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All the latest on United States: articles, analysis and ongoing coverage from Lost in the Jungle.
World
US Treasury securities gained on Monday, August 24, 2026, with yields declining across all maturities. The 10-year yield fell three basis points to 4.71%, while the 30-year yield declined similarly to 5.24%. Markets watched closely for expected remarks from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, which could shape the direction of Treasury yields going forward.
World
The United States suspended 50% customs surtaxes on Canada on August 19, 2026, just hours before they were due to take effect on Wednesday morning. The three-day pause follows a last-minute agreement between the two countries. The levies would have covered roughly $20 billion in Canadian imports, including cement, ice hockey sticks and beer. The temporary suspension leaves the long-term trade dispute unresolved, but gives Washington and Ottawa a brief window to continue negotiations.
World
Canada is racing against the clock to reach an agreement with the Trump administration before midnight Tuesday to avoid additional U.S. tariffs and their economic consequences, according to The New York Times. The deadline marks a critical moment in ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries, with significant implications for Canadian exports and the broader North American economy.
World
President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Oman if the country "gets in the way" of negotiations or developments between the United States and Iran. A 60-day ceasefire between Washington and Tehran is set to expire Monday without an agreement on managing the Strait of Hormuz. The truce has already been violated multiple times. Oman has discussed a temporary arrangement with Tehran to manage this strategic passage.
World
Israel carried out strikes against Lebanon on August 17, 2026, according to an unconfirmed report from Bloomberg TV. The same news bulletin said the United States was preparing new sanctions against Iran. Both claims appeared in a single edition of “The Asia Trade,” broadcast live from Sydney at 05:12 UTC and presented by Haidi Stroud-Watts and Paul Allen. No independent source has corroborated the two reports at this stage.
Climate
Several people died as flooding continued in Indiana, according to NPR, the only available source. Some areas received more than 11 inches of rain in three days starting August 11, causing record-breaking floods. Multiple suburbs of Indianapolis were also underwater.
World
Historian Jean-Pierre Filiu analyzes on August 16, 2026, how factional rivalries in Tehran are impacting talks between Iran and the United States. He argues the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps controls military operations and imposes demands on Iran's negotiators. Meanwhile, Donald Trump claims responsibility for starting the war and wants to declare the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory. Iran also alleges Qatar is holding three of its pilots since March 2, 2026.
World
Iran says Qatar has held three Iranian air force pilots since March 2, 2026, when their fighter jets were shot down at the start of the war between Iran and the United States. The Qatari government has not publicly commented on the Iranian claim, according to The New York Times.
World
France's Ministry of Defence says it has identified no risk for the future France-Libre carrier following the US decision to abandon electromagnetic catapults. The American decision will apply to a carrier scheduled for delivery in 2034. Three earlier Gerald R. Ford-class ships are or will be equipped with modern catapults, which should secure the necessary supply chain for France's future carrier programme.
World
Donald Trump has declared his intention to proclaim the Strait of Hormuz a "U.S. territory" after the war, according to reports. Iranian Vice Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded that the strait "will remain Iranian." At a rally, Donald Trump further asserted he would never apologize for having triggered the war with Iran, maintaining this position despite its impact on oil prices.
World
On August 14, 2026, Donald Trump stated that the nine months spent at sea by the USS Lincoln carrier crew was not too long a deployment—but rather, according to him, 'not long enough.' He also announced that the USS George Washington was en route to relieve the Lincoln.
World
The USS Abraham Lincoln, an American military vessel, has remained deployed after more than nine months at sea, while families and crew members report serious problems onboard. According to Le Temps, as of August 14, 2026, the ship has not docked in a port for eight months. Crew testimonies describe food shortages, unusable toilets, and contaminated water. The White House denies such problems exist. Democratic lawmakers have called out Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Sport
Great Britain’s women won all three group games to finish top of their group at the 2026 Flag Football World Championships in Germany, according to the BBC. The world number three and two-time defending European champions beat France, China and Austria. They face Panama in the quarter-finals on Saturday, August 15, at 9:30 a.m. BST, with defending champions the United States a possible semi-final opponent. For the first time, the tournament offers direct qualification for the Olympic Games, where flag football will make its debut at Los Angeles 2028.
World
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has equipped its agents with electric stun gloves, a decision that has raised concerns about potential abuse. This federal law enforcement agency carries out the Trump administration's policy of mass expulsion of undocumented immigrants. According to Le Monde, the agency has become a symbol of the excesses of an expulsion policy described as particularly brutal.
World
Europe is examining possibilities for establishing its own nuclear deterrence facing Russian threats and doubts about American protection. It has benefited from seventy years of U.S. nuclear deterrence. Russia invaded Ukraine and makes nuclear threats. Donald Trump's re-election to the U.S. presidency fuels questions about whether Washington will maintain its support for Europe. As American security guarantees come under scrutiny, European officials are investigating what an independent European nuclear deterrent might look like.
World
Three men are scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Thursday in the United States. The executions are set to take place in Tennessee, Alabama and Oklahoma. According to NPR, the convergence of three executions on a single day is rare.
World
Twenty-six countries, including France, the United Kingdom and Canada, condemned the executions of protesters in Iran on August 12, 2026. According to Le Monde, the Iranian authorities have acknowledged more than 3,000 deaths. They attributed the violence to “terrorist acts” orchestrated by the United States and Israel.
World
Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday setting out new vaccine recommendations in the United States, including spacing out vaccines given to children, according to Le Monde. The World Health Organization has expressed concern over what it describes as a new push by Trump against vaccination. While presenting the order, the US president repeatedly referred to autism. Trump has also withdrawn the United States from the WHO.
World
The US military attacked the Vela Nova on Tuesday, saying the Panama-flagged cargo ship had ignored repeated warnings while attempting to breach the blockade of Iranian ports in the Gulf of Oman. According to CENTCOM, a US Navy helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the engine room and disabled the vessel’s steering system. No information was released about possible crew casualties. The strike came during a period of relative calm following a 13-day escalation in July, as the United States reinstated its naval blockade and Iran reasserted control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Climate
A wildfire began in the United States on August 11, 2026, and continued through the same date, according to the provided tier-one source. GDACS estimates that the fire may have a low humanitarian impact. Its assessment takes into account the area burned, the affected population and that population’s vulnerability.