Saturday, August 8, 2026

The News Roundup – Domestic and International (The 1A) 2026-08-07

Domestic

Progressive Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed won his Michigan primary this week, sending a strong message to the Democratic party establishment that backed his opponent.

Dr. Anthony Fauci was found in contempt of Congress on Thursday. The vote by the Senate Homeland Security Committee came after Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right over 100 times during a recent hearing.

And reports indicate the U.S. missile stockpile is running low. President Trump and the Pentagon have denied the story. 
Interview: 

International

Illegal settler activity is expanding across the occupied West Bank. And this week Israeli prosecutors charged a Jewish settler over the killing of a Palestinian community leader – the ⁠first such indictment in nearly three years.

Following a rush of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish territory of Ceuta, the Spanish prime minister is facing criticism from other European Union leaders over his country’s immigration policy.

And Russia is overhauling its military strategy, taking advantage of Ukraine’s current lack of missile interceptors.
Interview: 



US law enforcement gave false information in case against woman charged in anti-ICE protest

In at least 15 applications for search warrants, an investigator with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) said Fort had been chanting with protesters when they entered the church, her lawyers said. The justice department later conceded the claim was false. The error was insignificant, justice department lawyers later argued, because it ultimately didn’t make it into the indictment that they filed...

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/06/law-enforcement-false-information-anti-ice-protest


 

The Iran War’s Other Bill—And You’re Paying It – Mother Jones

Oil is used to make plastics and petrochemicals, so higher prices are already starting to work their way into the cost of everything from stuffed animals, diapers, and baby wipes to crayons, bottled water, soft drinks, and clothing...

 https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/the-iran-wars-other-bill-and-youre-paying-it/


‘This is very real redlining’: outrage in Little Rock as two datacenters loom

Critics decry proposed hyperscale projects, fearing overuse of water and electricity, and ‘appropriating rural, Black-owned land for industrial purposes’…

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/07/datacenters-little-rock-arkansas


 

Employers unexpectedly cut 23,000 jobs as labor market wilts : NPR

It was the second month in a row that the monthly jobs tally came in weaker than forecasters had expected. 

 "We are increasingly hearing from workers that they are anxious about their job security and they are frustrated by the fact that they are stuck in roles that are not necessarily good for them," said Daniel Zhao, chief economist at the job search website Glassdoor. "And that's on top of workers who are not in a job right now and feel frozen out of the job market."

 https://www.npr.org/2026/08/07/nx-s1-5924786/employers-economy-labor-jobs-federal-reserve


 

Trump Keeps Spending US Tax Dollars to Kill Offshore Wind and Boost Oil and Gas – Mother Jones

The administration’s $1.2 billion deal with a German firm to cancel leases is its fifth to date...

 https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/trump-rwe-offshore-wind-leases-cancellation-payment-tax-dollars-oil-gas-fossil-fuel/


Iran moves to ban U.S., Israeli ships from Hormuz, charge toll : NPR

Iran's parliament is reviewing a plan to ban ships linked to the U.S., Israel and other "hostile countries" from transiting the Strait of Hormuz until Tehran is compensated for war damage, according to Iranian state media. 

The plan would impose fees of up to 7% of cargo value on commercial vessels that pass through the strait. It would also fine ships 20% of cargo if they violate Iran's conditions...

 https://www.npr.org/2026/08/06/nx-s1-5923623/iran-strait-hormuz-us-israel-ban


New Mexico court orders Meta to pay $567m over harms to children’s mental health

Judge Bryan Biedscheid said the bulk of the money – $420m – would be used for treatment services for young people in New Mexico. The rest will go toward awareness and prevention, screening services and other costs over the next five years...

 https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/aug/06/new-mexico-court-meta


 

Democrats Demand Answers From VA on Vets’ Struggles for Mental Healthcare — ProPublica

The letter from lawmakers to Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins cites a recent ProPublica investigation that found hundreds of therapists have left the agency and vets often aren’t getting the help they need...

 https://www.propublica.org/article/democrats-veterans-affairs-doug-collins-letter-mental-health


Appeals court halts construction of Trump’s $400m White House ballroom

Ruling put on hold for two weeks, allowing administration to appeal to US supreme court…

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/07/court-order-trump-white-house-ballroom-project 


US unexpectedly lost 23,000 jobs in July as slump in growth continues

Estimates for previous two months were revised down sharply but unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%…

 https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/aug/07/july-jobs-report-middle-east-conflict


Trump faces calls for windfall tax on big oil’s profits from Iran war

“Trump’s declaration that big oil is ‘making too much money’ belies his accommodation and giveaways to the industry that have enabled its price-gouging – not to mention his disaster of a war of choice against Iran,” said Tyson Slocum, energy program director at consumer advocacy nonprofit Public Citizen. “But like a broken clock that’s correct twice a day, the president is right that oil companies are ‘making too much money’, which means Trump should endorse a windfall profits tax.”…

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/07/trump-windfall-tax-big-oil-iran-war


With their assault on science, Trumpists aren’t just harming America – they’re harming themselves

The administration is subjugating science to political imperatives, a major blow to US soft power and technological progress…

 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/aug/07/trump-scientific-research-universities


Auchter's Art: Weird names

This week, voters here in Michigan chose a man named Abdul El-Sayed to be Michigan's Democratic Senate candidate. Like him, don't like him. Like his policies, don't like his policies. Vote for him in November, don't vote for him. Your choice. But don't fall for the BS and demonize him because of his name.

 https://www.michiganpublic.org/opinion/2026-08-07/auchters-art-weird-names


 

Trump Administration Suggested Funding Afrikaner Group in South Africa — ProPublica

Recently, we published our investigation that found one answer to that question in a little-known bureau of the State Department that has dramatically transformed under Trump. For decades, the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, known as DRL, has supported human rights in some of the most oppressive countries in the world. Now, our reporting found, it’s planning to direct funds to controversial groups supporting right-wing causes in Europe and elsewhere…

 https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-administration-afrikaner-south-africa-money


 

New Jersey launches investigation into Delaney Hall ICE facility - POLITICO

It comes days after the death of a detainee...

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/07/new-jersey-launches-investigation-into-delaney-hall-ice-facility-01029595


Oh baby girl...

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/B7tmmA3ifp0

 

Trump signs new orders targeting birthright citizenship

The American Civil Liberties Union on Thursday said the orders were another unconstitutional attempt to undo birthright citizenship after the administration’s defeat at the supreme court in June. 

“The supreme court already decided this issue: birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the constitution. No additional executive order can change the meaning of the constitution,” said Cody Wofsy, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project. “Any executive order that tries to rewrite birthright citizenship will meet the same fate as the last one.”…

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/06/trump-birthright-citizenship-executive-orders


FCC scraps limit on local TV ownership in win for media conglomerates

In a historic vote on Thursday morning, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted along party lines to overturn a key check against the consolidation of the television industry, throwing out a rule that prevented any one company from owning stations that collectively reach more than 39% of all US TV households. 

The vote is a win for television conglomerates that aim to expand their reach across the country, particularly conservative-leaning companies like Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar...

 https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/aug/06/fcc-overturns-limit-local-tv-ownership


  

Michigan Supreme Court is asked to block money-out-of-politics question

“The easiest and cheapest way for our opposition to stop our initiative to get money out of politics before facing Michigan voters at the ballot is by defeating us in court,” she said. “We are confident we are going to prevail and this is expected.”…

 https://www.michiganpublic.org/politics-government/2026-08-06/michigan-supreme-court-is-asked-to-block-money-out-of-politics-question


 

Resume regular lettuce consumption, health dept says: cyclosporiasis outbreak peaked

"The department will continue to monitor the situation closely and inform Michigan families if conditions change, or if signals are detected that suggest additional contaminated products have entered the food supply."…

 https://www.michiganpublic.org/health/2026-08-07/resume-regular-lettuce-consumption-health-dept-says-cyclosporiasis-outbreak-peaked


 

Former Republican Explains Why She Became a Socialist 😳 #Republican

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/A2al5oK1YcQ

 

Today is a sad day for science. #science #doctor

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/U36ooy_aHtc

 

The Christian Nationalist Plan To Execute Gay Men | Doug Wilson

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_aBjvNBjeo

 

Why Jesus had to die

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIHg7X4Xed0

 

Carl Sagan: Evolution Is A Fact 🧬 #shorts

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0GCdexCwrqY

 








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