Joe Biden on prostate cancer

Newsweek - Former President Joe Biden shared an update on his battle with prostate cancer, saying radiation treatment has worked as intended while urging Americans to speak to their doctors about early detection….

Biden revealed in May 2025 that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer after experiencing urinary symptoms. Doctors determined that the cancer had already metastasized to his bones by the time it was discovered.

In his latest message, Biden stressed the importance of catching the disease early.

“When prostate cancer is caught early, the five-year survival is close to 100%,” he wrote, urging people not to delay speaking with their doctors.

Biden said men at average risk should begin discussing screening around age 50, while Black men should begin the conversation at 45 or earlier. He also highlighted family history as an important risk factor, advising men whose father or brother had prostate cancer to speak with their doctors beginning at age 45, or earlier if multiple close relatives were affected.

Biden pointed to racial disparities in prostate cancer outcomes, writing that Black men are “nearly 70% more likely to get this disease and 2 to 4 times more likely to die from it.”

Departing Smithsonian Secretary

NY Times  -  By the time Lonnie G. Bunch III announced on Tuesday that he would be stepping down as the Smithsonian secretary, the White House had made it virtually impossible for him to stay, according to historians and colleagues.

Since the beginning of his second term, President Trump has targeted the Smithsonian with executive orders that accuse the institution of a liberal bias and of planning exhibitions with anti-American viewpoints. The White House has characterized Bunch as “a Democrat donor and rabid partisan.” It did not immediately respond to requests for comment after Mr. Bunch said he would resign.

“He has experienced a mounting pressure campaign as the Smithsonian became a battlefield in the culture wars,” said Samuel J. Redman, a history professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who has written extensively about the Smithsonian. “Lonnie Bunch led the Smithsonian with candor, bravery and thoughtfulness that really suggested something about his long experience with the institution, his adept diplomacy — but clearly that could only go so far.

Stupid Trump stuff

Independent -  President Donald Trump has launched another personal attack on Kaitlan Collins, calling CNN’s chief White House correspondent “very dumb and unhappy.” Trump, who has repeatedly targeted Collins for “not smiling,” unleashed on the White House reporter late Tuesday and ahead of his speech Wednesday night at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention in Dallas.

“Very dumb and unhappy Fake News CNN “reporter,” Kaitlan Collins (really low ratings, also!), had a panel where discussions were all FICTION AND LIES,” Trump fumed in his Truth Social post. “You would think that CNN, which is suffering terribly in the TV Ratings, would get rid of their 3rd rate “anchors,” and try to bring credibility back to their once storied network. It is fading FAST!”

Meanwhile. . .

Washington Post -  The Associated Press is advising its reporters and others who follow AP style to continue referring to Lake Ontario by its original name, despite President Donald Trump’s order to rename it Lake America last month as the administration’s trade war with Canada escalated. The AP’s guidance says Trump’s executive order affects only how the U.S. government refers to the lake, and Canada and other countries are not required to recognize the name change.

New Republic - The Trump administration is moving to strip a rule barring private equity officials from engaging in “pay-to-play” schemes with government officials.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is planning to revoke Rule 206(4)-5 under the Investment Advisers Act, arguing that it chills employees’ political speech. The regulation, known as the “Pay-to-Play” Rule, bars investment advisers from getting paid to advise government clients for two years after making a political contribution to certain officials and candidates.

In the 16 years since the rule was implemented, it has only resulted in a handful of penalties. The proposed change comes after private equity spending increased in 2024, and flipped toward Republicans.

Immigration

Newsbreak -  (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday upheld an injunction blocking an Internal Revenue Service policy that allowed it to share thousands of taxpayers' addresses with immigration authorities, saying the Trump administration's practice violated federal law.  A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the IRS last year disclosed roughly 47,000 taxpayer addresses to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under a procedure adopted as part of the administration’s efforts to expand immigration enforcement. The IRS did not respond to a request for comment.

National parks bring in money

USA Facts - While a camping trip can be an opportunity to unplug, national park visitors don’t just take in the scenery — they spend money, and that spending flows into the towns and counties near each park. In 2024, 332 million visitors spent a record high in those nearby communities, supporting jobs and local businesses beyond the park gates.

 Adjusted for inflation, 2024’s $29.0 billion was the highest visitor spending total in more than a decade of data, surpassing the previous high of $27.2 billion in 2023.

 Visitors spent the most at/around Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2024: $2.0 billion. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area garnered the second-most spending, $1.7 billion, and Blue Ridge Parkway garnered $1.5 billion. Spending at the rest of the top 10 ranged from $612.0 million to $905.3 million. 

Lodging was the largest visitor expense, accounting for 38.3% ($11.1 billion) of 2024 spending. Restaurants were next, at an estimated $5.7 billion. Spending on gas, recreation, transportation, and retail each drew $2.2 billion to $2.6 billion. Groceries generated $1.9 billion and camping generated $610 million.

National park visitor spending helped sustain 340,100 jobs and $18.8 billion in wages, with California accounting for the most jobs (35,683) and North Carolina second (25,824). About 60% of those jobs were for businesses that serve visitors directly. The remaining 40% were secondary effect jobs created by the local economy. For example, a local tour guide (a direct job) spends money at a nearby restaurant, helping sustain a waitstaff position (a secondary effect job

Middle East

 NPR - U.S. Central Command announced that it destroyed five Iranian oil carriers in the Gulf of Oman and near Iran’s Kharg Island yesterday. In retaliation, Iran targeted U.S. troops stationed at an air base in Jordan. Since Saturday, the U.S. has struck eight Iranian crude tankers as part of its efforts to weaken Iran's economic lifeline. Turmoil from this war has pushed Brent crude oil prices back above $100 a barrel today.

 The U.S.' strategy in the region is unclear, as there's little discussion around the future of U.S. military presence there, NPR's Aya Batrawy tells Up First. Reducing troop levels could signal weakness to Iran and adversaries like Russia and China. Gulf states initially established U.S. bases as a deterrent, but they have instead been targeted by Iran, prompting Arab allies to seek stronger defense ties with other countries. The Pentagon has not disclosed the extent of damage to U.S. bases, and the Trump administration urged satellite companies to censor images over the Gulf, according to Batrawy.

The United Kingdom announced a ban on imports from Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, accusing Israeli settlers of being "terrorists" who engage in "ethnic cleansing" against Palestinians. The move aims to pressure Israel over settlement expansion, which the U.K. argues undermines the two-state solution. Canada and France have also imposed sanctions, intensifying international pressure on Israel. Israel retaliated quickly with the announcement of the closure of the British consulate in East Jerusalem. 

Delays and Cancellations at U.K. Airports

Canada

The Guardian - The US is banning dairy products, most alcoholic beverages and motorcycles from Canada, the White House said on Tuesday, as the trade war between the two neighbors and longtime allies escalates. The ban will take effect in three weeks and comes after Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs on $20bn in US imports earlier on Tuesday.

Donald Trump also moved to shut Canadian products out of large, long-term US government contracts as Canada’s retaliatory tariffs took effect and the prime minister, Mark Carney, vowed to speed efforts to reduce the country’s dependence on the United States. The US president directed the General Services Administration to declare Canadian products ineligible for those contracts until Canada allows “full and fair reciprocity" for American products. Carney said on Tuesday that Canada’s strategy was about becoming more independent. “It’s about ensuring that no country can hold us hostage. And that we can live how we want to live.”

The Hill - President Trump’s escalation of the trade war with Canada is coming at a bad time for Senate Republican candidates, who are being put in the awkward place of having to defend the administration’s economic record while having to push back against Trump’s targeting of critical Canadian imports and companies.

Word: Ukraine

Ukraine’s defenses are dwindling. Putin will make the most of it. “The aim is to leave Ukraine’s civilian population without heat and to break morale, in the hope that President Volodymyr Zelensky will sue for peace on Russia’s terms.”— Rajan Menon, professor emeritus of international relations at the City College of New York  Read 

Trump’s mental health

Alternet -  On Tuesday, a widely cited psychologist took to YouTube to raise the alarm regarding “more highly concerning behavior” from President Donald Trump. According to Dr. John Garrison, Trump’s recent actions suggest “steep neurological decline” and a dangerously “manic-like state.”

In [an] interview, Trump begins talking about the midterm elections, saying, “I'm going to campaign like I did for myself and I'm going to hope that people think that I'm on. And if I'm not on, if they don't go out and vote, if they go out and vote, we're going to win easily.” As Garrison notes, “What he's saying makes absolutely no sense. He cannot organize his thoughts. He gets confused and he believes what he's saying is coherent. But it truly makes no sense.” According to Garrison, this struggle with verbal planning can be evidence of underlying “neurological issues.”

Trump is president. . . and chief golfer

Alternet -  American television host and conservative political commentator S.E. Cupp had an unexpected response to news that President Donald Trump spends an exorbitant amount of time on the golf course rather than manning the White House.

Forbes reported this week that Trump is spending nearly 30 percent of his second term chasing balls around on the green, with Forbes Senior Editor Dan Alexander telling CNN anchor Erin Burnett that these are “long days,” too.

“If you count the days, it's about 165 of his first 600 days, in his second term, that he's visited one of his golf courses. But what's more surprising is that these aren't short stays,” said Alexander. “And so if you add up the hours, you get to more than 1,400 hours on the golf courses. And that doesn't even count the time that he's at Mar-a-Lago. This is just the amount of time that he's at the golf courses where he's often playing or sometimes doing other things like meetings [and] having lunch.

Alexander also reported that Trump had his chef serve hotdogs to his Secret Service team while killing time at his national golf club outside Washington, DC. But then the Trump-owned club billed the secret service, according to a club insider.

American workers are getting the smallest slice of the pie on record

NBC News -  It is now the least rewarding time to be a worker in the U.S. economy since the government started keeping track. The share of economic growth captured by labor in the form of compensation like wages fell to a record low last quarter, hitting 52.8%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which began recording the statistic in 1947.

Trump’s Iran war has cost overr $100 billion

Axios – The war with Iran has now cost U.S. consumers $100 billion in higher energy prices, Axios' Ben Berkowitz writes from a real-time Brown University estimate. The bill is rising another $1 million about every two minutes.

The Iran War Energy Cost Tracker from Brown's Watson School says higher gasoline and diesel prices have cost the average U.S. household more than $760 since the war began Feb. 28. Most of that is gas, though the diesel burden is rising faster lately.

Older Americans May Have Dementia Without Knowing

Newsweek -  A recent study indicated that older Americans may either have dementia diagnoses without knowing or may not self-report having a diagnosis, and experts have called for more work to be done to improve early detection.

Researchers at Yale University found that 67 percent of older Americans underreported having a dementia diagnosis, which was more than double the rate for other conditions within the same sample group, such as arthritis (17 percent underreported having the condition), diabetes (39 percent) and depression (46 percent).

Other research has raised similar concerns about dementia screening as well. Dr. Malaz Boustani, a professor of aging at Indiana University, told Newsweek that his team's 2005 primary-care study found "only 19 percent of patients whose dementia was confirmed through formal assessment had dementia documented in their medical record. Approximately 80 percent lacked a recorded diagnosis."

Cancer cases expected to soar

Newsweek -  Cancer cases are set to soar globally over the coming decades as the world's population grows and people live longer.  A major new analysis led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer agency of the World Health Organization, estimates that annual global cancer cases could climb from almost 21 million in 2024 to about 34 million by 2050. That would represent a 67 percent increase.

Dozens of cream cheese varieties recalled

 The Sun - Cream cheese sold in dozens of varieties has been recalled over fears it could be contaminated with a potentially deadly bacteria. Made Fresh Salads and Northside branded spreads were ripped from shelves after testing detected traces of Listeria.

Social Security running out of money

Washington Post - For decades, Washington has replayed the same fight over taming the soaring national debt: Democrats cite a need for more taxes. Republicans refuse. And anyone who suggests cutting the biggest source of spending — federal retirement benefits — gets attacked.

But a coming crisis in Social Security appears to be pushing at least a few Republicans off the GOP’s long-standing pledge never to raise taxes.

This summer, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) joined Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) in proposing to raise the payroll tax cap so people with higher incomes pay more into the program. Now the idea is emerging as an acceptable fix among other GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Tom Cole (Oklahoma), the influential chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

The rare GOP concessions on taxes come as lawmakers begin to confront a Social Security shortfall so large and so imminent that the party’s traditional demand for curtailing benefits is unlikely to suffice. In just six years, millions of Social Security recipients will absorb a 22 percent cut in benefits unless lawmakers provide an immediate infusion of nearly $500 billion.

Politics

Axios - House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) faces mounting behind-the-scenes frustration from progressive lawmakers and candidates that's likely to burst into public view after the midterm elections, Axios' Andrew Solender writes.

An influx of Democratic Socialists of America-aligned members in January will compound latent distrust of Jeffries that's festering in some corners of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Jeffries has made several recent moves that left Progressive Caucus members fuming, according to multiple lawmakers, candidates and aides.

Medicare for All: Jeffries said on NBC's "Meet the Press" last month that Medicare for All is "not legislation ... that I support." He said in a later radio interview that he supports universal coverage, but there are "different paths" to get there.

Kushner meeting: Jeffries' sit-down with President Trump's son-in-law rankled progressive groups. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) told reporters: "I don't know what that was about."

NPR - Republicans will hold an unconventional midterm convention this week in Dallas. These types of events are typically reserved for presidential election years. Although midterm conventions are uncommon, one fact stands out: President Trump will be the show's main attraction as Republicans grapple with whether to participate. With polls indicating that Democrats are more energized for the midterms, the president is urging his party's voters to act as if he is on the ballot to get them to cast their votes.

Far right revival in Germany

The Guardian - Germany is still reeling from the biggest far-right victory in a state election since the Nazi period. Voters in Saxony-Anhalt, in the former communist east, gave the anti-immigration, pro-Kremlin Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party a first-place finish of 44%, just short of an absolute majority. Deborah Cole in Berlin explains why it is so significant….

• A “shocked” and chastened chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has vowed to stay in office. Appearing ashen-faced in front of reporters in Berlin on Monday, he said: “We know that Germany carries special responsibility because of its history.”
• What are the wider implications for Europe? In this analysis, Jon Henley says Europe’s centrist politicians fear a continent-wide nationalist wave, fueled by the persistent inability of mainstream governments to deliver for disillusioned voters hit by a spiralling cost of living crisis

Middle East

Newsworthy News -  After Iranian missiles targeted two U.S. Navy warships, U.S. forces struck three Iranian oil tankers to raise the cost of future attacks, escalating risks in a key energy chokepoint. No U.S. casualties were reported; two tankers were disabled and one was destroyed, reports said. U.S. officials linked the tankers to a “shadow” financing network for Iran’s Guard Corps.  Oil route security and legal questions now collide in the Strait of Hormuz.

The problem with polls

DownBallot - Despite some very high-profile misses in recent years, polls remain a valuable tool for helping us evaluate elections—as long as they’re used properly.

But the potential for misuse is great. Among other problems that have cropped up lately, we’ve seen:

• Polls using AI-generated respondents instead of real humans
• Informed ballot questions masquerading as initial ballot questions
• Outright fake polls and polling firms
• Low-quality engagement farms that share polls without links or proper context
• Pollsters who express support for election conspiracy theories

And many other issues as well.

Canada-US tariff war

NY Times - The trade war between the United States and Canada escalated this morning, as Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs of up to 50 percent on American goods. Talks between the two countries fell apart last month.

The tariffs went into effect shortly after midnight. They cover about $20 billion per year of imports from the United States, including goods like clothing, steel and cheese. That amount mimics the tariffs President Trump imposed on Canadian goods. For now, only a small portion of the annual trade between the countries is affected. “The more pressing concern is a potential cycle of retaliation,” my colleague Tony Romm reports.

Trump has already threatened additional tariffs on Canadian-made cars and trucks. He suggested last week that he might halt bilateral trade outright. Then, last night, he took to social media to single out Bombardier, a Canadian plane manufacturer, claiming there would be “NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!”

The dispute is fracturing one of America’s closest alliances, and it is not expected to end soon. When Canada left the talks last month, Carney said his country was “at war.” Canadians stood with him: 75 percent of those polled said they supported his decision to exit.

But if Canadians are on a war footing, American officials say they are not. “I don’t think you can be in a tit-for-tat with someone who’s 13 times larger than you are,” Scott Bessent, the treasury secretary, said in an interview on CNBC.

Stupid Trump stuff

Newsweek - "Many people suggested changing the name of New Mexico, one of the great vote cheating states of all time, to NEW AMERICA," the president wrote. "So much more prestigious and beautiful for the people of that potentially incredible State."

Independent -  President Donald Trump has posted a meme of himself playing the stock market from the Oval Office on Truth Social with the declaration: “I do this for our Country, not myself.”  ……

“I’ve made Hundreds of Billions of Dollars on Stocks, and many other type Holdings, for the U.S.A., not myself, and all I do is get criticized by the Radical Left Dumocrats,” his caption continued. “Very unfair, but what can you do!”

A Gallup poll published last week found that 90 percent of Americans now believe the U.S. government and its political leaders are corrupt, a mood the president appeared to be alluding to in his post.  Trump’s most recent financial disclosure revealed he made $2.2 billion in 2025, sparking accusations from his opponents that he has been profiteering from the presidency in his second term.

Politics

 Bloomberg -Trump’s job approval is at a low point, with living costs, the Iran war and a new trade fight with Canada adding to the GOP’s headaches. Texas, North Carolina and Alaska are now in play. Still, Democrats need a net four seats and face a GOP-friendly districting map, while Republicans hold a financial advantage.

The Six Pac - Dr. Oz and MAGA are literally pushing seniors to delay retirement, claiming that forcing you to work just one more year will throw $1 trillion into the national GDP. and prop up an economy drained by Trump’s massive tax cuts for corporations and the ultra-wealthy. They want to squeeze every last drop of labor out of working people to bail out their billionaire donors. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are warning that Republicans are laying the groundwork to slash the very Social Security benefits you spent decades paying into.  This is blatant theft.

Union membership on the rise

The Guardian - After years of decline, union membership in the US increased by 411,000 members in 2025, the largest increase since 2008, according to a new report.

The report makes clear the impact that “right to work” laws can have on union membership: most gains were concentrated in states that protect collective bargaining.

Union membership rates in those states were nearly triple than the 26 states with so-called “right-to-work” laws that weaken union membership, according to the report from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

States with collective bargaining protections saw an increase of nearly 305,000 union members in 2025, compared to about 107,000 in “right-to-work” states. States with protections have over 10.9 million members out of 76.9 million workers, compared to “right-to-work” states that have 3.7 million members out of 69.7 million workers.

“Right-to-work” laws allow workers to “free ride”, or work under a collectively bargained contract agreement without paying union membership dues. Most right-to-work legislation was passed in the 1940s and 1950s after a movement from conservative activist Vance Muse, who coined the term and championed it in southern states with arguments to preserve Jim Crow-era laws.

“The data consistently shows that workers earn higher wages when they are union members and work in states that protect collective bargaining rights,” said Frank Manzo IV, economist at the ILEPI and coauthor of the report. “More Americans are turning to unions as a bulwark against the rising cost of living..”

In 2025, 19 US states passed 88 laws that expanded workers’ rights, according to a 3 September issue brief by State Futures and NYU Wagner Labor Initiative. Legislation included paid sick leave and medical leave passed in Virginia, warehouse worker protections passed in Connecticut and banning nearly all non-compete agreements in Washington.

The father of Labor Day was only 30 years old

NextGen - Peter J. McGuire – who the AFL-CIO credits as the Father of Labor Day (and May Day) – was just 30 years old when he proposed and shepherded the first Labor Day parade in 1882.

But even before he founded what would become a national holiday dedicated to the dignity of working people, McGuire spent his 20s developing his skills as an organizer and becoming a critical leader to the workers’ rights movement…. 

Born in 1852, McGuire began working at just 11 years old when his father left to join the Union Army. During his teens, he quickly became involved with other agitators like Samuel Gompers – the future founder and first president of the American Federation of Labor.

By 21, McGuire had become a well-known public spokesperson and negotiator. When New York City officials refused to grant a permit for a mass meeting in Tompkins Square Park, McGuire led a sit-in at the police commissioner’s office – securing the permit.

At 25, he moved to Missouri where he organized and won support for the first Bureau of Labor and Statistics in the U.S. – giving policy makers much needed insight into working people’s lives. He was appointed deputy commissioner of the new bureau but left to focus on his biggest passion: organizing workers.

From 27-29, McGuire organized St. Louis carpenters thoroughly and won such impressive wage gains for them that it attracted the attention of carpenters everywhere, leading to the formation of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. They elected him their first secretary.

At 30, he moved UBC’s headquarters to New York where, at a meeting of the New York Central Labor Union, he called for workers to lead “a festive parade through the streets of the city” on the first Monday of September. It was the first Labor Day, and more than 30,000 marchers participated.

The only state capital without a McDonald's and 11 other fun facts

Rediscovering America

Sam Smith –Back in 1957, I covered my first story for an all news radio station in Washington. Since then, I can’t think of any time when I have been as worried about the future of America as I am right now. It’s not just Donald Trump but also a lot of cultural changes that made his power possible, things like the rise of television, advertising and public relations.

Truth, collective concern and community action don’t mean the same thing anymore. Instead, people like Trump have become far more important. When I consider my own past and some of things that guided me, I come up with memories like a Quaker high school, working on a Maine farm in the summer, activists who led folks like me during the  sixties, playing in a band, living in a strongly bi-ethnic DC, and serving in the Coast Guard. In short, a life where you acted with and learned from others rather just telling  them, because of your status, what to do.

Where we are now  is far from anything I can recall. Even Nixon and Reagan were not as self centered and  power hungry as Trump. And today’s Democrats fail to offer strong alternatives although we still have those like independent Bernie Sanders to remind us that  of what real change used to look like. Having lived under FDR, Harry Truman,  Lyndon Johnson, JFK and Barack Obama I know what a really active Democratic Party is like and nationally there’s nothing like it at present.  Our leaders are not the fellow Americans we used to have to guide us. We have to turn off the TV news and start rebuilding our country  with our states, our towns, and our neighbors.