8/20: The Takeout with Major Garrett
U.S. national debt hits record $40 trillion, doubling in less than 10 years; Trump administration pressuring countries to cut economic ties with Iran.
World
cbsnews.com
20.08.2026
Trump ramps up Cuba pressure with new sanctions and crackdown on US visitors
The Treasury and State departments announced measures against nine government-run mining, metal and construction firms
World
independent.co.uk
20.08.2026
U.S. Stocks Slide as Bond Yields Rebound; Walmart Disappoints
Finance
wsj.com
20.08.2026
My family have fished this river for 300 years - now pollution has killed all the fish
A tradition on a river once fished by US President Jimmy Carter could be coming to an end.
Science
bbc.co.uk
20.08.2026
States are pouring taxpayer dollars into college sports as athlete pay squeezes budgets
A legal settlement last year allowed higher education institutions to directly pay athletes a total of about $20.5 million annually, on top of any scholarships and other NIL deals they receive
World
independent.co.uk
20.08.2026
Trump administration faces questions over top aide Natalie Harp’s security clearance
Ex-White House ethics tsar calls it ‘shocking’ that executive assistant to US president didn’t have clearance for a yearUS politics live – latest updatesThe White House faced fresh questions on Thursd
World
theguardian.com
20.08.2026
Melania Trump Jokes About Lengthy Public Absence Alongside President
Melania Trump returned to the spotlight with a joke about her absence while unveiling a foster care scholarship initiative.
Politics
newsweek.com
20.08.2026
Only about 1% of US lawmakers are working class. Here’s what keeps workers out of office
The fact that so few former workers hold elected office means that working-class interests often fall by the wayside in the world’s political institutions
World
independent.co.uk
20.08.2026
Sources & Methods
All Thing Considered host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR correspondents Tom Bowman and Emily Feng about the ways in which the U.S. war with Iran is connected to other conflicts across the globe.
World
npr.org
20.08.2026
Wars are happening across the world. Many of them are connected
All Thing Considered host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR correspondents Tom Bowman and Emily Feng about the ways in which the U.S. war with Iran is connected to other conflicts across the globe.
World
npr.org
20.08.2026
China Is Strapping ‘Digital Bombs’ to Civilian Infrastructure—Is the US Ready?
This week on “Uncanny Valley,” Andy Greenberg discusses sitting in on a war game simulating a cyberattack from the Chinese hacking group Volt Typhoon
Tech
wired.com
20.08.2026
Melania kicks off first public appearance in a month with tongue-in-cheek joke about her absence
The first lady’s last public appearance was at the 2026 World Cup final
World
independent.co.uk
20.08.2026
Hypersonic impact rapidly transforms diamond into graphite, revealing energy-absorbing mechanism
Rice University researchers have developed a way to stabilize diamond during high-temperature and low-pressure processing, creating a strong bulk composite and discovering that high-speed collisions c
Science
phys.org
20.08.2026
Giants' John Harbaugh Explains Malik Nabers' Practice Absence
The New York Giants took the field for a joint practice with the Dolphins, and wide receiver Malik Nabers did not participate.
Politics
newsweek.com
20.08.2026
The USA imposed sanctions on three individuals and nine legal entities in Cuba
Azerbaijan
apa.az
20.08.2026
TRIPP opens way for US to strengthen its presence in Eurasia - The Hill
Azerbaijan
trend.az
20.08.2026
Dollar Recovers Early Losses on US Economic Strength
Finance
finance.yahoo.com
20.08.2026
Lindsay Clancy murder trial draws some 300 US supporters, many of them women: ‘nobody takes us seriously’
The attorney for Clancy, who strangled her three children, says she suffered from postpartum psychosisHundreds of Lindsay Clancy supporters, many wearing pink clothing emblazoned with phrases such as
World
theguardian.com
20.08.2026
Woman charged with IS-inspired plot to bomb New York State Capitol
US authorities charged Jessica Bowie, a woman who allegedly supported the Islamic State group, with a terrorism offense Thursday after she told an FBI informant she "wanted to destroy" the New York St
World
france24.com
20.08.2026
Americans Are (Still) Drinking Less than Ever Before
U.S. alcohol consumption hits the lowest record since Gallup began surveying on this topic in 1939.
World
time.com
20.08.2026