The Eastern Herald: US and World News, Politics, Business

Conflicts

Israeli Army Destroys Homes, Sets Orchards on Fire in Southern Lebanon

August 12, 2026

Israeli forces struck residential buildings in Mansouri and Ali al-Taher in southern Lebanon on Sunday, while incendiary drones burned orchards between Niha and Kfar Houneh in the Western Beqaa, extending the military campaign's destruction into Lebanon's agricultural heartland.

Israeli Army Destroys Homes, Sets Orchards on Fire in Southern Lebanon

August 12, 2026

Israeli forces struck three southern Lebanon villages with tanks, artillery, and drones

Russian military forces advance in the Kharkov region capturing Vodyanoe as Ukraine suffers heavy losses

Russian Forces Seize Vodyanoe in Kharkov Region as Ukraine Suffers Losses Across Six Battle Fronts

August 12, 2026

Russian forces captured the settlement of Vodyanoe in the Kharkov region on

NASA MODIS satellite image showing the Korean Peninsula covered in heavy snow in February 2011, with South Korea's coastal regions and mountain ranges clearly visible from space

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Toward East Sea Ahead of US-South Korea Drills

August 12, 2026

North Korea fired its 11th ballistic missile of 2026 from Wonsan on

Epstein Files

What Are the Epstein Files

The Epstein Files are government records from federal investigations into Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking network, partially released under a 2025 transparency law and partially still withheld. Key documents about powerful figures remain

by Amanda Graham

August 10, 2026

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche who oversaw the Epstein files release and faces Senate confirmation vote

State AG Files Federal Suit to Pry Epstein Files from DOJ

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has filed a federal lawsuit against the Justice Department over Epstein files, as Acting AG Todd Blanche concedes redaction mistakes and an NPR investigation finds Trump-linked

by News Room

Jeffrey Epstein files as the DOJ faces scrutiny over blocking a 2015 DEA drug probe memo

Epstein Files Shadow Massachusetts Senate Race as DOJ Blocks Key Drug Probe Memo

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies at his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing July 2026

Blanche Hands Judge Disputed Epstein Documents at Last Minute as Court Scrutiny Deepens

Larry Summers former US Treasury Secretary whose 2013 Middle East briefing surfaced in Epstein files

Larry Summers’ 2013 Middle East Briefing Surfaces in Epstein Files

Opinion

Sheikh Hasina Returns: Unafraid, Unbowed, Unbroken

When Sheikh Hasina picked up the phone from her exile home in Delhi and told Reuters that she and her senior Awami League colleagues plan to return to Bangladesh this December, her

by Syed Mozammel Ali

July 27, 2026

Government & Politics

Trump’s Kennedy Center Must Pay $252,000 to Jazz Drummer Who Refused to Perform

A federal judge ordered the Kennedy Center to pay jazz drummer Chuck Redd $252,000 in legal fees after the Trump-controlled institution sued him for canceling a Christmas Eve concert in protest of

August 12, 2026

by Dmitri Agafonov

Peggy Flanagan Wins Minnesota Democratic Senate Primary, Defeating AIPAC-Linked Rival

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a member of the White Earth Band

by Miranda Novell

Trapped in Eswatini: The Men Trump Deported to a Country They Had Never Heard of

A man imprisoned in Eswatini had never heard of the small southern

by Dilnaz Shaikh

Trump Needed a Catering Truck Ruse to Exit Turkey as Iran Threatened His Plane

President Trump secretly departed Turkey via catering truck and military jet Wednesday

by Amanda Graham

Judge Orders Epstein Victim Files Unsealed, Overriding Maxwell’s Last Legal Defense

August 12, 2026

Iran’s Supreme Leader Meets With President in 1st Appearance Since Conflict Began

August 12, 2026

Iran’s Supreme Leader Meets With President in 1st Media Appearance Since Start of Conflict

August 12, 2026

US Vice President Tells Zelensky to Stop Attacks on Oil Facilities in Black Sea – Reports

August 12, 2026

Horoscope

Horoscope Today, 12 August 2026: Total Solar Eclipse at 20 Degrees Leo Redraws the Day for All 12 Zodiac Signs

Horoscope today, 12 August 2026, is written under a sky that goes out. At 11:07 on Wednesday night in India, the Moon overtakes the

by Internet Desk

August 12, 2026

Horoscope today 10 August 2026 showing the Cancer Moon squaring retrograde Saturn in Aries two days before the total solar eclipse in Leo for all 12 zodiac signs

Horoscope Today, 10 August 2026: A Dark Cancer Moon Runs Into Retrograde Saturn Two Days Before the Leo Eclipse

by Internet Desk

August 10, 2026

Horoscope today 9 August 2026 showing Mercury entering Leo and the Moon crossing into Cancer for all 12 zodiac signs

Horoscope Today, 9 August 2026: The Last Quiet Sky Before the Total Solar Eclipse in Leo

by Internet Desk

August 9, 2026

Horoscope today 8 August 2026 showing the waning Gemini Moon and the Leo Sun trine Saturn retrograde in Aries for all 12 zodiac signs

Horoscope Today, 8 August 2026: The Last Clear Day Before the Leo Eclipse

by Internet Desk

August 8, 2026

Sports

India vs Afghanistan T20I series 2026 confirmed for September 13-17 at Arun Jaitley Stadium New Delhi

India National Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard

The BCCI and ICC today confirmed a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan for September 13-17 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi — completing a

12 Aug

by Sports Desk

MLB games action shot August 2026 baseball season

MLB Games Today, August 13, 2026: Phillies vs. Twins at Field of Dreams, Live on Netflix

The Philadelphia Phillies face the Minnesota Twins tonight at the Field of Dreams stadium in Dyersville, Iowa, in the marquee MLB game of August

12 Aug

by Sports Desk

NBA games 2026-27 schedule featuring Christmas Day matchups

NBA Games 2026-27 Schedule: LeBron’s 76ers Open Against Knicks on Oct. 20 at MSG

The NBA released its 2026-27 season schedule this week, setting October 20 as the opening night for LeBron James in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform

12 Aug

by Sports Desk

Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs NBA 2026-27 season preview

NBA Games: 2026-27 Season Preview, Key Matchups and What to Watch

The San Antonio Spurs defend their 2026 championship as LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown converge in Philadelphia. Cooper Flagg begins his second

12 Aug

by Jennifer Hicks

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi batting for India cricket team 2026

India National Cricket Team vs England Cricket Team Match Scorecard

Ben Duckett's Lord's century sealed England's 2-1 ODI series win over the India national cricket team in July 2026, followed by a 5-0 T20I

12 Aug

by Olivia Taylor

India and Bangladesh players in action during a cricket World Cup match

Bangladesh and India Push to Revive September Cricket Series Through Ministerial Talks

Bangladesh's Sports Minister says the September six-match white-ball series against India is now being negotiated at the level of foreign ministers — a sign

11 Aug

by Sports Desk

NBA regular season opening tripleheader games 2026

NBA China Games 2026: Cooper Flagg’s First NBA Games Will Be Played in Macao

NBA China Games 2026 ticket sales opened Tuesday for two preseason games at The Venetian Macao in October. Cooper Flagg, the reigning Rookie of

11 Aug

by Olivia Taylor

Dallas Cowboys players on the field during an NFL game in 2026

Cowboys vs Commanders 2026: NFC East Rivals Meet in Week 2 With Everything to Prove

The Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders open their NFC East rivalry in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season on September 20 at AT&T

11 Aug

by Sports Desk

Economy

Intel Plans $15 Billion Share Sale to Fund AI Push, Shares Fall 5%

by Olivia Taylor

Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, who personally initiated the $30 billion Alphabet investment in Q2 2026

Buffett Picked Berkshire’s $30 Billion Alphabet Bet, Showing the Chairmanship Has Teeth

by Dilnaz Shaikh

Oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz as Iran refuses to reopen the passage without sanctions relief

Oil Rises on Hormuz Stalemate as Iran Refuses to Reopen Without Sanctions Relief

by Jennifer Hicks

Northern tip of Oman at the Strait of Hormuz photographed from the International Space Station

Iran and Oman Establish Hormuz Monitoring Mechanisms With Fees; Parliament Weighs US-Israel Vessel Ban

by Arab Desk

Ultra Low Emission Zone sign in London as UK grapples with record NEET youth inactivity costs

UK Loses $168.7 Billion Annually Due to Inactive Young Generation – Reports

by Europe Desk

Pan-European STOXX 600 index at record highs as AI semiconductor stocks drive European equity rally in 2026

STOXX 600 at Record as European Semiconductor Stocks Draw American Investors

by Miranda Novell

Economic data release image from China Daily showing China producer price index figures for July 2026

China Factory Prices Slow to 3.5% in July as Fuel Costs Reverse Iran War Premium

by Shivam Chopra

Smartphone displaying Berkshire Hathaway BRK stock price chart on a trading app

Greg Abel Puts Berkshire’s Cash to Work, With Alphabet Displacing Apple as Top Holding

by Synthia Rozario

US July 2026 jobs report shows economy shed 23,000 nonfarm payrolls as labor market weakens

US Economy Shed 23,000 Jobs in July, Missing Forecasts by 106,000 as Wages Lag Inflation

by Amanda Graham

US Inflation Holds at 3.4% as Iran Ceasefire Limits Energy Costs

Consumer prices rose 3.4 percent in July from a year earlier, held down by an energy reprieve as the United States-Iran ceasefire kept gasoline

by Olivia Taylor

August 12, 2026

Zhu Rongji, China’s Economic Premier Who Led WTO Entry, Dies at 97

Zhu Rongji, China's premier from 1998 to 2003, died in Beijing at 97, with Reuters and the Associated Press confirming his death on Tuesday.

by Jennifer Hicks

August 12, 2026

Oil tankers navigate Hormuz shipping risks as IEA forecasts 1.8 million bpd global oil deficit in Q3 2026

IEA Forecasts Global Oil Deficit of 1.8Mln Bpd in Q3 2026 – Report

The International Energy Agency more than doubled its Q3 2026 global oil deficit forecast to 1.8 million barrels per day in its monthly report,

by Economy Desk

August 12, 2026

Oil tankers navigating Middle East waters as Saudi Arabia reserves hit record highs amid Hormuz blockade

Saudi Arabia’s Onshore Oil Reserves Hit Record Highs – IEA

Saudi Arabia's onshore oil reserves surged to record highs by early August after Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea transit disruptions halted tanker loadings,

by Economy Desk

August 12, 2026

American household reviewing finances as US credit card debt hits record 1.263 trillion in Q2 2026 New York Federal Reserve report

US Credit Card Debt Hits Record $1.26 Trillion as Delinquencies Rise

American credit card balances hit a record $1.263 trillion in Q2 2026, the highest level the New York Federal Reserve has ever tracked. Some

by Jennifer Hicks

August 12, 2026

Daily Games

NYT Mini Crossword Answers Today (May 3, 2026) – Full Solutions

May 3, 2026

NYT Spelling Bee Answers Today: Full Solution May 3, 2026

May 3, 2026

Contexto game answer today showing SPONGE solution with hints and word puzzle breakdown

Contexto Answer Today SPONGE Hints and Solution Explained for May 3 2026

May 3, 2026

NYT Strands Answers Today – May 3, 2026 (Puzzle #791) Full Solution, Spangram & Hints

May 3, 2026

Quordle Today May 3, 2026: Answers, Hints & Full Solution for Game #1560

May 3, 2026

Climate

Smoke from the Bald Range wildfire blanketing the outskirts of Penticton in British Columbia Okanagan region

August 10, 2026

British Columbia Declares Emergency as Bald Range Wildfire Forces 20,000 to Flee Okanagan

British Columbia declared a state of emergency as the Bald Range wildfire forced more than 20,000

GOES-19 satellite image of Puerto Rico showing atmospheric conditions over the island during the 2026 drought

Puerto Rico Begins 48-Hour Water Cutoffs as Drought Exposes Infrastructure Failure

August 9, 2026

Puerto Rico's water authority begins rotating 48-hour shutoffs on August 10, affecting 180,000 accounts across San Juan. Decades of deferred maintenance have left the island losing 60 percent of extracted water to

Technology and AI computing infrastructure driving new energy demand

Amazon’s Planned Texas Data Center Would Outpollute Every US Power Plant

by Shivam Chopra

A Virgin Mary statue stands undamaged amid burned ruins of homes in Spokane's Balboa neighborhood after the Old Trails Fire August 2026

Aaron Farinacci, Who Killed His Father, Charged With Arson in Spokane’s Old Trails Fire

by Akihito Muranaka

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin listening to President Trump at the White House Oval Office, as the administration prepared to freeze $20 billion in clean energy grants

US Appeals Court Finds EPA Likely Broke Law Freezing $20 Billion in Climate Grants

by Amanda Graham

Virgin Mary statue stands amid burned ruins of homes in Spokane Balboa neighborhood after Old Trails Fire August 2026

Spokane Wildfires Destroy 600 Structures as FEMA Authorizes Federal Aid

by News Room

Technology

NYC Council Probes Polymarket and Kalshi Over Fake Trade Videos and Predatory Ads

NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin opened a probe into Polymarket, Kalshi, Coinbase, and Gemini over fake trade videos and deceptive ads targeting young users. The investigation asks whether prediction market platforms lied

by Shivam Chopra

August 12, 2026

Teenagers using smartphones as FBI warns of account hacking to steal intimate images for sextortion

FBI Warns Criminals Are Hacking Accounts to Steal Intimate Images for Sextortion

The FBI has warned that criminals are now hacking social media accounts to steal intimate images without any contact with victims, then selling stolen content on criminal markets. Extortion, stalking, and self-harm

by Olivia Taylor

Oracle headquarters as company plans new round of layoffs before September amid AI workforce restructuring

Oracle Plans New Round of Layoffs Targeting Cuts Before September Payroll

Nvidia branding at Computex 2026 expo in Taipei Taiwan as AI server demand from Supermicro hits record

Supermicro Q4 Revenue More Than Doubles to $11.1 Billion With $72 Billion FY2027 Guidance

CoreWeave AI cloud company as Q2 2026 revenue doubles to 2.58 billion with 104 billion backlog

CoreWeave Revenue Doubles to $2.58 Billion as $104 Billion Backlog Drives Shares Up 12%

Entertainment

Promotional image for A Great Book with Barack Obama podcast launching on Audible September 2026

Barack Obama Launches ‘A Great Book’ Literary Podcast Exclusively for Audible

Barack Obama is hosting 'A Great Book,' a six-episode Audible podcast exploring the novels that shaped his thinking, from James Baldwin to Cormac McCarthy.

August 12, 2026

by Dmitri Agafonov

Greta Lee as Ann looking shocked inside the sealed house in Netflix thriller The Last House

The Last House Hits Netflix No. 1 Despite 28 Percent on Rotten Tomatoes

August 11, 2026

House of the Dragon Season 3 on HBO featuring the Targaryen civil war

House of the Dragon Finale Changes Hugh the Hammer’s Most Critical Book Moment

August 10, 2026

Kalshi Settled $3.3 Million Spotify Market After Fraud Warning as Music Bets Persist

by Akihito Muranaka

Taylor Swift at an entertainment industry event, whose team filed a copyright claim removing her song august from a Team Trump TikTok video in August 2026

Taylor Swift’s Copyright Strike Silences ‘August’ on Team Trump’s TikTok Fireworks Video

by Amanda Graham

Fans outside Chase Center in San Francisco after Earth Wind and Fire postponed their concert due to a medical emergency on August 7 2026

Business

Eli Lilly Sues Six Black Market Sellers of Its Experimental Weight-Loss Drug

Eli Lilly filed six lawsuits against pharmacies and peptide vendors selling its experimental weight-loss drug retatrutide on the black market. The company simultaneously pressed online platforms, payment processors, and federal regulators to

by Akihito Muranaka

August 12, 2026