Who owns America and what does American power actually buy the American people?

American Power Is Becoming Increasingly Difficult to Reconcile With Life in America

Edited by Yiannis Damellos

Illustrations: IntellAIgence - AI-generated art & digital creativity

August 19, 2026

America isn't necessarily becoming poorer; rather, it's experiencing a growing disparity in who reaps the benefits of its vast wealth and who bears the burden of sustaining its power.

Donald Trump has spent much of his second presidency reminding America's allies that the United States carries an enormous share of the Western world's military burden. At NATO, he has repeatedly complained that America is getting too little in return, while demanding that allies spend more on defense. There is an obvious argument to be made for burden-sharing. But there is another question — one that is rarely asked with the same force: What does American power actually buy the American people?

5 Americans among 7 killed in Kenya helicopter crash, including Telemundo executive

The aircraft crashed in the foothills of Mount Ololokwe, Kenyan officials said. José Suárez, president and general manager of multiple Telemundo-owned stations, was among the dead.

Aug. 19, 2026, 9:38 AM PDT / Updated Aug. 19, 2026, 3:01 PM PDT

By Doha Madani and Alexandra Bacallao

Five Americans are dead following a helicopter crash in a remote area of northern Kenya, the U.S. State Department confirmed in a statement to NBC News on Wednesday.

Rescue mission is called off for NASA’s aging Swift space telescope

By MARCIA DUNN
Updated 12:07 PM PDT, August 19, 2026
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The mission to save NASA’s sinking Swift Observatory was called off Wednesday, dooming the telescope to a fiery reentry later this year. NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies announced the news more than a month after the startup’s Link spacecraft rocketed away to the telescope’s rescue.

Israel admits firing on car carrying Hind Rajab, symbol of Gaza’s suffering

AL JAZEERA
The Israeli military has announced a criminal investigation into the killing that shook the world, but hopes for justice are slim.

By Al Jazeera Staff, AP and Reuters 

Published On 19 Aug 2026

More than two years after Hind Rajab was killed, becoming a symbol of the suffering of children in Gaza, Israel’s military, long accused of the atrocity, has announced a criminal investigation into the death of the five-year-old girl.

Trump touted a deal to avert new tariffs on Canada. Here’s what we know so far

Published Wed, Aug 19 2026 12:25 PM EDT, Updated 2 Hours Ago

 Kevin Breuninger

Key Points

• President Donald Trump announced a tentative deal to stave off new 50% duties on Canadian wine, hockey sticks and many other goods.
• Trump hinted that an agreement could include restarting Keystone XL, the planned oil pipeline from Alberta to Nebraska that was scrapped in 2021 by then-President Joe Biden.
• Trump signaled that a change in U.S. tariffs on Canadian autos could be part of the deal.
• U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said, “We certainly, I think, have eliminated some of the irritants that we’ve had in the past year.”

There Is Something Very Wrong With the U.S. Navy Right Now

100% human-written

WAR STORIES

BY FRED KAPLAN

AUG 19, 2026 11:53 AM

The dreadful conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln, a Navy aircraft carrier stationed near Iran for nine months, have been widely reported. They include food shortages, water contamination, plumbing stoppages, lost mail, and mental health decay, spurring some crew members to jump ship.

The United States is about to wake up to the threat from China’s space program

Chang’e is coming
One big question: Will China assert territorial rights where its rover explores?
Eric Berger 

Aug 18, 2026 9:30 AM

There are generally two schools of thought in the Western space community when it comes to the prospect of China landing humans on the Moon in the next few years and very possibly beating NASA and the United States in its efforts to return astronauts there.

Federal Judge Orders Release of Virginia Giuffre’s Case Files at Last

The files in Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell will be public at last.

Hafiz Rashid

August 18, 2026/10:57 a.m. ET

Virginia Giuffre’s 2015 civil lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell is going to be unsealed.

A federal court in Manhattan last week ordered the public release of the files from Giuffre’s defamation lawsuit against the accomplice and partner of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein following eight years of litigation from the Miami Herald, reported Julie Brown, the investigative journalist for the newspaper best known for uncovering Epstein’s crimes.

Democratic socialist Angie Nixon scores upset in Florida’s Democratic Senate primary

NBC News projects that Nixon, a state lawmaker, defeated Alex Vindman for the Democratic nomination and will face GOP Sen. Ashley Moody in the general election.

By Matt Dixon

Aug. 18, 2026, 5:00 PM PDT

Updated Aug. 18, 2026, 7:50 PM PDT

Progressive state Rep. Angie Nixon scored a major upset over former National Security Council aide Alex Vindman in the Florida Democratic Senate primary, NBC News projects, setting up a general election race against Republican Sen. Ashley Moody.

Carney and Trump Talk Again as Deadline Nears on New U.S. Tariffs

Canada is seeking a deal to dodge further economic pain at the hands of the Trump administration at midnight Tuesday. But at what cost?

By Matina Stevis-Gridneff

Reporting from Toronto

Aug. 18, 2026

Updated 7:19 p.m. ET

Canada is bracing for a U.S. tariff deadline arriving at midnight on Tuesday, when a number of new levies by the Trump administration will come into effect unless negotiators strike an 11th-hour deal.

Penn State frat pledges forced to cut and bag cocaine for college drug ring, authorities say

Nation 

Aug 18, 2026 2:04 PM EDT

Penn State Drug Ring

By Associated Press

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State fraternity pledges were made to cut and package cocaine for a drug ring that was run out of two off-campus frat houses, authorities said.

U.S.-Iran Updates: Trump says no talks with Iran taking place as standoff over Strait of Hormuz continues

By Duarte Dias, Tucker Reals, Khaled Wassef, Frank Andrews

Updated on: August 18, 2026 / 2:42 PM EDT / CBS News

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What to know about the Iran war today:

• President Trump said Tuesday that there is no ongoing dialogue with Iran to end the war, and no discussions scheduled. His son-in-law and envoy Jared Kushner told Fox News on Monday that Iran is "not showing any interest" in striking a deal that "makes sense" for the United States. Nearly six months into the conflict, the U.S. and Iran remain locked in a standoff over control over the Strait of Hormuz.
•  A commercial vessel was struck by an "unknown projectile" while transiting the strait on Tuesday, according to the British military, resulting in one casualty and causing damage to an engine room.
• The U.S. ambassador to Turkey chastised Israel on Tuesday for carrying out strikes on a Syrian airbase, saying they "constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability." 

King Crimson - FULL SHOW (King Crimson In Concert - Live In Munich, 1982)

King Crimson's "Live In Munich" refers to their legendary concert performed at the Alabamahalle in Munich, Germany, on September 29, 1982. Originally released as a rare CD for the King Crimson Collectors' Club in 2006, the full professional video footage was officially premiered worldwide on the band's YouTube channel.🎸

Fact check: Every single part of this Trump story about South Korea is wrong

By  Daniel Dale
4 hr ago
President Donald Trump told a story about South Korea on Monday. Every single part of it is false.

Trump has delivered versions of his fictional story before; CNN debunked one telling last year. The president delivered Monday’s version the day after he announced the US would reduce military exercises with South Korea – citing his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and also mentioning that South Korea declined to participate in the US war with Iran.

Sanders proposes bill to stop Social Security benefit garnishment for unpaid student loans

Published Mon, Aug 17 2026

4:13 PM EDT

Updated 4 Hours Ago
Lorie Konish

Key Points

• Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., announced a new proposal on Monday to protect federal student loan borrowers from having their Social Security checks garnished.
• Sanders’ proposal comes as the Trump administration has paused involuntary collections for borrowers in default on federal student loans.

‘Despicable' or unfortunate? Lawmakers' fury amid USS Lincoln crisis

Republicans in Congress have largely remained silent about poor conditions reported aboard the USS Lincoln.
Erin Mansfield
USA TODAY
Updated Aug. 17, 2026, 6:07 p.m. ET

Full Summary

Democratic senators Jon Ossoff and Mark Kelly condemned President Trump and called for an investigation into reported poor living conditions and mental‑health crises on the USS Abraham Lincoln after a nine‑month deployment, while Republican officials mostly stayed silent or offered limited oversight suggestions.

Mr. Double Standard votes by mail again in his home state of Florida

President Donald Trump has once again demonstrated a striking double standard on mail-in voting: he continues to attack the practice as vulnerable to fraud 

while using it himself.

Source: Politico

Voting records from Palm Beach County show that Trump requested a mail ballot in late July and returned it on Aug. 13, casting his vote in Florida’s Republican primary. This is not the first time Trump has voted by mail in Florida; he also used a mail ballot in a Palm Beach County special election earlier this year.

Luigi Mangione’s state murder trial effectively postponed

By  Kara Scannell,

AND  Lauren del Valle
Updated 3 hr ago / AUGUST 17, 2026

The New York judge overseeing the state murder case against Luigi Mangione has effectively postponed his September trial by giving prosecutors nearly two months to contest defense claims their client will be unlawfully prosecuted under double jeopardy grounds should it proceed.

In an order Monday, Judge Gregory Carro ordered Manhattan prosecutors to respond by October 9 to Mangione’s motion to dismiss the state murder case on double jeopardy and constitutional grounds. He scheduled the next court hearing for December 10.