All Activity

Pentagon Spokesperson Admits There’s a Secret Blacklist of Journalists U.S. Central Command maintains a secret directory of journalists who have been blacklisted by the press office, according to an official with CENTCOM public affairs. The disclosure comes amid a failed war in Iran, a “cover-up” of U.S. casualties from that conflict, and repeated refusals by CENTCOM to address questions about civilian deaths in Iran, including the killing of a family recently disclosed by The Intercept. https://theintercept.com/2026/08/24/pentagon-military-journalist-blacklist-press-media/? What American Doctors Saw in Gaza It’s been nearly three years into Israel’s genocidal war on Palestinians, and still no step closer to its end. Since the latest “ceasefire” began in October 2025, Israel has continued to bombard Gaza and has killed more than 1,200 people, United Nations experts reported earlier this month. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu more recently rejected President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace agreement with Hamas for Israeli troops to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. https://theintercept.com/2026/08/21/gaza-hospitals-american-doctor-documentary/? RIP to the Russiagate Liberals Alexander Vindman lost to Angie Nixon in the Florida Democratic senatorial primary on Tuesday, marking a long-overdue end to one of the worst liberal mass delusions of the Trump era: Russiagate. https://theintercept.com/2026/08/22/russiagate-resistance-liberals-alex-vindman-angie-nixon/? This Mysterious “Astroturf” Group Popped Up to Defend the Paramount Merger A state attorney general challenging the controversial mega-merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery is under attack from a newly created mystery nonprofit accused of being an “astroturf” front group. https://theintercept.com/2026/08/21/paramount-merger-warner-discovery-david-ellison-antitrust/? The Dawn of a New Cold War In my youth, pop culture told me that the Cold War would end in one of two ways: a Soviet–Cuban invasion that would necessitate my taking to the hills and fighting a guerrilla war against the Communists, à la “Red Dawn,” like a young Patrick Swayze; or riding out an atomic winter after a full-scale nuclear exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union, as in “The Day After.” The only other hope was Rocky besting Drago in a proxy war held in a boxing ring (“In here, there were two guys killing each other, but I guess it’s better than 20 million”). Instead, in November 1989, I watched the Cold War end on a TV with an antenna, as the Berlin Wall came crashing down. Suddenly, there was only one superpower left standing. https://theintercept.com/2026/08/23/trump-china-ai-chips-rare-earth/?

Trump threatened on Monday to impose a 50% tariff on Canadian automobiles, car parts and steel starting next year as the trade rift with Ottawa continued to deepen. The announcement comes after trade talks between the otherwise reliable trading partners collapsed last week. Long-planned U.S. tariffs on various Canadian goods went into effect after the talks broke off, and Canada has vowed to retaliate.

👋 Good morning! Welcome back. Stat du jour: Only three players in MLB history have homered on the first and last pitch their team saw in a game. Two of them did it in the last week: Pete Crow-Armstrong (Monday) and Randy Arozarena (Saturday). In today's edition: Back to campus, another NBA team sale, Wyndham wins in St. Louis, Coco crowned in Cincy, Premier League kicks off, Spider-Man catch, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 🎾 US Open headlines: World No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew from the season's final Grand Slam due to the knee injury that's kept him out since winning Wimbledon; Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams are teaming up in mixed doubles. ⚾️ 9 in a row: The Phillies (73-58) are on some kind of roll, winning their ninth straight game on Sunday despite trailing the Cardinals, 4-0, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The hero? Who else but Kyle Schwarber, who crushed a walk-off bomb for his MLB-leading 39th homer. 🏀 Veterans on the move: Klay Thompson is signing a two-year, $13 million deal with the Heat after agreeing to a buyout with the Mavericks; DeMar DeRozan is signing a one-year deal with the Nuggets for $3.9 million, the veteran minimum. 🏎️ Norris wins again: McLaren's Lando Norris won Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix, giving the reigning F1 champion back-to-back victories. Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli finished second to maintain a sizable lead atop the standings. 🤖 Score one for the robots: A two-legged machine finished the 100-meter race in 9.39 seconds at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, besting Usain Bolt's world record of 9.58 seconds set in 2009.   🎓 COLLEGE SPORTS CHAOS BACK TO CAMPUS: FROM THE NFL TO LSU Dae'Quan Wright warms up prior to Saturday's preseason game. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) College sports had another first last week: An NFL player entered the NCAA transfer portal. Four days later, that player is on track to land at LSU. Driving the news: The Browns waived rookie Dae'Quan Wright on Sunday. If he clears waivers, the former Ole Miss tight end has an agreement in place to reunite with Lane Kiffin and play for the Tigers this season, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Wright spent four years in college before entering the 2026 NFL Draft. He went undrafted, signed with the Eagles and later landed in Browns training camp. Now, thanks to the chaos engulfing college sports, he could become the first player to suit up for an NFL team and then return to NCAA football. How is this possible? Wright is part of a group of players who sued the NCAA in Louisiana seeking a fifth year of eligibility after the association adopted a new five-year, age-based eligibility policy in June. The players argue that while they're ineligible under the old rules, they would be eligible under the new ones, and shouldn't be punished simply because the change came after their college careers ended. A Louisiana judge agreed, granting the players a fifth season and opening a special week-long transfer portal for them that opened on Thursday. Crucially for Wright, the judge also barred the NCAA from enforcing its longtime ban on players returning to college after signing professional contracts. Wright during an Ole Miss game last fall. (Justin Ford/Getty Images) The backdrop: The lawsuit's lead plaintiff is former LSU edge rusher (and current Tampa Bay Buccaneer) Jack Pyburn, while Wright is one of three former Ole Miss players in the suit who played for Kiffin. In other words, this wasn't random: The lawsuit was an orchestrated effort out of Baton Rouge to bring players like Pyburn and Wright back to campus — and LSU isn't the only school engaging in this. The eligibility madness isn't limited to football, either. Similar lawsuits are unfolding in college basketball, where schools are fighting to gain eligibility for players seeking fifth seasons or attempting to return after going pro. Ross Dellenger, Yahoo Sports: Schools across the country — the same schools that create these eligibility rules that the NCAA is tasked with enforcing — are fighting against those very rules as a way to gain a competitive advantage. Economists will tell you that this is just how a competitive market works: Schools, now paying millions directly to their athletes, are under more financial pressure than ever to win in a competitive market where court rulings have crippled any logical rules enforcement. Much of this is driven by coaches who don't trust that coaches at other schools aren't planning on improving their roster by skirting the rules. As one person put it, "We'll do it before they do." It's another bizarre chapter in major college sports' evolution from amateurism to professionalism — the latest indicator that, perhaps, congressional legislation and/or a collective bargaining agreement is necessary to have regulation. What to watch: The college football season kicks off in less than two weeks, while NFL teams must trim their rosters to 53 players by Aug. 30 — potentially sending another wave of recently cut players searching for a way back to campus. "I need to figure this s*** out," one power conference GM told Yahoo Sports. "It's such a wild time."   🤝 TEAM SALES FIRST A TRICKLE, THEN A FLOOD We can't promise that another professional sports team won't have sold by the time you finish this sentence. Or this one. After the reported sale of the Timberwolves on Friday, the fourth control sale of a "Big Four" franchise this year, all bets are off. Hardwood hustle: The flood of investment money seeking sports ownership has been a boon to minority stake sales, as majority owners can access liquidity without relinquishing their teams. But control sales remain relatively infrequent… except in the NBA, where recent sales are piling up in comparison to peers. NBA: Rockets (2017), Nets (2019), Jazz (2020), Suns (2023), Bucks (2023), Hornets (2023), Mavericks (2023), Timberwolves (2025), Celtics (2025), Lakers (2025), Trail Blazers (2025), Lakers (2026), Timberwolves (2026) NHL: Hurricanes (2018), Coyotes (2019), Penguins (2021), Senators (2023), Lightning (2024), Mammoth (2024), Predators (2025), Penguins (2025) MLB: Marlins (2017), Royals (2019), Mets (2020), Orioles (2024), Rays (2025), Padres (2026) NFL: Panthers (2018), Broncos (2022), Commanders (2023), Seahawks (2026) Trickle, then a flood: Of all 31 control sales in these leagues over the past decade, 23 have come in the last five years, including 16 in the last three years and nine in the last 12 months alone. Sales occur for myriad reasons, from estate matters and planning (Blazers, Seahawks, Padres), to the completion of an investment cycle (Penguins), to extraneous circumstances (Lakers). Uniting most of the exits, though, has been the availability of attractive offers, many of them multiplying the seller's previous entry price. This is an excerpt from today’s Yahoo Sports Biz.   🇺🇸 SNAPSHOTS PHOTOS ACROSS AMERICA "Good game." (Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) Williamsport, Pennsylvania — The Braves beat the Brewers, 4-2, in Sunday's Little League Classic, which ended on a beautiful double play and, more importantly, with a handshake line to honor their hosts. Who's got next? The Cubs and Blue Jays have already been tabbed to play in next year's Little League Classic, the 10th annual edition of one of MLB's best new traditions. (James Gilbert/PGA Tour via Getty Images) St. Louis, Missouri — Wyndham Clark held on to win the BMW Championship on Sunday for his third victory of the season, tied for the most on Tour. And with that, the 30-man PGA Tour Championship is set. Team USA taking shape: Clark's victory vaulted him into one of the six automatic spots on the U.S. Presidents Cup team for next month's competition. He'll be joined by Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young, Sam Burns, Russell Henley and Collin Morikawa, plus six picks still to come from captain Brandt Snedeker. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images) Cincinnati, Ohio — Coco Gauff dominated Jessica Pegula on Sunday to capture her second Cincinnati Open crown, joining Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka as the only women with two titles in the event. On the men's side: Arthur Fils beat Frances Tiafoe to win his first Masters 1000 title. With the win, the 22-year-old moves up to a career-best No. 11 in the world rankings. Kirkwood speeds past the U.S. Capitol. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images) Washington, D.C. — Kyle Kirkwood won Sunday's Freedom 250 Grand Prix, an elaborate 250-mile spectacle that saw IndyCar drivers race around the National Mall to celebrate America's 250th birthday. Chasing the champ: Kirkwood took a big chunk out of Álex Palou's lead atop the standings, but he's still a distant second behind the four-time IndyCar champion (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025) with three races left in the season.   💯 STAT SHEET BIG NUMBERS Nobel Mendy celebrates Hull City's second goal in front of an elated home crowd. (George Wood/Getty Images) ⚽️ 52 years Newly-promoted Hull City — the last team to earn promotion to the Premier League this season — opened their campaign with a stunner as they took down Manchester United, 2-0, for their first league win over the Red Devils since 1974. Scoreboard: The Tigers' shutout was one of six during opening weekend, alongside Brighton over Aston Villa (4-0), Arsenal over Coventry (3-0), Brentford over Spurs (3-0), Everton over Palace (2-0) and Leeds over Forest (1-0). Elsewhere: Man City beat Bournemouth (2-1), Ipswich Town beat Sunderland (2-1) and Liverpool salvaged a draw against Newcastle (2-2). 🏈 5.0 YPC Four-time Pro Bowler Nick Chubb is retiring at age 30, walking away from the NFL as one of the most efficient rushers the league has ever seen. His career mark of 5.0 yards per carry is tied with Gale Sayers and Barry Sanders for the third-best among running backs (min. 900 attempts), trailing only Jim Brown (5.2) and Jamaal Charles (5.4). Career cut short: Chubb was a wrecking ball for the Browns until he suffered a devastating knee injury in 2023 followed by a broken foot in 2024. Now, rather than push his luck, he's confidently calling it quits. "I say this to all my brothers still on the field, still in the heat of it: There's a life waiting for you after football, too. And health is the real wealth." DeGrom acknowledges the crowd after his 2,000th strikeout. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) ⚾️ 2,000 strikeouts Jacob deGrom notched his 2,000th career strikeout on Friday — in his 1,661st career inning. That's the second-fastest any pitcher has ever reached the milestone, trailing only Chris Sale (1,626 innings). 2K strikeout club: The Rangers ace is the 94th pitcher in MLB history with at least 2,000 strikeouts, and the ninth active player after Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Sale, Gerrit Cole, Kevin Gausman, Yu Darvish, Sonny Gray and Aaron Nola. Next up is likely Zack Wheeler (1,964 K), who could reach the mark by season's end. 🏀 7 of 8 The WNBA postseason field is nearly set after the Dream (24-13), Fever (25-14), Liberty (23-15) and Mystics (22-15) all clinched their spots over the weekend. Those four join the Lynx (31-7), Valkyries (25-11) and Aces (26-13) to account for seven of the eight playoff spots. Eighth coming soon: The Wings (22-16) can clinch the final spot as soon as tomorrow considering their only competition is the Fire (15-22). The remaining six teams have already been eliminated with a month left in the regular season.   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WATCHLIST: MONDAY, AUG. 24 Kayla McBride hits the "Night Night" celebration during Minnesota's win over Golden State last week. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) 🏀 Valkyries at Lynx The WNBA's top two teams meet for the second time in a week (8pm ET, USA), as first-place Minnesota (31-7) — seeking its seventh straight win — hosts second-place Golden State (25-11). The Valkyries are 0-3 against the Lynx this season, and 25-8 against everyone else. Not slowing down: Rookie phenom Olivia Miles' outstanding numbers have only gotten better as of late. During Minnesota's six-game winning streak, the MVP contender is averaging 21.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 8.2 assists, while shooting a scorching 46% from long range. More to watch: ⚾️ MLB: Rays at Tigers (6:40pm, FS1) … Tampa Bay's Drew Rasmussen (13-5, 3.01 ERA, 0.95 WHIP) has quietly been one of the AL's best pitchers this year. ⚽️ Premier League: Fulham vs. Chelsea (3pm, USA) … The West London derby closes out Week 1. 🚴 Vuelta a España: Stage 3 (8:45am, NBCSN) … The peloton travels 104 miles through France as the race makes its way to Spain. 🎾 U.S. Open: Qualifying (11am, ESPN2) … Players battle for the final 16 spots in the men's and women's singles draws.   🏀 LET'S PLAY TRIVIA TIME (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) 18 years ago today, the "Redeem Team" won gold at the Beijing Olympics, restoring order to the basketball world after Team USA's disappointing bronze in 2004. Question: Which country did the U.S. beat in that gold medal game? Answer at the bottom.   🎥 HIGHLIGHT REEL CATCH OF THE YEAR?! (Washington Nationals) Nationals center fielder Jacob Young climbed the wall like Spider-Man on Sunday in Miami to make one of the best catches you'll ever see.   Trivia answer: Spain

Shipwrecked Wine Jars Discovered Near Sicily “You can’t imagine what’s down here.” That was the reaction of diver Giacomo De Mola when he realized that what he took for a large rock on the Mediterranean seafloor was actually a pile of ancient pottery vessels. De Mola described approaching the site off Mazara del Vallo, Sicily, in poor visibility and suddenly seeing “a vast expanse of amphorae” below. The artifacts are part of a Roman shipwreck located roughly 3 miles offshore, at a depth of about 150 feet. It contains hundreds of vessels (most identified as Dressel 1A amphorae), two lead anchor stocks (an anchor’s top horizontal crossbar), and another unidentified lead structure. Alessandro Giuli from the Italian Ministry of Culture suggests, “This is one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries of recent years.” https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-rome/shipwrecked-wine-jars-discovered-near-sicily/?

Elite Ukrainian drone unit brings the war to Moscow’s doorstep A team of AP journalists got a rare glimpse into a rapidly expanding part of Ukraine’s war effort: Long-range drones designed to carry the war deep inside Russia, striking military, industrial and logistical sites far from the front line. Read more. Why this matters: Kyiv has stepped up its attacks on Russia this year, with long-range missiles and swarms of drones targeting military industries and energy facilities. It has also increasingly pummeled giant Wildberries depots, burning billions of dollars’ worth of merchandise belonging to the Russian online retail giant. Those attacks have brought the war home to the Russian public, and forced Russia’s military to stretch air defenses over a larger area, disrupted airports, sparked fuel shortages and undermined morale in Russia. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: Ukraine’s drone warriors US Army will shut down a unit in Europe focused on learning drone warfare Why Russia’s ballistic missiles are increasingly getting through Ukrainian defenses Zelenskyy details rift with Ukraine’s dismissed Defense Minister Fedorov

Drug prices have declined sharply, and Trump is taking credit. The reason behind the drop is complex President Donald Trump has been taking credit for new federal data that shows U.S. prescription drug prices fell 0.8% in July and are down 3.1% from a year ago, the steepest year-over-year drop since 1963. Read more. Why this matters: The plunging prices, the White House said, resulted from the Republican president’s “most favored nation” drug deals with pharmaceutical firms and the TrumpRx website. The real picture is more complicated, said drug pricing experts, who noted that other factors, including a law from Democratic President Joe Biden’s time in office that allowed Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies, are potentially more significant contributors to the latest consumer price index figures. Also at play, they said, are generic and biosimilar products that have come onto the market, offering competition that drives down the price of expensive brand-name and biologic drugs. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Carney warned about economic coercion. Now Trump is testing the Canadian prime minister Trump wants the midterms to be about himself. That may not help in a rare Nebraska swing district Jared Kushner meets with Democratic leader Jeffries with House control at stake in November Pete Buttigieg returns to South Carolina as he weighs another White House run

He was waiting for his son to return from the USS Lincoln. Then Border Patrol arrested him When Luis Manuel Aviles was arrested by immigration authorities, his son Joshua Aviles was entering his ninth month on the USS Abraham Lincoln with the Navy — a vessel that set a U.S. military record for uninterrupted time at sea, stirring concerns about supply shortages and deteriorating mental health among soldiers. Read more. What to know: Luis Manuel Aviles, 48, was arrested after leaving his house to take his car to the mechanic, according to his wife, Argelia Aviles. She said her husband, a handyman in Key West, Florida, has a permit to work in the United States. Originally from Nicaragua, he has lived in the U.S. for 19 years. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that Border Patrol agents arrested Luis Aviles on Saturday in Key West and that he will remain in ICE custody while the government seeks to deport him. “Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation’s laws,” the department said Sunday. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Takeaways from AP’s review of military families detained under Trump’s immigration crackdown

THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 24 79 Mount Vesuvius erupts After centuries of dormancy, Mount Vesuvius erupts in southern Italy, devastating the prosperous Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum and killing thousands of people. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1873 Elusive Mount of the Holy Cross photographed 1814 British troops set fire to the White House Cold War 1954 Congress passes Communist Control Act Crime 1981 John Lennon’s killer sentenced 2012 Killer in Norway massacre is sentenced European History 1572 Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre Latin American & Caribbean History 1821 Spain accepts Mexican independence Space Exploration 2006 Pluto is demoted U.S. Presidents 1814 George Washington’s portrait saved from British looters Vietnam War 1969 U.S. unit refuses commander’s order World War I 1914 Poet Alan Seeger volunteers in French army World War II 1941 Hitler suspends euthanasia program

🏁 1 for the road: D.C. Prix President Trump waves the green flag to start the Freedom 250 Grand Prix race with first lady Melania Trump at his side. Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times Axios D.C.'s Gabe Hiatt reports from D.C.'s first IndyCar race: Military flyovers buzzed above the National Mall. Race cars roared past the Capitol at 180 mph. President Trump waved the green flag. The race marking America's 250th birthday got an American winner. Florida driver Kyle Kirkwood celebrated alongside a bald eagle. Kyle Kirkwood after winning yesterday's Freedom 250 Grand Prix. Photo: Eric Lee/Getty Images The National Mall felt like a giant national picnic. Fans sprawled across the grass and packed shaded tents between games of cornhole and ladder golf. President Trump rides in "The Beast" ahead of the race yesterday. Photo: Daniel Heuer/Reuters Trump took a ceremonial lap around the track in the presidential limousine, known as "The Beast." Spectators watch drivers compete during yesterday's Freedom 250 Grand Prix. Photo: Alex Kent/The New York Times Seven flyovers thundered overhead, including a low-flying Air Force One — shaking the ground.

👢 Texas turns on data centers A data center in Ashburn, Va. Photo: Caroline Gutman for The New York Times Texas Gov. Greg Abbott delivered one of the starkest warnings yet from a Republican to the AI industry, saying data center companies deserve the backlash they're facing, Axios' Andrew Pantazi and Ben Geman report. Why it matters: Abbott is the latest governor to sharply change course on the AI data center boom he once enthusiastically courted, as local opposition becomes a potent political force. 🤠 Zoom out: Texas is among the hottest data center markets, with developers initially attracted by a pro-business state that has ample amounts of natural gas and renewables, energy infrastructure, and land. Abbott told ABC's Jonathan Karl on "This Week" that the backlash stems from the rapid buildout and developers' failure to win community support. "They basically dug their own grave for the problem that's been caused for them," Abbott said. "And that's why they got the backlash they deserve." 📻 President Trump defended data centers during an interview with his former fixer, Michael Cohen, aired yesterday on 77 WABC in New York. Trump told Cohen that the U.S. was leading China in AI "by a lot" and that data centers were not taking power from the grid. "They're making their own power plants. They're building the most beautiful, you've never seen power plants like this," Trump said. "Communities that don't take a data center, they're making a mistake" because data centers create "tremendous amounts of jobs and money," he added. Read on.

Anthropic's blunt interview question Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Ben Hider/Getty Images Anthropic has a culture interview that includes a question about prioritizing mission over future share price, Axios' Madison Mills reports. CEO Dario Amodei has questioned whether newer employees are joining the AI lab for the right reasons, according to a source familiar with the conversations. The interview process gets at the heart of that tension. Behind the scenes: Candidates are asked to discuss a moral quandary they've faced and how they handled it. One applicant, who spoke to Axios on the condition of anonymity, recalled being asked how they would feel if the company someday abandoned its AI ambitions for safety reasons, sending its stock to zero. Keep reading.

💰 Bessent: "Economic D-Day" against Iran President Trump, who has said he views the Strait of Hormuz "as an American territory," posted this image on Truth Social over the weekend. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who'll hold a news conference today to detail even stronger U.S. sanctions against Iran, writes in a Financial Times op-ed posted yesterday: "At dawn begins an economic D-Day — the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary." Bessent, who taught economic history at Yale, compared the "full weight of American resolve" against Iran to decisions by FDR, Churchill and the Allied powers during World War II. He warned other countries against "appeasement of the regime." The Treasury secretary argues that U.S. sanctions are working: "Inflation has rarely been higher." Reuters reported last week: "Offers of Iranian crude to Chinese buyers have declined and prices have jumped … as the U.S. blockade has cut Tehran's shipments." Full op-ed (gift link).

Why violent crime cratered Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images The U.S. is enjoying one of the steepest and most widespread crime declines in modern history. Researchers aren't exactly sure why — but they have theories, Axios' Russell Contreras writes: Research points to factors that include declining alcohol and drug use, tech to help catch suspects (including drones and license-plate readers), an aging population, tougher prosecutions and more. Why it matters: Knowing more about what's driving the violent-crime decline could help cities decide what to preserve as pandemic-era federal money fades. 📊 By the numbers: The U.S. violent-crime rate plunged 9.7% in 2025, the largest annual decline since FBI national estimates began 90 years ago. The murder rate fell 18.5% to 4.1 per 100,000 people, tying 1955 and 1956 for the lowest since national estimates began. And the decline hasn't stopped: An Axios analysis shows violent crime in big cities fell again in the first half of 2026. 💡 Criminologists describe a complicated picture of why crime is down. No one's sure, but several overlapping forces seem to be driving the drop: Vice consumption cooled: Pandemic-era spikes in alcohol consumption, illicit drug use and firearm purchases — three factors linked to the 2020–2021 homicide surge — have receded. Return to routine: COVID lockdowns disrupted community guardrails and displaced young men and teens. Employment and social routines have since stabilized. Law enforcement tech boom: Police departments are using more AI tools, predictive analytics and platforms such as Palantir's Gotham to deploy resources and identify crime hotspots. 🧠 Under-the-radar demographic and health trends are also quietly reshaping public safety: The proportion of young people in America is declining, shrinking the demographic most historically linked to street crime. In a fascinating medical twist, the explosion of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs (like Ozempic) has been clinically linked to decreased alcohol abuse and improved impulse control — two major factors in violent offenses. What we're watching: Pandemic-era federal money for local crime-fighting efforts expires at the end of the year, putting more pressure on already short-staffed police departments. An economic downturn could create another headwind: Historically, worsening economic conditions mean more crime.

Trade Talks Collapse The trade dispute between the US and Canada escalated sharply over the weekend after last-minute negotiations ended without agreement. A raft of US tariffs on Canadian goods kicked in Friday at midnight, while Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada would apply dollar-for-dollar tariffs going into effect Sept. 8. The new US tariffs apply a 50% levy to about $20B in Canadian imports, or roughly 5% of the goods exported to the US. Items range from alcohol to agricultural products but exclude energy-related goods (full schedule in the first three links here). Carney said the retaliatory tariffs would be equal in monetary value, with specific items listed in the coming days. Both countries and Mexico signed a free-trade agreement replacing NAFTA during President Donald Trump’s first term. Trump declined a 16-year extension in July, switching to an annual review (see an analysis of issues). Looking for a 101 on tariffs? Get an overview here.

I Scream, You Scream While ice cream's exact origins are hard to pinpoint, frozen dairy desserts have a history dating back to ancient China. Seventh-century documents refer to a frozen milk dish that eventually evolved into a soft blend, which many consider the earliest version of ice cream. > Watch a visual history of the frozen treat. (More, w/video) > See where your favorite ice cream ranked among Americans' favorite flavors. (More) Around 800 CE, Arab conquerors of the Persian Empire began mixing dairy into the syrup-infused cold treat sharbat. In the 16th century, the Italians concocted their take on the dessert, leading to sorbetto. Around the same time, the royal court in India began freezing condensed milk, pistachios, and saffron in conical molds to create kulfi. In the late 1600s, Paris's Café Procope first began serving gelato, a frozen dessert similar to ice cream, to the public; the trend quickly spread, particularly in Italy, where some parlors have been open since the 1700s. > Kulfi, an ice cream predecessor that's still popular in India, dates back to the 16th century. (More) > In 1694, a Sicilian in Paris opened the first gelateria, a precursor to the ice cream parlor. (More) > Ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and Italian ice are all popular cold desserts, though they have many important differences. (More) During the 19th and 20th centuries, America was the center of ice cream innovation, inventing both the sundae and the cone. When home freezers became globally available post-World War II, people could easily store their favorite treat, cementing its worldwide popularity. > In the 19th century, ice-cream-related illnesses were somewhat common in America due to vendors' poor hygiene. (More) > America's ice cream obsession began under Prohibition, with the street treat acting as a legal vice that helped ease the pain of the Great Depression. (More) Discover more: > During World War II, fighter plane turbulence was used to make ice cream. (More) > Vanilla was originally used as an additive in chocolate rather than as a stand-alone flavor. (More, w/video) > George Washington loved to serve ice cream while hosting guests and spent thousands of dollars on it in a single summer. (More)

Up-and-Coming Treatments for Narcolepsy Type 1 Narcolepsy type 1 affects your brain's ability to control your sleep and wake cycles. This lifelong condition disrupts your sleep at night, and you may feel extremely sleepy during the day. https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/cm/narcolepsy-new-treatments?

That's awful!!

Trail to the Transfiguration Part 1 The Bible depicts wickedness spreading over the world again after the Tower of Babel with the various people groups (Genesis 10:32, 11:9, Romans 5:12). The details of how this played out and the explosion of anti-God religions is a much more mysterious story. https://www.patternsofevidence.com/2026/08/14/trail-to-the-transfiguration-part-1/ Trail to the Transfiguration Part 2 Near Caesarea Philippi, at the foot of Mount Hermon, Jesus made the statement, “On this rock I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18). Six days later, Jesus’ transfiguration took place. Could these events have taken place in the same area, and what significance would that have for our understanding of them? https://www.patternsofevidence.com/2026/08/21/trail-to-the-transfiguration-part-2/?

Somali pirates hijack oil tanker off Yemen in latest attack MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somali pirates hijacked an oil products tanker off Yemen, a Somali maritime security official said, the latest in a resurgence of piracy that has seen six commercial vessels seized since April across the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean. https://apnews.com/article/somalia-piracy-yemen-puntland-5095054a9227548818dfc819d226dc76?

Fast-moving wildfire amid shifting winds threatens Reno, Nevada, forcing thousands to evacuate An out-of-control wildfire that jumped over fire trucks and made it difficult for crews to reach hot spots destroyed homes in northwest Reno, Nevada, on Sunday. Shifting winds challenged firefighters trying to bring it under control, and authorities urged some 90,000 people to evacuate. https://apnews.com/article/hawk-fire-reno-nevada-evacuations-aae2f4b77e2d4aa5678b365a2ee377e6?

US and Canada plunge deeper into a trade war After trade negotiations crumbled at the eleventh hour, U.S. President Donald Trump’s 50% tariffs on scores of Canadian imports kicked in Saturday. The new levies are expected to affect about 5% of Canada’s annual exports to the U.S., roughly $20 billion in goods. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney quickly promised Saturday that his government would roll out “dollar for dollar” retaliatory measures starting Sept. 8. Experts warn steeper tariffs raise costs for businesses and almost always trickle down to households in the form of higher prices. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Iran’s president says US memorandum is best path out of stalled war Federal judge vacates Trump policy that suspended processing of immigration visas from 75 countries Supreme Court’s chief justice allows work on Trump’s $400M White House ballroom to continue for now Arizona AG declines to charge Gov. Katie Hobbs over pay-to-play allegations Why the bond market is flexing its muscles, and why everyone needs to care Trump announces plan to lower beef prices, but ranchers and some Republicans are already balking MAHA activists urge Trump against promoting coal to power energy-hungry AI data centers Pentagon dismisses Stars and Stripes leadership after editor, reporter oppose military interference Federal officials announce water cuts as Colorado River supplies continue to plunge TikTok reaches $400 million settlement with US Justice Department over children’s privacy FACT FOCUS: Census Bureau report does not prove Trump’s claim about noncitizen voting in 2020 WATCH: Trump transforms White House Rose Garden with historical statues

👟 Robots smash human records Photo: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images In Beijing yesterday, two robots ran faster than Usain Bolt's 9.58-second world record in the 100-meter sprint, clocking 9.39 seconds. Braking was another matter: The machines slammed into a thick mat after the finish line. The five-day World Humanoid Robot Games, with 2,000+ robots, combines sports with simulated factories, restaurants and offices, Reuters reports. The intrigue: China makes the majority of the world's humanoid robots. The U.S. has stepped up scrutiny. Reality check: Humanoid robots can run quicker than the fastest humans. Now comes the real test: Can they handle packaging and warehouse operations, and reliably perform precision tasks like connecting cables — working like humans in less flashy jobs? Photo: VCG via Getty Images A humanoid robot plays tennis during the opening ceremony. Photo: Tingshu Wang/Reuters One of the robots caught fire after a 100-meter race. Get the latest.

🚁 Fighting fires from above A helicopter battles a wildfire in Simi Valley, Calif., in May. Photo: Hans Gutknecht/L.A. Daily News via Getty Images Aerial firefighters are responding to this year's busy, unpredictable and deadly wildfire season with more missions, more aircraft and new tech, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes. Fighting fires from above is uniquely dangerous, with pilots flying low over often-rugged terrain and through smoky, low-visibility conditions. Sam Davis, CEO of aerial firefighting company Bridger Aerospace, tells Axios that several factors contribute to tougher wildfire seasons: hotter temperatures, dry forests with wildfire fuel, and more people moving into wildfire-prone areas. Bridger is developing AI-powered fire modeling tech designed to predict a wildfire's next move, Davis says. Read on.

🏎️ It's Race Day! Race car driver Josef Newgarden taking a practice run past the U.S. Capitol yesterday. Photo: Alex Brandon/AP Even for well-traveled IndyCar drivers, today's Freedom 250 Grand Prix track with the U.S. Capitol in the background is awe-inspiring. "We get to race at a lot of cool cities, but this one is by far the best that we've ever had," IndyCar driver Kyle Kirkwood told AP. "Going by the Capitol building, the views here, all the architecture of all the buildings around here, all the museums, it's stuff that you dream of." The 1.7-mile track includes a lengthy straightaway down Pennsylvania Avenue and another across the National Mall. The Air & Space Museum and National Gallery of Art are both inside the course's perimeter, with a fan zone in between. Kids walking through the Freedom 250 Grand Prix fan zone yesterday. Photo: Allison Robbert/AP The Freedom 250 race begins at 1:10 p.m. ET and stretches 250 miles (147 laps) — the second-longest street race in IndyCar history. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are expected to take an honorary lap in the Beast before the 25 drivers zoom through Washington's streets in a 180-mph blur. Get the latest.