Trump Admin Imposes Sanctions on ICC President and Senior Prosecutor

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/headlines/trump_admin_imposes_sanctions_on_icc_president_and_senior_prosecutor

Iran Claims U.S. Begging to Talk, as Trump Posts Map of Strait of Hormuz Labeled “New U.S. Territory”

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/headlines/iran_claims_us_begging_to_talk_as_trump_posts_map_of_strait_of_hormuz_labeled_new_us_territory

Palestinian American Travels to Occupied West Bank to Defend Home Against Settlers

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/headlines/palestinian_american_travels_to_occupied_west_bank_to_defend_home_against_settlers

Israeli Strikes Kill at Least Seven Palestinians in Gaza

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/headlines/israeli_strikes_kill_at_least_seven_palestinians_in_gaza

Activist Tree-Sit in Ancient Cottonwood Continues Against Border Wall Construction in Arizona

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/arizona_activists_protest_border_wall

Bipartisan Outcry Forces Trump to Pause Border Security Project in Big Bend National Park in Texas

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/big_bend_border_wall

“Profoundly Corrupt”: Trump Sued for Selling Early Access to His Truth Social Posts for $100K/Month

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/truth_social_lawsuit

Trump’s “Authoritarian Takeover” of the Media, ABC Suing FCC & the Meta Trial: Free Press’s Jessica González

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/19/disney_paramount_meta

New York Judge Pushes Back Luigi Mangione’s Murder Trial

A New York judge pushed back Luigi Mangione’s state murder and weapons trial on Monday over the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. This comes after Mangione pleaded guilty last Friday to federal stalking charges. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the state charges. Mangione’s lawyers are arguing that he should not ​be punished for the same crime twice. The judge gave prosecutors until October 9 to answer Mangione’s motion and scheduled his next court appearance for December 10. www.democracynow.org

SCOTUS Rejects Trump’s Bid to Undo Verdict Finding Him Liable for Sexually Abusing E. Jean Carroll

For the second time, the Supreme Court has turned down Donald Trump’s effort to undo the 2023 jury verdict holding him liable for sexually abusing the writer E. Jean Carroll and later defaming her. The justices issued a one-sentence order Monday denying his request for a rehearing, with no explanation and no noted dissents. The ruling leaves the $5 million civil judgment intact. www.democracynow.org

CBP Temporarily Pauses Border Wall Construction in Big Bend National Park

In southern Texas, the Trump administration said Monday it had temporarily paused construction of a section of border wall in the Big Bend National Park. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said he would personally conduct an on-the-ground evaluation of the site, after construction crews were filmed bulldozing pristine desert wilderness, prompting fierce criticism from environmentalists. In a statement, campaigner Laiken Jordahl of the Center for Biological Diversity accused the Department of Homeland Security of lying about border wall construction in Big Bend, adding, “We won’t rest until the contracts are canceled, the waivers of law are rescinded, and the bulldozers are sent packing for good.” www.democracynow.org

Voters Head to the Polls for Primary Elections in Florida

In Florida, voters head to the polls for primary elections today, with progressive challengers looking to unseat powerful incumbent Democrats. In Broward County, union organizer Oliver Larkin is seeking to upset Congressmember Jared Moskowitz. Larkin is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America who supports Medicare for All and an end to U.S. weapons transfers to Israel. Moskowitz has heavy support from donors associated with AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, as well as the artificial intelligence super PAC Leading the Future. Elsewhere, Democratic Congressmember Debbie Wasserman Schultz faces a crowded field as she seeks a 12th term in Congress. Wasserman Schultz is running in the newly redrawn 20th District in southeast Florida, which is heavily African American. She faces four Black primary challengers, including progressive Elijah Manley, a democratic socialist campaigning on universal healthcare and a federal jobs guarantee. Wasserman Schultz led the Democratic National Committee during Hillary Clinton’s failed presidential bid in 2016. She resigned her post in July of that year after WikiLeaks revealed DNC staff favored Clinton over Bernie Sanders during the primary. Meanwhile, President Trump voted by mail in Florida’s Republican primary, despite repeatedly attacking mail-in ballots and signing an executive order earlier this year to curb voting by mail. www.democracynow.org

Israel’s Far-Right Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir Demands Kill Quota in Gaza

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir used a podcast interview with freed hostage Rom Braslavski to demand a kill quota in Gaza. This is Ben-Gvir. Itamar Ben-Gvir: “It’s no secret I disagree with the prime minister. I think targeted assassinations should be carried out in Gaza, taking down 30 to 40 every night, not just those who pose an immediate threat. There are people there who are not worthy of life. They shouldn’t live. They’re not even people.” The comments drew condemnation even from staunch defenders of Israel, like Nevada’s Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen, who said, “Anyone advocating for acts of violence against innocent civilians should not be in an official government position. I believe Ben-Gvir must resign, and I urge Prime Minister Netanyahu to denounce these remarks and reaffirm to the world that this is not the government’s position.” www.democracynow.org

Kushner and Netanyahu Hold Talks on U.S.-Backed 15-Point Gaza Plan

President Trump’s son-in-law and envoy Jared Kushner held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. The meeting did not lead to an agreement for Israel to implement a framework that Hamas previously agreed to. This is Kushner speaking to Fox News. Jared Kushner: “We have a plan to rebuild Gaza, but we will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt until the demilitarization occurs. Nobody wants to put more money into a place that’s gone on for so long, until — if it’s just going to be taken over by terrorists or blown up again.” Hamas had agreed to disarm as part of the U.S.'s 15-point plan, but Israel rejected that proposal. Israel has been conducting near-daily attacks on the Gaza Strip despite last year's so-called ceasefire, killing more than 1,200 people since October. www.democracynow.org

U.N. Warns of “Alarming” Surge of Violence as Israel Ramps Up Attacks on Lebanon

Israel’s military has carried out fresh airstrikes and mortar attacks on southern Lebanon after weekend airstrikes killed at least 11 people, including children. A U.N. spokesperson warned of an “alarming” surge in violence, as the UNIFIL peacekeeping force in Lebanon said it recorded an average of 137 projectiles fired daily into southern Lebanon by Israel over the last two weeks. Stéphane Dujarric: “We are witnessing, both from our humanitarian and peacekeeping colleagues, alarming and concerning intensification of violence in the southern part of the country over the weekend, this which also includes civilian casualties on the Lebanese side. Some of this violence has displaced families from areas where they had only recently returned, prompting them to seek safety elsewhere.” www.democracynow.org

Trump Denies Reports of Deteriorating Conditions Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln as “Fake News”

The U.S. Navy says a guided-missile destroyer spent four days adrift in the South China Sea last month after an engineering failure left the 10,000-ton warship unable to maneuver under its own power. The breakdown left sailors aboard the USS Benfold without easy access to food, water, toilets and air conditioning. The news comes as the Pentagon is under scrutiny over reports of low morale and mental health crises impacting sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, which has been deployed continuously for nine months supporting President Trump’s attacks on Iran. On Monday, Trump downplayed reports about poor conditions on the Lincoln, including rationed food, moldy showers and shortages of basics including soap and deodorant. Trump insisted the Lincoln is “beautifully maintained and beautifully taken care of.” Meanwhile, Trump lashed out at CNN reporter Kristen Holmes when she asked whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had personally requested that the U.S. end joint military exercises with South Korea. Kristen Holmes: “Did he ask you specifically to scale back on those?” President Donald Trump: “Quiet. Quiet. You’re very disrespectful in front of this young man. OK? Don’t you find her disrespectful? He understands. Quiet. Who are you with?” Kristen Holmes: “I’m with CNN.” President Donald Trump: “Fake news. You’re fake news.” Kristen Holmes: “I just wanted to follow up on the South Korea question.” President Donald Trump: “You’re a loud — you’re a loud, boisterous person. You’re fake news. Be quiet.” Kristen Holmes: “I was trying to find out if you had” — President Donald Trump: “Be quiet. Be quiet.” Kristen Holmes: — “been talking to Kim Jong-un, if he had asked you” — President Donald Trump: “You’re a fake reporter, and you report fake news.” Kristen Holmes: — “to scale back on those military exercises.” President Donald Trump: “Go ahead.” www.democracynow.org

Russian Oil Spills from Grounded Tanker, Fouling Beaches in Oman

A major ecological disaster is unfolding in Oman, where a massive oil spill has spread to over 2,000 square kilometers and has begun fouling beaches. The oil spread largely unchecked for weeks, after a tanker carrying 800,000 barrels of Russian crude ran aground in a protected marine reserve, following an unexplained attack on ​the vessel in June. This comes after President Trump on Monday threatened to “bomb the shit out of” Oman if it gets in the way of U.S. efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, crude oil futures climbed to over $90 dollars a barrel Monday following reports that Iran had seized a UAE-owned tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. gas prices have set a mid-August record amid stalled talks with Iran, with the national average at $4.06 a gallon. www.democracynow.org

Iran Threatens New Offensive as Memorandum of Understanding with U.S. Expires

The White House said Monday it would not seek to extend a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, as the 60-day ceasefire deal expired without an agreement to end the war. In Washington, President Trump called on Tehran to “put up the white flag of surrender,” while Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tehran would shift to a “fully offensive” military ​posture after the U.S. repeatedly violated terms of the agreement. Esmail Baghaei: “The negotiations never began, because the United States committed gross and widespread violations of the text of the MOU just a few weeks after signing it on June 18th, and therefore, the 60-day discussion is basically no longer relevant.” www.democracynow.org

Netanyahu Throws “Poison Pill” into Gaza Deal as Kushner Meets with Hamas & Israel: Mouin Rabbani

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/18/rabbani_middle_east

“Regime Change” Author Maggie Haberman on Trump’s Imperial Presidency, Epstein Files & War on Iran

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/18/maggie_haberman_part_2

Who Is Natalie Harp? NYT Reporter Maggie Haberman on Trump’s Aide & His Attacks on Women Reporters

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/18/maggie_haberman_regime_change

South Carolina to Vote First in Democrats’ Revamped 2028 Presidential Primary Calendar

The Democratic National Committee has approved sweeping changes to the 2028 presidential primary calendar. Under the new schedule, South Carolina voters would cast the first ballots on January 22, followed by Nevada on February 1. Iowa and New Hampshire would no longer be the first states to hold nominating contests. The move could expand the influence of Black and Latino voters on narrowing the field of presidential contenders. www.democracynow.org

Federal Judge Blocks Idaho from Prosecuting Doctors Who Provide Health-Saving Abortions

A federal judge has ruled that the state of Idaho must allow abortions when the pregnant person’s health and life are at risk. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill ruled Idaho state officials cannot prosecute physicians who perform abortions under these circumstances, saying Idaho’s near-total abortion ban violates the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment. Physicians faced up to five years in prison if found in violation of the ban. In his ruling, Judge Winmill wrote, “It is about self-preservation and the limit of the state’s power to make a woman suffer for the sake of an unborn child. … A pregnant woman’s health is not a state resource to be allocated at the legislature’s whim.” www.democracynow.org

Attorney General Todd Blanche Won’t Pledge to Operate Independently from White House

President Trump’s former personal lawyer, Attorney General Todd Blanche, has declined to pledge that the Justice Department will operate independently of the White House. Blanche was asked about the topic by NBC’s “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker. Kristen Welker: “You, of course, used to be President Trump’s former personal defense attorney. Can you pledge that the Justice Department will always act independently of the White House?” Attorney General Todd Blanche: “Well, what — that’s — there’s a big difference between saying we will be — we will always do our job and investigate any case and act independently of the White House. No, I’m not going to pledge that.” www.democracynow.org

Mass Shooting Erupts at Virginia State University Hours After Freshmen Orientation Events

In northern Michigan, a gunman killed five people on Friday, prompting a manhunt that ended when the shooter was found dead alongside one of his victims. Separately, police in Petersburg, Virginia, arrested a 19-year-old suspect on Saturday following an overnight shooting at Virginia State University that left five people injured — one of them critically — just hours after officials welcomed freshmen to campus. According to the Gun Violence Archive, the U.S. has seen at least 305 mass shootings since the start of the year. www.democracynow.org

Taliban Marks Five Years in Power Since U.S. Withdrawal

In Afghanistan, the Taliban have marked five years in power since U.S. forces withdrew from the country. Since retaking control in 2021, the Taliban have stripped away the rights of women and girls, with UNESCO reporting some 2.4 million girls are now barred from secondary and higher education. The United Nations warns more than half of women’s organizations still working in Afghanistan could cease operations within the next year due to funding problems. This is the permanent representative of Denmark to the United Nations. Christina Markus Lassen: “The Taliban’s systematic repression of women and girls has become a defining feature of the current system. Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls are banned from secondary and higher education. The grave abuse of the right to education is also having far-reaching consequences for Afghanistan’s economic development and provision of essential public services.” www.democracynow.org

Israel Announces Plans to Hand Over Policing of Settlers to an Israeli Civilian Police Force

In the occupied West Bank, Israel’s military has announced plans to hand over responsibility for policing Israeli settlers to a civilian police force. Palestinian officials condemned the plan as a flagrant violation of international law, calling it another step toward Israeli annexation of the West Bank. This comes as a siege by Israeli settlers on the village of Qusra has entered its second week, with 15 Palestinians, including two children, cut off from food, water and electricity by armed Israeli settlers backed by soldiers. Human rights groups say it’s part of a concerted effort by Israelis to seize even more Palestinian land. This is a video filmed by Aysha Hassan, whose family has been confined to their home for over a week while Israeli soldiers occupy a neighboring building. Aysha Hassan: “We are in our besieged house and have been under siege for the last seven days. The soldiers are stationed on the nearby house of my brother Yousif. They keep screaming and singing all day.” www.democracynow.org

Jared Kushner Meets with Hamas’s Political Chief in Cairo

President Trump’s son-in-law and envoy Jared Kushner has met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Israel rejected a 15-point plan for Gaza promoted by President Trump’s so-called Board of Peace. The proposal would see Hamas gradually disarm and turn over governance of the Gaza Strip to an international force in exchange for Israel’s withdrawal. Over the weekend, Kushner met in Cairo with Hamas’s political chief Khalil al-Hayya. Also joining the talks were Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair and Qatari, Turkish and Egyptian mediators. www.democracynow.org

Israeli Airstrikes Kill at Least 11 People in Lebanon

In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 11 people, including children, on Saturday. It was one of the deadliest Israeli attacks on Lebanon since the so-called ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect in June. Israel has been striking Lebanon since early March after Hezbollah fired into Israel in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Israeli strikes have killed more than 4,300 people in Lebanon this year. According to the U.N., more than 1 million people have been forced to flee their homes. www.democracynow.org

Trump Threatens to “Bomb the S— Out of Oman,” Downplays Concerns About USS Abraham Lincoln

President Trump has reportedly threatened to “bomb the shit out of” Oman if it “gets in the way” of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz. It comes as Trump has downplayed concerns about conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier that has been deployed for more than 260 days, one of the longest deployments in U.S. military history. Two U.S. military newspapers — the Navy Times and Stars and Stripes — have reported multiple attempts by sailors to jump overboard amid deteriorating conditions aboard the Lincoln, including food rationing, plumbing backups and shortages of basic supplies including toothpaste and soap. This is President Trump telling reporters on Friday that the deployment hasn’t been long enough. Reporter: “Family members of U.S. service members are concerned about the conditions onboard the USS Lincoln.” President Donald Trump: “Well, no, that ship is moving. No, they’re not. That ship is moving right now, or very shortly, and it’s being replaced with another very similar ship.” Reporter: “Has the deployment gone on too long?” President Donald Trump: “No, no, no.” Reporter: “Are you worried about the mental health concerns?” President Donald Trump: “Not nearly long enough.” This comes as President Trump said the U.S. will “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, noting that Seoul had declined to join the U.S. war against Iran. He said his decision is based on his “very good relationship” with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, adding that the country has been “unthreatening and respectful” as long as he’s been president. Meanwhile, in Qatar, officials are denying Iranian accusations that Doha is secretly holding three Iranian airmen as prisoners of war. The dispute dates to the third day of the war, when Qatar said it shot down two Iranian warplanes it claimed were threatening its airspace. On Sunday, Iran’s military announced a $30,000 bounty for killing or capturing U.S. soldiers, which would be doubled if it is carried out by a woman. Amir Hatami: “Whoever, any dear combatant, kills an American or captures one and hands them over to any of the units of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, supported by those dear individuals who wish to participate in financial jihad but under the guarantee of the Army, alongside the great rewards of jihad, we will provide a proper gift. This gift is equivalent to $30,000, approximately 5 billion tomans.” www.democracynow.org

“The Nerd Reich”: Author Gil Durán on Big Tech Fascism, Peter Thiel, JD Vance & the War on Democracy

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/17/gil_duran_nerd_reich

“Operation Puppet Master”: Trump Admin Spied on Minnesota Activists & Unions After ICE Killings

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/17/operation_puppet_master

Kennedy Center Board Orders Trump’s Name Restored to Performing Arts Center, Flouting Court Order

In Washington, D.C., the board of directors for the Kennedy Center has voted to once again inscribe Donald Trump’s name on the building — and to shutter it for two years, allegedly to make renovations to the performing arts institution. Thursday’s vote by Trump’s hand-picked board comes despite a federal judge’s order barring closure of the Kennedy Center and ordering the Trump administration to remove Trump’s name from the building. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are seeking an audit of spending on the White House East Wing and ballroom, after The Washington Post reported the Trump administration plans to spend at least $900 million on new construction. When Trump announced his plans to build a ballroom last year, he repeatedly promised the project would be funded entirely by private donors. www.democracynow.org

Congressional Black Caucus Calls for Federal Probe into Death of Nolan Wells

The Congressional Black Caucus is calling on the Department of Justice to investigate the mysterious death of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old Black college athlete whose body was found in July on a barrier island in Mississippi. Wells vanished after taking a boat to the island with a group of white friends over the July Fourth holiday. His body was recovered several days later. Authorities say Wells may have accidentally drowned, but his family has questioned the official story, in part because Wells’s cellphone was found not with his body, but in the possession of one of his friends, who returned home. This is Georgia Democratic Congressmember Lucy McBath. Rep. Lucy McBath: “This brings back so many vivid memories for me and my own family, having lost Jordan to unnecessary gun violence in November 2012, Black Friday, simply because he was Black and playing loud music in his car. And so, here we are again today, here for the loss of another Black young man in our community, and we find ourselves asking the same questions.” www.democracynow.org

Federal Judge Tosses Trump Administration’s “Antisemitism” Lawsuit Against Harvard

A federal judge has dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit accusing Harvard University of failing to combat antisemitism on campus. The government had argued the university failed to protect Jewish community members during campus protests over Harvard’s ties to Israel’s assault on Gaza and Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. A U.S. district judge in Massachusetts called incidents of antisemitism “isolated and episodic.” www.democracynow.org

Indiana Declares Statewide Disaster Emergency Amid Historic Flooding

Indiana’s governor has declared a statewide disaster emergency and deployed the National Guard, following severe storms that brought what officials called a “once-in-a-millennium” flooding event. More rain is expected this week in Indiana and neighboring Illinois, which also suffered flooding. Some 36 million people across the Midwest were under flood alerts on Thursday. www.democracynow.org

Activists Try to Halt Border Wall Construction as Contractors Bulldoze Landmarks

In Texas, bulldozers have rolled into Big Bend National Park to tear down portions of the environmental landmark as part of the Trump administration’s $46.5 billion effort to expand a massive border wall and other security infrastructure along the border with Mexico. Protesters gathered Thursday at Big Bend seeking to block construction of the wall, after the Department of Homeland Security waived requirements that federal contractors comply with a broad slate of environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act. Meanwhile, in southern Arizona, a protest camp predominantly led by queer and femme activists in the small border town of Lochiel is seeking to protect ancient cottonwood trees, as federal contractors race to build another portion of Trump’s border barrier with Mexico at a cost of about a half a billion dollars. At the center of the protest camp is a 200-year-old cottonwood known as a “grandmother” tree. www.democracynow.org

140 Immigrants Hold Hunger Strike at For-Profit ICE Jail in Tacoma, Washington

In Washington state, over 140 immigrants are entering the third day of a hunger strike at the notorious Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma. That’s according to the advocacy group La Resistencia, which confirmed the action began on August 11. Among their demands is proper medical care, as several detainees with broken or dislocated bones reportedly have not received treatment. Northwest and Delaney Hall are both operated by the for-profit prison company GEO Group. www.democracynow.org

ICE Confirms Death of Third Immigrant at Privately Run ICE Jail in New Jersey

In New Jersey, ICE has confirmed the death of a third immigrant in Newark that was first disclosed by Democratic Congressmember Rob Menendez last week. José Chajón Raxón from Guatemala reportedly suffered what appeared to be seizures and later died at the hospital, according to DHS. Chajón Raxón was detained at the privately run ICE jail known as Delaney Hall after being arrested on July 18. ICE claimed he was released from custody four days later, but provided no further details. ICE previously failed to notify of his death due to a new policy that no longer requires the agency to report on deaths that occur within 30 days after an immigrant is released from custody. This is the third reported death connected to Delaney Hall since December, as detainees and advocates have widely condemned chronic medical neglect inside the facility. Nationwide, more than 50 immigrants have died in ICE custody since Trump returned to office. www.democracynow.org

DHS Targeted Left-Leaning Groups in Minnesota with Mass Surveillance Program

The New York Times reports the Trump administration carried out an expansive surveillance program targeting left-leaning groups in Minnesota, infiltrating group chats, spying on meetings at libraries and churches and secretly obtaining financial records of organizations that were never accused of crimes. Among groups targeted were labor unions, including the Communications Workers of America, the SEIU and the AFL-CIO, and climate activists with the Sunrise Movement. The massive spying operation began last winter as hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans joined protests demanding an end to a violent mass deportation campaign by ICE and other federal agencies. Government documents reveal DHS characterized the protesters as “violent opportunists and agitators,” alleging they were involved in a widespread conspiracy. The surveillance operation arose from a White House directive known as National Security Presidential Memo 7, which identifies a potential domestic terrorist as someone expressing “anti-Christian,” “anti-capitalism” or “anti-American” views. The civil liberties advocacy group Defending Rights and Dissent called the surveillance “a disturbing, invasive, and utterly unjustifiable attack on freedom of expression and political dissent.” Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen responded, “These are the actions of an authoritarian state.” www.democracynow.org

Pentagon Sends New Aircraft Carrier to Relieve USS Abraham Lincoln Following Attempted Suicides

Iran’s military has rejected the Trump administration’s claims that ships are freely passing through the Strait of Hormuz, saying no one can pass without Iran’s permission. This comes as the Pentagon has announced it will send a new aircraft carrier to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln amid reports of deteriorating conditions aboard the vessel. The USS George Washington is set to relieve the Lincoln, which has been deployed for over eight months. On Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed reports in Stars and Stripes and the Military Times about a growing mental health crisis aboard the Lincoln, where sailors face moldy showers, backed-up plumbing and shortages of nutritious food, toiletries and other supplies. Despite Hegseth’s denials, a U.S. official confirmed that a sailor jumped overboard from the Lincoln in early August, saying the person was quickly rescued. The sailor had missed the birth of his daughter five months ago and reportedly complained to his higher-ups about mental health challenges before attempting suicide. On Thursday, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee’s top Democrat, Richard Blumenthal, demanded answers about problems aboard the Lincoln. www.democracynow.org

Lebanon Condemns Home Demolitions by Israel as a “Serious Violation of International Law”

In southern Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed Wednesday his forces would maintain their occupation indefinitely. Defense Minister Israel Katz: “We will clear this area and ensure the security of the residents of the north. And under no circumstances will we withdraw from security zones, not in Lebanon, not in Syria and not in Gaza.” Katz’s remarks came after Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Israel’s demolition of homes in southern Lebanon represented a serious violation of international law. www.democracynow.org

Israeli Settlers’ Siege of Palestinian Homes Draws Rare Rebuke from U.S. Ambassador

In the occupied West Bank, Israeli settlers are continuing to besiege the Palestinian village of Qusra, with Israeli soldiers stopping activists from bringing in aid. Among those who’ve come under attack is a Palestinian American. That prompted rare criticism from U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who called the siege a “horrific act of terror.” A top humanitarian official at the U.N. said this week conditions in the West Bank have reached a “breaking point.” www.democracynow.org

Rights Groups Say Israel Is Covering Up War Crimes Evidence as It Clears Gaza’s Rubble

In Gaza, Israeli attacks killed two Palestinians and injured several others on Thursday, with reports of airstrikes, mortar attacks and live fire. The strikes came as human rights groups warned Israel is conducting a massive effort to clear tens of thousands of tons of rubble from the Gaza Strip. The debris resulted from Israel’s near-daily attacks on Gaza since October 2023, which have killed at least 73,000 Palestinians. Some of the rubble is from cemeteries and other locations where human remains are known to exist, leading human rights groups to accuse Israel of attempting to erase evidence of war crimes. www.democracynow.org

CIA Carried Out Drone Strikes, Disappearances and Torture Near Ecuador’s Coast

The U.S. strikes on several fishing boats near Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands earlier this year were part of a secret operation conducted by the Central Intelligence Agency, the CIA. That’s according to The Washington Post, which spoke to a source anonymously. One of the boats disappeared on January 20 along with eight of its crew members, who are presumed dead, according to the United Nations. Survivors of two other vessels that came under attack in March said they were abducted by U.S. forces, hooded, cuffed and tortured aboard a ship before being taken to El Salvador. No U.S. government agency has claimed responsibility for those strikes, which the Post reports are separate from the Trump administration’s publicly acknowledged strikes on boats off the Caribbean and Pacific. The Pentagon has provided no evidence for its claims the boats were carrying drugs. More than 200 people have been killed in the U.S. strikes since September. Meanwhile, U.S. Southern Command and Panama have concluded PANAMAX 2026, a series of war games involving at least 17 other countries from across the Americas. It was the first time joint U.S. military exercises took place in Panama since 2012. www.democracynow.org

Meet the Palestinian Circus: Troupe Mixes Circus Arts & Traditional Palestinian Culture

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/14/meet_the_palestinian_circus_troupe_mixes

“American Doctor”: New Film Follows U.S. Doctors to Gaza as Israel Bombs Hospitals, Kills Staff, Patients

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/14/american_doctor_documentary

“Mop Up Michigan”: Donavan McKinney on Democratic Socialism, Corporate Money & His Primary Upset

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/14/donavan_mckinney

“Stop Toxic Data Centers”: Justin Pearson on Elon Musk, AI & Winning Dem. House Primary in Memphis

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/14/justin_pearson

ICE Agent Points Gun at Driver in Virginia

A widely circulated video shows an ICE agent in Falls Church, Virginia, pointing a gun at a driver who yelled at officers as they detained people on a sidewalk nearby. Video filmed by the driver shows masked ICE agents repeatedly accusing her of trying to run them over with her car and threatening to arrest her. When she contradicted their claims and said dash camera video would vindicate her, the agents walked away. www.democracynow.org

ICE Agent Filmed Pushing an Elderly Activist Pleads Guilty to Misdemeanor Battery Charge

In more immigration news, an ICE agent filmed pushing an elderly activist to the ground near Chicago last year has pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor battery charge. Adam Saracco was sentenced Wednesday to 12 months of court supervision for the assault. In December, Saracco had recently completed a shift and was off duty when he assaulted 68-year-old attorney Robert Held in a gas station parking lot. Held had been recording video of Saracco filling his gas tank. www.democracynow.org

Daughter of Pastor Jailed by ICE Says Father Suffered “Stroke-Like Symptoms”

In North Carolina, the daughter of a pastor jailed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement says her father suffered “stroke-like symptoms” that left him partially paralyzed just weeks after his arrest. Gabri Johnson says she has only been briefly able to speak with her 55-year-old father, Gabriel Johnson, since he was taken to a Texas hospital on July 30. In a now-viral video, she said she’s worried her father’s condition continues to worsen due to medical neglect. Gabri Johnson: “This is not love. This is not care. This is not America. It’s torture. And they’re trying to not only take people out of their homes and break up families; they’re trying to kill them on the way there. Please, if anybody is within the state of Texas or works in immigration law and reform, I will do anything. Just please help bring my father back home to Cary, North Carolina.” www.democracynow.org

DOJ Arrests Southern Poverty Law Center’s Former Chief Financial Officer

The Justice Department arrested the South Poverty Law Center’s former chief financial officer, Heidi Beirich, on Wednesday. Federal prosecutors charged her with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to submit false statements to a federally insured bank and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering. Back in April, the Justice Department had charged the SPLC over its now-defunct program in which it paid informants to infiltrate white supremacist groups. Beirich’s lawyer said in a statement, “A free and fair society does not use the justice system to silence its political opponents. Heidi Beirich has dedicated her life to fighting hate groups and extremist movements like the KKK, neo-Nazis, and other white supremacists. … Her decades-long record of success dismantling hate groups — and the resulting threats to her life — speak volumes. For this, she has been indicted.” www.democracynow.org

Lawsuit Seeks to Halt Truth Social’s Plan to Charge $100K for Early Access to Trump’s Posts

The Intercept and the Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a lawsuit Wednesday against President Trump and his staff, seeking to halt plans by Trump’s media company to monetize the president’s social media posts. Under the scheme, Trump’s Truth Social platform would charge up to $100,000 per month for early access to the president’s posts, which frequently drive stock market volatility. In announcing the lawsuit, Ben Muessig, editor-in-chief of The Intercept, said, “Trump is trying to enrich himself by privatizing government information that he has no right to sell. We won’t let it stand.” This comes as the Trump Media & Technology corporation, which owns Truth Social, announced a $238 million loss during the second quarter of this year. Meanwhile, The New York Times reports the number of monthly visitors to Truth Social was down about 36% from a year ago. www.democracynow.org

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Earned Up to $2.9M from Fossil Fuel Interests

A review of financial disclosures from the nonprofit advocacy group Court Accountability finds that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito gained up to $2.9 million from his fossil fuel interests between 2005 and 2024. This comes as the Supreme Court is about to hear a case with two oil companies, Suncor Energy and Exxon. These companies want the court to rule that federal law prevents state governments from suing them over climate damage caused by their products. Court Accountability and other groups are calling for the Senate to investigate Justice Alito. They point out that he’s the only Supreme Court justice who owns stock in energy companies, and they say he should step aside from cases involving those companies. www.democracynow.org

Trump Admin Announces End of Federal Funding for Arctic Report Card

The Trump administration said this week it’s terminating federal funding for the Arctic Report Card, the flagship report on how the climate crisis is transforming Earth’s northern latitudes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had issued the report annually for the past 20 years, documenting how human activity is causing the Arctic to warm faster than any other region. In response, former NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad blasted the Trump administration for “imposing ignorance on the system.” Dartmouth College professor and polar researcher Melody Brown Burkins told The Washington Post, “It’s like not allowing your primary care doctor to tell you how you’re doing. Taking away the checkup doesn’t stop the changes from happening.” www.democracynow.org

NYT: Fishermen in Ecuador Report Attacks by English-Speaking Assailants

The New York Times reports that fishermen from Ecuador say they’re being attacked by English-speaking assailants using drones. According to the U.N., one fishing boat has been lost at sea since January, with eight people still missing and presumed dead. The survivors say the assailants wore matching uniforms with American flag patches. Some of the other fishermen say they’ve been dragged out of their boats, questioned and handed over to the El Salvador Navy before being released. The U.S. Coast Guard and the Pentagon have denied any involvement. www.democracynow.org

Hegseth Says Colombia Will Conduct Joint Military Operations with U.S., Urges Partners to Reject ICC

Colombia has authorized joint military operations with the United States against armed Colombian groups, following the inauguration of far-right President Abelardo de la Espriella. On Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth welcomed Colombia to the U.S. counternarcotics coalition known as the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, or A3C. Hegseth warned that the International Criminal Court could investigate U.S. attacks on alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean — which human rights groups have condemned as extrajudicial killings and murder — and called on partners to reject the ICC. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth: “That’s why I strongly encourage every A3C member to leave the ICC and reject their attempts to rob your governments and your courts of your sovereignty. I know as a soldier I swore an oath to the Constitution, not some fake and illegitimate international court.” www.democracynow.org

Israeli Settlers Besiege Palestinian Homes in Occupied West Bank Village of Qusra

In the occupied West Bank, dozens of settlers besieged three Palestinian families in Qusra, cutting off water, power and essential supplies for a fourth day. A top humanitarian official at the United Nations Security Council Tuesday said that conditions in the occupied West Bank have reached a “breaking point.” This is a Palestinian whose house has been besieged by settlers. Ruqaya Reeda: “The settlers established an outpost close to the house, around six meters away. Since that day, we have been subjected to daily attacks by the settlers, night and day, and harassment on the road. They tried to cut off water and electricity networks many times. We fix it, and they cut it off again two days later and attack the workers who come to do maintenance.” www.democracynow.org

“A Policy of Attrition by Design”: MSF Condemns Israeli Blockade of Crucial Supplies

In northern Gaza, an Israeli airstrike killed one person and wounded five others. Gaza’s Civil Defense said the strike targeted a tuk-tuk transport vehicle. Meanwhile, MSF is claiming that Israel is blocking crucial supplies from entering Gaza. These supplies keep hospital generators, ambulances, water pumps and water trucks running. MSF’s head of mission in Palestine said, “What we are witnessing in Gaza is not a series of isolated shortages, it is a policy of attrition by design. For more than two years, we have observed Israel’s policies restricting the entry of supplies. These policies do not merely delay aid; they dismantle the very systems people rely on to survive.” www.democracynow.org

Firefighters Accuse Israeli Forces of Deliberately Starting Wildfires in Southern Lebanon

Firefighters in Lebanon are accusing the Israeli military of starting wildfires in the south of the country. The Israeli military dropped flares in a wooded area on Tuesday, and when firefighters came to extinguish the flames, a drone struck nearby, forcing them to withdraw. According to video and testimony from emergency services in Lebanon, the Israeli military has caused fires in olive groves and on agricultural land since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah back in June. www.democracynow.org

CIA Had “Low Confidence” in Israeli Claim That Iran Sought to Shoot Down Air Force One

Former U.S. officials say the CIA had “low confidence” in an Israeli claim that Iran was plotting to assassinate President Trump last month as he returned to the U.S. from a NATO summit in Turkey. Despite that finding, the Secret Service executed a covert deception operation that saw Trump smuggled off of Air Force One and onto a smaller military aircraft aboard a catering truck. Later in the broadcast, we’ll speak with Dan Lamothe, the Washington Post journalist who broke the story. www.democracynow.org

Sailors on U.S. Aircraft Carrier Attempt to Jump Overboard as Lengthy Deployment Grinds On

Military families are demanding congressional action over a growing mental health crisis onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, after at least six incidents in which sailors attempted to jump overboard amid an extended deployment. The Lincoln has been at sea for over 260 consecutive days – a modern-day naval record – while supporting U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. Families say sailors have been forced to endure excruciatingly long shifts and shortages of food and basic supplies like toothpaste and soap. www.democracynow.org

Declassified Pentagon Report Found U.S. Killed 153 Civilians in Yemen Last Year

In Yemen, fighters with the Houthi movement have escalated their offensive against government forces with fierce clashes in the province of Taiz. The fighting has left dozens of Yemeni government troops dead in recent weeks. That has reportedly prompted Saudi Arabia to consider support for a Yemeni government counteroffensive to retake the Houthi-held Red Sea coast. The renewed fighting in Yemen comes as an unclassified Pentagon assessment of civilian casualties found the U.S. killed 153 civilians in Yemen last year, while wounding another 243. www.democracynow.org

“Deep Unlearning”: Timnit Gebru on AI Hype, Ethics & Algorithmic Racial Bias

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/13/timnit_gebru

“Anatomy of an AI Kill Chain”: Militaries Rely on Mistake-Prone AI in Ukraine, Gaza & Iran

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/13/heidy_khlaaf

Trump’s Secret Plane Switch: An Israeli Tip, CIA Doubts & Reporters Put at Risk

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/13/trump_plane

U.S. Could See Three Executions in Same Day for First Time Since 2010

Three executions are scheduled in Alabama, Oklahoma and Tennessee Thursday, in what would be the first time since 2010 that three people are put to death on the same day in the United States. In Tennessee, Republican Governor Bill Lee has refused to grant clemency to Darrell Hines, who is scheduled to be executed Thursday despite his attorneys warning that he could suffer cruel and unusual punishment. His attorneys said the physician likely to oversee Hines’s execution is unqualified to insert the IV to administer lethal drugs, citing the May botched execution attempt of Tony Carruthers. Governor Lee called off Carruthers’s execution and granted him a one-year reprieve after the physician struggled for about an hour to insert the IV to administer lethal drugs. Witnesses described the scene as a “bloody mess,” according to the Tennessee Lookout. Hines has suffered two strokes that left him partially paralyzed on his left side, blind in his left eye and in severe pain. www.democracynow.org

Group Founded by Former ICE Agent Awarded $158M to Represent Unaccompanied Immigrant Children

The Trump administration has awarded a $158 million contract to a group founded by a former ICE agent to legally represent unaccompanied immigrant children in the U.S. The Minneapolis-based Our Rescue was founded in 2013 by Tim Ballard, who quit his job in federal immigration enforcement to combat the sex trafficking of children — inspiring the 2023 movie “Sound of Freedom.” The film drew widespread acclaim from conservatives, but others criticized it for featuring conspiracy theories perpetuated by the far-right group QAnon. Ballard abruptly left Our Rescue in July 2023. In the months after his departure, he was accused of sex trafficking, forced labor and abusing women himself. The contract between Our Rescue and the Office of Refugee Resettlement could reportedly increase up to $244 million. This comes after the federal government also awarded a $150 million contract to a small Texas law firm with ties to the Trump administration to represent unaccompanied immigrant children in court. Burke Law Group is based in Houston and primarily focuses on administrative law. www.democracynow.org

ICE Plans to Spend $20M to Purchase Electric Shock Gloves

ICE is planning to spend up to $20 million to purchase thousands of gloves that can release painful electric shocks. This week, the Department of Homeland Security announced ICE agents and officers could begin carrying the gloves by March. The devices are manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC based in Lexington, Kentucky, and have been used in recent years by police departments and jails. This comes after the ACLU revealed federal immigration agents deployed to Los Angeles last summer used racist slurs against Latino people they targeted and racially profiled in operations. The discoveries came as part of a federal case that compiled months of body-camera footage, depositions and text messages. www.democracynow.org

Federal Judge Blocks U.S. Postal Service from Enforcing Trump Order on Mail Ballots

A federal judge in Boston blocked the U.S. Postal Service from enforcing part of Trump’s executive order to tighten mail-in voting rules before November’s congressional elections. The order required states to submit lists of eligible voters who may receive mail ballots. If the states refused to do so, USPS would not deliver the ballots. Sophia Lin Lakin, a voting rights lawyer with the ACLU, said in a statement, “Today’s ruling sends another necessary message to an administration that continues to weaponize portions of the government to ​sow chaos into our elections.” www.democracynow.org

Lindsey Graham’s Sister Darline Advances to a Runoff in South Carolina Senate Race

In South Carolina, Darline Graham will advance to a runoff in the race to win the Republican Party’s nomination to replace her brother, Senator Lindsey Graham, who died in July. Graham spoke to supporters after polls closed. Sen. Darline Graham: “I want to thank President Trump. His steadfast support and his complete and total endorsement means so much to me.” www.democracynow.org

Minnesota Progressive Peggy Flanagan Wins Democratic Party Nomination for U.S. Senate Seat

In Minnesota, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan has won the Democratic Party’s Senate primary, securing about 60% of the vote in a match-up against her better-funded opponent, Congresswoman Angie Craig. Flanagan had the backing of progressives including Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, who supported her calls for Medicare for All, a higher federal minimum wage, universal childcare and more. She spoke to supporters after polls closed Tuesday evening. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan: “And we are going to stop Donald Trump’s billion-dollar-a-day illegal war in Iran and the crushing gas and fertilizer prices. We are going to fight the corruption, whether it’s in the White House or in the halls of Congress, because the grift has to stop.” Flanagan is a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. She could become the first Native American woman to serve in the Senate. Her primary opponent, Angie Craig, was endorsed by Democratic Party leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Craig’s campaign outspent Flanagan by a more than four-to-one margin and benefited from nearly $10 million in dark money spent on her behalf. Craig’s loss marks another defeat for AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which encouraged its members to support her campaign. Meanwhile, progressive Democrat Matt Little has won the race to fill the congressional seat Craig left to pursue her failed Senate candidacy. Little campaigned on a pledge to support Medicare for All, while seeking to ban corporate money from politics. He defeated two challengers whom he accused of receiving support from AIPAC. www.democracynow.org

Trump Hid in Catering Truck to Sneak Off Air Force One Amid Alleged Threat from Iran

An alleged Iranian threat to assassinate President Trump led to a secret operation last month that possibly endangered the lives of journalists and White House staffers. That’s according to The Washington Post, which reported Tuesday that Trump secretly swapped planes just before departing a NATO summit in Turkey, hiding in an airport catering truck normally used to load food and supplies onto planes. Trump then departed Turkey on a smaller military aircraft, even as the White House told the public he was aboard Air Force One alongside the reporters, White House staff and other crew members. The White House was responding to what it considered a credible Iranian threat to shoot down Air Force One. That followed the U.S. assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, members of his family and other top officials. Steven Cash, executive director of The Steady State and a former CIA intelligence officer, said, “It appears that the idea was we can reduce the danger to President Trump by offering up 100 or so people to be killed by the Iranians in his place.” www.democracynow.org

Massachusetts Expands Late-Term Abortion Access

Massachusetts has expanded late-term abortion access, loosening restrictions in cases of severe or lethal fetal abnormalities or if the pregnant person’s life is at risk. The law will allow providers to perform abortions after the previous cutoff of 24 weeks when it is necessary to save the pregnant person’s life. Most abortions still happen within the first trimester. During Monday’s bill signing, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat, said, “We believe that health care decisions should be made between women and families and their doctors, not politicians. … Mothers and fathers and families who experience these devastating diagnoses — and they are devastating, heartbreaking — now they’ll be able to make their own choices.” Massachusetts becomes the 10th state, along with Washington, D.C., to allow an abortion at any point in pregnancy. www.democracynow.org

Judge Orders Emergency Pause on NYC Mayor Mamdani’s Pied-à-Terre Tax

Here in New York, a Staten Island judge ordered an emergency pause on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s new pied-à-terre tax. The court ruled on a Friday lawsuit filed by three homeowners seeking to delay the rollout of the tax. The pied-à-terre tax targets homes valued at $5 million or higher, and co-ops and condos worth $1 million or more, when the owner doesn’t live there as their primary residence. A spokesperson for Mayor Mamdani said, “We disagree with today’s ruling, but we are confident in both the pied-à-terre surcharge and the City’s ability to implement it fairly and effectively. This surcharge asks those who own second homes valued at $5 million or more to contribute their fair share to the city they benefit from.” www.democracynow.org

U.S. Appeals Court Allows Thousands of Lawsuits Against Social Media Companies

A U.S. appeals court in San Francisco allowed thousands of lawsuits to proceed Monday against Meta, Google, TikTok and Snapchat for designing products that are addictive to young users. Attorneys representing thousands of school districts and individuals suing Meta and other companies said in a statement, “A trial is how the public finds out what Meta knew about its products’ impact on children, when it knew it, and what it chose to do with that knowledge. Meta has fought to keep that evidence from the public.” www.democracynow.org

State Department Revokes More Than 175,000 Visas from Foreign Nationals

Trump’s State Department has revoked more than 175,000 visas from foreign nationals as part of its sweeping immigration crackdown. This comes as congressional Democrats say they plan to investigate the Trump administration’s efforts to deport U.S. military service members and their families. The probe was announced in response to an Associated Press investigation that found the Trump administration has detained more than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty U.S. military personnel. The investigation by U.S. lawmakers, led by Senator Elizabeth Warren, also found that ICE has attempted to deport 282 veterans and their immediate family members. In April 2025, ICE rescinded its long-standing policy that protected immigrant veterans, and replaced it with a new measure that allows for the detention and deportation of noncitizen U.S. service members. In more related news, attorneys and local advocates are reporting Haitian immigrants in Ohio are being forced to report to ICE appointments and wear ankle monitors after the Trump administration officially ended temporary protected status, TPS, stripping deportation relief from hundreds of thousands of Haitians. A video circulating on social media and news outlets shows a Haitian man in Blue Ash, Ohio, collapsing to the ground in tears after leaving an ICE check-in and receiving an ankle monitor. He’s been identified by CNN as Monsanto Maler. Maler said he’s lived in the United States since 2023 and that he fled Haiti fearing for his life. www.democracynow.org

Trump-Linked Oil Company Preparing to Drill in Greenland

A U.S. oil company linked to President Trump called Greenland Energy is preparing to drill in Greenland without local approval. The firm recently landed drilling equipment on Greenland’s eastern coast as President Trump renews threats to seize the Arctic territory. Greenland’s government issued a “strong warning” that no permission was granted. The island’s Mineral Resources Authority must approve all future logistical operations before they proceed, officials said. www.democracynow.org

Trump Demands Compensation from Iran Threatening Ceasefire Negotiations

President Trump on Monday claimed that Iran has killed thousands of people through its wars in the region, and during protests inside the country, and demanded compensation. Trump’s new proposal countered Tehran’s existing demands for reparations and the removal of sanctions, which largely matched a preliminary peace agreement signed in June but has since collapsed. This is President Trump. President Donald Trump: “Well, we’re going to ask for money for that damage they’ve done over a 50-year period, whether you go SS Cole or whether you go all of the people that were so badly hurt, so badly wounded or killed, many thousands of people, and maybe damages for the 52,000 protesters over the last four months that were killed in Iran.” Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reported that he spent seven to eight hours with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and confirmed Khamenei was in good health. The two men met in late July around the start of Pezeshkian’s third year as president, according to state media. President Masoud Pezeshkian: “It was a good meeting with Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. We talked about all sorts of issues. We raised all the problems and set out our concerns. In terms of his health, he was completely well, because someone who can sit there and hold discussions with us for seven or eight hours cannot be in poor health.” This comes amid new reports that President Trump secretly left the presidential jet before Air Force One took off from Turkey at the end of last month’s NATO summit because of a credible Iranian threat to fire a missile at his aircraft. www.democracynow.org

Trump Issues Executive Order Reducing Childhood Vaccinations

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Monday reducing the number of childhood vaccinations from 18 to just 11. The directive also proposes separating the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine into three individual shots administered at different times. Back in January, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reduced the U.S. immunization schedule by eliminating vaccines for six of the 17 covered diseases, but a federal court blocked the change. The new executive order reinstates Kennedy’s overhaul despite the legal case still pending. Republican Senator ​Bill Cassidy of Louisiana criticized the order, saying, “I’m a doctor. This executive order is wrong. The president does not have the expertise to make these changes.” The American Academy of Pediatrics said, “There is no new evidence to justify significant changes to childhood immunization guidance. Dozens of studies involving millions of people show there is no link between vaccines and autism, and yet federal leaders continue to promote this outdated, disproven idea to scare families.” This is President Trump on Monday. President Donald Trump: “Well, they have a vaccination that looks like the size of a bottle of soda poured into a little child’s body. And bad things happen in many cases — in too many cases, because this is an explosion. This is an epidemic. www.democracynow.org

NOAA: July Was the Hottest Month Ever Documented in the U.S.

New data reveals July was the hottest month ever documented in the United States since records began in 1895, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. So far this summer, intense heat domes swept across the East Coast, the Plains and the Southwest, triggering massive wildfires in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Lake Mead has plummeted to historic low water levels as the Colorado River struggles to sustain the West, while in Puerto Rico, hundreds of thousands of people are going without running water for 48 hours at a time as authorities impose rotating water shutoffs to combat severe drought. In France, nearly 70% of the country is under water-use restrictions as successive heat waves intensify the crisis, with two-thirds of groundwater reserves falling below normal levels. Another heat wave is expected this week. Meanwhile, in England, three-quarters of the nation has entered drought status, placing 27 million people under water-use restrictions as a fifth heat wave looms. www.democracynow.org

Bryan Stevenson on the “Enduring Evil of Slavery” and Trump’s Attempt to Rewrite History

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/11/bryan_stevenson

Nagasaki Mayor Warns Against Nuclear Weapons as Japan Marks 81 Years Since Atomic Bombing

In Japan, bells rang in Nagasaki Sunday as the city commemorated 81 years since the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb. The attack on August 9, 1945, killed 74,000 people — just three days after the U.S. dropped the first nuclear weapon ever used in war on the city of Hiroshima, killing 140,000 people. This is the mayor of Nagasaki. Mayor Shiro Suzuki: “The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki forced us to confront the reality that humanity had crossed even the line of using nuclear weapons against human beings. … The theory of nuclear deterrence is extremely risky. Nuclear weapons are not a necessary evil, but an absolute evil, and humanity and nuclear weapons can never coexist.” The anniversary came as the government of Japan’s ultraconservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has shifted defense policies to bolster militarization. Takaichi has been widely ambiguous about her long-term commitment to maintain Japan’s Three Non-Nuclear Principles, endorsed over 50 years ago. www.democracynow.org

Wildfires Force 20,000 People in British Columbia to Evacuate

Wildfires continue to burn across the western U.S. and Canada as firefighting crews struggle to contain the devastating blazes. Some 20,000 people in British Columbia were ordered to evacuate on Saturday as the massive Bald Range wildfire nearly doubled in size overnight near the regions of Summerland and Peachland. British Columbia’s premier said the fire was “like a bomb going off.” There are more than 100 active fires in the region, setting off a state of emergency. Scientists warn worsening heat waves and drought due to climate change has led to more frequent and intense fires worldwide. www.democracynow.org

Rallies Held to Mark One Month Since ICE Killing of Mexican Father Lorenzo Salgado Araujo

In Texas, rallies continued this weekend to mark one month since the July 7 ICE killing of 52-year-old Mexican father Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston. The agents involved have not been identified as his family and supporters demand justice. www.democracynow.org

Private Prison Companies CoreCivic and GEO Group Report $1.4B in Revenue

The nation’s two largest private prison companies, CoreCivic and GEO Group, reported a combined $1.4 billion in quarterly revenue between April and June, as immigrant detention skyrockets under Trump’s second term. A record 51,000 immigrants were arrested in July alone. www.democracynow.org

AP: Trump Admin Detains Parents and Spouses of Active-Duty U.S. Military Personnel in Immigration Crackdown

The Trump administration has detained dozens of parents and spouses of active-duty U.S. military personnel in its immigration crackdown. That’s according to an investigation by the Associated Press which found more than 50 parents and spouses of U.S. service members have been arrested since Trump returned to office. At least six have been deported. www.democracynow.org

Federal Judges Terminate TPS for Immigrants from South Sudan and Burma

Temporary protected status, TPS, for thousands of immigrants from South Sudan and Burma is set to end after two federal judges sided with the Trump administration’s efforts to terminate the relief. The move will impact over 200 South Sudanese nationals and an estimated 4,000 immigrants from Burma who will now face deportation. This comes after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling ended TPS for immigrants from Haiti and Syria. www.democracynow.org

Right-Wing President Abelardo de la Espriella Sworn In as Colombia’s President

In Colombia, right-wing President Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in Friday. King Felipe VI of Spain, U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and right-wing Latin American presidents including Argentina’s Javier Milei, Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa and Chile’s José Antonio Kast were in attendance. This is Abelardo de la Espriella speaking from the city of Cali, where he vowed to crack down on armed groups and abandon peace efforts. President Abelardo de la Espriella: “There will not be a single place in our territory where criminals can feel safe. I make my own words of Winston Churchill: Victory at all costs, victory in spite of terror, victory however long and hard the road may be, because without victory there is no survival.” www.democracynow.org

Federal Court Rules Trump Cannot Build Ballroom Without Congressional Approval

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that Trump cannot build a ballroom to replace the White House East Wing without Congress approving it first. The court confirmed the lower court’s ruling that the president has no legal authority to tear down and rebuild White House sections without Congress’s approval. President Trump vowed to appeal the ruling, writing on Truth Social, “It is all tied together as one big, expensive, and very complex unit, which is vital for National Security and Military Operations of the United States of America! This unjust decision must be overturned by the Supreme Court in its entirety.” www.democracynow.org

Trump’s Former Personal Lawyer Todd Blanche Confirmed as Attorney General

Here in the U.S., President Trump’s former personal lawyer Todd Blanche was confirmed as attorney general Saturday morning by a narrow 50-49 vote in the Senate. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana cast the deciding vote to confirm Blanche. Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski voted against Blanche’s nomination. Some Republican senators had questioned Blanche’s mismanagement of the release of the Epstein files and his role in creating President Trump’s $1.8 billion so-called anti-weaponization fund. Blanche eventually walked back the fund after two Republican senators threatened to withhold their votes. www.democracynow.org

Iran Close to Final Pact with Oman to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

Iran says it’s close to a final pact with Oman to define new shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz. But Tehran insists the U.S. must act first by paying compensation, lifting sanctions and halting military threats. According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the U.S. and Iran are not engaged in direct talks and will not restart them as long as Washington continues to breach the interim deal. This is Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian. President Masoud Pezeshkian: “Instead of sitting down to resolve them then, we need to see how to resolve them now. If a solution is possible, which is currently being worked on in the Oman negotiations, God willing, we will reach a point where we can get out of this state of neither war nor peace.” www.democracynow.org

NYT: Global Sumud Flotilla Activists Detail Beatings, Electric Shocks and Other Abuse in Israeli Detention

A New York Times investigation into how the participants of the Global Sumud Flotilla were treated in Israeli detention details beatings, electric shocks and other abuse. Six activists produced medical records documenting serious harm: fractured ribs, broken vertebrae, a shattered tailbone, a gunshot wound and a collapsed lung. Four said Israeli forces shot them with rubber bullets or beanbag rounds while they were detained on a ship. Three reported being shocked with Tasers while beaten inside shipping containers. Back in May, Israel apprehended more than 400 activists on the Global Sumud Flotilla at gunpoint on the Mediterranean as they attempted to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza. www.democracynow.org

Actor Wagner Moura on Brazil’s Dictatorship, Bolsonaro & “A Trial — after An Enemy of the People”

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/10/wagner_moura

Edinburgh International Festival Director & Famed Violinist Nicola Benedetti on the Power of Art

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/10/edinburgh_festival

“Consistent Torture”: Keith LaMar Speaks from Ohio Death Row After Getting 3-Year Execution Reprieve

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/10/ohio_death_penalty

Scholar Who Accused Israel of Genocide Wins $250K Settlement from Univ. of Minnesota

In a victory for academic freedom, the University of Minnesota has paid a $250,000 settlement to the Israeli American historian Raz Segal after rescinding an offer to lead the university’s Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. Two years ago, the school had hired Segal to lead the center but rescinded the offer under pressure from donors who objected to Segal’s accusation that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. In a statement, Segal said, “This settlement represents a successful refusal to accept the world of lies that blur an ongoing genocide, and a commitment to continue the intertwined struggles for truth, justice, and accountability — in Palestine and on our campuses.” www.democracynow.org

FCC Votes to Lift Limits on TV Station Ownership

The Federal Communications Commission has voted to repeal the national cap on television station ownership in a move that could lead to greater media consolidation. The media group Free Press has announced plans to challenge the FCC’s move. Jessica González is co-chair of Free Press. Jessica González: “The FCC does not have authority to do this, because that statute was set by Congress, and only Congress can change a law. So, Free Press and allies plan to sue the FCC to halt this blatant attempt to hand over more media into the hands of Trump’s oligarch cronies, and we believe that we will win.” www.democracynow.org

Trump Administration Moves to Dismantle Anti-Poverty Head Start Program

The Trump administration has announced plans to overhaul Head Start, the nation’s early education and nutrition program for children living in poverty. The proposed measure would rescind hundreds of federal regulations overseeing Head Start, including mandates to provide assistance for parents of children with disabilities. Advocates warn the move will completely gut the program, which was first enacted over 60 years ago under the Health and Human Services Department — now run by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Annually, Head Start serves more than 700,000 children from birth to age 5. www.democracynow.org

Senate Homeland Security Committee Votes to Hold Fauci in Contempt of Congress

The Senate Homeland Security Committee led by Rand Paul has voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress. During a recent hearing, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times when questioned about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the origins of the coronavirus. Senator Paul has said he may send the contempt resolution directly to the Justice Department. Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire criticized the move to hold Fauci in contempt. Sen. Maggie Hassan: “The goal was to wait for Dr. Fauci to make any kind of misstatement, and then have a weaponized Department of Justice file criminal charges for that new statement that would not have been covered by the pardon, leaving Dr. Fauci little choice but to invoke his constitutional right to not walk directly into a trap.” www.democracynow.org

New Mexico Judge Orders Meta to Pay Additional $567M in Child Safety Lawsuit

A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to pay $567 million into a fund aimed at addressing the social media giant’s role in a worsening mental health crisis among teens and children. This comes in addition to the $375 million that a New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay in the same case. In March, the jury found the company had knowingly harmed children and concealed child sexual exploitation on its platforms. Click here to see our coverage of the case. www.democracynow.org

Justin Pearson Wins Tenn. House Primary After Campaigning Against Data Centers

In Tennessee, two-term Republican Representative Andy Ogles has lost his House primary in a major upset. Former state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher won the race with 53% of the vote. Ogles lost despite being backed by Trump. Meanwhile, in Memphis, state Representative Justin Pearson easily won the Democratic House primary after running a campaign focused in part on opposing the construction of large artificial intelligence data centers. www.democracynow.org

Gaza Board of Peace Issues Construction Contract for Military Outpost in Gaza

President Trump’s so-called Gaza Board of Peace has issued its first construction contract: for a military outpost in Gaza to house 150 Moroccan troops. Meanwhile, UNICEF reports at least 300 Palestinian children have been killed in Gaza since Israel agreed to a so-called ceasefire that began in October. UNICEF’s regional director in the Middle East said, “A ceasefire that leaves an average of one child dead each and every day is failing children.” Earlier this week, a sixth grader in Gaza named Khaled Al-Ashram was reportedly struck by direct fire from Israeli troops while he was sitting at his school desk. A bullet pierced his hand and wrist. www.democracynow.org

Israeli Killing of Lebanese Journalist Amal Khalil Was a War Crime: Human Rights Groups

Three human rights groups say Israel committed a war crime by intentionally targeting and killing Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil in April. Her colleague and photojournalist Zeinab Faraj was also critically injured in the same strike. On Thursday, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Lebanese rights group The Legal Agenda released separate investigations into the attack. The reports found Israel had knowledge that the journalists were civilians and that Israeli forces deliberately obstructed Lebanese medical teams from reaching them for hours — at one point firing stun grenades on Lebanese Red Cross workers. Click here to see our coverage of this case. www.democracynow.org

Two Top Mossad Officials Fired over Israel’s Failed Plot to Topple Iranian Gov’t

In Israel, the head of the Mossad has fired two top officials at the spy agency over a failed plan to topple Iran’s government. One of the fired officials headed Mossad’s intelligence directorate, the other was the head of the agency’s Iran division. www.democracynow.org

Trump Denies Munition Shortages While Threatening Jail Time over Leaks

The Washington Post is reporting President Trump clashed with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week during a meeting at Camp David. The Post reports Trump wanted to know why he had apparently been misled about how the war in Iran led to the Pentagon facing extreme munitions shortages, particularly in long-range guided missiles and air-defense interceptors. On Monday, Trump publicly denied the U.S. was facing a munitions shortage, but at the same time he called for “long term jail sentences” for those suspected of leaking information about U.S. weapon supplies. www.democracynow.org

Sen. Murkowski to Vote Against Blanche as AG

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski has announced she will vote against Todd Blanche to be attorney general. His confirmation now hinges on the vote of Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, whom Trump helped defeat in a primary. Earlier this week, Republican Senator Susan Collins said she would vote against Blanche. In a statement, Murkowski said, “I take issue with the handling of the release of the Epstein files; the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, and their businesses; the statements that have been made to anti-abortion groups; and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. Senators.” Blanche is Trump’s former personal attorney. Even if the Senate does not confirm Blanche, he could stay in his current role as acting attorney general. We will have more on Blanche after headlines. www.democracynow.org

Trump Signs New Executive Orders Restricting Birthright Citizenship

President Trump has signed two new executive orders aiming to restrict birthright citizenship. The move comes months after the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s earlier effort to abolish birthright citizenship — a right that’s enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. White House adviser Stephen Miller spoke at the signing ceremony. Stephen Miller: “The president is using his authority as commander-in-chief to sign, first, an executive order, using the new ruling the Supreme Court issued, to expand the definitions of people who are ineligible for birthright citizenship. That includes, for example, alien enemies of the United States, members of foreign terrorist organizations and large categories of people who lobby and act on behalf of foreign governments.” A second executive order targets so-called birth tourism. The American Civil Liberties Union blasted Trump’s move, saying, “Birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the Constitution. No additional executive order can change the meaning of the Constitution.” www.democracynow.org

“The Potluck”: Musical Explores Trauma of 1979 Greensboro KKK Massacre of 5 Antiracist Activists

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/7/greensboro_massacre_musical

“Focus Is on Affordability”: Cindy Holscher, Kansas Dem Nominee for Gov, on Data Center Fight & More

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/7/cindy_holscher

“Zombie Law from the Victorian Era”: DOJ Could Use 1873 Comstock Act to Ban Abortion Pills by Mail

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/7/blanche_abortion_restrictions

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed on Historic Michigan Win: “People Are Sick and Tired of This Politics of Hatred”

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/7/abdul_el_sayed

Forecasts Suggest El Niño Could Drive Roughly 50 Million People into Acute Hunger by 2027

New forecasting suggests that the rapidly developing El Niño weather system could drive roughly 50 million people into acute hunger by the end of 2027. Meteorologists say this year’s El Niño is developing into the strongest in at least 70 years. El Niño is the recurring Pacific weather pattern which alters rainfall across the globe. www.democracynow.org

Austria Breaks National Heat Record for Second Time in Two Days

A historic heat wave continues to roil Europe. Austria has broken its national heat record for the second time in two days. One town near the Slovak border reached about 106 degrees Fahrenheit, topping the record Vienna set just a day earlier, according to the national weather service. In neighboring Hungary, businesses and households are curbing electricity use amid a severe drought. Falling water levels on the Danube have forced Hungary to largely shut down its only nuclear plant, which depends on the river for cooling. www.democracynow.org

Israeli Military Conducts Targeted Strikes in Southern Lebanon

In Lebanon, the Israeli military says it has conducted targeted strikes in the south of the country against Hezbollah, issuing a new evacuation order. It comes a day after the latest round of U.S.-facilitated talks between Israel and Lebanon took place in Rome. The Lebanese Health Ministry said ​the Israeli strike on the southern town ​of Tibnin killed one person and wounded 12 ⁠others. This is the U.N. deputy spokesperson, Farhan Haq. Farhan Haq: “This new order comes as displaced families have been cautiously making their way back to their homes in southern Lebanon in recent weeks, underscoring how fragile the situation remains and the uncertainty that people continue to face.” www.democracynow.org

Israeli Prosecutors Indict Settler Yinon Levi over the Killing of Palestinian Activist Awdah Hathaleen

In Israel, prosecutors indicted settler Yinon Levi Thursday over the killing of Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen in the occupied West Bank last year. Levi is charged with reckless manslaughter, armed trespassing and malicious property damage. According to the Israeli rights group B’Tselem, it’s the first time an Israeli has been indicted in the killing of a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank since October 7, 2023. Hathaleen was a prominent activist against settler violence and was involved in the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land,” about Palestinians resisting the demolition of their villages. Click here to see our interview with Al-Haq, the Palestinian human rights group based in Ramallah that did a dissection, a kind of Forensic Architecture analysis of the killing. www.democracynow.org

NYT: CIA Secretly Established New Cuba Task Force

The New York Times is reporting the CIA has secretly established a new Cuba task force in the latest move by the Trump administration to target Cuba. According to the Times, the CIA is adding case officers who recruit and manage spies, as well as officers who conduct cyber operations and specialize in covert influence operations. This comes as U.S. spy agencies are increasingly focused on Cuba. The U.S. has made many attempts to overthrow the Cuban government over the past 65 years. In 1960, the CIA formed a Cuba task force that oversaw the failed Bay of Pigs invasion on April 17, 1961. www.democracynow.org

Federal Lawsuit Accuses Trump Admin of Targeting Children for Deportation

A federal lawsuit accuses the Trump administration of deliberately targeting children who arrived in the U.S. without a parent or guardian. The suit says officials are pushing to rapidly deport the children back to the countries they fled. It also alleges sweeping policy changes in immigration courts have accelerated the effort. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Jewish Family and Community Services of Pittsburgh (JFCS) and six of its immigrant clients. The lawsuit reads, “This case is about the most vulnerable in our immigration system: abused, abandoned, neglected, and trafficked children. One would assume it would be a priority of our immigration system to protect, at least, these children. However, protecting vulnerable and trafficked children conflicts with an agenda of 'deport at all costs.'” www.democracynow.org

New Mexico Sues the DOJ for “Stonewalling” State Probe into Epstein

The state of New Mexico has sued the Department of Justice and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for “stonewalling” the state’s investigation into sex crimes committed at Jeffrey Epstein’s former estate 30 miles south of Santa Fe known as Zorro Ranch. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has been demanding that the DOJ share information about what happened at the 10,000-acre ranch, where several Epstein survivors say they were trafficked and sexually abused. The ranch is mentioned thousands of times in the Epstein files. One email in the files alleges that Epstein ordered the bodies of two girls to be buried in the hills on the property. In other Epstein news, Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee have released a report alleging that more than a dozen bankers at JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Deutsche Bank failed to report hundreds of millions of dollars in suspicious transactions tied to Jeffrey Epstein. Democrats say the failures helped enable Epstein to finance his sex trafficking operation. www.democracynow.org

Senate Votes to Confirm Dr. Erica Schwartz to Lead the CDC

The Senate has voted 51 to 44 to confirm Dr. Erica Schwartz to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency has been without a permanent director for more than a year after President Trump fired Susan Monarez after she clashed with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine policy. Dr. Erica Schwartz takes the helm at the CDC as the nation faces its largest measles outbreak in 35 years, as well as a growing outbreak of cyclosporiasis. During her confirmation hearing, Schwartz repeatedly affirmed the safety and efficacy of childhood vaccines, but many Democrats questioned whether she would stand up to Kennedy’s anti-vaccine agenda. www.deemocracynow.org

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche Pledges to “Make Dobbs Permanent” Nationwide

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche privately assured anti-abortion activists that the Trump administration is working to “make Dobbs permanent” nationwide. He made the pledge on a call hosted by the White House Faith Office with the religious group Intercessors for America, which posted a recording of the call online. Blanche acknowledged the Trump administration’s push to restrict abortion is moving slower than supporters want, but promised it was committed to enforcing the Dobbs decision across the country. On the call, Blanche also pledged to crack down on abortion pills. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche: “We’re working, you know, hand in hand with — with HHS and the FDA and — and the White House and President Trump’s team to get permanent solutions, so that — so that the Dobbs decision becomes permanent in every single state.” In response, Democratic Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota said, “Todd Blanche made clear in these secret calls with anti-choice activists that he wants to resurrect the Comstock Act — an antiquated anti-vice law from before women had the right to vote — to ban sending medication abortion in the mail. Republicans will likely do what they always do and confirm Blanche as Attorney General despite all of this, and once again, women across America will pay the price.” www.democracynow.org

Trump Blasts Democratic Nominee for Senate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed

In a major blow to the Democratic establishment, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed has won the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan despite being vastly outspent by his opponent, Congresswoman Haley Stevens. Abdul El-Sayed campaigned on a platform calling for Medicare for All, ending military aid to Israel and getting money out of politics. Abdul El-Sayed spoke in Detroit Wednesday morning after the Associated Press and CNN called the race. He challenged his Republican opponent Mike Rogers to a series of five debates. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed: “Mike Rogers is a guy who has never shied away from a corporation he could do a favor for. Mike Rogers is a guy who, believe it or not, went back to Florida so he could lick every single boot Donald Trump owns to beg for his endorsement. I’m so sorry. If you want a senator who’s going to lick some boots, fine, go vote for Mike Rogers. But if you want a senator who’s going to stand up to Donald Trump, then you’ve got your option right here.” During a speech on Wednesday, President Trump attacked Abdul El-Sayed, saying, “When I watch Abdul He’s full of s—” — using the four letter word. In other Michigan news, Democratic Socialist state Representative Donavan McKinney has defeated two-term Congressman Shri Thanedar in their House primary. www.democracynow.org

Amid Growing Fears of Rogue AI, Expert Urges Governments to “Bring This to a Grinding Halt”

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/6/ai

“Fire Climate”: Hot, Dry, Windy Days Are Becoming Common, Making Wildfires Harder to Control

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/6/spokane_fires

Jordan to Convene Emergency Meeting on “Imminent” Israeli Takeover of Al-Aqsa Compound in Jerusalem

Jordan is convening an emergency meeting today of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers over what it calls an “imminent” threat of an Israeli takeover of the Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem. The warning follows escalating incursions by Jewish religious activists, including a July 23 incident in which over 2,000 Israelis led by far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir prayed at the site in violation of the status quo reserving worship there for Muslims. Speaking to The Guardian, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said, “We warn that tampering with the status quo … could trigger a religious conflict that will reverberate beyond Palestine and Jordan into the whole Muslim world.” www.democracynow.org

Federal Judge Grants DOJ Request to Dismiss Cases Against Oath Keepers Who Participated in the Jan. 6 Insurrection

A federal judge Tuesday granted the Justice Department’s request to dismiss cases against Oath Keepers members who participated in the January 6 insurrection. The ruling by Judge Amit Mehta vacates the seditious conspiracy convictions of founder Stewart Rhodes and other members who were found guilty of plotting to block the transfer of power after Trump’s 2020 election loss. In his ruling, Mehta strongly disagreed with the DOJ’s decision to drop the cases, but ultimately concluded that the government’s prosecutors had the authority to do so, writing, “Today’s epilogue diminishes the gravity ​of that day, denigrates the work of the prosecutors and law enforcement officers who secured these convictions, and excuses criminal acts ⁠that caused a centuries-long pillar of our democracy — the peaceful transfer of presidential power — to buckle. The court cannot write a different ending.” www.democracynow.org

Justice Department Subpoenaed Freelance Reporter Matthew Cole

The Justice Department subpoenaed Matthew Cole, a freelance reporter for The New York Times, demanding his testimony and more than two years of notes to identify his sources for a story last year about a botched 2019 SEAL Team 6 mission in North Korea. The article, which cited roughly two dozen unnamed sources, described how U.S. Navy SEALs killed several unarmed North Koreans while trying to plant a listening device near the country’s coast. The Trump administration failed to notify Congress about the operation. FBI agents showed up at Cole’s home to deliver the grand jury subpoena earlier this year, which was issued by prosecutors in Virginia. Cole’s lawyer David O’Neil said Cole “will not be intimidated from continuing that important work. He will defend press freedom and the First Amendment from this administration’s brazen attacks on journalists, and he will honor his commitment to his sources.” www.democracynow.org

Italy to Place All 27 of Its Major Cities Under the Country’s Highest Heat Alert

Italy will place all 27 of its major cities under the country’s highest heat alert Thursday, as the country suffers its fourth heat wave this summer. In France, the weather office announced July shattered national records as the hottest month since 1900, when temperature data was first collected. In Poland, a deepening drought has pushed major rivers to record lows while another heat wave is driving temperatures toward 40 degrees Celsius (about 104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the south. A hydrologist at Poland’s Institute of Meteorology and Water Management warns the country likely faces its worst drought in years. Pawel Staniszewski: “There is going to be a huge problem because the low level of the rivers is coming, is step of the next problems with agriculture, with factories, with infrastructure. … We’re not ready. The climate is changing very fast. Now in Poland the climate is like 30 years ago in Budapest, like in Hungary, so we should be to ready and prepare ourselves.” www.democracynow.org

Third immigrant Dies in Detention at Notorious ICE Jail Delaney Hall

In New Jersey, a third immigrant has died after being detained at the Newark ICE jail known as Delaney Hall. That’s according to Democratic Congressmember Rob Menendez, who said the reported death took place in July and was not disclosed by ICE. He shared this video on social media. Rep. Rob Menendez: “An individual that had just been brought there suffered what they believe was a seizure. But you didn’t hear about this because they released him to University Hospital, so he was no longer in ICE custody. Why did they do that? Recently, ICE changed their rules, so they no longer report on deaths that happen 30 days after someone is released from ICE custody.” This came as news broke of the death of Salvadoran father Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, who had been detained at Delaney Hall since June. His family is demanding an independent investigation into his death, saying he was denied his medication and proper medical care at the ICE jail. His family said he was 39 years old. Jean Wilson Brutus, a 41-year-old Haitian immigrant, died at Delaney Hall in December. At least 23 people have died in ICE custody this year alone. Delaney Hall is operated by the for-profit prison company GEO Group. We will have more on this story later in the broadcast with New Jersey Congressmember Analilia Mejia. www.democracynow.org

GOP Congressmember Edwards Drops Reelection Bid After Sexual Harassment Allegations

Republican Congressmember Chuck Edwards of North Carolina announced he’s dropping his reelection bid after the House Ethics Committee recommended censure over sexual harassment allegations. The panel said Edwards “engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers.” This comes as GOP Congressmember Max Miller of Ohio is under a House ethics investigation over domestic abuse allegations. Miller says he will not drop his reelection bid. Miller is Republican Senator Bernie Moreno’s ex-son-in-law. www.democracynow.org

National Guard to Continue Washington, D.C., Deployment Through 2029, Costing $1.4 Billion

The National Guard is continuing its deployment in Washington, D.C., through January 2029 at a cost of $1.4 billion, according to the Pentagon. The cost estimate was provided to Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and lists a deployment of about 2,500 National Guard personnel. There are currently 4,600 service members stationed in Washington, D.C. www.democracynow.org

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/5/ice_jails_martin_soto

The U.S. military has reportedly used up nearly 80% of its key missile interceptors during the war with Iran, as commanders warn stockpiles are “dangerously low.” This comes as U.S. and Qatari officials say progress is being made to restore a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, in Iran, mourners gathered on Qeshm Island Tuesday for the funeral of a family killed in U.S. strikes. The coffins of the victims, identified by Iranian media as Qaisar Jafari, his wife Zahra and their 2-year-old son Sina, were carried through the streets before funeral prayers. Iran’s Ministry of Health reported at least 3,468 people have been killed in U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran as of June 10. After the ceasefire ended and fighting resumed in July, Iran’s Health Ministry said at least 50 people had been killed by U.S. strikes specifically between late June and July 18, including five women and two children. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the U.S. and Iran are negotiating. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent: “We may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the strait and move towards a more normalized position in this conflict.” www.democracynow.org

“This Is an ICE Murder, Too”: Gabriela Soto Says She Miscarried While Husband Was Detained in Solitary

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/5/ice_jails_martin_soto

Insurgent Candidate Victories Highlight Growing Movement Against Corporate & Elite Power: John Nichols

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/5/john_nichols_aug4_primaries

Home Care Workers Continue Hunger Strike to Pressure New York City Council to Pass Ban on 24-Hour Shifts

Here in New York, a dozen current and former home care workers have begun an eighth day on a hunger strike to pressure the City Council to pass the No More 24 Act to ban 24-hour shifts. Home care workers often work consecutive days providing round-the-clock care for elderly and disabled patients. Over the past week, the home care workers have protested outside New York City Hall and the home of New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin. One of the home care workers on hunger strike, Xue Zhen Chen, spoke at a rally on Sunday. Xue Zhen Chen: “Today we say the 24-hour workday is not only an act of violence against home care workers, but also demeans everyone who provides care, including mothers and sisters everywhere.” www.democracynow.org

Federal Workers Sue the Trump Admin over Policy Ending Gender-Affirming Care Coverage

Federal workers sued the Trump administration Monday over its policy ending gender-affirming care coverage for adults in federal employee health plans. The lawsuit, brought by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, targets an Office of Personnel Management mandate that directs insurers to eliminate coverage for transition-related medical care. www.democracynow.org

Family of Haitian Asylum Seeker Who Died of Hypothermia Expected to Sue ICE

In Pittsburgh, the family of Daphy Michel, a 31-year-old Haitian asylum seeker, is expected to sue ICE after she died of hypothermia at a bus shelter days after her release from ICE custody. The Allegheny County medical examiner said her death was a homicide. The medical examiner found she was a vulnerable adult with untreated severe mental illness and a significant language barrier. Her family’s attorney says ICE fitted her with an ankle monitor, dropped her 25 miles from home and left her in the February cold wearing summer clothing. www.democracynow.org

Federal Judge Blocks New York Law Barring Federal Immigration Agents from Wearing Masks

A federal judge Monday blocked New York’s law barring federal immigration agents from wearing masks and requiring visible identification. The judge found the U.S. is likely to win its Supremacy Clause argument that states can’t regulate federal officers, but the judge allowed New York’s separate ban on cooperation agreements between local police and ICE. www.democracynow.org

Guardian: At Least 10 Hunger-Striking ICE Detainees Subject to Involuntary Medical Procedures

According to court records revealed by The Guardian, the Trump administration tried to subject at least 10 hunger-striking ICE detainees to involuntary medical procedures, including force-feeding. At least three — and possibly five — detainees were actually force-fed, while five others abandoned their hunger strikes at the last moment rather than be inserted with a tube through the nose and down the esophagus and into the stomach. One Kurdish asylum seeker and hunger striker detained at the privately run Port Isabel Service Processing Center in South Texas was subjected to force-feeding for nearly eight months. www.democracynow.org

ICE Detainee 41-Year-Old Edwin Lopez-Cornejo Dies at Delaney Hall

In New Jersey, a Salvadoran immigrant has died while being held at the notorious ICE facility known as Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey. Forty-one-year-old Edwin Lopez-Cornejo is the 22nd person to die in ICE custody this year and the second to die at Delaney Hall. The cause of his death is unknown. Lopez-Cornejo leaves behind a 12-year-old daughter. Lopez-Cornejo’s mother, Maria Cornejo, told the New Jersey Monitor, “I never got to see him. He didn’t get to see his daughter for six weeks. When we told her what happened, she let out a big scream and hasn’t been the same since. She can’t sleep or eat. Neither can I.” www.democracynow.org

25 Democratic-Led States File Lawsuit Against Trump Admin over Tariffs

Twenty-five Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration Monday, arguing the president exceeded his legal authority to tax imports with his newest tariffs on goods from 60 countries. The states are asking the U.S. Court of International Trade to block and overturn the tariffs and refund duties they have paid. www.democracynow.org

Religious Leaders and Activists Arrested While Protesting Trump’s Attacks on Voting Rights

On Capitol Hill, a number of religious leaders and activists were arrested Monday while protesting the war on Iran and the Trump administration’s attack on voting rights. The day of action was led by Bishop William J. Barber II of Repairers of the Breach. Bishop William Barber II: “And it’s kind of shameful that you get arrested for shouting out for voting rights, but you don’t get arrested for voter suppression. You get arrested caring about voting rights and living wages and healthcare, but you don’t get arrested for an illegal war. But we’re going to arrest the attention of the nation.” www.democracynow.org

Michigan Reports First Two Deaths Tied to Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

The state of Michigan has reported the first two deaths tied to the nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak. More than 11,000 cases of the illness have been detected in the state, and 193 people have been hospitalized since May. According to the CDC, cases have been found in 45 U.S. states. The outbreak comes a year after the Trump administration ended the Food and Drug Administration’s mandatory tracking for Cyclospora and five other pathogens. This is Dr. Rabia de Latour, a gastroenterologist at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Dr. Rabia de Latour: “In 2025, there was a change in the actual regulation of cyclosporiasis in tracking and tracing this specific parasite, and it was changed from being a mandatory tracking and tracing program to voluntary for states. And I think that is also contributing to the fact that this outbreak was so massive.” www.democracynow.org

Europe Battles Record-Breaking Heat Wave and Wildfires

Europe is grappling with a record-breaking heat wave, as Greece and France continue to battle wildfires. Wildfires outside of Athens jumped containment lines. This comes a day after two firefighting helicopters collided in midair, killing two crew members. In France, firefighters in the region around Bordeaux guarded against potential flare-ups. And England and Wales suffered the driest July in nearly 200 years due to a prolonged heat wave and lack of rainfall, according to the U.K.’s weather service. www.democracynow.org

Trump Blasts Pirro After She Dismissed Charges Against Individuals Accused of Vandalizing Reflecting Pool

President Trump has publicly blasted U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and is considering firing her after she dismissed charges against individuals accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. President Donald Trump: “And I was disappointed with Jeanine Pirro, really disappointed with Jeanine Pirro. She — she folded like an umbrella. And people get away with things, and it’s a disgrace.” Trump met with Pirro at the White House on Monday. For months, Trump has claimed, without proof, that vandals, including a former U.S. Olympian canoeist, had damaged the newly renovated Reflecting Pool, causing the water to turn green. Pirro initially claimed there was “tremendous evidence” of vandalism, but in recent days she admitted the damage was caused by a “hasty and botched” renovation. www.democracynow.org

Blanche on Track to Be Confirmed as Next Attorney General

Todd Blanche’s nomination to become the next attorney general appears to be back on track after Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina said they will now support him. On Sunday, Blanche issued a written order that purports to rescind a $1.8 billion so-called anti-weaponization fund that was part of a controversial settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS. Blanche also said in writing that the immunity agreement Trump struck with the IRS “applies only retroactively.” But critics say there are major loopholes in Blanche’s written assurances. The Senate Judiciary Committee is voting on Blanche’s nomination today. Blanche is Trump’s former personal attorney. www.democracynow.org

Mass Funeral Held for 112 Palestinians in Gaza

In Gaza, a mass funeral is being held today for 112 Palestinians from two families that were killed in an Israeli attack on residential buildings in Gaza City in November 2023. A total of 308 people are believed to have been killed in the attack, but the bodies of the victims remained buried under the rubble for over two years. During an operation in mid-July, Palestinian Civil Defense workers recovered 112 bodies, including 44 children and 37 women. Those bodies are being buried today. Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Emergency Service, spoke at the funeral while holding remains wrapped in a Palestinian flag. Mahmoud Basal: “O nation, why are children getting killed in Gaza? Why are women getting killed in Gaza? Why are massacres committed against innocents in Gaza?” www.democracynow.org

Oil Companies Report Soaring Profits Amid U.S. War on Iran

Oil giants continue to report making soaring profits thanks to rising gas prices due to the war on Iran. BP reported making nearly $6 billion between April and June — that’s double last year’s profit during the second quarter. Saudi Aramco has reported it made $33 billion during the quarter — a 33% jump over last year. On Tuesday, President Trump criticized oil firms for making too much money and called on them to lower prices. www.democracynow.org

Iran and Oman Close In on Deal to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

Iran and Oman appear to be near finalizing a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and give Iran far more control of the strategic waterway than before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran five months ago. Under the proposed deal, ships heading into the Persian Gulf would transit through a channel controlled by Iran. Ships leaving the area would travel on a channel controlled by Oman. Iranian officials say ships would be forced to pay a “service fee” that would be divided equally between Iran and Oman. Meanwhile, Iran and the United States have traded new threats. On Monday, President Trump threatened Iran with decapitation if it doesn’t agree to a new deal, while Iran is threatening to target U.S. warships if the U.S. does not lift its naval blockade of Iran. www.democracynow.org

“Department of Injustice”: Norm Eisen on Todd Blanche AG Nom, Reflecting Pool Vandalism Case

https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/4/norm_eisen

GOP Senate Candidate Collins Facing Scrutiny over Son-in-Law’s Ties to White Nationalists

In Georgia, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Collins is facing scrutiny over his son-in-law, David Alan Scheer II, who has been linked to white nationalist and antisemitic online content. Reports revealed that Scheer shared neo-Nazi imagery and produced promotional material for Collins’s private trucking company. Collins ended his news conference early after repeatedly declining to answer questions about his son-in-law. Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff said, “He needs to apologize for his office’s ties to white supremacists, he needs to release every single email, text message, and communication between his office and these white supremacists, and he needs to finally answer the question you’ve all been asking him for two weeks and that he’s refused to answer, which is — how much did he or his businesses pay this neo-Nazi for his services?” He’s running against Collins for Georgia Senate. www.democracynow.org

GOP Senator Moreno Calls on His Ex-Son-in-Law Congressmember Miller to Step Down

Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio is calling on Congressmember Max Miller, his ex-son-in-law, to step down in light of his daughter’s domestic abuse allegations. Miller’s ex-wife Emily Moreno, who is the daughter of Senator Moreno, claims that Miller burned her by throwing hot water at her, held a gun to her head and fractured their 2-year-old daughter’s collarbone. Miller is also accused of abuse by former Trump White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, who was in a relationship with Miller prior to his marriage to Moreno. On social media, Senator Moreno wrote, “He should not serve in the House of Representatives. I believe Max Miller needs to seek professional help to end the clear pattern of abuse he has left in his wake. I believe he should not be free to continue endangering others until he does.” www.democracynow.org

Key Witness in ICE Fatal Shooting of Mexican Father Lorenzo Salgado Araujo Speaks Out

In Texas, a key witness in the Houston ICE fatal shooting of 52-year-old Mexican father Lorenzo Salgado Araujo is speaking out after his release from an ICE jail. Surveillance footage and witness accounts have repeatedly refuted ICE claims that Salgado had attempted to assault ICE agents when he was shot in the abdomen and killed. Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego was a passenger in Salgado’s van. He spoke to CNN last week. Ed Lavandera: “Did Lorenzo threaten ICE agents?” Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego: “That’s a lie. At no point, neither behind nor in front.” Ed Lavandera: “At no point were the ICE agents in front or behind?” Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego: “Lorenzo never did that.” www.democracynow.org

29-year-old Prisciliano Trejo Ricano Dies in ICE Custody in Georgia

Another immigrant has died in ICE custody. Twenty-nine-year-old Prisciliano Trejo Ricano reportedly began feeling ill while jailed at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, and was reportedly denied medical care. He was suffering from an aggressive form of leukemia and died on July 24 after being transferred to the hospital. At least 50 immigrants have died in ICE custody since Trump returned to office. www.democracynow.org

Electricity Grid Collapses in Cuba, Causing Nationwide Blackout

In Cuba, the electricity grid collapsed on Sunday, plunging the island into another nationwide blackout. The island has suffered at least three blackouts in July alone due to a U.S.-imposed ​oil blockade, following the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro back in January. Venezuela had been Cuba’s primary oil supplier. Imports from Mexico also ​halted amid ⁠increased U.S. pressure. www.democracynow.org

Wildfires Rage in Greece as Heat Wave Grips Europe

In Greece, two firefighters were killed Sunday when two helicopters battling a massive wildfire collided west of Athens. Two other crew members in one of the helicopters were rescued. More than 100 homes were destroyed overnight this weekend in blazes that broke out around the coastal village of Porto Germeno. Hundreds of people have been evacuated. This is a local resident. Giorgos Mavroidis: “It’s not a good situation. This is extremely sad. The wind is very strong and keeps changing direction. It’s difficult to deal with. The firefighters, who are trained and experienced, can’t contain it. How can we?” Meanwhile, Hungary has temporarily shut down the country’s sole nuclear power plant for the first time in more than four decades amid a scorching heat wave and severe drought that triggered water-use restrictions in more than 100 cities and villages. In more related news, Britain’s National Farmers’ Union warns rising heat and a water drought could lead to shortages of certain foods in parts of England. This is at least the third drought in five years, with some areas of England not seeing rain in over a month. Here in the United States, in Washington state, nearly 65,000 people have received evacuation orders amid ​intensifying wildfires around the city of Spokane. Local officials say blazes in the region have destroyed more than 700 ​homes and businesses. www.democracynow.org