NEWS - THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026 - NEWS
California voters are more inclined to back progressives running for office than mainstream Democrats, a new poll found, though a marked generational divide separates those who favor each camp. LA Times
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the Department of Justice cannot keep an official who has not been confirmed by the Senate in charge of a U.S. attorney's office simply by giving that person a different title and the full powers of the job. LA Times
VOA VIEW: The 9th CCA are left wing idiots.
Democrat Xavier Becerra pledged on Tuesday to participate in more than one debate against Steve Hilton, his GOP rival in the California governor's race. LA Times
VOA VIEW: Becerra is a loser.
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The mercury soared into the triple digits Tuesday afternoon for the first time since July 21, 1942 as a dangerous heat gripped much of southern Florida. New York Post
Archaeologists have discovered a Byzantine-era shipwreck loaded to bear with gold, jewels and other sunken baubles, suggesting that a high-ranking official was aboard the veritable treasure ship. New York Post
Both parties see Alaska as key to winning the Senate. The state’s nonpartisan primary put Mary Peltola, a Democratic former congresswoman, on the same ballot as Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican she hopes to unseat. Both advanced to the general election. New York Times
VOA VIEW: Sullivan must win.
The Emirates has long been a major trading hub for Iran, and analysts say it has been key to Iranian efforts to evade international sanctions, which Emirati officials deny. New York Times
VOA VIEW: Iran must be terminated.
As a backlash grows over data centers, more local officials are facing recall elections for their support of the computing sites. New York Times
VOA VIEW: Foolish thought.
Moderna and Merck say the experimental vaccine prevented the return and spread of the cancer in high-risk melanoma patients. New York Times
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The request from a Democratic lawmaker follows a decision by the Trump-allied board to add “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump” to the building. New York Times
The rule to require efficient replacement tires was praised by environmentalists. But manufacturers warned that the change would hurt American companies and increase tire prices. New York Times
A man previously awarded the "Outstanding Refugee Award for Entrepreneurship" by the Minnesota Department of Human Services is now facing charges in connection with a Medicaid fraud scheme tied to a sex trafficking ring. OANN
VOA VIEW: Expected from Minnesota.
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed new and updated charges against 17 individuals coordinating with an Iranian company that reportedly conducted hacks and data theft against U.S. universities, companies and government agencies. OANN
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Incumbent U.S. Rep. Randy Fine secured the Republican nomination for Florida’s 6th Congressional District on Tuesday, defeating a field that included controversial challenger Dan Bilzerian. OANN
Millions more people may be able to get smaller, lightweight Amazon packages delivered by drones by the end of the year under a plan the company announced Thursday to expand the airborne shipping to suburban areas in nearly 500 U.S. cities. Washington Times
A Florida man convicted of fatally shooting his estranged wife and wounding his mother-in-law was executed Tuesday, continuing the state's aggressive use of the death penalty in Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ' final term. Washington Times
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Crews were working to restore power to thousands of Hawaii residents Tuesday after the outer bands of Lala battered the archipelago over the weekend, causing destructive flooding and killing one person, before weakening from a hurricane to a tropical storm. Washington Times
Explosions rocked an Ohio industrial recycling business early Tuesday, killing two workers and sparking a large fire, officials said. Washington Times
A South Carolina police officer was fired last month after investigators found she had used her department's Flock license-plate camera system 166 times over five months to track a former romantic partner's vehicle. Washington Times
70 million people in southern U.S. states from Texas to the Carolinas are scorching in the sun amid a major heat wave. CBS
Rep. Byron Donalds won the Republican primary for governor and former Rep. David Jolly won the Democratic primary. CBS
VOA VIEW: Donalds will win.
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A NASA spacecraft circling the moon is providing the sharpest views yet of the crater carved by a crashing SpaceX rocket. CBS
The Justice Department is planning to deploy a record 1,000 federal monitors to polling places throughout the U.S. for the midterm elections. CBS
More than 7.2 million checks have been mailed so far, with millions more expected to go out this week, according to State Farm. CBS
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Five flavors of Outshine Fruit Bars sold nationwide were recalled because they may include glass, Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream said. CBS
The disclosure requirement would be added to the Form 990, the annual return that nonprofit groups file with the IRS. CBS
Trump has already imposed a variety of tariffs on Canada and its specific exports, including metals, lumber and auto parts. CNBC
VOA VIEW: Canada shoul get its act together.
Long-dated fixed income hit their highest level in almost two decades amid a worsening U.S. fiscal situation and persistently higher inflation. CNBC
VOA VIEW: A much better return.
Taxpayers who were unsure whether they qualified or how much they could claim will likely have an easier time when they file their 2026 tax returns. CNBC
Young workers are holding their own in the AI job market. CNBC
Surveillance video shows 40 suspects ransacking A-Z Market in Bellflower after power tools were used to breach the security gate during a street takeover. FOX News
Sheriff Kelly Martinez will block ICE from using San Diego County sites but warns that cutting CBP access to Otay Range could spike border wait times. FOX News
The FAA is investigating after American Airlines and United Airlines planes suffered tire damage hours apart at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. FOX News
Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda fled the United States on a 48-hour pass from a Virginia mental health institute, boarding a one-way flight to Tajikistan. FOX News
CBP officers in San Diego seized 553 pounds of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine worth $67 million during 144 smuggling attempts in July. FOX News
Lakesha Brown allegedly kidnapped two young sisters in Atlanta after gaining their mother's trust as a babysitter, marking her second arrest. FOX News
A federal judge Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to end protections for about 5,000 Ethiopians in the United States. UPI
American Airlines announced that it plans to add seatback screens to its aircraft and to increase the number of premium and extra-legroom seating. UPI
The Justice Department is asking a federal appeals court to overturn a court order that dismissed charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia. UPI
Two counties and two cities are suing the Trump administration over tying national security funding on adopting sweeping election procedures. UPI
Russia launched a deadly missile strike on a rural community in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv province as Ukraine continued to target Russia with drones. UPI
VOA VIEW: Russia should end the war.
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Minnesota's Department of Health (MDH) voluntarily suspended a grant program that was specifically based on race after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) initiated a Civil Rights Act compliance review, the DOJ said in an announcement.
The Capacity Strengthening Initiative, according to the DOJ, was a grant program which "limited eligible grantees to organizations that worked with 'people of color,' provided 'strategic consideration' and 'gave priority' to proposals from organizations 'led by populations of color.'" It also, the DOJ alleged, prioritized allocating a higher proportion of grants to "Black or African American" and "nonwhite Latino(a)" communities. A 2023 summary of the Capacity Strengthening Grant from the third party Grant Portal described it as being designed "To support and strengthen the capacity of metro and rural community-based organizations and faith-based organizations serving people of color, American Indians, LGBTQIA+, and people living with disabilities."
The strict race-based language, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division explained, was a violation of the Civil Rights Act. "Recipients of federal dollars cannot decide who benefits from those funds on the basis of race, color, or national origin," Dhillon said in a DOJ statement. "The Department appreciates that the State of Minnesota has recognized this foundational principle and has repealed the statute governing the program."
MDH withdrew the grant program after the DOJ initiated a review based on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the DOJ statement claimed. Title VI prohibits any recipient of Federal financial assistance — a group that includes MDH — from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
