https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/17/trump-south-korea-alliance
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Trump’s move to gut South Korea alliance is ‘inane, haphazard decision’, lawmakers say
“When President Trump cuts military exercises to flatter a dictator or punishes South Korea for declining to join a war he started, all of our allies – and adversaries – think that America’s commitments are negotiable,” Reed said in a statement, describing the move as punishing Korea “for no reason beyond Trump’s ego”...
Ossoff just went viral again. That was probably the point. - POLITICO
“He doesn’t want to do the job. He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace, gifted by the Emir of Qatar,” Ossoff said, referencing Natalie Harp, the president’s executive assistant. The comment, though just a brief remark in a 30-minute speech, drew over 5 million views on X and swift backlash from Republicans — including the president himself, who shot back Monday calling Ossoff a “Pee Wee Herman lookalike.”…
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/18/jon-ossoff-georgia-viral-controlled-campaign-01039859
Dearborn leaders say city remains safe for all faiths ahead of visit by anti-Muslim provocateur
Jake Lang, a pardoned January 6 defendant who has built a following as a far-right, anti-Muslim activist, has said he will hold a demonstration during Tuesday's Dearborn City Council meeting...
Trump 2.0 has deleted or altered nearly 400 US datasets, endangering public health, education and more
Health data appears to be most affected by administration’s attempt to wipe findings that don’t align with its priorities, tracker shows…
A database of federal law enforcement officer misconduct records. A survey measuring physical, sexual and emotional violence against children and youth. Real-time pollution readings collected by air quality monitors from US embassies around the world…
“We’re at a very vulnerable point as a nation,” said Denice Ross, former US chief data scientist under the Biden administration and a cofounder of dataindex.us. “We’re facing a future where we are not going to have the information that we need to make decisions that will save lives and benefit American communities.”…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/aug/18/trump-federal-data-deleted-altered
German lawmakers call for EU sanctions on Israel’s Ben-Gvir over Gaza killing remarks – POLITICO
BERLIN —Senior conservative and social-democrat lawmakers in Germany’s governing coalition are urging the EU to sanction Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir after he called for nightly targeted killings in Gaza. “I think targeted killings should be carried out in Gaza, remove 30, 40 [people] every night,” said Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, in a podcast episode released last Saturday. “Not just those who pose an immediate threat. No, there are people there who are not worthy of life. They shouldn’t live. They’re not even people.”…
The child safety trial against Meta kicks off in federal court : NPR
"Meta's business model can be summed up in four simple words: 'hook' the users, 'hold' them for as long as they can, 'harvest' their data, and then 'hide' the truth from the public when making public statements," California Deputy Attorney General Megan O'Neill said in her opening statement.
"It was especially bad for kids," she said…
https://www.npr.org/2026/08/18/nx-s1-5935458/meta-child-safety-social-media-addiction-trial-opening
Election denier Tina Peters to be hired as elections consultant in conservative California county
Shasta county, hotbed of US election denialism movement, set to appoint ex-Colorado clerk who served prison term…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/17/election-denier-tina-peters-shasta-county
Jon Ossoff calls Trump’s handling of Iran war ‘uniquely despicable’ in excoriating speech
“They made you pay more for everything, and took us to war on lies, and spent most of last year trying to cover up for the world’s most famous pedophile while the crook president and his crook family raked in billions while your tax dollars were put to work backing Trump’s businesses,” Ossoff said at a rally in midtown Atlanta on Sunday afternoon…
“While the sailors on the Lincoln fight his war, while he fruitlessly drains our munitions and oil reserves, the president sleeps through his meetings,” Ossoff said. “He golfs and trades stocks. See, he doesn’t want to do the job. He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the amir of Qatar.”…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/17/jon-ossoff-trump-iran-war-criticism
Video:
FIRST ON MS NOW: Whistleblower says Trump admin's Ivy League antisemitism probes were fake ploys
MS NOW exclusively reports that a Department of Justice whistleblower is telling Congress the Trump administration predetermined the outcomes of its antisemitism investigations into Harvard, Columbia and Brown University. MS NOW Justice and Intelligence Reporter Ken Dilanian joins Stephanie Ruhle to share more details.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqQ64YQ5cBg
Trump is weighing whether to grant Canada a tariff reprieve - POLITICO
A deal to avoid 50 percent duties on some Canadian goods is on Trump's desk, as Ottawa and Washington work towards a broader trade agreement...
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/18/trump-canada-tariff-trade-agreement-01040518
US gas prices reach highest ever recorded for August amid stalled talks with Iran
Energy prices have been high since the US-Israel war with Iran began and the strait of Hormuz was blocked…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/17/gas-prices-august-record-iran-war
ABC sues over Brendan Carr’s review of its Disney broadcast licenses - POLITICO
The lawsuit asks a judge to block the FCC’s review, saying it violates ABC’s and Disney’s free speech rights.
“Acting through the Federal Communications Commission, the Administration has waged a retaliatory campaign against ABC for a single reason: it disapproves of what ABC broadcasts,” the lawsuit reads...
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/18/abc-disney-fcc-license-lawsuit-carr-01039988
Russia warns UK of ‘consequences’ over reports Ukraine using British drones in attacks
Ministry of Defence rebuffs threats, saying UK ‘committed to providing equipment Ukraine needs to defend itself against Putin’s illegal invasion’….
Alzheimer’s research is latest casualty in Trump administration war against ‘DEI’
Grant cancellations at leading research institutions appear to target study of impacts of racism on brain health…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/17/alzheimers-research-grants-trump-administration
Australia doesn’t want to be AI’s landlord - POLITICO
Canberra wants clean energy, local training and a bigger share of the AI economy...
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/18/australia-doesnt-want-to-be-ais-landlord-01039921
Extreme heat more dangerous for people 60 and over than previously thought
“High temperatures can exacerbate certain medical problems that are common among older people and, more generally, ageing bodies find it harder to adapt to more extremes of heat and cold as we age.”…
Trump’s Syria envoy calls Israeli air strikes on base ‘unnecessary escalation’ - POLITICO
It’s the Trump administration’s latest condemnation of an Israeli military operation since the two countries launched a joint attack on Iran in February.…
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/18/tom-barrack-israel-syria-strike-01040051
Donald Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it ‘gets in the way’ of ending Iran war
President issues threat to ‘bomb the shit out of them’ after previously threatening Gulf ally in May…
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/17/donald-trump-threatens-bomb-oman
Jeanine Pirro pushes hard to keep alleged memorial vandal in jail - POLITICO
To continue to pursue the felony charges against Farris — depredation of federal property in excess of $1,000 and causing injury to a veterans’ memorial — Pirro will need to get an indictment from a grand jury. That has proven difficult for her office in some high-profile cases critics have said were over-charged, like that of Sean Dunn, accused last year of throwing a submarine sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection agent…
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/17/pirro-wwii-memorial-vandalism-trump-01039774
Minnesota AG sues Texas gov to force the state to extradite ICE agent - POLITICO
An ICE agent arrested in Texas in May has still not been moved to Minnesota to face charges, despite repeated attempts from state officials to compel Greg Abbott to greenlight his extradition...
Michigan advocates speak out against “devastating” federal healthcare funding cuts
“These are parents wondering whether they can afford to take their child to the doctor,” Scholten said. “It's a small business owner struggling to keep coverage for their family and their employees. It's someone putting off a prescription or a screening because they simply cannot afford another bill. And these pressures are only going to get worse if we don't change course.”…
Sen. Mark Kelly says ‘very difficult situation’ unfolding for USS Lincoln sailors : NPR
Kelly also criticized what he described as dismissive responses from President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to concerns about conditions aboard the Lincoln.
Kelly said he and other lawmakers are seeking an investigation and want a bipartisan congressional delegation to visit the carrier and assess conditions firsthand…
https://www.npr.org/2026/08/17/nx-s1-5933015/mark-kelly-navy-lincoln-sailors-investigation
US navy destroyer adrift in South China Sea for four days after losing power
A US guided-missile destroyer reportedly spent four days adrift and without power in the South China Sea in July, furthering concerns about strain being placed on deployed military members...
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/17/us-navy-destroyer-south-china-sea
US states take on Meta in pivotal trial over child social media addiction claims
State attorneys general allege that tech company intentionally designed addictive products that harm young people…
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/aug/18/meta-child-safety-addiction-lawsuit-states
Trump administration pauses border construction in Big Bend national park
Controversial project has faced bipartisan opposition by critics who say it mars pristine environmental area in Texas…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/17/trump-big-bend-national-park-texas-constructio
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Click Older Posts above to see more.