AUGUST 19. 2026

Senators Criticize Trump Administration’s Demands to Access Health Data as a Condition for Lifesaving Aid

Citing ProPublica’s reporting, eight senators wrote a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio questioning the administration’s approach to foreign health data. They said it could set an “alarming precedent. ”

What The Intercept Is Reading

Book recommendations old and new, fiction and nonfiction, from Intercept staffers.

Do You Know About U. S. Military Spending? Help ProPublica Understand Where the Money Goes.

Many Pentagon projects face delays, budget increases and performance issues. The causes of these problems are often opaque to the taxpayers who foot the bill. Help point us to the most important stories.

The $1 Trillion Black Box

The U. S. military budget is vast and opaque. Projects touted as engineering marvels end up facing years of delays and ballooning costs. ProPublica has launched a series to report on the Pentagon’s spending.

All aboard Amtrak’s sleeker, cleaner new trains

The $8B Airo fleet will bring cleaner engines, greater capacity, and faster trips to more than a dozen routes across the country.

US Army Corps approves a pipeline project it knows harms Indigenous lands

The proposal to replace a segment of Line 5 in the Great Lakes still needs state approval. Tribes say the federal review violates treaty rights.

Why Egyptian farmers are growing crops under solar panels

The additional shade reduces evaporation and stress on the plants, all while generating clean electricity.

Colby’s Empty Charm Offensive

U. S. government actions undermined the Trump official’s Southeast Asian tour.

Why Sweden dominates pop music

Sweden regularly punches above its musical weight.

You can buy the game, but it's never really yours

The iconic action-adventure video game Grand Theft Auto is going all-virtual for its first new edition in 13 years, which is expected to reach €3-5 billion in…

AUGUST 18. 2026

Russian Threats Won’t Stop the U. K. ’s Drone Deliveries

London vows to continue aiding Ukraine’s war effort.

China’s Leaders Go on a Summer Retreat

Under Xi, the once-collective gathering has become something else.

Five Years on, Washington Is Failing Afghanistan Again

Despite administration promises, aid cuts are leaving Afghan mothers and children to die.

Ways of Treeing

Meditations on time and rebellion against the straight line

Vance Pitches a New Objective for the Iran War

Simply lowering energy prices for U. S. consumers is “goal No. 1”

Uganda’s Succession Plan Is Already Underway

The president’s son is wielding increased power with impunity.

Why plugging in all those EVs could actually save the power grid

As utilities switch to renewables, you'll get paid to send battery power back into the system, making it stronger and cheaper for everyone.

Colby’s ‘Flexible Realism’ Won’t Work in the Indo-Pacific

Washington’s new strategy is little more than a euphemism for unpredictability.

Socrates’ Turf

The philosopher Agnes Callard is one of the most genuinely curious thinkers I have ever met. Whether she’s writing about unrequited love, parenting,

The Short Life of a Newborn During the Iran War

“What crime had my 20-day-old grandchild committed? ”