Just The News

Pennsylvania health officials announced the deaths of two unvaccinated residents from measles, the first such fatalities in the state in 35 years and the first in the US in 2026. National measles cases reached 2,777 as of August 20, 2026, up from 2,289 cases and three deaths in 2025. Officials declined to release identities or additional details citing privacy.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that a memorandum of understanding signed by U.S. President Donald Trump in June contains no provisions amounting to capitulation. The 60-day timeline established by the MoU expired last week, leaving the conflict in a state of neither war nor peace according to remarks published by Iran's state news agency IRNA. Lower-quality reports also link the situation to Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Rep. Byron Donalds, the Republican nominee for Florida governor, selected state Sen. Bryan Avila as his running mate. Donalds defeated multiple opponents in the recent GOP primary and now faces Democrat David Jolly in the general election.

Mike Lindell, who finished second in the Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary behind Lisa Demuth, announced plans to seek a temporary restraining order against Secretary of State Steve Simon after withholding the $825,000 recount fee. The dispute centers on whether the recount approved by the State Canvassing Board on August 18 will examine only ballots cast for the top two candidates. Lindell has asked the court to waive the Monday payment deadline set by the Secretary of State's office pending a ruling on the recount's scope.

U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer denied Ghislaine Maxwell's self-filed habeas corpus petition seeking to overturn her 2021 conviction and 20-year sentence for assisting Jeffrey Epstein in the sexual abuse of teenage girls. The 67-page ruling described Maxwell's claims, which relied on materials from the Epstein Files Transparency Act, as meritless and largely frivolous. Maxwell, age 64, argued that accusers' lawyers functioned as de facto government agents and that her due process rights were violated.

A vessel was struck in the Strait of Hormuz hours after President Trump unveiled an economic campaign against Iran that included sanctions and 50% tariffs on Canadian goods. U.S. forces separately destroyed a suspected narco-sub in the eastern Pacific under Operation Southern Spear, killing two individuals. Sources confirm the timing of the Hormuz incident and the Pacific strike but provide no verified perpetrator or direct causal link.

Darline Graham, appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster after Sen. Lindsey Graham's death, faces Rep. Ralph Norman in the Republican primary runoff for the U.S. Senate seat. The Department of Justice is deploying four Civil Rights Division attorneys and two local staff to monitor polls in Charleston, citing election transparency.

A study published in the British Medical Journal found that at least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 and donated their brains had CTE, with nearly two-thirds of those cases also meeting criteria for dementia. The research, conducted by Mass General Brigham, Boston University, and the Concussion Legacy Foundation, links the condition to repeated head impacts and notes it can only be diagnosed post-mortem. An NFL spokesperson stated the league continues efforts to reduce head impacts.

The Department of Homeland Security has issued a draft rule proposing a $103,265 fee on H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those using the advanced-degree exemption and for workers already inside the United States. The fee would be paid at filing in addition to existing charges and would not apply to universities, hospitals, or research institutions. A prior $100,000 H-1B fee was vacated by a federal judge as an unlawful tax.

Sen. Darline Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman advanced to the Republican primary runoff to succeed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. The Department of Justice is deploying four Civil Rights Division attorneys and additional staff to monitor polls in Charleston. The contest occurs alongside a similar runoff in Oklahoma.

Donald Trump announced a 50 percent tariff on automobiles, parts, and raw materials from Canada. Multiple Truth Social posts criticized Canadian trade practices and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Sources disagree on whether the tariffs have taken effect or begin in 2027.

Multiple sources report that Dolly Parton died at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer. Former presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama issued statements honoring her. Several biographical and timeline details remain unverified or supported by limited sourcing.

Mike Mazzei won the Republican primary runoff for Oklahoma governor by defeating current Attorney General Gentner Drummond. Mazzei, a former state senator endorsed by Donald Trump and term-limited Governor Kevin Stitt, will face Democrat Cyndi Munson in November. The race featured a narrow margin and highlighted divisions within the state GOP.

The United States applied 50 percent tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods effective early Saturday under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. Canada responded with equivalent retaliatory tariffs and suspended trade negotiations after rejecting U.S. offers on steel, aluminum, autos, and lumber. Neither government has released cost estimates for the measures.

A coalition of 50 chambers of commerce representing immigrant-owned businesses filed suit Monday against Mayor Zohran Mamdani's proposal for city-operated grocery stores, alleging violations of New York civil rights laws and the state constitution's Equal Protection Clause. The Multicultural Business Coalition seeks a permanent injunction, citing antitrust concerns and tortious interference. The filing follows a Wednesday letter to City Hall, with one unverified report comparing the plan to a Walmart entry.

Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, the Republican incumbent, faces Democrat Rep. Mary Peltola and Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher who initially sought the GOP nomination. Former Anchorage mayor Dan A. Sullivan endorsed the incumbent. Alaska's Division of Elections initially barred Dan J. Sullivan for lack of good faith before a judge overturned the decision.

Enes Kanter Freedom was escorted from Wintrust Arena during the third quarter of a Chicago Sky-Indiana Fever game after rising and moving toward player Natasha Cloud. He wore a T-shirt stating 'WOMAN noun. adult human female' and is one of two former NBA players seeking WNBA draft eligibility by identifying as women. The incident is documented in reports from two right-center sources.

Just The News reported that Dolly Parton died Tuesday at age 80, citing her birth in Sevier County as one of 12 children and her founding of the Imagination Library in 1995. Fox News carried an unverified quote attributed to Peyton Manning. Multiple officials issued statements, but primary confirmation of the death remains absent.

Jed York, owner and CEO of the San Francisco 49ers, was arrested in East Palestine, Ohio, during an undercover operation after allegedly arranging payment for sexual activity. He pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools after the prostitution charge was reduced. The NFL stated it would review the matter under its personal conduct policy while the team acknowledged awareness without further comment.

ICE recorded 49,571 arrests in July, a 15 percent increase from June and 70 percent from February, according to data reviewed by the Associated Press. Local law enforcement contributed to 6,500 of those arrests, or 13 percent, with Florida and Texas accounting for nearly 20,000 combined. Supported claims include arrests of Haitian migrants with expired Temporary Protected Status and operations during minor traffic stops; several program expansion figures remain unverified.

Enes Kanter Freedom clashed with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud courtside during a WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever and was ejected. Freedom wore a shirt stating the definition of a woman as an adult human female and was holding his hands up in celebration after Sophie Cunningham's three-pointer when the exchange began. Natasha Cloud reportedly screamed that Cunningham was not going to have sex with Freedom.

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attended the Freedom 250 Grand Prix IndyCar race held in Washington, D.C. on August 23, 2026. The event marked the first IndyCar race in the nation's capital and formed part of America's 250th anniversary celebrations, with cars expected to reach speeds of 185 mph. Multiple details regarding presidential actions at the track remain unverified or disputed between reporting outlets.