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, Semafor, NOTUS, JURIST, MS NOW, UPI, Bloomberg, Politico, FOX 26 Houston, New York Magazine, The Information, Forbes, The San Francisco Standard, Reuters, Deadline, New Republic, CBS News, NPR, TechCrunch, Variety, The Wrap, CalMatters, KTLA, The Sun, The Verge and National Legal …, more at Techmeme »
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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 …
Meta Newsroom:
Our Agreement With Bipartisan Attorneys General: Calling on TikTok and YouTube to Join Us in Supporting Teens — Our Agreement With US State Attorneys General — Today, we are announcing an agreement with a bipartisan group of 52 attorneys general across US states, territories …
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 Bulwark, MS NOW, Stars & Stripes, Forbes, Wonkette, Adam Kinzinger, Joe.My.God., New Republic, NBC News, Alternet.org and New York Times
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:
CBC News, Global News, Alternet.org, UAW, National Review, The Hub, MPR News, Washington Examiner and RTÉ
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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:
The Hub, Alternet.org and Washington Post
Politico:
Republicans were already nervous about November. Then Trump restarted his trade war. — Republicans were already struggling to defuse simmering voter frustrations over the cost of living ahead of the midterms. Then President Donald Trump rekindled his trade wars.
Discussion:
Reuters and Alternet.org
Liz Dye / Public Notice:
Trump shitposts fail to win support for Canadian trade war
Trump shitposts fail to win support for Canadian trade war
Discussion:
The Hill, The Spectator, NPR, LAist, The Daily Wire and New York Times
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.
Discussion:
ABC News, The Hill, Tangle, Forbes, RedState, The Post Millennial, Truthout, MPR News, State of California, New York Times, Political.org, Washington Post, NOTUS, New York Post, Scripps News, TheGrio, Wired, Alternet.org, PJ Media, Centralmaine.com, One America News Network, CBS News, American Greatness and National Review
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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:
Wall Street Journal, Democracy Docket, CBS News, Bloomberg, Federal Register, Los Angeles Times, NewsMax.com, Capital B News, Votebeat, The Philadelphia Inquirer, KSTP-TV, Mercury News, Biometric Update, New York Times, MS NOW, Washington Examiner, LAist, Talking Points Memo, Slate, TheGrio, The Hill, Newsweek, The Independent and Wonkette
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:
MS NOW, NPR, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Post and Ms. Magazine
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:
Fox News, NOTUS, USA Today, KUT Radio …, Washington Examiner, TMZ.com, Breitbart, The Hill, The Texas Tribune, Political.org, LGBTQ Nation, Townhall, UPI, PinkNews, Joe.My.God., New Republic and FOX 26 Houston
The Atlantic:
Trump Plans to Buy Midterm Ads About His Own Record — President Trump gathered his top political advisers in the Oval Office early this month to solve a problem of riches: how to spend his super PAC's $400 million political war chest with fewer than 100 days to go before the midterm elections.
Discussion:
MS NOW, New York Times, Politico, Washington Examiner, New Republic, NOTUS, The Independent, Joe.My.God., Alternet.org and Eschaton
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Susan Page / USA Today:
Even Iowa? Trump's troubles tighten races for Senate, governor
Discussion:
The Hill
Jonathan Martin / Politico:
A Pork Tenderloin, a State Fair and Democrats' Best Shot at Iowa in Decades
A Pork Tenderloin, a State Fair and Democrats' Best Shot at Iowa in Decades
Discussion:
The Hill, The Guardian, Wide World of News and NewsMax.com
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:
Fox News and The Gateway Pundit
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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 »
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:
OutsideTheBeltway
Robert McGreevy / Fox News:
Philadelphia DA says he'll keep piece of Trump's White House ballroom ‘after we all blow it up’ — Krasner made the remarks at George Washington's historic home during the city's annual slavery commiseration — Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said Tuesday he was going to keep …
Discussion:
Political.org
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Brendan Brightman / NBC10 Philadelphia:
Krasner says he will keep piece of Trump's ballroom after ‘we all blow it up’
Krasner says he will keep piece of Trump's ballroom after ‘we all blow it up’
Discussion:
HotAir, NewsMax.com, The Daily Caller, Breitbart, RedState and Washington Examiner
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, Washington Examiner, YouGov and The Philadelphia Inquirer
US Department of Justice:
Justice Department and FBI Seize Platforms Operated and Used by China State-Sponsored Hackers to Target U.S. Critical Infrastructure — For Immediate Release — The Justice Department and FBI announced court-authorized domain seizures today to deny malicious cyber actors access …
Discussion:
New York Post, CNBC, TMZ.com, TechCrunch, RedState and Tom's Hardware
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Kanishka Singh / Reuters:
Trump administration issues pause on visa appointments for applicants worldwide — President Donald Trump's administration has issued a pause on visa appointments for applicants around the world during an ongoing immigration crackdown by the U.S. government in the Republican leader's second term in the White House.
CBS News:
CIA Director John Ratcliffe visits Russia, on what was a secret trip — A U.S. military plane landed at an airport in Moscow, Russia, on Tuesday, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe was among those on board. Charlie D'Agata reports.
Discussion:
HotAir, New York Post, The Hill, Forbes, The Spectator, The Moscow Times, Bloomberg, Meidas+, UPI, Metro.co.uk, The Guardian, The Sun, The Parnas Perspective, RTÉ, Political.org, France 24, Axios, The Japan Times, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, Washington Post, The Bulwark, RedState, The Aviationist, Fox News, BBC, ABC News, Al Jazeera, New York Times, Euronews, Daily Mail, Reuters, Joe.My.God., New Republic, The i Paper, Semafor, Crooks and Liars, The American Conservative, Wall Street Journal, Human Events and Washington Examiner
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 and Political.org
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:
The Daily Wire, RedState, Jewish Insider and The Post Millennial
Jonathan Cohn / The Bulwark:
This Cancer Breakthrough Has Scientists Cheering—and Crying — They know RFK Jr. and Donald Trump are destroying the research ecosystem that made it possible. — FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, an up-and-coming oncology researcher in Boston named Catherine Wu had a hunch.
Bloomberg:
US Allies Cast Doubt on Trump's Claim Hormuz Has Been Demined — 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, Agence France-Presse, Axios, NewsMax.com, Algemeiner.com and Political.org
Julianne McShane / MS NOW:
USS Abraham Lincoln sailor says father has been released from ICE detention — The update came a day after the Department of Homeland Security said Luis Manuel Aviles Roa would remain detained. — The father of a sailor aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln has been released from detention …
Discussion:
NOTUS, Washington Examiner, Reuters, CBS News and Truthout
Steven Nelson / New York Post:
Trump doubts Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is dead: 'If he is, they're putting on a pretty good show' — WASHINGTON — President Trump said Wednesday that he believes Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but badly wounded from a February airstrike …
Discussion:
The Hill and NewsMax.com
Jenna Monnin / NOTUS:
GOP Governor Candidate Plans to Ask for ICE Agents at Polling Places — Bobby Charles is running against Democrat Hannah Pingree in Maine. — Copy — Maine gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles said he plans to ask White House border czar Tom Homan to send U.S. Immigration …
Discussion:
Centralmaine.com and Maine Democratic Party
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
Matthew Choi / Washington Post:
In Texas Senate race, Talarico seeks depositions that could damage Paxton — Democrat James Talarico has leaned into Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's past legal scandals to try to win over moderate Republicans. — Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is looking …
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Newsweek, Townhall, Associated Press, Joe.My.God., Breitbart, FOX 26 Houston and Washington Examiner
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 …
Matt Cohen / Democracy Docket:
Judge blocks Maryland Democrats' redistricting plans, setting up state Supreme Court appeal — Maryland Democrats' redistricting plans may be in trouble after a judge blocked a proposed constitutional amendment from appearing on the November ballot. — But Maryland Circuit Court Judge Robert Thompson …
Discussion:
Politico, NewsNation, WTTG-TV and Los Angeles Times
Robert Tait / The Guardian:
Three pro-Israel Democrats given key roles on House foreign affairs panel — Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Wesley Bell to join as Jared Moskowitz becomes ranking member on sub-committee — Three pro-Israel Democrats have been given key roles on a powerful congressional body overseeing US foreign policy …
Discussion:
The Hill, Truthout, Washington Examiner and Axios
Dustin Gardiner / Politico:
Pelosi succession brawl splits delegation — SAN FRANCISCO — Members of California's congressional delegation and top Democratic donors are getting dragged into San Francisco's bitter race to succeed Nancy Pelosi — a contest dividing party leaders far beyond the city.
Discussion:
NewsMax.com and KQED
Gabriel Gavin / Politico:
Canada's Carney to attend EU's State of the Union — “In these challenging times, strengthening our relationships across the world is vital,” the European Commission told POLITICO. — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will join European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen …
Discussion:
Global News, The Daily Caller, Bloomberg, Prime Minister of Canada and Joe.My.God.
Associated Press:
FDA approves landmark pancreatic cancer drug that's shown to improve survival — The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved a groundbreaking new drug for the most common form of pancreatic cancer, offering U.S. patients a more effective treatment against one of the deadliest types of cancer.
Discussion:
The Hill, Scripps News, New York Times, Forbes, NewsMax.com and STAT
Brittany Gibson / Axios:
Trump's “election integrity” threat: Defunding police — State and cities nationwide are rebelling against the White House's push to withhold millions of dollars in police and anti-terrorism funding unless they impose new voting rules. … - “They are trying to defund public safety and counterterrorism …
