The trial of Lindsay Clancy, charged with first-degree murder of her three children, resumed in Massachusetts with a forensic psychiatrist testifying. The defense claims Clancy suffered from postpartum psychosis and was overmedicated, while the prosecution argues she planned the murders.
Key Facts
Lindsay Clancy faces charges of first-degree murder for killing her three children, aged 5, 3, and 8 months.
The trial is taking place in Plymouth Superior Court, Massachusetts.
A forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Avram Mack, testified that Clancy mentioned telling her children to "go to God" before killing them.
The defense called forensic psychiatrist Dr. Phillip Resnick, who said Clancy felt an "external force" take control of her body before the murders.
The prosecution claims Clancy planned the murders and that her suicide attempt after the killings was not serious.
Clancy pleaded not guilty, claiming postpartum psychosis and overmedication affected her actions.
If convicted, Clancy faces life in prison without parole; if found not criminally responsible, she will be sent to a psychiatric hospital.
The article provides contact information for suicide and mental health resources for those in crisis.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Georgia’s 13th Congressional District will choose a new representative in a special runoff election between two Democrats, Everton Blair and Marcye Scott, following the death of Congressman David Scott. The winner will serve the remainder of Scott’s term but will not run for the full term starting in 2027.
Key Facts
The special runoff election is held to replace Democratic U.S. Rep. David Scott, who died on April 22, 2026.
Everton Blair and Marcye Scott are the top two candidates advancing from the July 28 special election.
Marcye Scott is the daughter of the late Congressman David Scott.
The winner will finish out the last few months of Scott’s term but is not running for the next full term.
Everton Blair also ran for the full-term seat but lost in the May 19 Democratic primary to Jasmine Clark.
Jasmine Clark will run against Republican Jonathan Chavez in the November general election for the full term.
Georgia’s 13th District covers parts of six counties near Atlanta and is heavily Democratic.
David Scott had won his last election in 2024 with 72% of the vote and had faced a strong primary challenge before his death.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. military struck a boat in the eastern Pacific, killing two people suspected of drug trafficking. This is part of an ongoing operation in the region targeting drug smuggling routes, with over 60 strikes and more than 210 deaths so far.
Key Facts
U.S. forces hit another vessel in the eastern Pacific involved in drug trafficking.
The strike killed two people aboard the boat.
The campaign began under President Trump’s administration and targets drug routes off Latin America’s Caribbean coast and eastern Pacific.
More than 60 strikes have been carried out, resulting in over 210 deaths.
The Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere confirmed the vessel was carrying illegal drugs.
U.S. Southern Command leader Gen. Francis Donovan emphasized disrupting drug cartels and their leaders.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. plans to expand operations onto land in some Latin American countries.
Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras were reported to have agreed to joint operations, but Guatemala denied this claim.
Ecuador started joint missions with the U.S. earlier in the year.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
New Mexico will keep paying for gender-affirming healthcare for minors using state money, even after a new federal rule ends Medicaid funding for these services. This move comes as the Trump administration’s rule takes effect on October 13, cutting federal support through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Key Facts
On August 13, the Trump administration finalized a rule to stop Medicaid and CHIP from funding gender-affirming care for minors, starting October 13.
New Mexico’s Health Care Authority said they will use state funds to continue covering gender-affirming care.
New Mexico created a Health Care Affordability Fund in 2021 to support healthcare when federal help is reduced.
The state has the second-highest percentage of people on Medicaid or CHIP in the U.S., with 41.4% of residents enrolled.
About 61% of children in New Mexico have health insurance through Medicaid or CHIP.
New Mexico passed the Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Freedom Act in 2023 to protect transgender youth’s healthcare rights.
An estimated 4,800 transgender teens aged 13 to 17 live in New Mexico.
Other states like New Jersey are also acting to protect gender-affirming care with new laws.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall in west Texas threatens ancient rock art and murals that are thousands of years old. The project, funded by $46.5 billion for border expansion, plans to build fences and roads through protected lands and historic sites, causing concern among archaeologists, Indigenous communities, and local residents.
Key Facts
The rock art murals in west Texas are estimated to be around 4,000 years old and were created by Indigenous hunter-gatherers.
The murals are located near the Pecos River and Rio Grande, including in Seminole Canyon State Park and near Big Bend National Park.
The Trump administration secured $46.5 billion for border wall construction, focusing on the last major unwalled stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border in west Texas.
Customs and Border Protection plans to build a "smart wall" consisting of steel fencing, vehicle barriers, and surveillance technology.
Construction threatens to damage or destroy valuable archaeological and cultural sites, including 27 murals in Seminole Canyon.
Local residents, business leaders, and politicians from both parties largely oppose the project due to its impact on the environment and heritage.
Work was temporarily halted in Big Bend National Park after activists shared videos of bulldozers disturbing protected land.
Archaeologists like Carolyn Boyd aim to protect and eventually help interpret these ancient murals with the help of Indigenous communities.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Several women are being talked about as possible candidates for the next U.S. presidential election, which will happen in more than two years. This shows growing interest in having a female president.
Key Facts
The next U.S. presidential election is more than two years away.
Several women are already considered possible candidates.
This is part of a wider conversation about women running for president.
No official female candidates have been announced yet.
The topic highlights ongoing interest in gender and leadership roles in U.S. politics.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the Trump administration will start new economic actions against Iran on Monday. He said the U.S. has significantly damaged Iran’s military factories and nuclear program.
Key Facts
The Trump administration plans to launch an economic campaign against Iran starting Monday.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spoke publicly about this plan on Sunday.
Bessent said the U.S. has dismantled most of Iran’s military capabilities.
According to Bessent, nearly all of Iran’s military factories have been destroyed.
The Iranian nuclear program has been “buried,” meaning it has been largely stopped or disabled.
Bessent's remarks align with President Trump’s statements about the pressure on Iran.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
South Carolina Republicans will vote in a runoff election to choose a candidate to replace the late Senator Lindsey Graham on the general election ballot. The runoff is between Senator Darline Graham, appointed to finish her brother’s term, and Congressman Ralph Norman, who finished second in the primary.
Key Facts
Senator Lindsey Graham won the June 9 Republican primary but died unexpectedly on July 11.
Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister, was appointed to finish his current Senate term.
The special primary on August 11 did not produce a majority winner, leading to a runoff on Tuesday.
Darline Graham received about 33% of the vote; Ralph Norman received about 25%.
U.S. Rep. Russell Fry, who got about 20%, endorsed Darline Graham after the primary.
Darline Graham has support from Senator Tim Scott and President Donald Trump, who held a rally with her.
Ralph Norman performed well in Greenville County, the state’s most populous and influential Republican area.
The winner of the runoff will run against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the general election.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump said that the few candidates who lost after his endorsement were chosen out of loyalty because he believed they were good people. He shared graphics claiming a 97 percent success rate for his endorsed Republican candidates in recent primary elections.
Key Facts
Trump said his endorsements are stronger than ever and credited himself with a high success rate.
He posted graphics showing 760 wins out of 783 Republican primary contests from 2018 to 2026.
The graphics show a 97 percent winning rate in 2026 primaries across Senate, House, and governor races.
His endorsed candidates won 96 of 97 Senate primaries, 615 of 629 House primaries, and 49 of 57 gubernatorial primaries.
Some candidates he endorsed lost, and Trump said these losses were due to loyalty to good people who had little chance to win.
Independent tracker Ballotpedia showed a similar but slightly different success rate, with some losses in state-level races not counted in Trump’s graphics.
Trump’s endorsements include winners like Barry Moore (Senate, Alabama) and Tommy Tuberville (Governor, Alabama), and losers like Cory Mills (House, Florida) and Burt Jones (Governor, Georgia).
Some losses happened in competitive districts, but overall his endorsements remain influential in the Republican Party.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. government is rounding up thousands of wild horses and burros in the American West to reduce populations that they say are too large for the land. Animal groups warn that these roundups cause stress and separation for the animals and fear some may eventually be sold for slaughter.
Key Facts
Wild horses and burros are being gathered mostly in Western states like Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, California, and Wyoming.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages population numbers to protect land and other wildlife by setting Appropriate Management Levels (AMLs).
Roundups involve using helicopters to herd animals into temporary pens before transport to holding facilities.
The BLM also uses fertility control to slow horse population growth.
Critics support fertility control and non-lethal management but oppose heavy reliance on removing horses from the wild and separating families.
Animal welfare groups are concerned some horses in federal custody might be resold and sent to slaughter, although this is illegal.
Recent operations target removing several hundred horses from specific areas, like 360 from Utah’s Confusion Herd area and 286 from Wyoming’s Fifteenmile area.
The government says removing excess horses prevents damage to fragile ecosystems and helps maintain a natural balance on public lands.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Vice President JD Vance asked Congress to make recent healthcare fraud enforcement measures permanent by turning them into law. He wants to ensure future governments cannot reverse the progress made in fighting Medicare fraud.
Key Facts
Vice President JD Vance spoke about healthcare fraud enforcement.
He called on Congress to make current fraud enforcement rules permanent laws.
The goal is to stop future administrations from undoing progress.
The focus is on Medicare fraud, which involves cheating the government healthcare program for older adults.
Making these rules permanent would help protect the program from fraud in the long term.
This issue is part of the current administration’s efforts to improve healthcare oversight.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Oklahoma will hold runoff elections Tuesday for the Republican governor’s nomination and the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination. Voters will also decide on two state ballot measures, including one to add a voter ID requirement to the state constitution. The governor’s race is notable because Democrats have not won the office in 20 years, and the runoff will test President Trump’s influence.
Key Facts
Oklahoma Republicans are holding a runoff between Gentner Drummond and Mike Mazzei to pick their nominee for governor.
Neither candidate won a majority in the June 16 primary; Drummond got 26.25% and Mazzei 25.97% of the vote.
Mazzei loaned over $11 million to his campaign, spending $12.3 million total; Drummond spent about $9.1 million, raising more money outside loans.
President Donald Trump endorsed Mazzei and criticized Drummond before the primary.
Democrats will also hold a runoff for their U.S. Senate nominee between N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas and Jim Priest.
Thomas led with about 45% but did not reach the 50% needed to avoid a runoff; Priest raised much more money.
The winner of the governor’s runoff will face Democrat Cyndi Munson in the fall election.
Voters will also decide two statewide ballot measures, including one to add a voter ID law to the constitution.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Democrat Christina Bohannan is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District for the third time. She is trying to win in a largely rural area that voted strongly for President Donald Trump two years ago. Her previous losses were close, and she hopes issues like healthcare and the economy will help her win this time.
Key Facts
Christina Bohannan is a university professor and Democratic candidate for Congress in Iowa’s 1st District.
She has run for this seat twice before, losing in 2022 and 2024.
Her 2024 loss was very close, by only 799 votes.
The district is mostly rural with some urban and suburban areas.
More than half of the 20 counties in the district have fewer than 20,000 residents.
Bohannan is campaigning in rural counties where she had less presence before.
Republican incumbent Mariannette Miller-Meeks won the seat and calls Bohannan a “radical progressive.”
Bohannan is focusing on voter concerns about healthcare, the economy, and President Trump’s declining popularity.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A mother, grandmother, and stepfather who abused three children for years were sentenced without jail time in Aberdeen Sheriff Court. The children suffered beatings, starvation, and psychological abuse from 2003 to 2012, and the court acknowledged the lasting harm caused.
Key Facts
Shirley Freeman, Julia Stephen, and David McColl were found guilty or admitted to abusing children.
The abuse included physical violence, starvation, and psychological cruelty at homes in Balloch and Aberdeen.
The victims, now adults, described being locked in rooms, denied food, and punished with sleep deprivation.
Freeman received 18 months probation, unpaid work, and a restriction of liberty order instead of prison.
Stephen got 18 months probation and unpaid work; McColl got similar punishments with a restriction of liberty order.
The court said no sentence could undo the terrible childhoods the victims endured.
Victims described ongoing emotional struggles and feelings of guilt related to the abuse.
The abuse was called a "house of terror" by the court during the trial.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries met with Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, causing criticism from some Democrats. The meeting took place months before midterm elections, where Democrats hope to win the House and investigate the Trump administration.
Key Facts
Hakeem Jeffries, leader of House Democrats, met with Jared Kushner.
Kushner is President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and an influential advisor.
The meeting happened ahead of the November midterm elections.
Democrats want to retake control of the House and may investigate Trump’s family finances.
Some Democrats criticized Jeffries for meeting Kushner, accusing Kushner of using family ties for money.
Jeffries said Democrats want “bold change” and will oppose extreme Republican policies.
Senator Chris van Hollen supports meetings but wants real results from them.
Former Republican Adam Kinzinger expressed confusion about the meeting on social media.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Many Americans will receive their Social Security payments this week, with amounts varying based on their earnings and age when they started collecting benefits. Payments are scheduled on different days depending on recipients’ birth dates, and the government adjusts payments each year to keep up with inflation.
Key Facts
Over 75.7 million Americans received Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in July.
Payments for people born between the 21st and 31st of a month will be issued on August 26.
Social Security payments are staggered by birthdate, with earlier payments for those born earlier in the month.
The highest possible monthly retirement benefit for someone claiming at age 70 in 2026 is $5,181.
The average retired worker receives about $2,086 per month, with most people receiving less than the maximum.
Social Security benefits increased by 2.8% in 2026 to help keep up with rising living costs.
The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2027 will be announced in October and is currently projected around 3.5%.
Some groups, like those who started benefits before 1997 or receive both Social Security and SSI, have different payment schedules.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Many U.S. companies that publicly supported strengthening the Voting Rights Act in 2021 are still giving money to state political groups that work against the law. These groups, called 527 organizations, influence key state elections and have helped Republican attorneys general win court cases weakening voting rights and other protections.
Key Facts
Over a dozen companies, including Airbnb, DoorDash, Target, and Zillow, support the Voting Rights Act but also donate to groups undermining it.
These groups are known as 527 organizations, which are tax-exempt political groups active in state-level elections.
Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft had paused or lowered donations after the January 6 insurrection but have since resumed or increased funding.
The Republican Attorneys General Association (Raga), a 527 group tied to January 6 events, has received resumed or new donations from these companies.
State attorneys general backed by these groups have won Supreme Court cases that overturned Roe v. Wade and weakened parts of the Voting Rights Act.
Donations to 527 groups can have a large impact on state races and policies, even if the amounts seem small compared to federal campaigns.
Republican 527 groups are raising more money than Democratic ones during this election cycle, with significant contributions from public companies.
These state races and attorneys general offices influence national policies through court cases and legislation.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The article discusses how Democratic candidates in four states are avoiding using the Democratic Party name in their campaigns. This suggests they believe using the party’s name might hurt their chances to win.
Key Facts
Democratic candidates in four states are not prominently using the Democratic Party name.
Avoiding the party name is a campaign strategy to appeal to more voters.
This behavior implies concerns about the party’s current popularity or image.
The article focuses on U.S. politics and election strategies.
No specific states or candidate names are mentioned in the summary provided.
The topic reflects challenges faced by the Democratic Party in certain areas.
Using or avoiding a party’s brand can impact voter perception and election results.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Two Ecuadorian women injured in a car crash in Central Florida were taken into immigration custody after leaving the hospital. They were questioned about their immigration status while receiving medical care and later arrested for overstaying their visas.
Key Facts
Grace Stephanie Calero Cabanilla (39) and her daughter Giulianna Mía Carriel Calero (19) were in a serious car accident on August 20 in Poinciana, Florida.
The car rolled about four times and was badly damaged.
Both women were taken to HCA Florida Poinciana Hospital for treatment and placed in separate rooms.
A sheriff’s deputy questioned Calero Cabanilla about her immigration status while she was in the hospital.
ICE said Calero Cabanilla entered the U.S. legally in March 2023 but overstayed her visa; her daughter also overstayed after entering legally in February 2025.
Both women had ICE detainers placed on them and were taken into custody after hospital discharge.
Calero Cabanilla has a pending asylum application and a work permit; her daughter is included in the asylum case.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office was involved in the investigation and arrest following the crash.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. military conducted a strike on a boat in the Pacific Ocean suspected of carrying drugs, killing two people. The military said the boat was involved in drug trafficking along known routes and aimed to stop cartel operations in the region.
Key Facts
The strike happened on Sunday and targeted a boat in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
The boat was believed to be a "narco sub," a semi-submersible vessel often used by drug traffickers.
Two people died in the strike, and video showed a large explosion hitting the boat.
The operation is part of a U.S. military campaign called "Southern Spear," launched last September under President Donald Trump.
Since the campaign began, over 200 people have died in similar strikes in the Pacific and Caribbean areas.
Some lawmakers and critics have questioned the legal basis and effectiveness of the strikes.
The Pentagon is reviewing whether the military followed proper procedures during these strikes but is not inspecting the strikes’ legality.
The drug cartels targeted are linked with fentanyl production, although most fentanyl is smuggled by land from Mexico.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
