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by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, August 26. Today’s biggest developments and headlines include the climate crisis (always at the top of these news highlights because it’s existential and should be a massive story every single day)…plus lots more…see below.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS (Climate crisis, Bill Gates alarmed at AI, CIA Director makes surprise visit to Moscow, Iran-US impasse continues, Trump screws Qatar after taking its plane, etc.)
- Renewable Energy Investments Show One Booming Sector (“Renewable energy investment in the first half of 2026 reached $327.5 billion, on par with the preceding six-month level but down 21% from its peak in the second half of 2024. The numbers show that the broader growth story for renewables remains intact despite policy changes in key markets like the US and China.”)
- US fossil fuel lobbyists also represent hundreds of cities fighting for climate damages (“Local governments working with firms also linked to fossil fuel giants, analysis of federal lobbying disclosures shows” WTF?)
- Shingles vaccine linked to lower risk of heart attack and stroke, study finds (“Researchers say benefits of two-dose Shingrix vaccine could be comparable to taking daily blood pressure medication” WOW!)
- Mark Zuckerberg had a bold plan to replace Meta staff with AI. Here’s how it imploded.
- Bill Gates, alarmed by AI, has policy ideas he wants to discuss with China’s Xi
- Three Takeaways From Bill Gates’s 5,784-Word Warning on AI: ‘There Is No Plan’ (“The billionaire philanthropist urges regulation and global coordination to prepare for the likely harms to employment, safety and well-being.”)
- Bill Gates was an AI optimist. Now he’s scared of what could go wrong. (“In an essay, the Microsoft co-founder sounds the alarm about artificial intelligence’s risks to safety and security, jobs and children’s well-being.”)
- Russia’s Escalating Hybrid Attacks Put Europeans in a Bind
- CIA director makes rare, unannounced visit to Moscow (“The trip came as Ukrainian forces have stepped up attacks deep inside Russia, including in the capital.”)
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe Makes Surprise Trip to Moscow (“Agency declines to comment on Ratcliffe’s first publicly known trip to Russian capital”)
- Iran and Oman plan for temporary Hormuz corridor as impasse with US persists
- Iran faces strait of Hormuz paradox as strategic value of chokehold erodes (“Internal calls to end war get louder as Gulf neighbours plan alternative pipelines to cut reliance on waterway”)
- The Trump administration gave its own explanation for why sanctions against Tehran won’t work. (“The Trump administration gave its own explanation for why sanctions against Tehran won’t work.”)
- Iran and Oman prepare Hormuz deal as U.S. holds back on secondary sanctions
- Rubio tells allies U.S. shifting from strikes to sanctions on Iran
- The Qataris Gave Trump an Airplane. He Crippled Their Country in Return. (“The tiny Gulf state is learning that the U.S. president doesn’t always keep his end of the deal.”)
- With no friends left to burn, Trump is running out of diplomatic ammunition (“Everyone can see that the Iran war has been a strategic disaster for the US, while a failing president pretends he is winning” As usual, the Guardian has much better analysis and news coverage of U.S. politics than most U.S. “mainstream” media outlets.)
- Nobody wants this trade war with Canada (“Except Trump.”)
- US Weighs More Trade Measures Against Canada After Retaliation
- Canada’s retaliation tests the limit of American power under Trump
- Canada Retaliates With Up to 50% Tariffs on Hundreds of U.S. Products (“Canada said the higher levies, on items from aluminum foil to dishwashers to fish, would help protect workers, producers and manufacturers harmed by new Trump tariffs.”)
- US-Canada trade war threatens electricity imports, prices
- Wiped out: US faces surging toilet paper prices amid trade war with Canada (“Paper products among hardest-hit sectors after trade negotiations broke down, with 25-50% tariffs estimated”)
- More than 50 kidnapped as violent gang attack in Haiti leaves 47 dead (Obviously, Hait is NOT a safe place to send people back to!)
NATIONAL NEWS (Record number of arrests and deportations of immigrants, honeymoon over for Warsh, Supreme Court wages war on our democracy, Hegseth trashes the military, RIP Dolly Parton, Darline Graham narrowly wins nomination, “Trump Lawyers Warn That Kennedy Center Might Need Demolition if Not Fixed” etc.)
- New data shows record number of arrests and deportations of immigrants in the US (“Trump administration has moved away from high-profile, militarized raids as its deportation spree has ramped up”)
- DHS acknowledges the noncitizen numbers it touted on voter rolls were inflated (Just assume EVERYTHING the Trump regime says is a lie!)
- Trump administration issues pause on immigrant visa appointments for applicants worldwide
- ‘Dead in the water’: Why Bessent should fear the bond market (“The Treasury secretary’s credibility as a steward of U.S. financial markets is under threat.”)
- Trump scoffs at ‘affordability’ issues. The White House knows it’s a big deal.
- ‘Honeymoon’s Over’: Warsh Under Pressure as Fed Weighs Raising Rates
- The Fed Chairman Is Heading to Jackson Hole Without a Clear Stance on Inflation (“Kevin Warsh has kept his views on interest rates close to the vest, leaving investors and Fed officials to guess how he plans to tackle persistent inflation.”)
- The Supreme Court Joins Trump’s Insidious War on Voting Rights (“The high court’s shadow-docket decision isn’t the final word on mail-in ballots, but it reveals the conservative bloc’s comfort with the administration’s voter suppression schemes.” Scum.)
- Why the Supreme Court Is Using a Controversial Legal Principle to Cherry-Pick Mail-In Ballot Rulings (“The shadow docket once again worked its magic on Monday evening.” This court is a f’ing disgrace.)
- Trump administration violated court order on mail-voting rules, judge says (“A Massachusetts judge ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration violated a nationwide injunction by finalizing a rule that would significantly overhaul mail voting if allowed to take effect.”)
- Democrats renew bid to block Trump’s ‘unlawful’ anti-mail voting order
- Judge issues setback to Trump administration plans to restrict mail-in ballots
- Democrats Score Victory in Campaign Finance Court Case (“Republicans had hoped that a Supreme Court decision allowing party committees to coordinate with candidates would also entitle them to lower ad rates. On Tuesday, an appeals court said otherwise.”)
- Trump’s trade moves add to GOP’s midterm anxieties (“The president’s actions are set to reverberate especially hard in a handful of states crucial to the party’s hopes of keeping their Senate majority.”)
- At Home and Abroad, Deference to Trump Turns Increasingly to Defiance
- Trump Plans to Buy Midterm Ads About His Own Record (“Some Republicans welcome his involvement, but whether voters will is another question.”)
- Trump targets a Great Lake and a great American in his latest quest for power (“Take that, Canada and Camelot. America’s bulldozer president plans to raze the Kennedy Center and rename Lake Ontario if he’s frustrated in one of his top legacy projects and his latest trade war. The pair of threats made Tuesday seem absurd. But they epitomize a driving impulse of Trump’s second term: the belief that nothing can stand in his way.”)
- Top Commanders Told Hegseth Not to Cut Civilian Protection Program, Poll Showed. He Did It Anyway. (“The U.S. military has killed hundreds of noncombatants since gutting its Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response mission last year. After significant blowback, the Defense Department is considering partially restoring the program.”)
- Hegseth’s Purge of Top Generals Leaves the Army Rudderless (“A series of firings and feuds initiated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has left the Army essentially rudderless as it struggles to deal with the threat posed by cheap, deadly drones and missiles that have pounded U.S. bases in the Middle East.”)
- The President Is a Man Who Would Rather Be King
- Checking in on Trump’s war on the press since his White House Correspondents’ dinner speech (We should never forgive ANY “journalist” who attended the White House Correspondents Dinner with Trump.)
- Pirro hit with bar complaint over bid to indict Democrats in illegal orders video
- Political Operatives Warn Campaigns: Don’t Trust Prediction Markets (“Prediction market companies are trying to get their foot in the door as traditional polling falters.” Can’t trust polling for primaries either, it seems.)
- A rift over a weed killer is dividing a pro-Trump alliance (“MAHA activists are channeling their anger over pesticides at Heidi Overton, a top aide the president picked to lead the FDA.”)
- 3 Secret Service officials placed on leave amid misconduct investigation
- Democrats up 7 points on the economy over GOP: Poll
- Abdul El-Sayed pushes back in Fox News interview: ‘Not here to fight a culture war’ (“The Democratic Senate nominee tangled with Fox News’ Jesse Watters in a wide-ranging interview that touched on ICE, Shariah, transgender issues and the state of the economy.”)
- Trump nabs crucial primary wins in South Carolina, Oklahoma: 4 takeaways
- From Hasan Piker to Jesse Watters, El-Sayed seeks to focus on affordability amid scrutiny from both sides (“Democratic Senate candidate for Michigan distances himself from Twitch streamer and debates Fox News host”)
- Wisconsin prosecutor declines to charge Musk in election bribery investigation (“The tech titan last year had offered voters a chance at a $1 million prize.”)
- ‘It’s put up or shut up time’: Battleground Republicans want the Darline treatment (“The president went to great lengths to push his candidate over the finish line in South Carolina, but Republicans want the same support in races that will actually determine control of Congress.”)
- Even as Trump’s Standing Slips, He Slingshots a Political Novice to Victory (Darline Graham is a disgrace – won’t even say if she would have voted to certify the 2020 presidential election! – and also WILDLY unqualified to be a US Senator. So what does she have, exactly? 100% loyalty to Trump, the cult leader, and the Graham name – that’s it.)
- Graham wins GOP nod in South Carolina Senate primary runoff for late brother’s seat
- How Corporate PAC Money Gets to Democrats Who Swore It Off (“In swing-district contests around the country, candidates who took pledges not to take corporate PAC money are still benefiting from it.” Our campaign finance system is completely broken, but Democrats absolutely SHOULD NOT unilaterally disarm!)
- Democratic socialists notch another win in the Oklahoma Senate primary runoff (“Nurse N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas has won the Democratic Senate nomination in Oklahoma, NBC News projects, defeating an older, more moderate opponent.”)
- In Headache for Republicans, Second Dan Sullivan Advances in Alaska Senate Race
- Mike Lindell refuses to pay for recount in Minnesota GOP primary, files lawsuit against election officials (“The MyPillow founder, who’s a fierce Trump ally, said last week that he would pay $825,000 to fund a full hand recount after he lost the state’s GOP gubernatorial primary.” What a f’ing LOSER!)
- Google’s Sergey Brin and “MAGA Girlfriend” Gerelyn Soto Are Part of Silicon Valley’s Move to the Right (“Once Democrat supporters, Google cofounder Brin and his girlfriend, wellness influencer Gerelyn Soto, have dined with Donald Trump and backed conservative candidates in California, including former Fox News host Steve Hilton and reality TV star Spencer Pratt, underscoring Silicon Valley’s growing foothold in right-wing politics.”)
- Record-breaking heat dome expected to bring dangerous temperatures to US south-west (“As wildfires rage and intense heat builds across the region, daytime highs of 110-11F (43-46C) are forecast”)
- Judge strikes down Texas ban on drag shows, tells people offended by them ‘just don’t go’ (“The federal judge, who cited Dolly Parton in his ruling, found that the state law violated the First Amendment.” BINGO!)
- Dolly Parton Had the Voice, and Concerns, of an Earth Angel (“She gave hopeful expression to songs she wrote about the hard times and hard-won triumphs of her life, our pop music critic writes”)
- What Dolly Parton Built (“The musician, who died today, at the age of eighty, leaves behind a legacy of enormous warmth and tenderness.”)
- Celebrity tributes pour in for Dolly Parton: ‘a gift to the world’
- What Our Country Loses Without Dolly Parton (“She not only made incredible music but was also a force for good.”)
- The late singer was perhaps the only person in the United States who commanded nearly universal affection. (“The late singer was perhaps the only person in the United States who commanded nearly universal affection.”)
- Why it matters that Dolly Parton wasn’t a mother (“With decades of philanthropy, she proved that parenting isn’t the only way to invest in generations of children.”)
- Dolly Parton, Hardscrabble Storyteller Turned Global Entertainer, Dead at 80 (“The Country Music Hall of Fame member died Tuesday after battling health issues for the last year”)
- Dolly Parton, Superstar Whose Songs Spoke to Millions, Dies at 80 (Rest in Peace – and music; we will always love you!)
- Dolly Parton, Queen Of Country Music, Dead At 80
- Dolly Parton Died After Brief Period of Cancer (“Parton had recently canceled a Las Vegas residency because of health issues. A spokesman said she was admitted to a cancer center in Nashville on Friday.”)
- Trump Lawyers Warn That Kennedy Center Might Need Demolition if Not Fixed
- Man arrested after guillotine is found in pickup truck near Capitol
VIRGINIA NEWS (Trump’s trade war with Canada hurts Virginia business/farmers/etc., Kiggans lies and lies and lies some more…it’s what she does, after all; Cardinal News does the “both sides”/false equivalence thing with VA06 debates, while the Augusta Free Press reports it ACCURATELY, Spanberger orders flags flown at half mast in honor of Dolly Parton, SOL scores show modest improvement…)
- “Remember the little guy”: Kaine hears from Virginia farmers as Canada trade fight drives up concern
- New Trump tariffs on Canada will hit Virginia business, industry pretty hard
- Kaine, Vindman hear from veterans on wait times at VA center
- Cline, Macy debate over debates. Here’s what a real debate would look like but don’t count on seeing it. (Dwayne Yancey does the “both sides” thing with a clear-cut case of one “side,” in this case Republican Ben Cline, almost completely at fault in the situation. I guess false equivalence/”both sidesism,” is the media’s “safe space”, but it’s harmful to the public.)
- Update: Ben Cline tries to squirm out of actual debates: Beth Macy ain’t havin’ it (The Augusta Free Press headline is much, MUCH more accurate than the Cardinal News both-sides b.s.; what the Augusta Free Press says is what’s actually happening; what the Cardinal News says is false equivalence b.s.)
- Kiggans pushes false $21 million claim about Elaine Luria (“Luria has never been accused of insider trading and her net worth did not increase while serving in Congress.” Kiggans just lies and lies and lies some more.)
- McGuire calls for delay of emergency shelter opening
- Gov. Abigail Spanberger Signs Executive Order to Protect Virginians’ Healthcare & Food Assistance (“Order Establishes the “Keep Virginia Covered” Policy to Guide How the Spanberger Administration Will Continue to Contend with the So-Called ‘One Big Beautiful Bill'”)
- Virginia won’t be able to cover federal SNAP, Medicaid funding cuts, governor warns
- Spanberger orders state agencies to prepare for Medicaid, SNAP changes (“Executive order aims to keep eligible Virginians from losing benefits as new federal work requirements, eligibility and other changes take effect next year.”)
- Spanberger issues executive order aimed at protecting Medicaid, SNAP access
- Virginia Sees Modest Increases in Math and Reading Scores of Students (“These results are part of a longer trend of post-pandemic recovery over the last 5 years…”)
- Virginia schools show ‘modest’ improvements on SOLs but haven’t returned to pre-pandemic pass rates, state says
- Virginia students make gains in reading, math as schools push toward pre-pandemic levels (“Statewide proficiency improved again last school year, continuing a five-year climb as the commonwealth prepares to measure students against tougher benchmarks.”)
- Latest SOL scores show modest improvements in math and reading
- Spanberger orders flags to be flown at half-staff in remembrance of Dolly Parton
- Editorial: Virginia colleges changing as students begin a new year (“A number of forces are conspiring to change the higher education landscape, but these institutions are vital to the communities they serve.” Really wimpy, vague headline and subheader by the Virginian-Pilot – why don’t they say that the main “forces” are negative ones coming from the Trump regime???)
- Video: Loudoun County Supervisor Juli Briskman Announces Candidacy Against Chair Phyllis Randall; Says “data centers shouldn’t get to decide our county’s future” (“I’ve never backed down from a bully before. I won’t start now.”)
- Amazon changes course on water use for King George data center campus (“The tech giant is withdrawing its application to tap the Potomac aquifer after concerns from a state lawmaker and a DEQ report warning of declining groundwater availability.”)
- Charlottesville’s partnership with direct-to-housing providers ended
- Photos 📸 from The 10th Annual Women’s Summit in Tysons
- VCU cancels research project due to inhumane treatment of lab mice
- Rainfall exceeded Norfolk pump station capacity during Saturday’s downtown flooding (“The Saturday storm dumped more than 3.5 inches of rain near downtown Norfolk, according to the National Weather Service. The fast rate of rainfall exceeded the downtown pump station’s storage capacity.”)
- Agency revokes license of Goochland County youth behavioral health facility
- DC-area forecast: Higher temperatures today, and heightened storm risk Thursday
