Author: Karen Givens

ActBlue’s leadership and several people tied to Democratic fundraising have repeatedly refused to answer questions under oath, key figures have left or gone on leave, and major organizations tied to the party face fresh legal and financial scrutiny. On August 20, Matt DeBergalis walked into a closed-door deposition on Capitol Hill and walked out twenty-five minutes later. He co-founded ActBlue, the online platform that collects small-dollar donations for nearly every Democratic campaign in the country. Three House committees had questions about how foreign money reached the platform, and DeBergalis invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. ActBlue’s chief executive, Regina…

Nepal is reeling after massive flash floods on the border with China left at least 469 people dead and hundreds unaccounted for, while rescue teams race against time and weather to reach isolated communities. The death toll from massive flash floods has risen to 469 in Nepal, police said Friday, as rescuers work to find hundreds of people still missing in the area on the Nepal-China border. Teams on the ground describe scenes of crushed homes, uprooted roads and bridges swept away, complicating efforts to reach survivors. Local authorities say many villages remain cut off by mud and debris, making…

A second-grade teacher in Atlanta set up a corner in her classroom where students can pass gas without leaving, and the idea went viral, touching off a wider public debate about classroom rules, comfort and common sense. The teacher, working with second graders in Atlanta, introduced a designated spot in the classroom intended to let children pass gas without having to leave the room and disrupt the flow of lessons or face embarrassment in front of classmates. The change was small in setup but large in notice, spreading quickly on social platforms and drawing attention from parents, educators and strangers…

The Supreme Court’s emergency decision cleared the way for President Trump’s March order on mail-in voting, setting up a procedural victory for the administration while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued a solo, 23-page dissent calling the situation a “Kafkaesque nightmare.” The Court lifted a lower court injunction that had paused the administration’s plan to have the U.S. Postal Service verify voter eligibility before delivering ballots. That move is not a final ruling on the order’s legality, but it removes an obstacle on the emergency docket and lets the administration press forward pending implementation. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson broke from her…

President Trump signed an executive order on August 27, 2026, renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America after high-stakes trade moves, and the change takes effect immediately inside U.S. systems. Canada responded with matched tariffs, setting a new chapter in a trade standoff that began when the administration imposed 50% duties on certain Canadian goods. The Department of the Interior has been instructed to update federal maps and databases while other countries will likely continue using the traditional name. Everything is coming up America – even the geography. On Thursday, President Donald Trump moved from threat to action and formally altered…

Schools are quietly adding AI tools that can speed grading, personalize lessons, and monitor classrooms, and parents are pushing back with questions about consent, data privacy, and the right to opt out. “Moms and dads need to do some homework.” That line is blunt because the issues are messy: districts are testing chatbots, automated proctoring, and learning platforms that collect student data. The result is a patchwork of policies that leaves families unsure about who controls a child’s information. Districts often argue that AI helps teachers manage large classes and tailor instruction, and there is real potential there for students…

The U.S. Army has selected five companies to build and operate nuclear microreactors on five military installations across the country, the service announced Wednesday. The Army’s move to put microreactors on installations signals a shift toward decentralized, on-site power for critical missions. These small reactors are built to deliver firm, continuous electricity where the grid can be unreliable or vulnerable. The announcement names the scale and intent without listing public locations, keeping site details limited so planners can work through permitting and security. Microreactors are modular, compact nuclear units that can run for years without refueling, offering steadier baseload power…

Brazil’s government has filed a federal lawsuit against Discord, the communication platform popular with gamers, seeking roughly $97 million in damages. Brazil’s federal authorities announced a lawsuit filed in a federal court naming Discord as the defendant and seeking damages of about $97 million. The government framed the legal action as a claim for compensation tied to the platform’s role in certain online activity, but public statements released so far have been concise. The filing sets a clear legal confrontation between a national authority and a global tech platform. The amount sought — about $97 million — makes this more…

A judge denied a mistrial in the Lindsay Clancy case after a prosecution expert briefly referenced her Catholic upbringing, and the trial moved forward as experts and evidence tested the core insanity claim. The courtroom moment that nearly derailed the trial involved a prosecution witness who began to mention religion, prompting an immediate objection and a sharp rebuke from the judge as “absolutely inappropriate.” The judge told jurors to disregard any religion-related testimony and rejected the defense’s request to declare a mistrial, allowing the proceedings to continue. The exchange followed an earlier question about Catholic practice that also drew judicial…

A San Diego Padres minor league coaching coordinator who was detained by federal immigration officers in Texas has been released on bond, his family said Tuesday. The announcement came as questions circulated about the circumstances of the detention and what comes next for the coach, the team and their community. The family confirmed the coach’s release on bond and identified federal immigration officers as having detained him in Texas. Beyond that brief statement, details about the timing, the precise location, and the legal grounds for the detention were not provided publicly. That limited information has left teammates, colleagues and local…