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CAR-Cameroon border artisanal mine collapse kills 100+ — Aug 18, 2026A gold mine collapse in the Abba region of the Central African Republic left dozens dead and many trapped, with rescuers racing to pull survivors as figures vary from about 30 confirmed dead to well over 100 feared dead. The incident underscores the high risks of artisanal mining in the region, where collapses are frequent and assistance is being sought from aid groups and authorities.

Amid Spain's heatwaves, the centuries-old abanico fan makes a comeback — Sep 1, 2026The traditional folding hand fan, known as the abanico, is experiencing a revival in Spain as heat waves drive both locals and tourists to use it more widely, from Madrid to Seville. Artisans are reviving and preserving the craft with handmade pieces alongside mass-produced designs, while flamenco performances continue to popularize and symbolize this cultural accessory.

Priya Raman My grandmother had one of these she'd snap open in church during summer mass, still have it in a drawer somewhere.

Moto Guzzi Opens €50 Million Lake Como Factory-Museum — Sep 3, 2026Moto Guzzi marked its 105th anniversary with World Days 2026 at Mandello del Lario, including a parade from Lecco to Mandello and the debut of a redeveloped campus featuring a new museum and expanded factory built over five years at a cost of more than 50 million euros. The overhaul, designed by Greg Lynn, adds thousands of square meters of production, a 3,000-square-meter museum, and integrates robotics while preserving artisanal handcrafting.

Senate Advances College Sports Bill 74-24 — 4dThe Protect College Sports Act is advancing in the Senate as supporters push to establish federal guardrails for college athletics, covering student compensation, scholarships, medical coverage and the transfer portal, while aiming to replace a patchwork of state laws. Backed by prominent coaches and bipartisan sponsors, the bill faces unclear odds to secure 60 votes and a timely floor vote before the recess, with a large lobbying push on both sides.

House Passes AI Data Center Cost Bill — 3dThe Ratepayer Protection Act, backed by Rep. Gabe Evans and a broad bipartisan coalition, would require large data centers (100 MW+ peak demand) to cover the full costs of new electricity generation and grid upgrades, shielding households from subsidizing AI infrastructure. The measure has cleared committee and is headed toward a House floor vote under fast-track rules, reflecting bipartisan concern about AI-driven electricity demand ahead of the 2026 elections.

Bipartisan Senators Criticize Pentagon Strategy Briefing — 1dColby gave no opening statement Sept. 17; Cramer said he just blew her up right from the beginning as Kelly cited 14,000-16,000 Iran targets, some civilian.

Jared Kim Both parties should demand straight answers on Iran and any domestic troop plans before moving forward.

Judge Blocks Loyalty Questions Across 70,000 Federal Jobs — 6dA federal judge blocked the Trump administration from requiring federal job applicants to answer loyalty questions about President Donald Trump, ruling the practice likely violated free-speech rights and the merit-based, nonpartisan civil service. The injunction affects more than 70,000 postings, with unions arguing the questions politicized hiring, while the administration contends the questions were voluntary and not about loyalty.

Tom Gallagher Blocking these questions for 70,000 jobs prevents one more way to politicize the civil service.

House Passes Third Iran War-Powers Resolution — 2dThe U.S. House has for a third time passed a war powers resolution aimed at halting President Donald Trump’s ability to take military action against Iran, signaling bipartisan pressure ahead of the midterm elections even as the Senate’s path remains uncertain and Trump is expected to veto. The votes reflect continuing concern about the Iran conflict, with party lines shifting slightly as a handful of Republicans joined Democrats, and the cost of the war mounting as the political debate intensifies.

Nicole Hardy It's good Congress keeps voting to limit war with Iran, but the Senate needs to step up or this changes nothing.

FBI Director Patel Testifies Amid Senate Scrutiny — 3dFBI Director Kash Patel testified Sept. 15, 2026 before the Senate Judiciary Committee, his first since 2025; Durbin called him the least qualified and most partisan director.

Elena Vasquez Durbin has a point that this director's background makes him seem too tied to one side.

Cruz Booed While Promoting College Sports Bill — Sep 8, 2026The Protect College Sports Act would create a federal framework for NIL, reporting thresholds, agent fee caps, a guaranteed one-transfer rule, and a revenue-sharing cap with an antitrust exemption for governance, aiming to standardize college sports rules nationwide. High-profile advocates Deion Sanders and Nick Saban are starring in ads backing the bill, funded by Cody Campbell, as supporters push for a floor vote amid partisan and organizational scrutiny and shifting conference endorsements.

Former presidents join 25th anniversary ceremonies at Ground Zero — Sep 10, 2026The United States is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks with bipartisan congressional recognition of the victims and the enduring lessons of the day, as well as ongoing reflections on the response era led by leaders including George W. Bush and Donald Trump. Preparations for a high-profile 9/11 ceremony involve the vice president and all four living former presidents, plus renewed discussion of lessons learned from the post-9/11 era and related commemorations and programming.

Campaign Pledges $100M to Halve U.S. Maternal Deaths — Sep 10, 2026A Walton-backed bipartisan initiative, Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America, pledges $100 million over five years to cut the U.S. maternal mortality rate in half by 2031, prioritizing rural access, midwife training, postpartum care, and improved data collection with state matching to scale impact. The campaign also supports bipartisan legislation and aims to surface political will for maternal health reform by coordinating with states and health systems to implement proven improvements.

Republicans Plan Dallas Convention Ahead of Midterms — Sep 6, 2026Dallas hosts a wide RNC speaker slate for Sept. 9-10, featuring speakers such as Michael Whatley, Laurie Buckhout, Mike Collins, Brian Jack, Ken Paxton and other officials alongside high-profile figures like Donald Trump and JD Vance as the party highlights battleground races. However, the lineup has sparked Hatch Act concerns over Attorney General Todd Blanche’s appearance, drawing criticism from observers about legal limits on federal officials participating in partisan events.

House Republicans Advance Bill Requiring Data Centers to Cover Grid Costs — Sep 9, 2026House Republicans plan to bring the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act to the House floor next week, aiming to require regulators to ensure data centers share some costs of new power generation to curb rising household electricity bills amid growing data-center demand. Separately, state regulators and lawmakers are taking steps and public messaging— Pennsylvania’s PUC reviewing load-control and cost allocation, a Virginia congressman promoting a national data-center plan, and even Trump voicing support— highlighting bipartisan concerns about reliability and who pays for the AI power boom.

Trump Signs Law Allowing Medal of Honor Monument on National Mall — Sep 10, 2026President Trump signed the Hershel “Woody” Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act, authorizing a future Medal of Honor Monument to be placed in the National Mall Reserve in Washington, D.C., with funding from private donations and a ceremony in San Antonio. The legislation, praised as honoring Medal of Honor recipients and American values, received bipartisan support and aims to situate the monument near the Lincoln Memorial as part of national remembrance.

Dana Whitfield Private donations for the project avoid burdening taxpayers while still recognizing real heroes.

Trump urges Congress to pass federal film tax incentive after Voight meeting — Aug 31, 2026President Trump endorses a federal tax incentive to boost film and television production in the United States, arguing it will create jobs and counter industry flight to Canada and other countries, and he is pushing for bipartisan legislation after meetings with Hollywood ambassador Jon Voight. The push is framed as a bipartisan effort to save the U.S. entertainment sector and revitalize production nationwide.

Priya Raman Jon Voight as a Hollywood ambassador is a wild sentence but if it gets bipartisan support to save studio jobs, fine by me.

Ricketts and Osborn clash over Iran, beef imports and Medicaid at Nebraska debate — Aug 31, 2026Independent challenger Dan Osborn and incumbent Pete Ricketts debated at the Nebraska State Fair and in Grand Island, trading broad contrasts on Iran policy, beef imports, immigration, healthcare, and farm policy while framing Osborn as a nonpartisan advocate for producers and reform-minded governance. The exchanges highlighted rising costs and farm-sector concerns, with both candidates attacking or defending tariff and tax policies affecting cattle ranchers and rural communities.

Marcus Bell Ricketts has been in DC a while now, curious what he's actually delivered for cattle producers besides talking points.

Whistleblower warns rushed USPS mail ballot system could disrupt 2026 midterms — Sep 1, 2026A whistleblower alleges USPS rushed a new online ballot-mail portal and strict, unforgiving verification system under President Trump’s executive order, risking widespread ballot rejection and potential disenfranchisement in the 2026 midterms. The disclosures drew bipartisan scrutiny from Sen. Blumenthal and legal challenges, even as the White House defends the plan and a federal judge weighs the rollout.

Riley Bennett · IJR Editorial You're touching on the bigger debate this story sits inside - whether mail voting itself is the problem, versus this particular rushed rollout being poorly executed. Do you think the whistleblower's specific complaints about USPS's system are a separate issue from the broader mail-voting question, or do you see them as proof of the same underlying risk?

Mistrial declared in Lindsay Clancy murder case, retrial timing unclear — Sep 4, 2026The Lindsay Clancy murder trial was declared a mistrial, leaving the question of whether she will be retried and when still unresolved, as coverage from NBC and NBC Boston highlights ongoing legal proceedings and potential next steps. Republican Rep. Brandon Gill criticized Clancy on a talk show, saying he has no sympathy for her, reflecting partisan reaction to the case.

Judge upholds Minnesota's AI nudification ban as xAI's lawsuit continues — Sep 4, 2026Federal judges again rejected Elon Musk’s xAI bid to block Minnesota’s AI nudification law, allowing the statute banning non-consensual nudified images to remain in effect while the lawsuit proceeds. Rulings cited lack of irreparable harm, strong public interest, and bipartisan legislative support for the law as reasons to deny the injunction.

Sam Okafor If xAI thinks blocking nudify features is such a burden, maybe they shouldn't have built that capability into the product in the first place.

Massie and Burlison unveil Flock-Off Act to restrict surveillance camera funding — Sep 3, 2026Rep. Thomas Massie unveiled the Flock-Off Act to bar federal funding for automated license plate readers and biometric surveillance cameras, requiring local funding and allowing penalties on violators. The legislation, backed by Rep. Eric Burlison and aimed at Flock Safety’s widespread network, reflects bipartisan privacy concerns and includes narrow exemptions for border security and toll collection.