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.
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.
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.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security plans to spend $20 million to provide ICE officers with electric-shock gloves by March next year. These gloves deliver electric shocks and have raised concerns from experts and civil rights groups due to past abuses and safety risks.
Key Facts
ICE plans to buy special gloves that deliver electric shocks to officers.
The gloves cost up to $20 million and will be provided by March 2025.
Similar gloves have been linked to dangerous incidents, including a death in a Kentucky jail.
Civil rights groups, such as the ACLU, oppose the gloves due to concerns about misuse and lack of oversight.
The gloves are called G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter) and made by Compliant Technologies, a Kentucky-based company.
These gloves shock people when the user presses a button and touches bare skin.
The shock voltage ranges from 324 to 380 volts, which is less than a typical Taser's 1,200 to 1,500 volts.
DHS says ICE reviews all equipment carefully to meet law enforcement policies.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Many Republican candidates in key U.S. states continue to question or deny the 2020 presidential election results that showed President Joe Biden won. Some of these candidates for governor and secretary of state positions have previously voted against certifying election results or supported efforts to overturn them.
Key Facts
Several Republican candidates in swing states like Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan question or deny the 2020 election outcomes.
Andy Biggs, running for Arizona governor, voted against certifying Arizona’s 2020 results and has claimed there was voter fraud without evidence.
Tom Tiffany, a Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor, also voted against certifying his state’s 2020 results.
Secretaries of state usually oversee elections and certify results; some Republican candidates in these positions have also expressed doubts about the 2020 election.
In 2020, President Trump pressured state officials in swing states to not certify the election results, but most refused.
If election deniers win statewide offices, they could influence the certification of future elections, including in 2028.
Some candidates involved in legal efforts to overturn the 2020 results have faced disciplinary actions or legal challenges.
None of the candidates have publicly clarified their current views on who won the 2020 election or whether they would certify future election results.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security plans to buy electric shock gloves to be used by immigration agents. Human rights groups and medical experts say such tactics, along with force-feeding hunger-striking detainees and sending asylum seekers back to dangerous countries, may amount to torture. There have also been reports of neglect leading to deaths among released detainees.
Key Facts
Homeland Security will spend up to $20 million on gloves that deliver electric shocks to uncooperative detainees.
These gloves are called “conductive distraction and de-escalation devices” and are produced by Compliant Technologies.
Amnesty International and doctors warn that electric shock devices can be torture tools.
At least 10 immigrant detainees have been force-fed to stop hunger strikes protesting poor conditions.
Forcing food through a tube into detainees can cause choking and distress, and detainees are often restrained during the process.
The U.S. is sending some asylum seekers back to countries where they risk torture or death, which violates international law.
Two released detainees died from exposure after being released without enough support; medical examiners called these deaths homicides.
The government is delaying payments to groups providing legal help to unaccompanied migrant children to try to get information from them.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The US government tried to lower the interest rates it pays on its debt by buying more treasury bonds, but this effort did not last long. Rising interest costs on the national debt are increasing the government's expenses and are affecting the economy and President Donald Trump’s popularity.
Key Facts
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a plan to buy more treasury bonds to raise their price and lower interest rates.
The plan caused a temporary drop in bond yields but rates quickly returned to high levels.
The US federal debt has reached a record $40 trillion.
Interest payments on this debt now take up 13.5% of all federal spending in 2024.
Higher treasury yields increase mortgage rates and slow down the housing market.
President Trump criticized the Federal Reserve for not lowering interest rates and suggested extreme actions involving military intervention.
Foreign central banks, especially in China and Japan, have reduced their holdings of US treasury bonds in recent years.
Private foreign investors now hold a larger share of treasury debt, causing more market volatility.
The US treasury bond market’s role as a safe place to invest money is facing challenges due to increased debt supply and changing investor behavior.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Two years after Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina, the area shows signs of recovery but still faces challenges like empty storefronts and leftover debris. The disaster and its recovery efforts have become key issues in the race for North Carolina’s U.S. Senate seat, with both major candidates connected to how the state managed the storm’s aftermath.
Key Facts
Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina in September 2024, killing at least 107 people and causing nearly $60 billion in damage.
Downtown areas have mostly recovered, but some businesses have not reopened, and debris remains in waterways.
The 2026 Senate race in North Carolina is open because Republican Senator Thom Tillis is retiring.
Democratic candidate Roy Cooper was governor during the hurricane and its recovery efforts.
Republican candidate Michael Whatley has criticized Cooper’s handling of the recovery and was called the “recovery czar” by the media, a label his campaign denies.
President Donald Trump supported Whatley’s role in the recovery, adding to the political debate around the issue.
North Carolina is a key battleground state, with Democrats hoping to win a Senate seat and improve their standing nationally.
Western North Carolina usually votes Republican and has not supported a Democrat for Senate or president since 2008.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The word "radical" is being used often in political campaigns before the midterm elections. Both Republicans and Democrats use the term to describe their opponents as extreme or far from the political center.
Key Facts
The term "radical" is commonly used in the 2024 midterm election campaigns.
Candidates from both major parties accuse each other of being radical.
Republicans use "radical" to describe Democrats, and Democrats use it for Republicans.
The use of the word reflects that both parties are moving away from centrist positions.
This language aims to influence voters by portraying the other side as extreme.
The political debate is intensifying as the fall elections approach.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Candidates for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat are focusing on the state’s high cancer rates during their campaigns. Democrat Josh Turek and Republican Ashley Hinson are competing for the seat of retiring Senator Joni Ernst in a close race.
Key Facts
Iowa has a high number of cancer cases compared to other states.
The Senate race is for the seat being vacated by Senator Joni Ernst.
Democrat Josh Turek is a state legislator running for the Senate seat.
Republican Ashley Hinson is a current member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The competition between Turek and Hinson is tighter than expected.
Both candidates are making cancer and healthcare important topics in the campaign.
Cancer crisis concerns are resonating with voters in Iowa.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The US military said it attacked a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the Pacific Ocean, killing two people. The strike was part of a wider operation to stop drug cartels and was ordered by US Southern Command under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Key Facts
The strike happened on Sunday and targeted a boat along known drug-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific.
US Southern Command confirmed intelligence showed the boat was actively involved in drug smuggling.
The attack was carried out by the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere under General Francis L. Donovan.
This strike is part of Operation Southern Spear, launched in early September to fight Latin American drug cartels.
Since the operation began, over 200 people have died in strikes across the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean.
President Donald Trump has said the US is effectively at war with Latin American drug cartels.
Some experts and rights groups worry these strikes may count as extrajudicial killings (killing without legal process).
The Pentagon’s inspector general is reviewing if the military followed proper targeting steps but will not check the legal authority for the strikes.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A federal judge has ordered the U.S. government to bring back a man, called John Doe, who testified against Mexican drug cartels and was deported multiple times. The judge ruled that the government likely did not follow proper legal steps when removing him, putting him at serious risk.
Key Facts
John Doe testified against individuals linked to Mexican drug cartels.
He received protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT) to prevent his deportation to Mexico due to risk of harm.
An immigration judge had ruled in July 2024 that Doe was likely to be tortured if returned to Mexico.
Doe was deported three times recently: first to Guatemala (which refused to accept him), then twice to Mexico (which also refused to accept him).
On July 21, the government ended his CAT protection based on diplomatic assurances from Mexico, without providing details or proper notice to Doe.
Doe was deported again on August 1 without his personal items and is now in hiding due to fear of retaliation.
The judge found the government likely violated Doe’s legal rights by removing his protections without proper procedure.
The court ordered the government to return Doe to the United States, emphasizing the importance of his safety and cooperation with law enforcement.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Two Phoenix police officers were fired and arrested after a late-night traffic stop where they physically attacked a man and woman and used a Taser on them. The officers did not report the stop or record it on their body cameras, and they face charges including aggravated assault and kidnapping.
Key Facts
Officers Antonio Felix and Luis Vasquez were arrested and fired after a violent traffic stop on August 5.
The officers physically assaulted a man and a woman during the stop and used a Taser on them.
The officers did not report the traffic stop or use their body cameras.
Charges against the officers include aggravated assault and kidnapping.
Each officer’s bond was set at $100,000, with electronic monitoring required if released.
The male victim was punched and threatened; the female victim was handcuffed and shocked with a Taser.
The victims were able to escape; the man abandoned the car in a neighboring city, Tempe.
The Phoenix police chief confirmed no video exists but said there is enough evidence to support the charges.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
UK Defence Minister Luke Pollard urged social media companies to remove videos showing dangerous driving after a crash killed two police officers and five passengers traveling the wrong way. TikTok said it proactively removes harmful content, and the government is pressuring platforms to stop promoting risky driving videos.
Key Facts
Two police officers died after crashing into a car going the wrong way on a dual carriageway near Middlesbrough.
All five passengers in the wrong-way car, including 18-year-old Malakai Saddington, also died.
Videos showing dangerous driving were posted on a TikTok account believed to belong to Saddington, but these have been removed.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard wants social media companies to use their tools to stop promoting such videos.
Pollard noted social media platforms often make money when videos get many views, creating an incentive to keep risky content online.
TikTok said it removes 99.8% of harmful content proactively and prohibits posts that promote dangerous driving.
Similar incidents involving dangerous driving videos have raised safety concerns in the UK and Ireland.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
