Today's civic briefing

22h ago.6 sources.Multi-source

Fiasco in the Factory: Taxpayers Funded a $533 Million Artillery Plant That Made Nothing (propublica)

1d ago.4 sources.Multi-source

A U.N. official said more than 95% of interviewed Ukrainian prisoners of war reported torture or ill-treatment in Russian custody; Russia disputes the account. (sources: reuters, indiatimes)

18h ago.9 sources.Multi-source

A federal judge has barred the Postal Service from carrying out the administration's mail-voting order for the 2026 midterms, while appeals and congressional proposals remain unresolved. (sources: usatoday, thehill, foxnews, axios, theguardian)

21h ago.5 sources.Multi-source

A federal appeals court halted above-ground construction unless Congress approves the project, keeping questions about construction authority and related security funding before lawmakers. (sources: washingtonpost)

1d ago.7 sources.Multi-source

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will not withdraw until Hamas disarms, rejecting a plan backed by President Trump. The decision puts U.S. diplomacy, humanitarian aid, arms transfers, and congressional oversight back in focus. (sources: ap, wsj, cnn, aljazeera, nytimes)

8h ago.5 sources.Multi-source

An official DHS procurement forecast sets an Aug. 14 solicitation target for gloves designed to deliver painful electric shocks, prompting questions about training, limits and oversight. (sources: axios, ap, npr)

8h ago.9 sources.Multi-source

ICE plans a $10 million-to-$20 million purchase of gloves that deliver an electric shock on direct skin contact; a procurement notice could move forward as soon as this week, raising questions about training, limits, and oversight. (sources: washingtonpost, aljazeera, bbc, pbs, axios)

9h ago.4 sources.Multi-source

Taylor Fresh Foods recalled prepared foods containing jalapeños, including products sold at Whole Foods, as federal and state officials investigate a multistate salmonella outbreak linked to fresh peppers. (sources: cbsnews)

1d ago.8 sources.Multi-source

Ukraine's president says Russian forces used North Korean ballistic missiles in a strike that killed civilians, while Congress is considering sanctions and other responses to Russia–North Korea military cooperation. (sources: bbc, independent, upi, cnbc, abc)

7h ago.2 sources.Multi-source

Jose Chajon-Raxon was sent to a hospital after a seizure and released from ICE custody; DHS says it was not told he later died, raising questions about disclosure and follow-up. (sources: nytimes)

19h ago.3 sources.Multi-source

Short on US Patriot missiles, Ukraine looks for alternatives (dw)

1d ago.7 sources.Multi-source

A federal lawsuit says sanctions on International Criminal Court officials and supporters hinder war-crimes investigations and punish protected advocacy; Congress also has pending proposals on the policy. (sources: ap, washingtonpost, theguardian)

1d ago.5 sources.Multi-source

How Iran Adapted Its Attacks as U.S. War Munitions Dwindled (nytimes)

1d ago.6 sources.Multi-source

Traffic reportedly fell to six vessels from about 11 as the U.S.–Iran conflict disrupts a route carrying a major share of global oil, raising questions about diplomacy, war powers, and economic risk. (sources: aljazeera, thehill, reuters)

4h ago.8 sources.Multi-source

Three Palestinian families besieged in their homes by Israeli settlers (aljazeera); Israeli militants besiege two Palestinian families in their West Bank homes (theguardian)

7h ago.4 sources.Multi-source

WHO reports more than 2,100 confirmed cases and more than 800 deaths from the Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where conflict and limited access complicate the response. (sources: bbc)

23h ago.3 sources.Multi-source

He Was Deported to Eswatini in Southern Africa. He May Never Go Free. (nytimes)

1d ago.3 sources.Multi-source

The Justice Department says state tuition rules for undocumented students violate federal law; current reports describe new lawsuits against New York, Connecticut, and Vermont. (sources: nytimes, thehill)

1d ago.2 sources.Multi-source

A new Justice Department opinion says presidential privilege may cover some communications with private advisers, potentially complicating Congress’s efforts to obtain records and testimony. (sources: axios)

12h ago.3 sources.Multi-source

Controversial group wins $158M-contract to represent unaccompanied immigrant children (npr)

23h ago.4 sources.Multi-source

“They’re Putting Kids’ Lives at Risk”: How Abuse in a Tennessee Businessman’s Juvenile Prisons Remained Under Wraps (propublica)

1d ago.5 sources.Multi-source

Plaintiffs asked a federal judge in New Hampshire to block two executive orders issued August 6 after the Supreme Court rejected the administration's earlier attempt to restrict birthright citizenship. (sources: theguardian, scotusblog, abcnews)

8h ago.5 sources.Multi-source

At a counter-cartel meeting in Panama, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Colombia's new government had asked for U.S. help with joint military operations. The statement leaves questions about legal authority, mission scope, civilian safeguards, and congressional oversight. (sources: nytimes)

9h ago.4 sources.Multi-source

The Justice Department criticized a D.C. Council request that governors withdraw National Guard troops, as the federal deployment continues. The dispute raises questions about local authority, military use in the capital, and oversight of the deployment. (sources: thehill)

1d ago.3 sources.Multi-source

Reuters reports a lower 2026 oil-supply forecast as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains unsettled, adding to the war's effects on fuel markets. (sources: reuters)

1d ago.5 sources.Multi-source

Five years after the Taliban takeover, UNESCO says an estimated 2.4 million Afghan girls remain barred from secondary education, while higher education is also closed to women and girls. (sources: theguardian, dw)

1d ago.3 sources.Multi-source

New reporting describes drought-driven displacement, severe hunger and rising child malnutrition as humanitarian funding falls; aid groups say U.S. cuts are worsening the strain. (sources: washingtonpost)

12h ago.10 sources.Multi-source

Ex-Syrian President Assad sentenced to death in absentia (cnn); Syrian court sentences Assad to death in absentia (thehill)

9h ago.4 sources.Multi-source

The country has already surpassed its 2025 total, the highest annual count since 1991, as outbreaks continue and vaccination gaps leave communities vulnerable. (sources: cbsnews)

11h ago.4 sources.Multi-source

Russia: Why is the Yabloko party barred from the elections? (dw)

23h ago.3 sources.Multi-source

Trump says ceasefire in Lebanon is working. For residents, it’s a ‘prison.’ (washingtonpost)

1d ago.3 sources.Multi-source

CBO's latest estimate, reported at about $2.1 trillion, is roughly $200 billion above its February projection; the agency's August review separately records a $1.8 trillion deficit through July. (sources: thehill)

1d ago.5 sources.Multi-source

Preliminary midyear data show homicides and several other violent-crime measures down across many large cities, but the samples differ and not every city followed the trend. (sources: thehill)

10h ago.5 sources.Multi-source

The administration is again emphasizing sanctions and other financial pressure as the Iran war continues, reviving questions about whether economic measures can produce a diplomatic exit and what costs they impose. (sources: thehill)

5h ago.10 sources.Multi-source

North Korea launched a suspected short-range ballistic missile, its second test in less than a week, as the United States and South Korea prepare for joint exercises. (sources: aljazeera, upi, foxnews, ap, bloomberg)

10h ago.2 sources.Multi-source

Oil spill from grounded tanker reaches Oman’s mainland beaches (france24)

10h ago.4 sources.Multi-source

The national average is around $4 a gallon, an unusually high level for this point in the year as the Iran conflict keeps fuel-market risks elevated. (sources: thehill, washingtonpost)

11h ago.4 sources.Multi-source

At least 5 tornadoes touched down in Chicago area during Tuesday's destructive derecho (nbcchicago); Severe weather knocks out power in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio as ‘ring of fire’ strikes Midwest (ap)

14h ago.8 sources.Multi-source

Consumer prices rose 3.4% from a year earlier through July; energy prices were 14.7% higher, keeping the cost outlook unsettled for households and policymakers. (sources: nytimes, pbs, ap, wsj, washingtonpost)

8h ago.3 sources.Multi-source

A 7.4-magnitude quake has killed at least 265 people and left hundreds missing; Colombia's president says a reconstruction fund will support the recovery. (sources: cbsnews, reuters, abc7ny)

1d ago.6 sources.Multi-source

Current reports say a Houthi attack on a cargo vessel in the Red Sea killed crew members, while Congress has pending measures addressing Houthi threats and maritime sanctions. (sources: nytimes, theguardian, abc, cbc)

12h ago.3 sources.Multi-source

A potential tropical cyclone east of Hawaii could bring 5 to 10 inches of rain, with higher totals possible, as forecasters warn of flooding and mudslides but leave the exact track uncertain. (sources: nytimes)

1d ago.3 sources.Multi-source

Treasury ends ownership reporting rules for U.S. companies (washingtonpost)

10h ago.6 sources.Multi-source

FDA proposes new rule change to require ingredient transparency in food (scrippsnews); FDA proposes mandatory food ingredient reporting (axios)

23h ago.4 sources.Multi-source

Businesses feel the strain as the deadline for Trump's 50% Canadian tariff approaches (npr)

21h ago.6 sources.Multi-source

A federal case brought by 29 states over alleged harms from Instagram and Facebook began jury selection August 12; opening statements are scheduled for August 18, while thousands of related private suits proceed separately. (sources: reuters)

1d ago.4 sources.Multi-source

Trump administration to end Medicaid funding for children’s transgender care (washingtonpost)

11h ago.6 sources.Multi-source

Darline Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman advanced from the Aug. 11 Republican primary for South Carolina’s open Senate seat; the special-election runoff is scheduled for Aug. 25. (sources: nytimes, politico, abc7news)