According to the UN Humanitarian Cooperative Association (OCHA), the United Nations recorded 11,877 children under the age of five with acute malnutrition in Gaza in July this year.
Of those children, 2,562 suffered from severe acute malnutrition and 40 were hospitalized at the stabilization centre, Ocha said.
“This is clear evidence that malnutrition is rapidly accelerating and putting young lives at a serious risk,” UNICEF, the UN Children’s Agency, warned Thursday.
The tissue said the surge in acute malnutrition in children was “superficial.” According to the OCHA, 2,000 children were identified as such in February.
OCHA reported that IT and its partner organizations can only reach 3% of children under the age of 5 who require feeding and micronutrient supplements.
Human rights groups and the United Nations say that aid convoys are allowed to enter Gaza are only a small part of what is needed amid the rise in deaths related to the starvation crisis and malnutrition in enclaves.
Furthermore, only 1.5% of Gaza’s farmland has access to 1.5%, and as of July 28th, it has not been damaged. This was discovered in reports from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT).
The crisis “requires an urgent, reduced response,” UNICEF said. “We know how to prevent and treat malnutrition. There are tools. There are expertise. But without safe and sustained access, it means nothing. Nutrition must reach children.
Hyundai opens a new factory in Brian County, Georgia
Hyundai has opened a new electric vehicle assembly plant in Brian County, which is expected to generate millions of vehicles a year and create more than 8,000 jobs by 2030. FOX 5 Atlanta Reporter Tyler Fingert is ready to go on to the latest news on the grand opening.
Fox-5 Atlanta
The hybrid version is coming in late 2025.
It comes with either front or all-wheel drive, and gasoline models are currently available at the dealership.
Hyundai’s flagship SUV will be bigger and better in 2026, adding a set of thoughtful features and its first model with meaningful off-road capacity.
The Palisade is a seven- or eight-seat SUV that competes with vehicles such as the Chevrolet Rubbers, Ford Explorer, GMC Acadia, Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride, Mazda CX-90, Nissan Pathfinder, and Toyota Grand Highlander.
It comes with front or all-wheel drive. The gasoline model is currently at the dealership, with the hybrid coming later this year.
The Palisade costs from $38,935 for the front drive model. The new XRT Pro model, which includes AWD and all-terrain tires, starts at $49,370.
The Palisade Hybrid will arrive later this year. That price starts at $43,660. All prices exclude the $1,495 destination charge.
The ’26 Palisade is heavier than last year’s model, but it won’t offer any more power until the hybrid is on sale.
2026 Hyundai Palisade chose trim level and price
Palisade se fwd, $38,935
Palisade this AWD, $43,440
Palisee Xrt Pro AWD, $49,370
Palisade Calligraphy AWD, $56,060
Palisade Hybrid Blue Sel FWD, $43,660
Palisade Hybrid Sel AWD, $45,660
Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy AWD, $58,280
Source: Edmunds. Price excludes placement fees of $1,495
what’s new? What’s good?
2026 Palisade is based on a new architecture that it shares with Hyundai’s medium-sized Santa Fe SUV. This is significantly larger than previous models, with longer wheelbase and shorter front overhangs.
The wheelbase has grown 2.7 inches. The total length has been increased by 2.5. Height and width have been increased by 0.2 inches and 0.6 inches, respectively.
Palisade remains shorter than its major competitors, including the Chevrolet Rubbers, Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot and Toyota Grand Highlander. However, it leads a group of passenger spaces. The cargo compartment behind the third row seat in the center of the pack.
Palisade profiles can be recognized from previous generations. New touches include geometric fender flares and vertical DRL and taillights.
The outdoor XRT Pro model is new and adds functionality to the trim package on the XRT. Functional changes include electronically restricted slip differentials, all-terrain tires, and corrections to the anterior and posterior fascia to improve approach and departure angles.
The XRT Pro has four chassis-mounted recovery hooks.
2026 Important Features of Hyundai Palisade
Seat 7 or 8
Lighted 2nd row seat belt receiver
D-pillar grab handle
UV-C sterilizer for devices
Adjustable power supply seating in the second and third rows
Factory Install Dash Camera with 4 Days Memory
100W USB-C charging port
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Nappa leather seats
14 speakers Bose audio
XRT Pro’s electronic-only slip differential
XRT Pro All Terrain Tires
New Pickup Truck Reviews: This RAM 1500 truck may be the most reliable of 2025, but is it worth buying?
Drive impressions
The Palisade is wide and quiet on the road. The power is appropriate, but not a selling point.
The ride was smooth.
The XRT pro I drove scrambled the steep slopes of loose clay and negotiated a series of bumps and depressions that frequently hung one wheel on one side without excessive drama.
That suspension impacts the surface, but I do not advise the raw rocks. The steep hills, ruts and low operating surfaces were easy to operate.
The 3.5L V6 produces the same 287 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque that last year’s 3.8L V6 did with the smaller Palisades in 2025. The engine is linked to a smooth, 8-speed automatic transmission.
The hybrid will be a premium drivetrain with 329 hp and 339 pound-feet of torque.
Interior and Feel
The interior is spacious and trimmed with materials that allow you to see the more expensive vehicle homes of the Ritzier brand.
The armrests, doors, dashes – the spots you most likely to see and touch – were wrapped in soft, attractive materials.
Controls include traditional switches and dials for key climate and audio features. The touchscreen is big, clear and reasonably responsive.
The XRT was embossed on the headrest, and the jug line on the seatback recalls Mountain Vista.
Front and rear video cameras are useful for parking and trails. However, the view is turned off around 4 mph. There is a fine in the parking lot, but it is not really convenient when off-roaded.
What’s good?
Accelerating gasoline-only palisades is appropriate, but they have no strengths. Commuters with frequent routes can either want more ramp vitality or wait for reviews of the hybrid that arrived later this year.
The XRT Pro offers more off-road capabilities than the previous Palisade SRT, but it’s a low bar to clear. That trail view camera shuts off at very slow speeds and I was often looking for a forward view that was no longer available on short off-road routes.
Why buy the 2026 Hyundai Palisade?
The 2026 Hyundai Palisade is a spacious and elegant three-row SUV. It packs many passenger spaces into easy-to-park footprints. It can be seen inside and outside.
Other automakers expect to scramble to unique features such as third row seats on the power slide, second row seatbelt receivers with lights, and factory-installed dash cams with memory.
2026 Hyundai Palisade at a glance
Front or all-wheel drive full-size SUV
Seats 7-8
Base price: $38,935. All prices exclude the $1,495 destination charge.
Now on sale
Model Test: Palisade XRT Pro AWD
As tested price: $49,370
Power: 3.5L V6
Output: 287 HP @ 6,400 rpm; 260 pound-feet of torque @ 5,000 rpm
Cargo volume: 19.1 cubic feet behind the rear seat, 46.3 behind the second row, 86.7 behind the front seat.
Curb weight: 4,872 lbs (EST.)
Towing capacity: 5,000 lbs
It was assembled in Urusan, Korea
Please contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Please read more Auto And sign up for us Automotive Newsletter. Become a subscriber.
Kash Patel, a former national security officer, is President Donald Trump’s choice for FBI director.
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration continues to remove top FBI officials. One former acting director and other senior leaders reportedly were kicked out of the country’s finest federal law enforcement agencies.
One of those exiled is Brian Driscoll, a former acting FBI director who, on January 6, 2021, identified FBI agents who investigated the attack on the Capitol and refusal to implement the Trump administration’s orders to potentially fire them.
The investigation examined President Donald Trump’s potential role in the attack as he tried to take office after losing to Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
more: Senate Democrat: Kash Patel may have committed perjury” denying link to FBI purge
Another senior official forced to do so was Steve Jensen, head of the FBI’s Washington, D.C. field office. In a letter to a colleague on August 7, disclosed by MSNBC, Jensen said he was notified the night before, “On August 8, 2025, my employment with the FBI will be effective tomorrow.”
According to MSNBC, both men sent messages to their colleagues saying they were notified on Friday, August 8th that it was their last day at the station.
“I understand that there may be many questions about why I don’t have an answer right now,” Driscoll said in his notes about his expulsion, MSNBC said. “At this point, the cause is not clear. Please know that serving with our customers is an honor in my life.”
Driscoll was appointed acting director on behalf of Christopher Wray in January, serving as FBI director Kash Patel during the Senate confirmation process. He made headlines to resist the Trump administration’s demands and take over the names of agents from across the country who took part in the January 6th investigation.
“Our collective sacrifice for those we serve is worth it,” Driscoll also said in his farewell note, MSNBC reported. “I have no regrets about anything.”
Veteran counterterrorism agent Driscoll recently led the department’s hostage rescue team and served as acting director for key incident response groups that respond quickly to the rapid movement of crisis situations.
Special agents Walter Jardina and Christopher Meyer who were working on the FBI incident involving Trump were also forced, The New York Times reported, citing people familiar with the issue.
The Times said they worked on a case in which Giardina’s wife died of cancer last month and sent Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro to prison.
USA Today was unable to independently review HR actions.
The FBI declined to comment when asked about reported outcasts. This has been chasing other well-known HR purges under Patel and assistant director Dan Bongino for the last few months.
The FBI under Trump has moved to aggressively demote, reallocate or push many agents out of their positions at FBI headquarters and field offices across the United States despite claims that Patel would not politicize the department.
Asked if he would pursue FBI officials and agents at a confirmation hearing in January, Patel promised that under his watch the FBI would “no politicization” or there would be retaliation.
“Senator, my answer is simply that I never do anything unconstitutional or illegal, and I have never had it in government services for 16 years,” Patel said.
Shortly afterwards, a leading Senate Democrat said that he “may have committed perjury” when testifying that Patel had no idea about the removal of the FBI’s top officials that had already begun.
“We’re a sought-after,” said Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, a top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee.
Patel was identified along the party line.
Another veteran FBI agent, Michael Feinberg, was told that in a long-standing Trump Russia investigation by the FBI, which considered the Kremlin interference in the 2016 election, he was told to accept resignation or relegation during a scrutiny of friendship with lead agents.
Other agents at headquarters and field offices were evicted, demoted, or reassigned after being linked to an investigation that touched Trump.
more: FBI staff ordered by Monday to clarify their role in the January 6th investigation
The FBI Agents Association said “we are deeply concerned about reports that FBI Special Agents – Case Agents and Senior Leaders will be fired immediately without a legitimate process to investigate potential federal crimes.”
“Agents were not given the option to select and select cases, and these agents performed the assignments with professionalism and integrity,” the association said in a statement. “The most important thing is that they followed the law.”
The Agents Association said there should be a review process that will take place when employment measures are taken against agents, and that “it was established to remain independent and apolitical.”
“The FBI leadership has committed to the public and directly to the FBIAA – they will avoid following that process. We urge them to respect that commitment and follow the law.
“Under stress, under trauma, and under fire, the swift action of these soldiers absolutely saved us from losing our lives,” said Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.
Fort Stewart soldiers praised the saving of life with mass shooting
Six Fort Stewart soldiers who were respected for saving lives during massive shootings shared their experiences.
On the morning of August 6th, Staff Sergeant Melissa Taylor was sitting at her desk in Fort Stewart, Georgia, checking her emails when she heard of First Sergeant. Joshua Arnold screams down the hallway about the shooting.
more: Why did the Army Sergeant fire at Fort Stewart? What we know about motivations
“I… saw smoking at the end of the hallway, and then I noticed that there were soldiers lying on the ground. So I quickly started sprinting to the soldiers and rendering aid,” the battalion’s career counselor and former combat medic told reporters on August 7.
An army sergeant was shooting fellow soldiers in the building. Five soldiers were shot.
Taylor and five other soldiers from Winter Haven, Florida, jumped into the action. Sergeant. Aaron Turner of Farmington, New Mexico, was unarmed, but worked on the perpetrators. Master Sergeant. Justin Thomas of Kingwood, Texas also jumped into the shooter, and authorities identified him as a sergeant. Quornelius Radford. Others rushed to stop their colleagues bleeding.
Arnold, a soldier shouting through the hallways from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, said the next day, “Our training has begun. My training has begun.”
The suspect was arrested promptly but targeted a colleague at his workplace, the 703rd Brigade supported the battalion’s company-run facility, Army officials said. He remains in custody.
Five casualties, all soldiers, are expected to survive and recover. The two women remain hospitalized. One is at base Winn Army Community Hospital and the other at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah. General John Lebas.
Army official, Secretary Dan Driscoll, travelled to the South Georgia post and presented medals to Taylor, Arnold, and four other soldiers in response to the shooting.
“The swift action of these soldiers under stress, under trauma, and under fire, absolutely saved lives at a press conference on August 7th.”
Six soldiers received merit medals of worship. This was rarely presented to the lower troops with honorable decorations. Their battalion is part of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, a tank unit that returned from European deployments in the summer of 2024. 703rd will assist battalions with supply, maintenance and other logistics support for larger combat units.
Thomas and Turner were awarded for their work detaining suspects. Arnold, Taylor and two others – Sgt. Staff. Robert Pacheco, and Sgt. of Amsterdam, New York. Yves Rodalte of El Centro, California, was recognized for his job treating shooting victims on scene.
Arnold’s award quote, read aloud at the ceremony, revealed that the first fellow sergeant was one of the victims. The first sergeants are top soldiers who joined company-sized units, ranging from 50 to 250 soldiers. This role has increased their responsibility to the military.
As the victim recovered, other survivors of the shooting began handling the event.
“It’s going to be a while before this moment hits you, and it’s fine,” Drisco said, speaking to the soldiers in his unit. He has committed to providing counseling and other support services as long as necessary.
Taylor, who began reading morning emails, told reporters who returned home after the uproar on August 6th and dotted the kids.
How will Trump’s new spending bill affect student loans?
President Donald Trump’s newly passed spending bill is set to overhaul the federal student loan system.
No Brands – News Value
According to a report by the Credit Bureau Transunion, millions of student loan borrowers will begin their collection within weeks by the end of August and face pay decorations.
The report estimates that one million borrowers could reach default status in August, adding it to around 2 million accounts previously estimated as of July. Typically, the loan is placed in default for more than 270 days or more, or for about 9 months or more. Transunion’s report predicts another 2 million people could default in September.
The Trump administration announced that the U.S. Department of Education will begin collecting default federal student loan payments on May 5, but the exact timeline on which wage decorations could begin is unknown. The department announced on July 9 that it has yet to earn wages, including Social Security payments or federal benefits since reopening the collection, but it expects wage decorations to begin “late this summer.”
Student Loan News: With millions of people missing out on student loan payments, here’s how it could hurt the economy
The agency led by Education Secretary Linda McMahon emailed more than 23 million borrowers in a July release saying it “reminded me of my legal obligation to pay off my loan.”s As of late June, it raised more than $280 million on default student loans through voluntary measures and other programs.
According to the department, decorations that the government can order employers to withhold wages, which can order wages of up to 15%, can continue until the default loan is paid in full or removed from default. The threat of decoration lies in a series Aggressive Overhaul of federal student loans by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The department resumed interest on August 1 for borrowers registered in the Biden-era repayment program designed to facilitate monthly payments, but Trump’s massive budget and spending bill signed on July 4th will bring about other series of updates and changes, including a lifetime borrowing cap and the end of the penetration and resend program of several loans.
more: Keep up with the latest education, student loan news from USA Today
Federal education officials said those who want to avoid paying wage decorations besides paying their full balance can pursue negotiations with them or private collection agencies or request a hearing. According to the Education Department’s website, negotiation and hearing requests must be made within 30 days with the aim of all borrowers being entitled to receive.
While decorations are underway, the borrower may be entitled to request a hearing as well or enter into a rehabilitation agreement. For more information about the collection, please visit dusttainid.gov.
Approximately 42.7 million borrowers owe more than $1.6 trillion in student debt, and more than 5 million borrowers are defaulting, he said in April.
Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA Today. You can contact her kapalmer@usatoday.com And with x @Kathrynplmr.
The Trump administration gestured towards a drastic plan to turn immigrants awaiting deportation at US military bases into prison.
More National Guards Leave Los Angeles
The Pentagon recalls the National Guard troops of about 1,300 from Los Angeles, with only a few hundred remaining following the anti-ice protests in June.
FOX -LA
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon says it wants Fort Bliss to be the “largest federal detention center in history” to retain immigrants, and will prepare Texas Army Base to house 1,000 detainees within weeks.
The military began building detention centers on the base in mid-July, with the goal of “early operational capabilities” for 1,000 detainees from mid- to late August, Pentagon spokesman Kingsley Wilson told reporters on August 7.
“When completed, this will become the largest federal detention center in the history of this important mission.”
The Trump administration gestured towards a drastic plan to turn immigrants awaiting deportation at US military bases into prison. Previously reported by USA Today, military officials screened bases across the country for possible immigration detention centres.
About 100 migrants have already been detained at Fort Bliss, an army base just outside El Paso, and Pentagon officials plan to increase that number to thousands for months.
Army Second Dan Driscoll announced plans during a visit to the base in late March, part of the USA Today network. The Department of Defense awarded a contract to a Virginia company on July 18 to operate the detention center.
In January, President Donald Trump ordered the military to detain up to 30,000 migrants at Guantanamo, a US military base in Cuba. Reports show that fewer than 1,000 migrants are currently being held at the naval base.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses has also approved the use of McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, joint base at Camp Attterbury, New Jersey and Indiana, to retain immigrants.
The Department of Homeland Security initially requested that each base hold 1,000 immigrants on June 10, according to documents originally published by New Jersey Spotlight News. Guantanamo will accommodate 500 people, according to the request.
About 70 national security guards provide security and secure the boundary of a makeshift immigration detention center in the Everglades, Florida State Guard. On August 7, a federal judge ordered a 14-day suspension at the Everglades facility after environmental groups filed a lawsuit over what they called “serious threats” to the surrounding ecosystems, water and animal bodies.
Island vacations have long captured our imaginations. Landings into the South Pacific Ocean with coral reefs and tropical beaches, European islands are brimming with medieval castles and remote cabins in lake island forests, making the choices seem almost unlimited.
But we are not alone in our appeal to these idyllic escapes. Many of the more famous names are expensive and overcrowded.
But that doesn’t have to be. These 11 magical American island destinations are not on all “best islands” lists, and are excellent for it.
Apostle Islands (Wisconsin)
This archipelago of Lake Superior is divided into the wilderness of the Apostolic Islands National Lakeshore and the idyllic Madeline Island.
The ferry runs several times daily between Bayfield and Madeline Island on the mainland, and visitors can explore on bike rentals and mopeds.
Bayfield is also the hub for summer narrated cruises and guided kayaking trips. Water taxis can drop day trippers at half a dozen wild island picnic spots. The ultimate is a kayak camping trip, harboring an off-grid island.
Where to stay: St. James Social
Edisto Island (South Carolina)
This laid back, low sea island vacation experience offers a wealth of nature, historic homes and great food.
Part of the swampy area of the vast Ace Basin, Edisto preserves the natural side through Botanical Garden Bay’s plantation heritage and wildlife management areas, as well as Edisto Beach State Park. Local wildlife ranges from crocodiles and bobcats to nests of sea turtles and migratory birds.
Home to celebrity chef Kardea Brown, Edisto Beach Town blends Civil War architecture with fresh boat seafood at Seacoe, Whaley’s and half a dozen restaurants.
Where to stay: Wyndham Ocean Ridge
San Juan Island (Washington)
The second biggestIsle of the San Juan Archipelago is the most eclectic, a haven for adventure seekers, wildlife watchers, seafood lovers and history lovers.
The Washington State Ferries will arrive at port Friday along with the photogenic waterfront. This arrives at the Salish Sea where the starting point for Kayak and Zodiac Advan is looking for Orca, Bald Eagles and other creatures.
San Juan Island National Historical Park on the West Coast holds the remains of the 1859 Pig War, which nearly led to the conflict between the United States and Britain. This park is also a great place to find (and photograph) the super cute island fox.
Island culinary sweets include the fine duck soup restaurant, fresh oysters from Westcott Bay Shellfish, and San Juan Island distillery for Mama and Pop.
Where to stay: Roche Harbor Resort
Islamorada Island (Florida)
Most drivers driving overseas highway cruises pass through Islamorada, a community spread across five residential islands, heading to Party Hearty West. But that’s a mistake. Because “Purple Island” offers a slice of Florida keys before they are discovered by the public.
Diving and snorkeling are spectacular, especially at offshore Indian Keys, 18th-century San Pedro shipwrecks and historic crocodile reef lighthouse. The history of the diving museum pays homage to underwater sports. With warm shallow tropical waters, the Islamorada Sandbar is a great place to swim.
Jimmy Buffett’s spirit can withstand joints such as Tikibur, Marker 88 and Florida Keys Brewing Company. Alternatively, you can make baseball superstar Ted Williams, who has lived in Islamorada in Upper Matecanbekie for over 40 years and eat your own meals with the local fishing charter. You can also stay at Williams’ former estate.
Where to stay: Islamorada Island
Drummond Island (Michigan)
Floating on the northwest corner of Lake Huron near Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Drummond is the second largest lake island in the country. The almost completely wooded island boasts miles of far-off, undeveloped lakes shore and dozens of small glacial lakes.
In addition to the abundant hiking paths, Drummond is well known among off-road homes for its dedicated 4×4 and all-terrain vehicle trails. Beaver rents a variety of ATVs side by side to navigate Warren on the backcountry route.
Other activities on the island include bikes, paddling, fishing, paintballs and rocks at Drummond Island Golf Course.
Where to stay: Drummond Island Resort
Dauphin Island (Alabama)
One of the barrier islands protecting the Mobile Bay, Dauphin belonged to the French and British islands before falling into the famous civil war’s ocean battles, reaching the hands of the Americans.
A living history presentation makes the historic Fort Gaines a major attraction on the island. However, Dauphin Island Sea labs also feature the Audubonbird Sanctuary and the Alabama Aquarium.
Dauphin Island Village in the island’s East End offers restaurants and deep-sea fishing charters, speedboat rentals, pontoon boats and jet skis. The entire western edge is a long, sandy spit with wild beaches.
Where to stay: Bay Motel
Kodiak Island (Alaska)
Kodiak, Alaska’s largest island, is quite far from the cruise ship circuit that lands thousands of people at other top spots on the last frontier every summer.
That doesn’t mean that the island does not have residents. The most famous is Kodiak Bear. It is twice the size of the Grizzlies on the mainland, and is scattered around 3,000 of them scattered throughout the island. They are best seen on a guided float plain trip from the town of Kodiak.
Other claims to Kodiak’s fame are salmon fishing and relics of the island’s era as part of Russian America before the US bought Alaska in 1867. Kayak Kodiak offers guided paddle tours along the island’s pristine coastline.
Where to stay: Afognak Wilderness Lodge
Lobster and historic Brown Head Lighthouse set the tone of Maine’s largest offshore island. It doubles as a colony for the fishing community and artists, throwing a bit of tourism.
Vinal Haven, which reached Rockland’s ferries and air taxis, was famous in the past for its granite quarry, transformed into a modern-day popular swimming spot.
The Vinalhaven Land Trust maintains 23 hiking preservation on the seaside and inland forest trails. Ride a lobster boat tour or explore local waters yourself with canoe rentals, kayaks and paddleboards.
Where to stay: Tide water
St. Croix doesn’t have the same cruise ship cache as the old money vibes of St. Thomas and St. John, but its uncrowded beaches and rainforest make it the most “Virgin” in the US Virgin Islands.
Also the most Scandinavian, sites such as the Christiansted National Historic Site and Fort Frederickstead have remained since the time the island was the colonial capital of the Danish West Indies.
Some of the iconic outdoor experiences in St. Croix include horse riding, catamaran trips and snorkelling the Coral Garden of the Buc Island Reef National Monument along the empty beaches.
Where to stay: Karanbora Beach Resort
Santa Cruz Island (California)
The biggest and easiest to reach the landings of Channel Island National Park offers a time trip back to when Southern California’s coast was wilderness and ranch, not mass suburbs.
Although it is one of the most visited national parks in the lower 48 states, the Channel Islands (particularly Santa Cruz Island) offers outdoor adventures ranging from hiking, camping and wildlife monitoring to scuba diving, snorkeling and sea kayaking.
The Island Packers run ferries daily from Ventura Harbor on the mainland, and on their one-hour voyages there is always the opportunity to jump through the moving humpback whales and dolphins pods. The company also offers snorkeling and a guided kayak trip to Santa Cruz, featuring huge sea caves on the island.
Where to stay: Zakari dunes on Mandalay Beach return to Oxnard on the mainland
Assateague Island (Maryland/Virginia)
This 37-mile Wild Coast ribbon is shared by Maryland and Virginia, the National Coast, the National Wildlife Refuge and Beachfront State Parks.
Assateag’s famous wild horses pass through the marsh along the coast. Visitors gather at the southern tip of the island in July to see the famous Pony Swim Roundup by the “Salt Water Cowboys.”
Hiking, cycling and beach activities are the main lures for the rest of the year. In the warmer months, Assateagh Outfitters offers guided kayaking tours and rent bikes, non-motorized vessels and even clam rakes. Visitors can also drive on long sections of the beach with permission from Sand Vehicles (OSV).
Where to stay: State Parks and National Coast Campgrounds
“Superman” actor Dean Cain promotes ice recruitment and causes backlash
“Superman” actor Dean Cain urged Americans to join ICE in a new video, not only highlighting the perks of the work, but also sparking backlash from fans.
The actor who once portrayed “Man of Steel” in the ’90s in the theater’s latest Warner Bros. “Superman” film revealed that he is now an immigration and customs enforcement agency in the US.
Dean Cain, who played the fictional hero in the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, revealed the news in a video posted on social media platforms on Tuesday, August 5th.
“I am a sworn law enforcement officer and a filmmaker and I felt it was important to be involved with the first responder to ensure the safety of everyone,” said Cain, 59. “If you want to help save America, Ice has arrested the worst and worst and removed them from the streets of America. I like that. I voted for it.”
This is what he said previously about President Donald Trump and the latest portrayal of “Superman,” starring David Corenswett, the latest “steel man.”
opinion: Superman and the American flag once stood for the same thing. Maga changed that.
The latest “Awakening” Superman
According to an interview with TMZ, Hollywood recently took Superman out of Superman and criticized the latest portrayal as “awakening” amid comments scrutiny over the last few months.
The day the film hit theaters, the White House released a photo of a fake film poster depicting the president as a superman.
“I love President Trump. I’ve been friends with him forever,” Variety reported. “In fact, Trump is one of the most sympathetic, wonderful, generous people you’ve ever met.”
In an interview on June 10th about “Piers Morgan Uncensored,” Cain called out the new film’s recurring plot theme, “Needs Saving.”
“James Gunn and his decision to make Ma and Pakent a stupid redneck. That’s a choice,” Cain told Morgan. “Superman, repeat? Don’t try to look, see, wake up everything and go crazy. Make that character a real justice and American way of making me like him.”
USA Today contacted Cain and Ice representatives for comments.
Edward and Brian Truets today
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter at USA Today. Contact her at nalund @usatoday.com and follow her at x @nataliealund.
The new image reveals the clearest glimpse of any interstellar visitor running through our solar system.
The Hubble Telescope and its Widefield Camera 3 gave us an incredible view of a comet named 3i/Atlas across our solar system on July 21, when the object was 277 million miles (445 million kilometers) from Earth.
In the image, you can see a coco of dust in the shape of striped tears from the icy nucleus of a comet. The comet’s nucleus is its solid core made from ice, dust and rock. When a comet moves near a star such as the sun, the heat releases gas and dust, creating a distinctive tail.
The venerable telescope is just one of many used to track comets first discovered on July 1st. With its speed, 3i/Atlas is observed to be the fastest object born outside our solar system and pass through it.
Like those made with Hubble, the new observations shine more light on the size of the comet. Small nuclei that cannot be seen directly can grow to 3.5 miles (5.6 km) in diameter or 1,000 feet (305 meters).Soon, according to a new paper accepted in the Astrophysics letter.
Meanwhile, the chemical composition of the objects can be further clarified along with ground observations from the WM Keck Observatory in Hawaii, including the James Webbspace Telescope, the transit exoplanet survey satellite, and the Neil Garelle Swift Observatory. It is expected that the comet will remain visible to ground telescopes until September until it reappears on the other side of the star in early December, until it is discovered too close to the sun.
However, while there are still big questions about 3i/Atlas, some of them may not be possible to answer.
“No one knows where a comet came from. It’s like a 1,000-second glimpse of a rifle bullet. You can’t project exactly where you started on that path.”
Comets appear to act like something originating from our solar system, but as is evident from what it captured by Dust Ploom Hubble, the speed of 3i/atlas is one indicator of being a visitor from another solar system in the Galaxy.
Scientists estimate that they have traveled through interstellar space for billions of years. As objects pass through space, the star and star nursery gain momentum, creating the effect of gravity power and gain momentum. So the longer the 3i/Atlas spends in space, the faster it moves.
The comet is the third known interstellar object observed in our solar system after Oumuamua in 2017 and 2i/Borisov in 2019.
“The 3I is particularly noteworthy because of its speed,” said Matthew Hopkins, a recent doctoral student at the Department of Physics at Oxford University, who wrote another study on objects. “This speed is especially useful for us, especially because over the past few years, me and my co-authors have been building models that can predict the properties of (interstellar objects) such as age and composition from speed.”
For Hopkins, the discovery of 3i/atlas was a very coincidence. This discovery occurred just five days after he completed his Ph.D. This took a lot of time to predict future interstellar objects discoveries. In a few months he begins a postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, where he continues to study 3i/Atlas.
During his doctoral studies, Hopkins and his collaborators in New Zealand developed the metropolitan and Oxford models. This is a model for the combination of data from astronomical star populations and how planetary systems are formed that help astronomers determine the population between interstellar objects. Currently, Hopkins is the lead author of an individual preprint study on 3i/Atlas.
Although it is difficult to determine the age of an interstellar object, Hopkins and his colleagues believe that 3i/Atlas is about 67% chance of over 7.6 billion years.
It’s a pure chance for interstellar comets to cross our solar system, but Hopkins said it’s not entirely rare. In most cases, these visitors are not visible.
“(Interstellar objects) actually always pass through the solar system. In particular, the size of a larger number of smaller ones: 80’oumua (about 656 feet, or 200 meters, across, passing through Jupiter’s orbit) is too small to detect unless it’s very close to Earth.
However, astronomers want to have the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which released their first image of the summer. The observatory’s huge primary mirror spreads over 28 feet (8.4 meters) to allow you to find small, faint, and far-flung objects. And every three nights, it scans the entire sky to allow the telescope to have a better grasp of rapidly moving interstellar objects.
Hopkins co-authors estimate that Rubin can spy on 5-50 interstellar objects over the next decade, and Hopkins optimistically leaning towards the latter. Discovering more interstellar objects could help astronomers determine how much they change or similar, especially since the first three were so different from each other, Hopkins said.
“This latest interstellar tourist is one of the previously undetected populations of objects and exploded into a scene that gradually emerged,” Jewette said. “This is now possible now because of the powerful Sky Survey feature that we didn’t have before. We’ve crossed the threshold.”
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Trump Putin’s meeting has been floating around by both sides for a while. So why would one side want that to happen now?
President Donald Trump wants to endure the power of his character to build the deal, believing that six months of incompromise from Moscow could be overcome by meeting face to face with the Kremlin’s head. He appears to be still stubborn to the idea that the Kremlin can be covered to stop the war, despite Russian counterparts suggesting the biggest position that Russians and Ukrainians are alone and Russian soldiers are Russia.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has already rejected an unconditional ceasefire proposal in May in Europe, the US and Ukraine, hoping that instead it will offer two unilateral, short, insignificant moratoriums. His troops are moving forward on the frontlines in summer attacks, and may be close enough to his goal of fall negotiations going beyond a very different status quo in war.
If two men meet, one obvious American purpose is a trilateral summit with Ukrainian President Voldy Mie Zelensky to discuss the end of the war. Russia’s purpose is likely to allow Putin to bring Trump back to the orbit of the Moscow story.
Still, the summit – previously floated and previously delayed – could happen this time, and it raises the question of how the war will end. Here are five possible scenarios:
Very unlikely. It’s unlikely that Putin would agree to a ceasefire where the frontline remains. The US, Europe and Ukraine have already requested such a moratorium in May under the threat of sanctions, and Russia has refused. Trump has stepped away from sanctions and preferred low-level consultations in Istanbul, and has not gone anywhere. The 30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure earlier this year was limited compliance or success.
The Kremlin is now turning frontline increments into strategic advantages, and as they reach that height, there’s no point in stopping this progress. Even the threat of secondary sanctions against China and India, which appear to resist US pressure, will not change its immediate military calculations for the rest of the summer. Putin will want to fight as he is winning at least until October.
2. Pragmatism and other lectures
The lecture could agree to seal off Russian interests as winter begins and cooperate with more consultations when the fronts are frozen militarily and literally around October. By then, Putin may have taken the towns east of Pokrovsk, Kostiantinibka and Kupiansk, giving him a solid position to sit and reorganize in the winter. Russia can then fight again in 2026 or use diplomacy to make these interests permanent. Putin may also raise the illusion of elections in Ukraine – delayed due to war, and temporarily pointing Trump’s story – questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy and even switched him for a more pro-ros candidate.
In this scenario, US and European military aid to Ukraine will help minimize frontline concessions in the coming months, and Putin is asking for the story as he has failed to save once again. Pokrovsk could collapse, threatening other eastern Ukrainian bases, but Ukraine could slow Russia’s advance as before, and the Kremlin could even feel a sanctions and an economy of overheating.
As part of its security assurance, European powers have already formulated advanced plans for the “security forces” to be deployed in Ukraine. These tens of thousands of European NATO forces sat around Kiev and other major cities, providing support for logistics and intelligence in rebuilding Ukraine, creating enough deterrence to allow Moscow to decide to leave the frontline as it is. This is the best Ukraine that Ukraine can expect.
And what if Putin doesn’t stop and diplomacy fails?The following options are not that pretty:
4. Ukraine and NATO catastrophe
Putin has been able to correctly see the rifts of unity in the western world after a summit with Trump, which remains to protect itself, while Ukraine has been able to properly see the rifts of unity in the West. Europe was able to make every effort to back up Kiev, but it was unable to tilt the balance without American backup. Putin was able to see small profits in eastern Ukraine, turning into a slow defeat for Ukrainian forces in the open terrain in flats between Donbas and Dnipro, Zaporisia and the capital’s central city. Ukraine’s defenses could turn out to be weak, and the crisis of Kiev’s military talent turns into a political disaster when Zelensky demands wider mobilization to support the country’s defense.
Kiev’s safety is once again at risk. Putin’s army advances. European powers appreciate that it would be better to fight later Ukrainian Russia within actual European Union territory. However, European leaders lack the political mandate to ultimately take part in the war for lands within Ukraine. Putin moves forward. NATO cannot provide a unified response. This is a European nightmare, but already the end of sovereign Ukraine.
Russia consumed thousands of soldiers in a week for relatively small profits, allowing sanctions to see the alliance with China and revenue from India. Moscow’s sovereign wealth fund financial reserve could decline, and its revenues would fall. Opposition among Moscow elites could be that the Kremlin dismisses an off-diplomatic ramp in the war of choice, supporting military stubbornness and unsustainable proxy conflicts with NATO. Trump becomes a lame duck and the US will focus after mid-term elections return to traditional foreign policy norms in Moscow and its supporters Beijing.
In this scenario, the Kremlin was able to meet at a moment when the resistance to the mundane inconveniences of reality and the economic difficulties of its own people became toxic. Similar poor political calculations maintained the ultimate fruitless occupation of Afghanistan by the Soviets in another selected war. Similar moments of debilitating the Kremlin have already emerged in the Ukrainian War. It appears that Putin’s best friend, Yevgeny Prigodzin, has stumbled to lead a short-lived rebellion in the capital.
Putin may be exposed as strong on the surface until he appears frail, then he may be exposed as very weak. It happened to both expansionist Soviet Russia and Putin. The problem with this scenario is that both entertaining the full entry into NATO wars to support Ukraine’s victory, and Kiev’s ability to militarily push Moscow back remain the best hopes of Western strategists.
There is no good option for Ukraine. Only one of them writes about Russia’s actual defeat as a military force and threat to European security. andNone of them can gush out of Trump’s encounter with Putin.
Advanced new display and superhost features convert Ford’s big SUV into a party wagon.
Donald Trump is right that Japan and Europe have rarely bought American-made cars, but it has little to do with trade barriers. Many consumers, from Tokyo to London, believe Detroit’s offerings are simply too big and hits gas.
That view has made Chevrolet and Cadillac a fierce selling and rare sights in cities filled with slim cars, from the Toyota Corolla to the Honda Civic, Volkswagen Golf and Renault Clio.
Trump often complains about how Japanese and Europeans see him as refusing to accept American cars while selling millions of cars to the United States. In recent trade transactions, both markets agreed to lower or facilitate safety testing for American vehicle imports. Europe lowers US car collection.
But there may be more to be needed than a change in rules and lower tariffs to convince Japanese and European consumers who are fighting against narrow roads and painful narrow parking spaces to buy a large American-made Ford F-150 truck and a Cadillac Escalade SUV.
“American cars are designed for driving on wide roads and highways, so handling them on narrow Japanese streets can be difficult. It requires a bit of technique,” said Yumihito Yasue, president of Jonan Jeep Petit, Tokyo, which imports vintage cars from the US and provides services. His customers tend to be enthusiasts in their 50s and 60s who grew up watching American cars on TV and films.
On recent weekdays he served two Chevrolets, a 1971 shiny brown Nova and a 1986 El Camino on the left. In Japan, the steering wheel is on the right.
Yasue took over his love for American cars from his father, who started business forty years ago, and traveled to California to scout the car. Yasue took over after his father passed away nine years ago and sells about 20 vehicles a year.
Recent NHTSA Car Announcements: The Lincoln car reminds me of over 300,000 Fords. See the affected models.
“What makes American cars special is the design. Compared to Japanese and German cars, the body shape is even more beautiful, especially the lines at the rear and fenders,” he said.
Last year, around 3.7 million new cars were sold in Japan, with one-third of these mini or “Key” cars on sale. This is a small, fuel-efficient vehicle not produced by an American automaker. Overall, foreign cars accounted for 6% of new car sales, data from the Japanese Auto Manufacturers Association showed.
Of these, about 570 Chevys, 450 Cadillacs and 120 Dodges were sold, data from the Japan Automobile Importers Association showed.
Ford FN withdraws from Japan almost ten years ago. Tesla Tsla.o is more refined and more popular than parts of Detroit. Data does not give breakdowns for EV manufacturers.
“I won’t buy the Ford F-150S.”
In Europe, smaller, locally made American cars worked well. These are models such as the bestselling Ford Puma and the older Fiesta. But over the past 20 years, Ford and General Motors’ Gm.n have pivoted towards bigger pickups and SUVs, narrow streets in Europe, vehicles that are not suitable for compact car culture.
According to data from the European Automakers Association (ACEA), Ford, a large European player in the early 1900s, has dropped sharply from 1.26 million units in 2005 to just 426,000 units in 2024 to just 426,000 units in 2024. Its market share fell from 8.3% to 3.3%.
“We don’t buy a Ford F-150. It’s not something our roads are expanded and it’s not something our customers want,” Andy Palmer, former CEO of Aston Martin, told Reuters.
GM left Europe in 2017 to sell Opel after pulling back the Chevrolet, but last year it returned with Cadillac Like. According to automotive data company Jato, it sold just 1,514 US-made SUVs.
A GM spokesman said Cadillac was expanding its entire electric lineup in Europe, and the vehicle was well received in the markets where it was launched. A Ford spokesperson said the company exported “passion products” to Europe like the Bronco and Mustang, and to Europe along with local models tailored to the market.
Clive Sutton, a British car dealer in London, sells gorgeous American models, but his buyers say they were attracted by the rarity of vehicles like the giant Cadillac Escalade. But he admitted it was a challenge.
“Because of its exclusiveness and perceived status, there are people who want that car,” Sutton said. “But finding a parking space in central London is not the easiest car.”
Competitive Market
Trump also pressured South Korea to open a market for American cars, saying tax-free access was part of a trade agreement agreed by the two countries last week.
Imported vehicles account for less than a fifth of the automotive market and only 16% of the imported automobile segment dominated by German rivals, according to data from the Korean Association of Auto Importers and Distributors.
German manufacturers have also built a strong presence in Japan’s luxury markets. Mercedes-Benz Mbgn.de sold over 53,000 vehicles last year, becoming the most popular foreign brand, with BMW BMWG.DE exceeding 35,000. Japanese automakers say they are successful because Europeans have committed time and resources to the market.
Meanwhile, Detroit automakers are often associated with left-hand drive vehicles, making it more difficult to drive on the left side of the road.
However, some US manufacturers are changing.
GM has only been offering Corvettes on right-hand drive since the release of the 8th generation version in 2021. This may be one reason why around 80% of buyers are new customers, a GM spokesperson said. The Corvette is the only model Chevy offers in Japan, selling less than 1,000 models per year over the past decade.
GM announced this year the lineup for the right hand drive Cadillac EV that began in July and plans for the Lyriq delivery.
“Wow, foreign cars.”
The Jeep, which sells right-hand drive models, is the most popular American brand for over a decade, importers data show. Last year, only 10,000 vehicles were sold in Japan.
Yukimi Nitta was driving a “Kei” car, but she was drawn to the appearance of Jeep Wrangler. The 42-year-old hair salon owner is currently riding his second Jeep (a limited edition beige model) and is hoping to switch back to another limited edition colour. The parking lot is tight but easy to manage, she says, and two of her friends bought a Wrangler.
“People often say, ‘Wow, foreign cars!’ But when you drive it, it feels completely normal.
Wranglers burn fuel quickly, but the value of the resale is good and the owners can switch colors, said Nitta.
A spokesman for Jeep owner Stellantis Stlam.mi said he actively promoted the owner’s event. In July, they announced a collaboration with the “Jurassic World” film series featuring the limited edition Pink Wrangler, a spokesman said.
Big American cars and trucks may find it difficult to follow with Jeep trucks.
Daniel Cadwell, an American living in Tokyo, used Japanese campers and wagons to export to the US. He said he was hit by the size of an American car every time he got home.
“They’re just overly big,” says Cadwell, who runs Javan imports in Portland along with US-based business partners. “I think it’s very challenging to see that kind of car as attractive in Japan.”
Reported by David Dolan, Maki Shiraki and Tom Bateman. Additional reports by Hyunju Jin of Seoul, Nora Eckart of Detroit, Alessandro Parody of Washington, and Andrea Sharald. Edited by Kate Mayberry
Apple CEO announces 24k gold gifts to Trump amid $600 million US investment
Apple CEO Tim Cook presented President Donald Trump with a 24K gold gift as Apple pledges $600 billion in US manufacturing.
President Donald Trump called for the immediate resignation of Intel CEO Rip Beau Tang after Republican lawmakers aired concerns about Tan’s reported relationship with Chinese companies and recent criminal cases involving former executives.
On Thursday, August 7th, the president wrote about social media platform Truth Social, Tan “is very conflicted and we must resign immediately. There is no other solution to this issue.”
Trump’s comments came the day after Republican Sen. Tom Cotton wrote a letter to Intel board chair with questions about his relationship with Chinese companies and recent criminal cases, including Cadence Design, his former company. Arkansas lawmakers cited Reuters’ monopoly report on Tan’s investment in April. Part of it was created through a venture or holding company that costs at least $200 million with Chinese military and chip companies linked to the Chinese military for at least $200 million.
Cotton says he is concerned about “the security and integrity of Intel’s business and its potential impact on the national security of the US” related to TAN’s reported investments. Ohio Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno joined a call asking questions about the CEO, posting on X on August 7th that it was “pretty obvious” that Intel has failed its commitment to the state and that Ohio will launch a fraud investigation. Intel has invested billions in building microchip factories in the state.
USA Today has not received immediate responses to requests for comment from Intel or Tan.
Intel’s stock price fell more than 3% by the early morning of Thursday, August 7, triggered by the call of lawmakers that day.
more: Trump’s tip fee waiver helps us open up higher stocks
Chip manufacturing has been an important obsession point for Republican presidents since taking office in January, picking up the industry to bolster US manufacturing. At the White House event on Wednesday, August 6th, Trump threatened to impose 100% tariffs on foreign semiconductors to ground the US supply chain.
Tan took a top job at a struggling company in March, replacing two interim co-CEOs after Pat Gelsinger was ousted in December 2024. A Malaysian-born Chinese-American, Tan is a veteran in the semiconductor industry who was once CEO of Caddence Design Systems from 2009 to 2021. The university was thought to be involved in simulating nuclear explosions. Tan was the CEO at the time of these sales, Reuters reported.
Some analysts and investors said Tan’s deep knowledge of China’s semiconductor landscape is a strategic asset. Others see political pressure as a sign of increasing uncertainty around Intel.
Intel was once a major chipmaker in gloves. However, the company has struggled to regain its foothold in recent years. Its server chip business was hit amid a surge in spending and interest on AI chips, currently dominated by Intel’s competitor Nvidia.
Changes in leadership at Intel can put pressure on the company. This is also a pillar of the US efforts to boost domestic chipmaking. Last year, it secured $8 billion in grants from the Joe Biden administration, the largest under the 2022 Chips and Science Act.
Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA Today. You can contact her kapalmer@usatoday.com And with x @Kathrynplmr.
Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband Brandon Blackstock dies at age 48
Brandon Blackstock, the ex-husband of TV producer, talent manager, Kelly Clarkson, passed away at the age of 48.
Talent manager and ex-husband Brandon Blackstock of Kelly Clarkson, and son-in-law of Levamentea, died at the age of 48 after a battle with cancer.
The Blackstock family confirmed their deaths in a statement to USA Today on Thursday, August 7th.
“It’s extremely sad to be sharing the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” the statement read.
The news comes a day after 43-year-old Clarkson announced on social media that the August date of her Las Vegas residency will be postponed while her family tendencies are in the way.
USA Today reached out to Clarkson representatives for comment.
Kelly Clarkson says her ex-husband is sick. Vegas residence date has been postponed
Brandon Blackstock’s Cancer Battle
Blackstock “He fought cancer bravely for over three years. He died peacefully and was surrounded by his family,” the family statement said.
The statement continued: “We appreciate your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the privacy of our families during this extremely difficult time.”
Blackstock was the longtime manager of the first-ever “American Idol” winner. Blackstock and Clarkson tied the knot on October 20 at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee, and the genre-bending pop star later tweeted about their wedding.
Country superstar Leba was married to Blackstock’s father, Narbell Blackstock for 26 years. In addition to Clarkson, he helped manage his clients alongside his father, including genre superstars Blake Shelton and Carly Pierce.
When did Kelly Clarkson get divorced?
The couple got married in 2013 and their divorce was completed in March 2022. Details of the divorce were repeatedly headed until it was resolved. Clarkson was awarded primary custody of the child in November 2020.
Clarkson and Blackstock share daughter River Rose, 11, and son Remy Alexander.
Since his divorce took over the tabloid five years ago, Blackstock has retreated to Boseman, Montana, to establish the Valley Bureau de Rodeo.
In 2023, Clarkson spoke to her divorce from Blackstock in an interview with USA Today and her “anger” stemming from their split.
“I was very angry. I know a lot of people have experienced sadness and great tragedy like divorce. Unfortunately, I know that it’s common,” Clarkson said. “But when you are going through it, there is nothing common.
“It’s very foreign and scary. A lot of time was said to be stupid and stupid (things), and you just can’t believe it. I was angry and really hurt,” she added.
Blackstock’s death announced on Wednesday, August 6th that Clarkson will leave his Vegas residence amid his illness.
“I usually keep my personal life a secret, but for the past year, my child’s father has been ill and at this moment I need to be fully present for them,” she wrote of Kelly Clarkson: Studio Sessions shows at the Colosseum at Caesar Palace.
Clarkson apologized to the ticket-type person, adding, “I appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.”
In the spring, the “u left” singer was also intermittently missing from “The Kerry Clarkson Show,” but she did not elaborate on her absence.
Texas Republicans spurred Trump. The new map creates five more GOPLEANINE sheets.
Texas Rezoning Battle could rebuild mid-term 2026
The rezoning battle in Texas could balance Congress and impact Trump’s political future, says Philip Bailey of USA Today.
“When you go to Texas, the country does,” said Texas Rep. Brian Harrison, a former Trump administration official.
Califoria Gov. Gavin Newsom said the majority of the Democratic home would be the “de facto” end of Trump’s second term.
The future of Donald Trump’s presidency may be decided in Texas in the coming weeks.
The only nasty battle in the Star State redrawing the US home district was able to determine whether Trump was politically castrated after mid-2026.
Democrats view next year’s election as an opportunity to turn the house upside down, crippling President Trump’s presidency and assure him that he is in full glitter duck mode the last two years before the 2028 presidential campaign.
Trump and his allies are determined to prevent it.
“The same is true of Texas, and we are in a fight. This is not an exaggeration. We are a fight for the future of the Republic. For these US futures.”
Texas Republicans have launched an unusual medieval district, giving the GOP five more seats, drawing a new map of the U.S. House district that can help the parties maintain control of the narrowly divided rooms.
If they succeed, a flexible GOP-led home will allow Trump to continue one of the most aggressive and destructive agendas in modern presidential history, but a Democratic majority in January 2027 opens the door to Congressional investigation, Legislative Paralysis – Third Perforation each.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said democratic control of the House would be the “effective” end of President Trump’s presidency.
Republicans claim it would cause confusion, pointing to the ammo each that consumed Washington, D.C. later in Trump’s first term.
GOP’s Texas PowerPlay shook the political landscape 15 months before the midterm elections, launching a constituency arms race to consider lawmakers from other red states, including Indiana and Missouri, to join the battle for Blue State leaders, creating democratically-oriented home seats to counter Texas, and taking into consideration lawmakers from other red states, including Indiana and Missouri.
The TIT-for-TAT rezoning battle will explode into one of the most consequential elements of the midterm 2026, potentially determining the home control before votes are counted.
Democrats are asking for Trump’s checks
Republicans currently have a majority of 219-212 people in the House, with four vacant seats. Partys in power usually lose their seats in the mid-term. If four free seats are filled by members of the same party that vacated them, Democrats will need to pick up only three seats to gain control.
Trump’s agenda has energised a democratic foundation.
The Democratic-controlled House can kill laws coming out of the White House, launch an investigation into the Trump administration, from the Epstein Files to Trump’s deportation tactics, exercise subpoena powers, force testimony from administration officials, and even make a third round of blasts each.
“Donald Trump has always been an aspiring dictator,” Texas Democrat Sylvia Garcia told USA Today. “If Democrats control the house, we’re a stumbling block for him.”
Trump has seen it before.
Democrats rode an anti-Trump zeal to win the house during their first term in 2018, actively researching everything from Trump’s tax returns and personal finances to his administration’s family separation policy against his alleged threats to detained immigration and the rule of law.
Trump was each two times in his first term after the Democrats won a majority. He pressured the Ukrainian president to dig into dirt on his political rival Joe Biden, squeezing a second claim that allegedly sparked a rebellion when a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol in the US on January 6, 2021.
The Senate acquitted Trump in both cases. Democrats face a political map that is less favorable for the upper room, and are unlikely to gain control next year.
“Blast each, bullet each, bullet each”
Republicans have highlighted the threat of the ammo each, who argues that President Trump’s last two years could be distracted from issues that Americans care about, such as boosting the economy. They hope to give Trump the utmost flexibility to continue the controversial agenda that includes massive deportation, federal overhauls and new tariffs on foreign goods.
“We all know we should lose our homes. I think we’ll do that… I think Democrats will do nothing but blast each, blast each for the second year in a row,” Trump’s ally, Thexas GOP MP Troy Nehls told USA Today.
Democrats say Trump is abusing his powers and must be detained. They point to polls that show aspects of his agenda. The Texas rezoning plan is how Trump games a system that avoids calculations in the 2026 ballot box, Democrats say.
“Let’s make it clear why this is happening. This is happening because Donald Trump is trying to avoid accountability,” Texas Democratic Chairman Kendall Scudder told USA Today.
It is unclear whether some new GOP Leaning seats in Texas will be sufficient to cast the election. Many other factors can occur. Economics in particular, Larry Sabato, a professor of political science at the University of Virginia, told USA Today.
“We’re far away,” Sabath said. “Suppose the economy has a recession or even a major slowdown? That’s probably… at least it’s a pretty democratic margin in the house.”
However, in a close House race, changes to rezoning could be critical.
High Stakes
The parties are taking an active role and portraying the battle of the constituency as a battle for the future of the country.
When Texas Republicans worked to block jams through the map of new homes, Democrats fled the state to prevent a quorum and shut down legislative operations. The state’s GOP Governor and the Attorney General responded with a legal threat.
California Gov. Newsom is pushing for plans to redraw the state home district to counter Texas.
“In California, what they’re doing will be castrated here,” Newsom said on August 4th. “We know we’re losing in the midterm and have the opportunity to end President Trump’s facts within 18 months,” Trump said.
Leaders from other blue states are considering changing their districts, with more red states joining Texas and creating more conservative seats.
“Use every day as a pattern”
Trump said on August 5th that he “qualifies for five more seats” in Texas for his strong performance in the state.
Scuder, Texas Democratic Chairman, His party said he must be willing to play hardball.
“We’re tired of playing with rules that are different from the rules they play,” he said.
Sabath said the president understands that there is usually two years for them to enact their agenda, and then “they move to lower gear.” Trump appears to be determined to make his second year, just like his first two years.
“Whatever the motivation is, he uses it on a lot of patterns every day for the democrat’s frustration,” he said.
Anyone who wins a constituency war, Sabath was skeptical that the house of democratic rule would be a meaningful check on the Maga White House.
“There’s no obstacle that can’t be removed or reduced to size, especially when there’s a president like Trump,” he said.
After nearly two decades, passengers going through airport security in the United States will no longer have to take their shoes off.
The Transportation Security Administration will be eliminating the security requirement “effective immediately,” Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, announced Tuesday.
”TSA will no longer require travelers to remove their shoes when they go through our security checkpoints,” she said. “We want to improve this travel experience, but while maintaining safety standards and making sure that we are keeping people safe.”
The news was first reported by the blog Gate Access.
“The key to our approach is layered security,” Noem said. “Passengers will still pass through multiple layers of screening. They’ll also go through identity verification.”
The rule was being evaluated under the Biden administration, however she credited President Trump with taking the initiative to eliminate it.
Changes to other TSA rules are also being considered, if they can be implemented safely, Noem said.
In December 2001, Richard Reid, who became known as the “shoe bomber,” tried to use matches to ignite explosives hidden in his shoes on a flight from Paris to Miami.
The requirement for passengers to take their shoes off at TSA security checkpoints came nearly five years later due to “intelligence pointing to a continuing threat,” an official TSA history notes, following a foiled August 2006 terrorist plot to detonate liquid explosives onboard transatlantic flights. The TSA introduced its 3-1-1 liquids rule for carry-on luggage in response.
“In those 20 years since that policy was put in place, our security technology has changed dramatically. It’s evolved. TSA has changed,” Noem said, noting the addition of new scanners and more officers in some areas.
“The REAL ID compliance allows us another layer of security knowing who’s going through our checkpoints and who isn’t,” Noem said.
Participants in the Trusted Traveler Program TSA PreCheck have long been able to avoid removing shoes. However, they must submit to a background check and pay an application fee. Noem said she still expects travelers will see value in this program, even if it is not the only way to avoid taking shoes off.
Lynn Roberts says throwing green objects at court is “silly”
Sparks head coach Lynn Roberts has expressed player safety concerns about the green object that has been thrown into court recently.
Sports Pulse
The cryptocurrency group claims responsibility for throwing adult toys in WNBA games.
The group says the act is a protest against the “toxic” environment of the crypto world and is not intended to underestimate female athletes.
Two individuals were arrested for throwing adult toys, but a spokesman claims they are not affiliated with their group.
The group says they plan to continue playing “lighter” and “classier” pranks to get attention.
Cryptocurrency Meme Coin Creators is the head of adult toys thrown into multiple WNBA games and says they plan to do more “mystery.”
From Atlanta to Los Angeles, the arena from neon green objects, from stands, through the air, heading towards WNBA court is unsafe. According to a spokesman for the Cryptocurrency Group, if there is a proper window, brightly colored entities are thrown, causing intentional and symbolic confusion. A person using the name @daldo_raine on social media spoke to USA Today Sports on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter.
Over the past two weeks, there have been six known incidents in which green adult toys have been thrown out in WNBA games. Garner’s most recent attention took place Tuesday night during a game between Indiana Fever and Los Angeles Sparks. The two were arrested on multiple charges of allegedly throwing things.
“It’s ridiculous, it’s ridiculous, it’s ridiculous,” Sparks manager Lynn Roberts said after the game. “That’s also dangerous. Player safety is number one place to respect the game. All of these things. I think it’s really stupid.”
A spokesman for the Heads Group told USA Today Sports that it was not intended. He said a group of crypto enthusiasts and traders would launch Green Dildo Coin (Dildo), a meme coin intended to be perceived as a lighthearted and joked, in late July, protesting what they describe as a “toxic” environment in the crypto world. According to the group, many small players in the space are struggling to keep up with an influx of influencers and con artists.
As a form of protest, a coin of memes was created, and the factions began infiltrating the WNBA arena with color-adjusted adult toys that match the firing. USA Today Sports got a text message indicating the group’s coordination and plans before Coin was released on July 28th, and the first adult toy was thrown in the WNBA game on July 29th.
USA Today Sports has contacted the WNBA about Crypto Group, The Faso Toy Icidents and Security Leather. The league declined to comment on the record.
A Crypto Group spokesperson said it was not intended to harm anyone, and community members are advised to throw away branded green items only if they have a level of personal comfort and can land without raiding someone. He also shot down the story that adult toys are a sign of disrespect for female athletes.
Adult toys have been thrown at sporting events in the past, but perhaps the best-known incident was the 2018 New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills match.
“We didn’t do this because we hate women’s sports, or because some of the stories that are trending right now are ridiculous,” he said. “It’s like what happens in all sports that creates chaos in the game, right? We’ve seen it in the NFL, we saw it in hockey, you know.
“We knew we had to go out and do some viral stunts to save us from having to sacrifice our soul and project destiny, not paying for that influencer’s Cabal.”
He explained that cataloing sexual objects (with painted sunglasses and coin names) is to spread awareness about the cultures they want to perpetuate, jokes, pranks and various stunts they want to cultivate. Green adult toys are supposed to mirror green candles, and when the price of candles rises, it represents volatility. The bright colors of the objects were destructive and intentional to create curiosity.
He also said the two arrested were not part of their group. Delbert Carver was booked for disorderly conduct, public indecent/indecent exposure and criminal trespassing after allegedly throwing adult toys at the Atlanta Dream stadium on Saturday. And 18-year-old Kaden Lopez was arrested in Phoenix on suspicion of disorderly conduct, assault and public display of explicit sexual material. According to his local Fox station, Lopez told police he saw the virus trends on social media and bought his own green sex toy.
“As we move forward, we have more pranks, but they’re much lighter. They’re much more classy,” the spokesman said. “They have different brands of products and it’s more or less to keep finding dildos in different locations, busy areas with cameras.”
The coordinated effort is a strategic protest against what Memecoin creators consider as a small group of individuals in control of the crypto space. From the start, part of the group’s mission was to create enough confusion to “get a voice” and attract media attention. The spokesman said he plans to secure it and continue to roll out, but will not reveal what the group has planned next.
The group also shared a video with USA Today Sports, showing people putting green adult toys on Wall Street Bull in New York City and holding green adult toys sitting behind home plates at a major league baseball game. “We want to change the culture of code, and we want to be 1,000 people,” the spokesman said.
Memecoin is a kind of crypto asset inspired by internet memes, characters or trends, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Meme coins are like collections that are limited or non-functional, and according to the SEC it has value determined by social and cultural influences. It poses more risk compared to other cryptocurrencies with value related to a more predictable supply-demand relationship.
The nature of the group’s meme coin raises concerns that this could be a short-term pump-and-dump play. Typically, pump and dump strategies involve marketing and the owner inflate the price of the coin through the purchase of a large amount of coins and selling to others who are not based on the intention behind the coin. The original owner will release (dump) coins to increase supply when prices drop.
This particular memecoin has grown nearly 309% over the past seven days and over 80% over the past 24 hours. According to the Cryptocurrency website Coingecko.com, the 24-hour trading volume is over $1.3 million.
However, in conversations recorded online, members of the group said that it was not their goal.
“Are we looking for a quick pump and a dump? No. It wasn’t a vision,” they said in X.
Sky-Gazers will be able to get a glimpse of the full moon with peak lighting this week.
The full moon in August, also known as Sturgeon Moon, appears from Friday night to early Saturday. According to Earthsky, the maximum will be around 3:55am on Saturday.
“The good thing about a full moon is that even if you’re in a big city with lots of city lights, you can really appreciate the full moon,” said Kelsey Young, lead of the moon’s science goals for NASA’s Artemis II mission. But in her most spectacular view, she recommends that the moon be observed away from the brilliance of the city.
The moon peaks in the middle of the night, but appears to be full for a few days, Young said. “Even on a much more reasonable night, you can peek outside and see the full moon, especially if you’re away from the ambient light,” she added.
Historically, the full moon in August is known as the sturgeon moon. This is because, according to the old farmer yearbook, it marks the time when sturgeon fish are most easily caught.
Other monikers of the August full moon from indigenous tribes mark the end of summer. Located primarily in Canada, Cree knows it as the flying moon. It indicates when young birds are learning to fly.
Look out for planets and meteors
The full moon is accompanied by three meteor showers: South Delta Aquarido, Alpha Capriconid and Perseid.
The Aquariid and Capricornid showers peaked last week, while the Perseid Shower is expected to peak next week. You are unlikely to see the shower under the full moon.
However, you may be able to get a glimpse of Venus and Jupiter, which can be observed in the early morning hours of August. The planet appears close to the sky on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings – a bright heavenly encounter.
Young said that in the second half of the moon’s early morning, mercury is visible 20 to 30 degrees below the horizon. “If you look west just after sunset,” she said, you can see Mars.
Look for four more Full Moons this year. Supermoon – Full moon, which appears when the moon is closest to Earth – occurs in October, November, and December.
According to Farmers Almanac, this is the list of the 2025 remaining Full Moons.
September 7th: Corn Moon
October 6th: Harvest Moon
November 5th: Beaver Moon
December 4th: Cold Moon
Solar Eclipse of the Moon and Sun in 2025
As summer approaches the end, two solar eclipse events will be held.
According to date and time, on September 7th and 8th, a total lunar eclipse will be visible in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, eastern South America, Alaska and parts of Antarctica.
When the moon, the earth, and the moon are lined up, when the moon passes directly into the shadow of the earth, a solar eclipse of the moon occurs. This will make the moon look dark or dark.
According to the Natural History Museum in London, when the moon sits in the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow, the sun’s rays peer in from behind the Earth, giving the moon a reddish tint. Some call the result “blood moon.”
Two weeks after the total lunar eclipse, on September 21st, a partial solar eclipse will be visible in parts of Australia, the Atlantic, Pacific Ocean and Antarctica.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon travels between the sun and the earth. According to NASA, in the case of a partial solar eclipse, the moon does not completely block the sun. It makes a crescent moon, just like a moonI bitten from the sun.
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The family of Israeli hostages, still in Gaza, sailed towards the Palestinian enclave on Thursday.
Hostages and missing family forums, as well as the opposition and the majority of Israeli people, are strongly opposed to the expansion of the operation, claiming it puts their loved ones at risk.
When the fleet departed from the port of Ashkelon in southern Israel, Rior Holev of the Hostage Family Forum told CNN that sailing was a “SOS call.”
“Unfortunately, we cannot enter Gaza and return our loved ones to our home, but this is Mayday’s appeal to the Israeli government,” he said.
Israeli security ministers will be convened on Thursday to vote for a full re-occupying of Gaza. This is a move marking a massive escalation of conflict after nearly two years of war on the territory.
At least 61,158 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began following the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on October 7, where the Health Ministry reported Wednesday. According to the ministry, the humanitarian situation is now devastating, with at least 193 people hungering for death, including 96 children.
Earlier this week, Israeli media reported that Netanyahu had decided to “completely conquer” Gaza.
“The Cabinet’s decision to extend the war would be a death sentence for the living people, making it impossible to return those who were killed in Hamas and who were still held in Gaza,” Horev said.
They sailed towards Gaza as a boat decorated with Israeli flags and yellow ribbons and balloons symbolized their efforts to save the hostages.
“We are closest to hostages on the maritime border with Gaza, so we can hear our voices and know that we are fighting in our powers and we will not give up until they come back,” they said in a statement from the forum.
Hamas and its allies still hold 50 hostages in Gaza. The Israeli government believes at least 20 people are alive, but 28 have been declared dead.
Gaza is completely blocked from the outside world, both on land and on sea, and the fleet was unable to get close to the coast as Israeli forces restrict traffic within miles of the boundary line.
Standing on one deck of the boat, Yehuda Cohen, whose son Nimrod Cohen has been held captive for 22 months, told CNN he believes that continuing the war would “put hostages directly in danger.”
“We want it all to stop. We want the world to help Netanyahu to stop it. We want to end the war and get a hostage contract,” Cohen told CNN.
Yes, rent is still too expensive, but there are some places in the US that you might find bargains.
Rental or Buy: Which option is best for your city?
If you are trying to determine whether renting or buying is better for you, the best option for your wallet may depend on where you live.
USA Today analysis of apartment list data shows that there are 17 metro areas across the country. The median rent is below $1,000 a month, indicating a national median of $1,402, just a fraction of the cost of some pricing metros.
The shortage of affordable housing is having an impact. In its annual report released in June, researchers at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies said the rental “affordable prices” reached an all-time high for the third year in a row.
In 2023, 22.6 million tenants were considered “cost collateral.” This means that you spend more than 30% of your income on housing and utilities. Meanwhile, 12.1 million households were deemed “a severe burden.” This means that these costs eat up more than 50% of your income.
High housing costs are not only felt in expensive cities and coastal areas. From 2019 to 2023, Harvard Reports rose in 43 of the 50 states, with 89 in the country’s largest 100 metropolitan areas.
The scale of the problem also means that poor households are not just feeling in a pinch. In 2023, 70% of tenants who earned between $30,000 and $44,999, according to the report, earned the “center of the income scale.”
“Stable employment is also increasingly easing against rising costs,” the report said. More than a third of renter households struck by costs were led by full-time workers.
With all this in mind, there are several places in America that ignore the odds and remain deeply affordable. As of July, apartment list data shows more than a dozen metro areas in nine states. In this state, the median total rent prices for all units (not just one or two bedrooms) was under $1,000.
By comparing it, the most expensive metro was Hoboken, New Jersey, with a median value of $3,603 and San Mateo, California at $3,518.
Not everyone has the option of simply picking up and moving, but these affordable areas may be ideal for Americans working remotely or those with transferable skills.
Read next: USA TODAY Apartment Rental Price Report
The new yellow umbrella at Rose Garden looks roughly similar to the patio of the President’s Private South Florida Club and the swimming pool patio at Mar-A-Lago, a private residence.
Trump’s Rose Garden Redesign, Ballroom Plans Cause Controversy
President Donald Trump’s redesign of Rose Garden elicited a mixed reaction after it was revealed, causing controversy.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s revamped, paved white house rose garden is beginning to look like a Marlago.
A new yellow and white striped umbrella was recently installed on approximately 12 deck-style tables on a stone patio that replaces the iconic grass lawns of Rose Garden in late July.
The umbrella looks roughly the same as the yellow umbrella on the swimming pool patio at Mar-A-Lago, the president’s private South Florida club and a personal residence that served as inspiration for the controversial overhaul of Rose Garden, located just outside the oval office.
more: President Trump enjoys the new “very white” paved rose garden
Rose bushes and other vegetation remained around the garden following garden renovations.
It is unclear whether the White House will permanently maintain umbrellas in the rose garden or if they intend to bring them out for special occasions. Trump has not yet held public events on his new patio. The patio features drainage to collect water and White House coat of arms along its boundaries.
more: Rose Garden moments revisited after Donald Trump paved it
Trump told reporters on August 3 that he heard “a great review” about the renovated Rose Garden. “We had to do that.”
Perhaps America’s most famous garden, Rose Garden has been showing off the fame of the president of the United States for decades. The president relied on the garden to sign peace treaties between other countries, presidential press conferences, meetings with foreign chiefs, signing landmark bills, and oath ceremony for Supreme Court judges
Modern Rose Garden was created under President John F. Kennedy in 1961, with him and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy leading the overhaul by tapping architect Rachel Lambert “Bunny” melon.
However, Flower Garden, located on the west side of the South Lawn of the White House, dates back decades ago to the mid-1800s president of Ulysses S. Grant. The space became known as the “colonial gardens” following a 1902 renovation led by Edith Roosevelt, the wife of President Theodore Roosevelt.
