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National debt crosses $40 trillion and think tank warns: ‘The level of fiscal mismanagement is tragic

“To anyone who cares about America, about democracy and our future, in my view, this is already a crisis,” Michael Peterson told Fortune.

By Eleanor PringleAugust 19, 2026

Lindsay Clancy was ‘begging for help’ and feared drug dependence in weeks before her children died, ex-mother-in-law testifies

Susan Clancy told jurors her former daughter-in-law was “struggling” for months as the defense builds its postpartum psychosis case

By The Associated Press and Leah WillinghamAugust 19, 2026

A woman inspired by Luigi Mangione to try bombing Scott Bessent gets hit with 6 years in prison

Prosecutors sought more than 10 years for Riley English, who cited mental health struggles and fears about Trump-era policies toward trans people

By Michael Kunzelman and The Associated PressAugust 19, 2026

78-year-old ex-Fauci adviser pleads guilty to concealing COVID-19 origin research records using private email

The indictment follows a probe by House Republicans into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci wasn’t charged

By The Associated PressAugust 19, 2026

More in North America

Trump threatens to bomb Oman, widening the war that crippled the global economy

The oil chokepoint is under fire from multiple directions as Trump pushes Oman for a tougher line on Iran shipping traffic.

By Samy Magdy and The Associated PressAugust 19, 2026

‘Harvest their data and hide the truth from the public’: Four states seek billions from Meta over child safety practices

The suit looks to make fundamental changes to how Meta runs its social media platforms to better serve child privacy and safety.

By Barbara Ortutay, Kaitlyn Huamani and The Associated PressAugust 19, 2026

A SpaceX rocket carved out a crater on the moon as long as a bowling lane with ‘butterfly wing’ streaks

It took six days before the crash scene came into view

By The Associated Press and Marcia DunnAugust 19, 2026

Texas’ screwworm could be fatal for the unadopted dogs and cats in rescue shelters statewide

“It’s thrown a wrench into things, for small rescues as well as the bigger shelters,” said Mia Bendixsen of the Texas Humane Legislation Network.

By The Associated Press and John HannaAugust 19, 2026

More in Asia

Unitree, famous for its dancing robots, surges by 460% on its trading debut, lifting valuation to $66 billion, far ahead of U.S. competitors

The Hangzhou-based startup, founded in 2016, has quickly become something akin to a national champion in China’s robotics sector.

By Nicholas GordonAugust 19, 2026

Strait of Hormuz chaos has incentivized China to use an alternative trade route: a 3,400 mile frozen Arctic channel dubbed the ‘Ice Silk Road’

Chinese shipping company Sea Legend Line just announced a shipping route through the Arctic, which takes half the time as established shipping routes.

By Sasha RogelbergAugust 19, 2026

The U.S. built its brand by attracting the world’s best and brightest. It must not lose that advantage

As any chief executive knows, the strongest brands are rarely destroyed by their competitors. This principle applies to nations as well.

By John A. QuelchAugust 18, 2026

Alibaba’s $2 billion gaming exit signals where Beijing wants its money

The e-commerce giant sells its gaming studio and pours $53 billion into AI as the US-China tech rivalry heats up

By Mia OsmonbekovAugust 18, 2026

More in Global

‘I think that we’re going to make history here’: Angry parents of kids sextorted, cyberbullied or addicted to social media are out for vengeance

As opening statements kicked off Tuesday in a trial for Meta Platforms, advocates and parents of social media victims gathered outside the courthouse.

By The Associated Press and Kaitlyn HuamaniAugust 19, 2026

How KFC and Taco Bell’s top technologist is embracing AI and automation across 63,000 restaurants

The top technologist at Yum Brands, Jim Dausch, is embracing AI and automation across 63,000 restaurants.

By John KellAugust 19, 2026

Moderna’s and Merck’s personalized mRNA vaccine shows real promise against deadly skin cancer melanoma in late stage trial and sends stocks soaring

The shot, paired with Merck’s Keytruda, cut the risk of melanoma recurrence in a trial of more than 1,100 patients.

By Catherina GioinoAugust 19, 2026

Cosigning a loan: The risks oftentimes overlooked

Cosigning a loan can be a great tool when used wisely, but it also comes with risks that you may not have considered.

By Joseph HostetlerAugust 19, 2026