Top Items:
New York Times:
Meta to Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims — The social media giant settled with 47 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, and agreed to make major changes to its products over claims its platforms endangered children.
Discussion:
CNBC, Wall Street Journal, Axios, American Prospect, The Hill, The Register, Variety, Mississippi Today, NextDraft, The Verge, Semafor, Bloomberg, UPI, NewsNation, NOTUS, Deseret News, New Republic, New York Magazine, FOX 26 Houston, The Wrap, CalMatters, KQED, JURIST, Reuters, TechCrunch, Biometric Update, CBS News, The Information, KTLA, Deadline, Politico, MS NOW, National Politics, National Legal …, The Sun, Toledo Blade and Joe.My.God., more at Techmeme »
RELATED:
Diana Novak Jones / Reuters:
Meta reaches $16.68 billion settlement over social media harms to children — Meta Platforms (META.O) agreed to pay a maximum $16.68 billion and make major changes to Facebook and Instagram to resolve claims by states across the U.S. that the company designed those platforms to addict children …
Associated Press:
Democratic states file new lawsuit seeking to block Trump's order limiting mail voting in midterms — Democratic-controlled states on Wednesday filed another lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's executive order seeking to limit mail voting in this year's midterm elections.
Discussion:
Democracy Docket, MS NOW, NOTUS, Fox News, HotAir, Washington Post, Federal Register, New York Post, The Independent, Los Angeles Times, CBS News, PBS NewsHour, Bloomberg, The Philadelphia Inquirer, NewsMax.com, KSTP-TV, Biometric Update, Mercury News, Votebeat, The Colorado Sun, Capital B News, New York Times and Washington Examiner
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Jim Saksa / Democracy Docket:
Judge lifts second block on Trump's mail voting order, clears way for legal fight on constitutionality — A federal judge in Massachusetts lifted restrictions preventing the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from implementing President Donald Trump's anti-mail voting executive order.
Discussion:
NBC News, CNBC, NewsMax.com and Talking Points Memo
Avery Lotz / Axios:
States renew fight against Trump's mail-in voting rule … Now, the states are hoping their timing is right to kneecap the plan ahead of the midterms. — The ruling didn't weigh the merits of Trump's order, which critics warn would expand federal power over state-run elections.
Sophie Brams / The Hill:
Federal judge lifts nationwide block on mail-in voting restrictions
Federal judge lifts nationwide block on mail-in voting restrictions
Discussion:
Politico, MS NOW, NPR, Townhall, Forbes, The Daily Wire, Talking Points Memo and The Gateway Pundit
Zack Beauchamp / Vox:
The bizarre roots of Trump's trade war on Canada — LONDON, Ontario — President Donald Trump seems dead set on escalating his trade war with Canada. And no one is really sure why. — On Monday, Trump threatened another round of 50 percent tariffs on top of the ones he just implemented …
Discussion:
Public Notice, CBC News, Global News and Alternet.org
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Lauren Aratani / The Guardian:
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 — Using the bathroom or having a cry is about to become more expensive for North Americans as the US …
Discussion:
Alternet.org
Washington Post:
Before Hegseth fired him, top general was advised to drop Kid Rock probe — Gen. Randy George appeared troubled by the encounter with Gen. Chris LaNeve, the Army's No. 2 officer now favored for the service's top job, people familiar with the matter told The Post. — Summary
Discussion:
The Independent, The Hollywood Reporter, Breaking Defense, Stars & Stripes, Wonkette, Adam Kinzinger, MS NOW, The Bulwark, Forbes, Joe.My.God. and New Republic
Politico:
Appeals court rejects Rep. McIver's challenge to charges for alleged assaults at ICE facility — Rep. LaMonica McIver is not immune from prosecution for her contact with ICE officials during a heated scrum at New Jersey's Delaney Hall detention facility, even though it occurred during …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit
RELATED:
Raquel Coronell Uribe / NBC News:
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. — A federal judge in Texas struck down a 2023 state law Tuesday that sought to restrict drag shows …
Discussion:
USA Today, The Texas Tribune, Reason, KUT Radio …, ACLU of Texas, NewsMax.com, Newsweek, Fox News, TMZ.com, NOTUS, Breitbart, Washington Examiner, LGBTQ Nation, Political.org, The Hill, Joe.My.God., Townhall, UPI, PinkNews, New Republic and FOX 26 Houston
MS NOW:
Troops fighting against Iran and alleged drug smugglers say they are being asked to violate international law — Organizations that help service members apply to leave the military as conscientious objectors are seeing a large increase in concerns over U.S. military strikes against alleged drug boats and targets inside Iran.
Discussion:
New Republic
Jonathan Martin / Politico:
A Pork Tenderloin, a State Fair and Democrats' Best Shot at Iowa in Decades … So I won't say that Iowa is tops because I don't want to alienate Minnesota, Ohio and, lord knows, Texas. And, no, I'm not ignoring you, New York — I know Syracuse is host to the granddaddy of them all.
Discussion:
The Bulwark, The Hill, The Guardian, Wide World of News and NewsMax.com
RELATED:
Susan Page / USA Today:
Even Iowa? Trump's troubles tighten races for Senate, governor
Discussion:
The Hill
Peter D'Abrosca / Fox News:
EXCLUSIVE: State Dept reveals Portland Antifa connection to Hamas, Iran's IRGC in sweeping terror action — Marco Rubio says Autistici/Inventati built encrypted digital tools used by Rose City Antifa, Hamas and other violent groups — EXCLUSIVE: A State Department memo reveals …
Discussion:
United States Department …, The Post Millennial, Townhall, Human Events, The Daily Wire, RedState, Political.org and Jewish Insider
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
The Connections That Turned a Precocious Teen Into the Fallen ‘Nostradamus of AI’ — A 24-year-old investor was hailed as a visionary and attracted billions—before turning into Wall Street's latest cautionary tale — For the past few years, at happy hours and dinner parties in San Francisco …
Discussion:
Reason and Eschaton, more at Techmeme »
Leo Sands / New York Times:
Deadly Nepal Flood May Have Been Caused by Ice Snapping Off Glacier, Scientists Say — An initial assessment of satellite imagery suggests an “ice avalanche” from a high-altitude glacier sent a giant cascade into the valley below. — The deadly flooding in Nepal on Wednesday was likely set off …
Discussion:
Reuters and Associated Press
RELATED:
Associated Press:
At least 8 killed and hundreds missing after avalanche triggers deadly flash floods in Nepal
At least 8 killed and hundreds missing after avalanche triggers deadly flash floods in Nepal
Discussion:
Reuters, ABC News, Washington Examiner, Associated Press, New York Post, South China Morning Post, The Daily Wire, The Sun, Deseret News, The National, Fox News, Breitbart, UPI, The Kathmandu Post, France 24, Los Angeles Times, The Korea Herald, The Daily Caller, Metro.co.uk, RTÉ, Al Jazeera, CBS News, New York Times, The Japan Times, Political.org, RedState, Straight Arrow and The Gateway Pundit
TMZ.com:
Actor Tim Curry Dead at 80 — Tim Curry — the legendary film and TV actor best known for playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” — has died ... TMZ has learned. — Sources tell TMZ the actor — who had been plagued with serious health issues …
G. Elliott Morris / Strength In Numbers:
Poll: New low for Trump on prices and foreign policy, now net negative on border security — This article reports results from the August 2026 Strength In Numbers/Verasight poll. A methodology description is included at the end of this article. You can find toplines for this as well as …
Discussion:
Democracy Docket
Angie Orellana Hernandez / NOTUS:
Pentagon Claims Hegseth's Afghanistan Withdrawal Probe Found ‘Hidden’ Files — The chairman of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's panel reviewing the deadly 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan claimed on Wednesday it found “hidden” documents about the military operation in a safe.
RELATED:
Leo Shane III / Politico:
Pentagon claims to have found ‘hidden’ files on final days of the Afghanistan war
Pentagon claims to have found ‘hidden’ files on final days of the Afghanistan war
Discussion:
NewsMax.com
Johanna Alonso / Inside Higher Ed:
New Student Visas Dropped 23% in 2025 — Countries impacted by Trump's travel ban are among those with the fewest student visas issued in 2025, though China and India, typically the two largest suppliers of international students to the U.S., were also hit hard.
Discussion:
State of California and OutsideTheBeltway
Adam Kovac / Yahoo News:
In a 2023 interview, Trump's new FDA pick laid out a vision for ‘conservative-based’ science — In a 2023 podcast interview, Heidi Overton called for the creation of “alternate systems” for publishing research that would back conservative policy — President Donald Trump's nominee to lead …
Carlos Lozada / New York Times:
A Question for the Formerly Woke: What Exactly Do You Regret? — There is a difference between changing your mind and shifting your tactics, between evolving in your views and abandoning them because they've become unpopular or politically perilous. — When Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez …
Discussion:
HotAir, Washington Examiner and Fox News
New York Times:
Judge Sides With Texas Over Minnesota on Extradition of ICE Agent — The two states have waged an unusual court battle over the agent facing charges over a shooting in Minneapolis. The agent could be released from jail on Thursday. — A federal judge on Wednesday sided with Texas …
Discussion:
Scripps News, CBS News, Associated Press, KSTP-TV, FOX 26 Houston, LifeNews.com, MPR News, The Texas Tribune and NOTUS
Ashleigh Fields / The Hill:
Blanche rips Philadelphia district attorney over promise to blow up White House ballroom — Attorney General Todd Blanche on Wednesday ripped into the Philadelphia district attorney for suggesting that the White House ballroom would be blown to bits while noting that he was entitled to a piece of the shrapnel as a keepsake.
Discussion:
Fox News, Townhall, The Independent, American Greatness, NewsMax.com, The Daily Caller, Joe.My.God., HotAir, The Daily Wire and Louder With Crowder
Sahil Kapur / NBC News:
The 2026 elections are thinning the ranks of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus — The band of rebellious conservatives has watched its members leave to run for higher office or lose their primaries, as others face political dangers on the horizon. — The ranks of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus …
Arek Sarkissian / Politico:
Amid deadly Pennsylvania outbreak, Kennedy blames Biden for decline in measles vax rates — HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy on Wednesday said CDC workers have been unable to confirm measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania before blaming the nationwide decline in measles vaccinations on the Biden administration.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Breitbart, New Republic, Daily Mail and Axios
Claire Carter / Washington Examiner:
Massachusetts state legislator indicted on COVID-19 federal fraud charges — A Massachusetts state lawmaker was arrested Wednesday on federal charges accusing him of fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief funds and funneling money into personal and business accounts.
Discussion:
The Boston Globe, Fox News, NewsMax.com, Boston.com, WBUR, The Gateway Pundit and RedState
Associated Press:
Trump and Vance will keynote the Republicans' midterm convention in Texas next month — As if there was any doubt, Republicans' midterm convention will be the Donald Trump show, with the president appearing at both nights of the event in Dallas on Sept. 9-10.
Discussion:
The Hill and The Daily Wire
Sarah Davis / The Hill:
Louisiana governor ‘not concerned’ about environmental impact of Gulf Coast SpaceX facility — Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) brushed aside fears Wednesday morning about possible negative environmental impacts from SpaceX's planned $100 billion launch facility in the state.
Discussion:
CNN, UPI, The Register, RedState, Eschaton, CBS News, RTÉ, France 24, Opportunity Louisiana, CNBC, TechCrunch and E&E News
James Downie / MS NOW:
Trump can't stop sabotaging his own economy — “Why would I want to blow up the global financial system?” an exasperated Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said during a press conference Monday, while introducing new sanctions against Iran. Bessent may think that's still a self-evidently ridiculous question.
Discussion:
Alternet.org
Colin Demarest / Axios:
Exclusive: Why Antares is bringing nuclear power to Fort Bragg — The U.S. Army and the Defense Innovation Unit have selected Antares to build and operate nuclear microreactors at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, chief executive Jordan Bramble told Axios.
Discussion:
Associated Press, Washington Examiner and DefenseScoop
Bloomberg:
US Allies Warn Hormuz Is Still Mined Despite Trump Claim — US allies are privately warning that the Strait of Hormuz is still likely mined, casting doubt on President Donald Trump's claim that the US Navy has completely removed and detonated explosives laid by Iran.
Discussion:
Al Jazeera, Breitbart, Axios and NewsMax.com


